Week 5 - 3rd Six Weeks

Congratulations to both the Frost Polar Bears and Lady Bears for a 2nd place finish at the Frost Basketball Tournament.

The boys team won against Bynum and Rice and then lost in a close nail biter final game to Red Oak Life.

The girls beat Bynum on Thursday with a buzzer beater shot by Dakota Lassetter.

Then on Friday the Lady Bears beat Rice in an intense and physical Triple Overtime game with a crucial free throw rebound shot by Page Calvin. Patricia Garcia also had 12 points before she fouled out in the first overtime period.

All-tournament medals were awarded to Philip Page, Jacob Stroder, Page Calvin and Patricia Garcia.



Good Job Coach Hargadine, Coach Blenden, Coach Woods and Coach Revill.

The Frost tournament takes a team effort by faculty, staff, administration, coaching staff and of course the students. Thanks to everyone for a good tournament. We are known all over the county for our hospitality room, our clean facility, our expert score keepers, and our concession stand. I was checking out at Wal-Mart and the clerk asked me where I was from and why was I buying so many hot dogs. I told her and she said that the Frost Tournament is known to be the best in the area and she was from Blooming Grove. So it must be true.



Thanks to the Junior Class for a successful concession stand. I appreciate your help in covering the shifts. I especially thank Judy Thornton, Joe Perryman, Emily Coker, and Jesse Vickery for giving up their Saturday to work the concession stand. Thanks to Erica Anaya for working after her game.



Congrats to Junior High Boys and Girls for their wins over Avalon on Monday and to Varsity for their win over Abbott on Tues.



Week at Glance

Monday - Junior High Basketball @ Covington - 6:00

Elementary Christmas Program @ 6:30

Angel Tree gifts due

Tuesday - Varsity Basketball - Here - 5:00

PTO Christmas Store opens

Wednesday - PTO Christmas Store

Thursday - Semester Exams Schedule - Early Release at 1:00

Friday - Semester Exams Schedule - Early Release at 1:00



Christmas break from 12/18/2010 - 01/04/2011

Kiwanis Basketball Tournament - Monday 12/27 - Wednesday 12/29



Classroom Week At A Glance

Monday - Review for Semester Exam

Tuesday - Continue Review for Semester Exam

Wednesday - Semester Exam Essay

Thursday - Semester Exam Periods 4, 3, 2, 1

Friday - Semester Exam Periods 8, 7, 6, 5

Lunch at 12:30 both days - 12:30 - Early Release at 1:00

Vickery's Vit & Visdom

When I was a kid, Christmas was my favorite time of year. Summer vacation was fun too, but Christmas was special. I was the youngest of five children and we never had much money. During the year we only got two pairs of shoes, one for school and one for play. We got one school outfit and one Easter outfit at the store and Mom made the rest of our clothes. I wore a lot of "hand-me-downs". We rarely went out to eat and we got one present and a cake for our birthdays. We didn't have much money but I didn't know it. Our parents saved all year for Christmas. They always made it so special for all of us. They made sure it was equal and we each had our own corner of the room where Santa (Mom) placed our gifts. Under the tree was a special gift from Mom and Dad. The kinds of gifts we got were things like books, records, gowns, houseshoes, bathrobes, sweaters, coats, charm bracelets and when I was really young, I got dolls. One special year, I think I was nine, I got my first & only bicycle. It was a blue Schwinn. I rode it everywhere. One year, my brother made me a doll house. Another year I got a musical jewelry box. There was always something handmade by my mother. My brothers and sisters were much older than me, so they helped Mom with my surprises. I remember my sister found Mom's Christmas list in a little notebook in her bedstand and every year we would sneak a peek at her lists. I loved Christmas time.

At our school, we did a musical program about the first Christmas from the Bible. This was when we could have religion in schools. We had a couple of Jewish kids in school, but they didn't mind participating. Our teachers taught us songs, traditions, and different celebrations around the world. We made chains for the tree and construction paper Santas with cotton beards.

Our family traditions included a real tree, watching Peanuts Christmas, Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, listening to Christmas records and decorating the tree together. We included our grandparents on Christmas Day and truly enjoyed our gifts. My sister and I always walked to the drugstore and bought Mom and Dad a gift that I'm sure they never used or needed, but we couldn't wait for them to open the gift, so we could see their faces. This was Christmas in our family. We didn't have much money, but Mom and Dad made it special. They worked hard all year to make sure that we had a great Christmas Day and a memorable Christmas tradition to pass down to our families.

