Gearing up for a great second year

The sun is shining and in Alaska that means it is time for school!

If you survived the summer rains, I hope to guide you through the start of another year in our community’s school district.

This year has begun as successfully as ever. Last year, I was writing to you as a first-year teacher at Wasilla Middle School. Now, I’m writing to you as a second-year teacher at Wasilla Middle School. OK, so it may sound as though not much has changed, however, from the start of this year life looks as though it is going to have some exciting changes.

Last year, when I got to my classroom (located in the center of the building and consequently without windows), I scoured the school for chairs to support the 30 to 32 students I was informed I could expect in each class. This year, our school’s principal upgraded me to a beautiful portable, which has several windows, with brand new paint, carpet, chairs and desks. WIth four windows and two doors we have been able to spend the first couple weeks of school working by sunlight and enjoying a cool breeze through the classroom.

A new group of students brings a new group exciting challenges and experiences. Thus far, the seventh-grade students at Wasilla Middle School have continued to surpass my expectations. They are some of the most polite and kind students I have yet to work with. This year, I have actually been privileged enough to experience the students both in the math classroom, as well as running on the trail for cross country (XC). In both environments our community can be proud of the up-and-coming generation.

Coaching XC exposed me to not only a different side of our students, but also the sheer amount of hard work the coaches in our community place on creating healthy after school activities for our kids. I watched WMS’s head coach stay some evening past 5:30 (practice ends at 4) setting up a fun new running course or planning a successful meet for our local middle schools.

In addition to our head coach’s dedication, we had another teacher volunteer her time daily, to help us manage the group of nearly 50 students showing up to practices. For her, pay stopped at 2:30, however, she gave us her time so that we could ensure XC was safe and fun for our students.

From this experience, I can guarantee you, I will be volunteering for far more events to help out our hardworking coaches.

The reason I am writing this column is to simply pay forward all the successes that are being created within the halls of, not only WMS, but our community’s middle schools in general. The learning community in Alaska is supportive and dedicated. We appreciate our community’s continued support and look forward to opportunities to show our community just how proud they can be of not only their children, but the local education professionals as well.

Welcome to my second year at Wasilla Middle School.

Jeffrey Blackburn is a seventh-grade math teacher at Wasilla Middle School.