Wednesday's News, and the Imaginarium

Hello Troops,

As of today there are no new developments regarding the renovation of the Space Center.  The renovation hasn't started.  Stay tuned for developments.  

I'm working at two schools until the renovation is complete.  I start every morning, as I have for the last 13 years, working the school's crosswalk at 100 N.  I'm an interesting sight standing on the curb wearing my fluorescent orange pumpkin vest.  

At  9:00 A.M. I teach the advanced 6th grade math class.  I have 18 of the district's sharpest students for 90 minutes.  At 10:30 I jump in the Battlestar and, with sails unfurled, set course for Shelley Elementary School in American Fork.   

Shelley's principal, staff and students are great to work with.   I monitor the students in the lunchroom and playground from 11:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.  My lunch break goes from 12:30 to 1:00.  At 1:00 P.M. I work with the school's five 6th grade teachers.  They have large classes and are happy to have extra help. 

Matt Ricks comes out to help on A day afternoons.  Matt works at the Space Center as a programmer and tech.  On A days he comes in as a  high school intern.  Matt will work in Shelley Elementary's second computer lab helping the teachers teach their students how to produce multimedia presentations.   

I'm back in my pumpkin suit doing sidewalk and street duty at the 2:15 and 3:30 P.M. dismissal times. My day ends at 4:00 P.M.   If necessary I'll stop at Central on my way home to deal with the trickle of Space Center business that comes in during the day.   

They say a change is as good as a rest.  I agree.  For the first time in 30 years I'm working at a school other than Central!  There are new faces, new smells, and new routines.  The students all know who I am.  

"You're the guy from the Space Center!" I hear constantly when working in Shelley's cafeteria.

"When are we going get to go?" is the most common question they ask me.  

They fear the Center will not open this year.  The teachers remind them that Shelley sends both the 5th and 6th grades to the Space Center.  The 6th graders got to go last year.  The 5th graders will get to go next year if the Space Center doesn't open this year. 

Refunds 

The Space Center is in the process of refunding people's tuition for the August and September canceled camps.  Twenty three refunds went out on Tuesday.  Central's secretary hopes to get the rest of the refunds out next week.  I want to thank everyone waiting for a refund for their patience.  Our school secretary has been buried with start of school paperwork.  

Space News.

Voyager 1, NASA's 1977 iPod, turns 35

The Space Center's Voyager simulator wasn't named after the Star Trek series Voyager. The Voyager was named after Voyager 1, NASA's space probe built to explore Jupiter and Saturn.  

Today, Voyager 1 is approaching the cusp of our solar system in search of alien civilizations.  Voyager 1 carries with it the Sounds of Earth record to the distant stars. 

  

Read more about this amazing little space craft our Voyager was named after.  

Take me to the article. 

The Imaginarium

The Imaginarium is where we celebrate the miracle of human imagination.  

An A grade for most innovative slippers.

Who Knew that Dolores had a passion for anything other than her cats!?

This Cylon deserves your respect and your pocket money.

Who wouldn't send their young child to school without this unique crayon holder!?

Junior would be the talk of the school.

Fantastic idea for preparing your fellow passengers for the most miserable journey of their lives.

An A for originality.

I forgot, Quittage practice after school today

A special brew

This would make television watching more a sport.

I need to hang this up near the Space Center's office!

Awesome, isn't it.

And finally, something to amaze you.

Now, best stop for the night.  I've got to do my finger exercises so I can be prepared to help all those little ones in the cafeteria peel the top off their pudding packs and pry open their chocolate milk  :)

Mr. W.