When I think about Christmas these days, I get pretty stressed out. So much hype and materialistic marketing on television and in stores gives me a headache. I am glad my kids are older now and I don't have to compete for popular toys anymore. Although I still love Christmas, it is not what it use to be in my mind. Everything costs so much and the more you have, the more you want. I long for simplicity and the days of handmade gifts that I still cherish. Now we have plastic trees, plastic wreaths, Martha Stewart decorations, crowded stores, Black Friday, long lines, tired parents, spoiled children and school progams that cannot mention Christmas. Board games turned into expensive gaming equipment and games. Transister radios haveturned into laptops or HD televisons. Records have turned into Ipods and CDs. Books have turned into Vampire tales instead of happy tales or classic books. I wonder if kids still get excited on Christmas morning or does it just end up being a big disappointment because the gift they wanted is not under the tree. I have used many of the traditions that my Mom and Dad passed down, but I don't have a lot of time to put into Christmas anymore. Every day life gets in the way. My checking account won't allow for much these days as far as big gifts go. I am not a seamstress like my Mom but I may end up making some gifts this year. Maybe they will be cherished one day.

Now the Vit

When I was four, I remember Mom coming in from outside on Christmas morning after we had finished opening our gifts.She had taken the trash out to the curb. She had in her hand a toy ( a bubble gum dispenser). I still remember her yelling as she came in the door, "Look what Santa dropped outside." I totally fell for it. In reality, Dad probably dropped it while unloading the car in the middle of the night. I will never forget the surprise and joy I felt when I realized that Santa could make a mistake and drop something without knowing it. It opened up a a whole new adventure each year. I always looked outside every year after that to see if Santa dropped anything that year. It got to be a game with my family. My parents kept the Santa thing going as long as they could and I appreciate that now. I hope you can look back on your Christmases fondly as I do. Keep the spirit of the holiday in your heart and you will never stop believing in Santa.

HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY AND I WILL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.

Week 3 - 3rd Six Weeks

Congrats to Polar Bears Basketball for their win over Rice on Tuesday. They also defeated Mildred in the Italy tournament and finished fourth in the tournament.

Lady Bears lost to Rice on Tuesday but won 3rd in the Avalon Tournament

Junior High Action on Monday resulted in a win against Trinidad

Great Job Junior High One Act Play - We all enjoyed the Dress Rehearsal on Friday.
One Act Play placed 4th on Saturday at Abbott.


Week at a Glance:

Monday - Junior High Basketball vs Avalon - Here - 6:00
Tuesday- Varsity Basketball at Abbott - 4:00
Wednesday
Thursday - Frost Basketball Tournament begins
Friday - Frost Basketball Tournament 2nd round
Saturday - Final round - Frost Basketball Tournament

Remember that this six weeks is shortened by a couple of days. Progress Reports will go out this week. Next week is the last week of the six weeks. Finals will be on Thursday and Friday of next week with early release on those days. Your final for me will be similar to a benchmark over the elements and vocab we have learned over the semester. Remember to study all chapter vocab sheets and words in your spiral along with all returned tests. We will review on Wednesday of next week. Your final is 1/5 of your semester grade, so it is important to do your best and study effectively for the test.

See Exam Schedule in Pages Section of Blog

Classroom Week At A Glance

Monday: Review Open Book Test - Pardoner's Tale
Tuesday: Review for Selection Test - Pardoner's Tale
Wednesday: Selection Test - Begin reading "Wife of Bath"
Thursday: Vocab Wksht Packet - Wife of Bath
Friday: Literary Wksht Pkt - Wife of Bath

