I forgot to journal my school visits last Thursday. It was a short day - only got to Wrentham (they were having a police/fire incident and the secretaries seemed glad for the positive boost), Mansfield and Brockton. As usual, things take longer than I expect but I also learned some things that made today go much smoother.
I hadn't been able to maximize how to do this procedure. I have no office help at this time because all my money is going into supplies, training and gas to get the word out so for now, I do all the steps. But what I decided after last week's trip was to print out the envelopes and have enough materials for the entire state of Massachusetts (quite a pretty state by the way!). That way I can pick a main road and grab all the envelopes of towns along the way. If I see a sign for a town that I might have missed on the map, then I can just grab that envelope and visit that school too.
With that new strategy, I made it to 7 schools today - my best record yet! And I was done by 1:00, in time to make it home for a meeting I had for the web design part of my life (something has to pay the bills until schools realize that what I have really does work).
So today was Foxborough (I forgot to drop off the principal's letter), Walpole, Sharon, Dedham, Norwood (great pathway to the front entrance with commemorative bricks and seats), Canton, and Stoughton. I'm learning quite a bit about schools and their websites. In fact, I don't know if anyone's interested, but I'm going to start a page on my website where I offer suggestions to schools from the visitor's standpoint. There most likely aren't too many people who have my educational background, my web design knowledge and the chance to visit so many sites. I won't mention negatively any schools but I will commend some of the positive things that really helped me find what I needed. Look for that page in the next entry.
Off to line up tomorrow's day...I'm excited now that I can do so many in one day. Got to get as many in as possible before the weather gets nasty!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Back on the road
I finally got back on the road today after a week layoff. I got back to an area where I missed a few schools - Hingham, Scituate, Fairhaven, Carver and Middleborough - all in Massachusetts. Another beautiful day on the road, another day of smiling faces in the offices I visited. I'm getting more comfortable with my visits which is making it easier. I do enjoy the surprised looks and the appreciation. Who could't use a nice surprise in a busy day?
The GPS is working great. It's taking me places I've never been before. It cuts me through neighborhoods but not for long because it's finding me the direct routes to the nearest highway. New England certainly is beautiful even in the late fall with many of the leaves off the trees.
Time is passing quickly. I'm planning to go out again tomorrow but didn't want to stay overnight anywhere tonight because it's Halloween. Last week was productive even though I wasn't on the road (too many nights staying up late watching my Boston Red Sox win the World Series - why don't they have earlier games so kids can watch them??). I got a lot more supplies lined up. Everything takes longer than I think so between printing out the Stress Reduction strategies for the high school secretaries, finding the names of the high school principals, charting out a course, filling the little candy bags with 5 candies and a smile eraser, it's good in a way that I have some non driving days.
Time for some late lunch and then can get ready for tomorrow's destinations, make the changes I needed today (keeping a notebook for mileage, schools visited and reminder postcards to be mailed out in 2 weeks).
Hope all the educators survived Halloween in school today which is always challenging to be sure and of course, I hope they have a fun night!
The GPS is working great. It's taking me places I've never been before. It cuts me through neighborhoods but not for long because it's finding me the direct routes to the nearest highway. New England certainly is beautiful even in the late fall with many of the leaves off the trees.
Time is passing quickly. I'm planning to go out again tomorrow but didn't want to stay overnight anywhere tonight because it's Halloween. Last week was productive even though I wasn't on the road (too many nights staying up late watching my Boston Red Sox win the World Series - why don't they have earlier games so kids can watch them??). I got a lot more supplies lined up. Everything takes longer than I think so between printing out the Stress Reduction strategies for the high school secretaries, finding the names of the high school principals, charting out a course, filling the little candy bags with 5 candies and a smile eraser, it's good in a way that I have some non driving days.
Time for some late lunch and then can get ready for tomorrow's destinations, make the changes I needed today (keeping a notebook for mileage, schools visited and reminder postcards to be mailed out in 2 weeks).
Hope all the educators survived Halloween in school today which is always challenging to be sure and of course, I hope they have a fun night!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Rainy Day Travels
I decided to put a day between travel days when possible to catch up on other business items, to drink lots of water (tough to do when you're on the road especially in some of the more rural areas) and to create more of a sense of balance.
So I worked in my home office on Thursday catching up on my other business - web design and internet marketing. Thankfully the web design is bringing in income because to date, the school curriculum has not for the most part. I learned (and am still learning internet marketing) to help schools find my website and it's a fascinating addition to my business which hopefully will help support me and pay for these trips to visit schools.