Vickery's Vit & Visdom

WATCH or READ THE NEWS
When I was growing up my parents always insisted that we watch the network news shows and the local newscasts. We also watched new specials and read the newspaper frequently. Sometimes at school, I found that I was only kid in class that knew what was going on in the news and the world. I felt like an oddball but still continued to gather information through the news. I liked being in the know. I thank my parents now for this discipline and see its importance now that I teach. Learning the events and state of our nation, state and city give us the power that we need to make good decisions in our daily lives. We learn what is expected by society. We learn right from wrong. We learn that we are not the only culture and that as a nation, we are pretty lucky. We learn that there is not a ceiling to our dreams or goals. In class, we are able to learn more from our knowledge foundation of information. I am amazed sometimes when I ask a simple question about some recent world or national event and no one in my classes knows anything about it. It is important to know current events. It is important to learn about our world. It is important to arm ourselves with knowledge. We are free to be educated, yet we don't take the inititive to use that freedom to learn. Other countries are governed and ruled by an educated few and its power depends on the ignorance of the masses. Ignorance takes away your power to decide and think for ourselves. It takes away the ability to decipher truth from a lie. Ignorance will result in following leaders that depend on ignorance to be able to lead. Using public education, learning on our own, questioning others will result in a self reliant population that will be able to think independently. WATCH or READ the NEWS.

Now for the Vit:
I have found that the more I know, the more I want to know.

Week of November 29 - December 3

I must apologize for the absence of my blog for the past two weeks. Unfortunately, the blog is the first thing to go when I am overwhelmed or busy. I hope to keep it current for the the rest of the semester.

Basketball season is in full swing for the Polar Bears and Lady Polar Bears. Varsity Boys beat Troy on Nov. 19 and then beat Waco Rapoport on the 23rd. Lady Polar Bears beat Waco Rapoport as well. Both teams play Rice here on Tues. beginning at 5:00. The Lady Bears will then compete in the Avalon tournament on Dec. 2-4 and the Varsity Boys will compete in the Italy Tournament on the same days. Junior High will play on Monday at Trinidad beginning at 6:00. All times are tentative, so check with the coach if you have a question about the correct time.

I trust we all got our fill of turkey and dressing and I hope we all rested and relaxed over the long weekend. The first semester ends on Dec. 17, so we all must buckle down and get back to work, so that we can continue our pursuit of excellence in the classroom.

Classroom Week at a Glance:

Monday: Create a Sermon on Greed - One Page - Outline Worksheet
Tuesday: Continue working on Sermon - Voluntary Presentation in class
Wednesday: Pardoner's Tale - Reading Strategy - Rereading for Clarification
Thursday: Literary Analysis: Allegory/Archetypal Narrative Elements
Friday: Pardoner's Tale, Enrichment - Plague pg 104


Vickery's Vit & Wisdom
"Home is where the heart is."

I found myself at home most of the long weekend by choice. I enjoyed being in my home, cooking, organizing and relaxing with my family. I traveled a little for a family Thanksgiving dinner but for the most part, I just stayed home. There is a lot to be said for the "comforts of home." The familiar is always easier and more comfortable. The routine, the smells of cooking, being around people that we love is so comfortable this time of year. I just prefer it to being in a crowded mall, or on a busy highway. There was a time when I would hit the stores on Black Friday or fight the crowds at the mall to get that great bargain. I just don't feel compelled to be in those crowds this year. The economy is preventing most of us from impulse buying this year and it is probably a good thing. By the way, do you know why it is called "Black Friday?" If anyone can tell me, I will give extra-credit on your next test. Anyway, back to the "comforts of home," I hope that you experienced a little time to yourself this weekend to reflect, relax and refuel. The next few weeks will be busy with holiday activities, but don't forget that the semester ends on Dec. 17. This is a time to buckle down and work hard to finish out the semester positively.

2nd Six Weeks - Week 6

Congratulations to the Junior High Football team for their victory over Wortham on Thursday.
It was a great way to end the season!

Varsity Polar Bears ended their football season with a tough loss to Wortham on Friday, but we didn't go down without a fight. Again, our boys showed character and class, even though they faced a loss. I see the behavior of some of the other teams, and realize that we have more to be proud of, than a win-loss record. We are all proud of you Polar Bears and Lady Polar Bears.

Basketball is gearing up so ready yourself for some"hoops" at the Tundra.

Be sure urge your parents to accompany you to the Rachael's Challenge program on Monday evening from 7-8. You will be attending the program for students from 10:15-11:15 am.
If you are selected for the training, you will attend the training session from 1:00 - 2:15.
We have heard great things about this program and I urge you to take its messages seriously.

This is the last week of the 2nd Six Weeks. Report cards will go out next week on Friday.

I encourage each of you to take this last week to organize yourself and take inventory of your locker contents, as well as your backpack. I cannot stress to you enough, the importance of taking your school work seriously. Don't let up now. Keep working to achieve your best potential in your classes.

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO FROST JUNIOR HIGH FOR WINNING UIL COMPETITION ON WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY. You all competed admirably and your hard work paid off. Mrs. Moore worked very hard to put on the contest and we all owe her a big THANK YOU. Thanks also to Mrs. Jackson and the Beta Club for their assistance and for having the concession stand. All of the visiting teachers were quite impressed with the general organization of the contest and especially the hospitality room. (Thanks Mrs. Revill and Mrs. Melton and everyone who brought goodies).

Don't forget that our annual Turkey Dinner is this Thursday. This is a great opportunity for your parents to eat with you and enjoy a delicious holiday dinner.

Mrs. Montgomery's elementary music classes will be performing in a Veteran's Day Program on Thursday at 6:00 in the FPAC (Frost Performing Arts Center).

Week at a Glance

Monday: Assembly at 10:15 - 11:15, Rachael's Challenge - Community Program at 7:00 pm
Tuesday:
Wednesday: Voice 9-12
Thursday: Voice 7-8, Turkey Dinner, Veteran's Day Program at 6:00 (FPAC)
Friday: End of 2nd Six Weeks, Voice 9-12

Classroom Week at a Glance:

Monday: Student groups will present their Canterbury Tales translations - Vocab Warm-up & Builder --Homework: Grammar pg 47-48
Tuesday: Reading Strategy pg 83 - Analyzing Difficult Sentences
Homework: Grammar pg 49-50
Wednesday: Open Book Test Review
Homework: Grammar pg 51-52
Thursday: Test Review - The Canterbury Tales
Homework: Grammar pg 53-54
Friday: Selection Test Canterbury Tales
Homework: Grammar pg 61-64


Vickery's Vit & Visdom

Frost is hosting Rachael's Challenge on Monday and I urge you to participate and listen with your mind and your heart to the message that will be given to you.
Bullying has become the new buzz word of our time. It is an age old problem that has just recently come to the attention of schools and is considered as a major problem. If you have never been bullied at school, then consider yourself lucky. Bullying doesn't have to be someone stealing your lunch money, or threatening to beat you up after school, although that is certainly the picture we all have in mind when we hear the word "bully". Bullying can take many forms and each form is used to intentionally hurt someone else, physically or emotionally. It can be a disapproving look, or a whisper, or being left out of a group. It can be ugly comments or rumors passed around about another person. It can be a push in the hallway or someone laughing at your misfortune. It can be by one person or by a group. Whatever bullying is, we are all guilty at one time or another of participating in it. The only way to rise above "bullying" is to become more tolerant of each other and our differences. Civility (look it up), has taken a back seat to seeing how much of a jerk we can be. I see it every day. It doesn't matter who the person is or what they have or don't have. For some students, it is fun to make fun. We don't take into consideration anything before we decide that a person is not worthy of our attention, our friendship or our approval. And once we decide this fact, there is no going back. We must let them know that they are unworthy with a push, or a look or a harsh word.
And we must tell our friends that the person is unworthy as well, so they can get in on the action of making someone feel worthless. Have you ever felt worthless? It is the worst feeling one can imagine.
When you attend the program on Monday, please take it seriously and think about your actions past and future. How will they change? How will you change? Will you change?

"No one can make you feel bad about yourself without your permission".

Week 5 - 2nd Six Weeks

Senior Night Class of 2011

Our Polar Bears had a rough time on Senior Night, with a very physical Chilton team. Varsity lost a hard-fought and costly game on Friday 44-13. It was costly, because we lost our running back, Daniel Steels, to a collar bone injury. Our boys are pretty beaten up after a very physical game, but are gearing up for their last district game against Wortham on Friday.


Lady Bears finished their season last Saturday against Cayuga. Junior High Girls finished their season last Monday with a winning season.


The cheerleaders gave us a memorable Pep Rally dedicated to the Class of 2011 Seniors. I'm sure a few tears were shed from parents and seniors on the last home football game of the season. This is the beginning of a long list of "lasts" for our seniors.



Week at a Glance


Monday - Faculty meeting at 3:30.