Today I took my Mom with me on the road and I went back to catch some of the schools I missed two days ago. This time I started on the Cape at Sandwich High School followed by an attempt to get into Bourne High School (front door locked, rang the doorbell 3 times - must mean no one was in the office), Wareham and then up the east coast of Massachusetts to Kingston, Norwell and of course whichever one I forgot. I never made it to Scituate and Hingham for despite being on the road at 9:30, I ran out of time to catch the last two.
The biggest dilemna today was the rain. The forcast said cloudy with occassional showers. I know when the showers happened...every time I pulled up to a school! I was like a drowned rat by the end of the day! My Mom couldn't believe that the hardest rain fell every time I got out of the car. Don't know if I'm being tested to give up...but it's only a little water...and I'm not done yet!
Anyway...five more schools know more about this program than they did this morning...a good day all things considered especially when the secretary smiles and says, "You're thanking us? No one every thanks us!"
Thank you...to all the people who make a high school run! Our teens (and often their parents) may not say thank you...but know that your work matters!
So I worked in my home office on Thursday catching up on my other business - web design and internet marketing. Thankfully the web design is bringing in income because to date, the school curriculum has not for the most part. I learned (and am still learning internet marketing) to help schools find my website and it's a fascinating addition to my business which hopefully will help support me and pay for these trips to visit schools.
Today I took my Mom with me on the road and I went back to catch some of the schools I missed two days ago. This time I started on the Cape at Sandwich High School followed by an attempt to get into Bourne High School (front door locked, rang the doorbell 3 times - must mean no one was in the office), Wareham and then up the east coast of Massachusetts to Kingston, Norwell and of course whichever one I forgot. I never made it to Scituate and Hingham for despite being on the road at 9:30, I ran out of time to catch the last two.
The biggest dilemna today was the rain. The forcast said cloudy with occassional showers. I know when the showers happened...every time I pulled up to a school! I was like a drowned rat by the end of the day! My Mom couldn't believe that the hardest rain fell every time I got out of the car. Don't know if I'm being tested to give up...but it's only a little water...and I'm not done yet!
Anyway...five more schools know more about this program than they did this morning...a good day all things considered especially when the secretary smiles and says, "You're thanking us? No one every thanks us!"
Thank you...to all the people who make a high school run! Our teens (and often their parents) may not say thank you...but know that your work matters!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Eastern Massachusetts
Another spectacular day! Got on the road early and headed to Hull Massachusetts, a penisula that faces north with the city of Boston across the water. The high school there was at the tip of the peninsula with jets flying overhead on approach to Logan Airport, the sun shining on the water...a view out of every window I'm sure. Wonder if they need help...No! I'm not taking a teaching job 90 minutes from my house. I'll have to get my water view on the road!
And I did...along the whole coast south of Boston and north of Cape Cod. Cohasset, Marshfield, Duxbury, Plymouth. Oh yeah, Plymouth. I had the GPS today which made life a lot easier. But only when you program in the right address. I dropped my goody bag at North Plymouth High School and then programmed in Plymouth High School South. Off I went along the coast, up by Jordan Hospital and into the parking lot of the school. I couldn't find the front entrance but finally decided that I could probably drive around the other side. I looked at the building and thought to myself how interesting it was that both schools had the same design. In I went...and found the same lady sitting there. Thought she had traveled to the other school. I had gone in a huge circle and come back to the same school!! Yikes!
Guess I'd better bring all the addresses with me! As usual, things to learn...but this sure is fun! The look of surprise on the secretaries/teachers faces when I thank them for all they do is priceless!
Not sure where I'm going tomorrow...more east coast Mass or maybe the Berkshires...depends on weather...but now after all these miles...some sleep.
And I did...along the whole coast south of Boston and north of Cape Cod. Cohasset, Marshfield, Duxbury, Plymouth. Oh yeah, Plymouth. I had the GPS today which made life a lot easier. But only when you program in the right address. I dropped my goody bag at North Plymouth High School and then programmed in Plymouth High School South. Off I went along the coast, up by Jordan Hospital and into the parking lot of the school. I couldn't find the front entrance but finally decided that I could probably drive around the other side. I looked at the building and thought to myself how interesting it was that both schools had the same design. In I went...and found the same lady sitting there. Thought she had traveled to the other school. I had gone in a huge circle and come back to the same school!! Yikes!
Guess I'd better bring all the addresses with me! As usual, things to learn...but this sure is fun! The look of surprise on the secretaries/teachers faces when I thank them for all they do is priceless!
Not sure where I'm going tomorrow...more east coast Mass or maybe the Berkshires...depends on weather...but now after all these miles...some sleep.
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