Tuesday - Election Day - Auditorium Foyer

Wednesday - UIL - Junior High - Early Release at 12:00 pm

Voice Grades 9-12

Thursday - Elementary UIL - Early Release at 12:00 pm - Junior High Football - vs Wortham -6:00 (here) Cici's Pizza Night

Friday - Voice - Grades 9-12 - Jostens to meet with seniors -Varsity Football at Wortham - 7:30

Saturday - Jr. High & Elementary UIL

This week is abbreviated for the high school students. You have early release on Wednesday and Thursday with school dismissing at 12:00 for Elementary and Junior High UIL. YAY!! for you.

Classroom Week At a Glance

Monday: Begin Canterbury Tales Prologue (Read)

Tuesday: Vocab Warm-up & Builder

Wednesday: Discussion & Literary Analysis

Thursday: Discussion and Review (Open Book Test)

Friday: Tentative scheduled Selection Test (Canterbury Tales)

Vickery's Vit & Visdom

Hope you enjoyed the Senior Night festivities on Friday. The pep rally brought a few tears to us all, especially those of us that remember you as pre-k students. I consider your class special because my son started with you. Jesse also considers you special people in his life. I still remember those days in elementary school when I taught you in P.E. and constantly had to correct Page for getting out of the lines in Pacman. I remember when Heather came; when Gary left and came back; when David was too shy to speak; when I had to have my "Luke Hug" every day; when Kyle would get so upset if I corrected him; and when Joseph would make the rest of us look pretty shabby with his wardrobe. I remember the field day events, the fieldtrips to the zoo and how you always kept Jesse in your circle. The class of 2011 is a very special class. You have welcomed new students into your fold and have stayed close. I have a great picture of you from homecoming that I will post when I figure out how to get more than one picture on this blog. Cherish these days. They will be over before you know it. Take it all in. Don't miss a moment to remember. Take lots of pictures and enjoy each other. And always remember, that there is life after high school.

Week 10

How 'bout them Polar Bears and Lady Polar Bears.

On Tuesday, Lady Bears knocked the Rice Bulldogs out of the playoffs in four games. Although we didn't make the playoffs this year, being a spoiler to a rival team adds to the excitement of the season's end. Congratulations to Coach Woods and Coach Hargadine and the Lady Bears for an exciting season. The Lady Bears season ended on Saturday with a loss to Cayuga, the undefeated district champion.


Friday night ended the Bear's losing streak with a "sweet revenge" win over Hubbard. The final score was 15-8 and if you missed it, you missed an exciting defensive battle. The difference was a game changing, heads up interception on Hubbard's 15 yard line. The Bears played their hearts out and their team spirit showed throughout the game. Congratulations to the Bears on this important win.

Congrats to the Junior High Volleyball team and Coach Hargadine for their winning season. Basketball is right around the corner.

Week at a Glance
Monday - Red Ribbon Week - Progress Notes to be sent home this week
Tuesday - High School field trip to Navarro Council of the Arts program at CHS at 1:15 - Leave at 12:40. Lunch will be served 10 min. earlier to high school students.
Wednesday- Junior High field trip to CHS - Navarro Council of the Arts program at 1:15. Students will leave at 12:35.
Thursday - Jostens will meet with seniors @1:00 p.m. Junior High Football at
Chilton @ 6:00pm.
Friday - Pep Rally @ 2:40 pm. Senior Parent Night during the football game
Varsity football vs Chilton at 7:30pm.

Classroom Week At a Glance:
Monday - Review for Selection Test - Complete Essay on Board
Tuesday- Selection Test - History of the English Church and People
Wednesday -Review objectives for Benchmark and C-scope tests
Thursday - Benchmark Test
Friday - Benchmark Test continued

Vickery's Vit & Visdom
“In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him.” ~ Author Unknown~

When I listen to the fans during games, I hear loud complaints about missed calls by the referees, about the play calling by the coaches, or the unsportmanlike conduct of the other team. I rarely hear a loud complaint against one of our players. Those are more "under the breath" complaints. It really is funny, because I wonder sometimes if we are all watching the same game. I have missed every one of my son's big plays, because I was distracted by the different perspectives in the stands. During one play, I heard, "He's holding", "Facemask!", and "Block in the Back," so I missed my son's interception. I am constantly looking for whatever I hear from the crowd. My perspective is usually from one of the bottom rows. It is through a camera lens, since I am trying to get good action shots. It is the perspective of a woman, so I don't see all of the actual football tactics going on. My perspective is that of a mother's, so I am also just watching my son to make sure no one hurts him. (I pity the fool...). It is a perspective of a Polar Bear fan, so everything the other team does is unfair, unsportsmanlike and just plain rotten in my eyes. The perspective of other people in the stands is always a little different and so we compare perspectives and adjust. My perspective is also one of a parent of a player that is not a star player, so we are constantly looking for good things that he does. Right or wrong, my perspective is mine, the way I see things. In the classroom, I look at things from a teacher and adult point of view. Student's look at things from a different point of view and often do not agree with mine. So where is the truth in all of this perspective and point of view mess. The truth is that we all believe so much in our own perspective that we sometimes do not ever find the truth because of our bias. There are always three sides to every story, his side, your side and the truth. If we can balance truth and perspective, then we will come closer to the truth.

Have you ever heard the expression "Putting it in perspective"? This means that sometimes, events will happen that make us realize how unimportant our problems are when we see someone with bigger problems.
On Friday, I took my 83 year old mother to get her license at the DPS office in Athens. I was worried that she would not pass the eye test. I was worrying how I would be able to get her to where she needed to go every week if she was unable to get her license. Then at the DPS office while getting her picture made, she fell backwards and hit her back and head on the floor. My perspective suddenly changed. I thought I had lost my mother. The ambulance was called and we spent the entire day at the emergency room wondering if she was severely injured. I then started worrying whether she would recover, or whether she would be able to live by herself again, or what would happen to her if the head injury was severe. I didn't care about driving her around or if she could pass the eye test. I was looking at things differently, in a different perspective.
If we can just remember that we each have our own unique perspective, and be mindful that we each see things in a different light, we can come closer to seeing things truthfully. If we have to suddenly change our perspective to something more important, we realize that sometimes our biased thinking is petty. Perspective kicks us in the pants on a daily basis.

Congratulations to the Lady Bears for sweeping Trinidad on Saturday in three games.
They play at Rice on Tuesday and then the Lady Bears will end their season here on Saturday against Cayuga.

Congrats to Junior High Volleyball for their win over Trinidad on Monday.

Junior High has one more game on Monday, Oct. 18 at Rice.
Come out and support our volleyball teams.

The Polar Bears fell at the hands of the Dawson Bulldogs this week. It is always tough to lose to Dawson, but again, the boys never gave up and fought to the end.
Junior High didn't have a game this week.
It's hard to believe that there are only three more games left in the season with Friday night's game at Hubbard, then Chilton (Parent's Night), and our final game at Wortham on Nov. 3. Come out and support our Junior High and Varsity Polar Bears in these tough district match-ups.

Week At A Glance:
Monday: Junior High Volleyball @ Rice - 5:00
Tuesday: JV and Varsity Volleyball @ Rice - 5:00
TAKS RETESTS - High School
Wednesday: TAKS RETESTS - High School
Thursday: TAKS RETESTS
Junior High Football - 6:00 vs Hubbard (Here)
Friday: Varsity Football at Hubbard - 7:30
Saturday: JV and Varsity Volleyball vs Cayuga (Here) 10:00am

Classroom Week At a Glance
Monday: Vocab Warm-up pg 52 from History ofthe English Church & People
Tuesday: Read "History of the English Church and Its People pg 82
Wednesday: Continue Discussion of Bede's History of English Church
Thursday: Reading Warm-ups for understanding pg 54-55
Friday: Reading Strategy - Clarity of Meaning pg 57

This week we will each cover a text book, so that I can check them out to you when needed.
Mr. Lockett may visit our class sometime this week, so your best behavior would be appreciated.

Vickery's Vit & Visdom
"Great Opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones come daily." ~ Ivy Baker Priest - 1905-1975 ~
The other day in class, I noticed two different students helping other students who were struggling with the assignments. I allowed this because, they were not giving answers, but telling the other students how to find their own answers. It was a small opportunity to help others that was appreciated by the other students. Sometimes, students can explain things in a way that is more easily understood by their peers and I welcome this type of collaboration. What I don't welcome is a student asking for answers or copying another's paper. This is called cheating. The Aggies have a motto that says "Aggies do not lie, steal or cheat and do not tolerate those who do" Of course there is a t-shirt that also adds, "Aggies do not steal, lie or cheat, but have been known to borrow, elaborate, and collaborate. There is a fine line here that we cross far too often. The desire to understand an assignment or to make a good grade is sometimes so strong that we will cheat to achieve it. Sometimes we don't even realize that we are cheating. Sometimes we are too accomodating to our friends when we give answers or allow them to copy. Here are some do's and don'ts when it comes to assignments and homework.

Cheating
Copying someone else's work is cheating.
Making cheat notes for tests is cheating.
Copying text from a book and passing it as your own writing is cheating and illegal.
Comparing each other's work is cheating.
Taking someone's idea for a project or essay is cheating.

Collaboration
Asking another student for help in understanding an assignment is collaboration.
Getting help from a parent or teacher is collaboration.
Discussing an assignment to brainstorm for ideas is collaboration.
Showing someone where to find information is collaboration.
Showing a student shortcuts and easier ways to learn is collaboration.
Assisting another student in completing a project by giving your ideas is collaboration.

2nd Six Weeks - Week 2

Polar Bears suffered a tough loss to Bremond on Friday. Although outmanned in numbers and size, the Bears fought for paydirt until the very last tick of the clock. Polar Bears play Dawson next week in an area rivalry here at the Tundra at 7:30.

Lady Bears took an explosive Kerens Lady Bobcat team to five games on Saturday, but fell short of a match win. The girls will play at Crossroads on Tuesday at 5:00 and will host Trinidad next Saturday at 10:00am.

In junior high action, Lady Bears defeated Cross Roads last week and play Trinidad here on Monday starting at 5:00.
Junior High Polar Bears tied with Bremond on Thursday showing their toughness against much larger boys. The final score was 6-6. Junior High will play at Dawson on Thursday at 6:00.

Week of Oct. 11-14 - At a glance:
Monday - Junior High Volleyball vs Trinidad (Here)
Tuesday - Varsity Volleyball @ Cross Roads 5:00
Wednesday - PSAT for Juniors @ 9:10 am
Thursday - Absentee Photo Day - FALL SPORTS/Cheerleaders Photos ---Junior High Football at Dawson - 6:00 pm
Friday - Pep rally at 2:40 - Varsity Football vs Dawson 7:30 pm. (HERE)
Saturday - JV & Varsity Volleyball vs Trinidad (HERE) 10:00 am


Classroom Week At A Glance:

Monday - Beowulf Projects Due - Contemporary Comment - Sheamus Heaney
Tuesday - Watch Beowulf Movie
Wednesday - Continue Movie
Thursday - Begin History of the English Church & People pg 82-88 = Vocab Sheet pg 58
Friday - Open Book Test Discussion


Vickery's Vit & Visdom

"Ants are good citizens: They place group interests first." ~Clarence Day~
"There can be no daily democracy without daily citizenship" ~Ralph Nader~

When I was in eighth grade, I was surprised and pleased to receive the Citizenship Award at the end of year awards assembly. I have not received many awards or trophies in my life, and I still remember how excited and surprised I was when I received it. Obviously, it made an impression on me, since I remember it almost forty years later. After I received the award, I had to secretly ask my teacher what it meant. She said that it meant that I was a good example of an excellent citizen in our school community. I still didn't know what citizenship really meant. She then explained that it means getting involved, doing the right thing, and generally being a good person. I felt so proud. I knew that I tried to do those things, but to realize that other people saw that I was trying, made me feel great about myself. Enough about me. How about you.
Do you consider yourself a good citizen? Do you pitch in when needed, or do you sit back and let others do the work? Are you a team player, always put team first, or are you in it for yourself?
Do you try to do the right thing when faced with a moral decision, or follow the crowd even when they are wrong? Do you consider yourself a good person or do you not care if you are good or bad? These are questions that we must face every day. We have been taught right from wrong since we could walk, but we choose to follow our own path as we grow up.
We all have the potential to be good citizens in our nation, state, town, school and in our families. Reaching that potential is up to you. This week, during athletics, during lunch, in class and in the hallway, look around and see if you notice good citizenship from others. At the end of the week, we will have a journal prompt regarding what you witnessed this week. Hopefully, most of your journal entry will be the positive things that you saw.
Good Citizenship is contagious. PASS IT ON!

Congratulations to the Lady Bears for their win over Trinidad on Tues.
Saturday was a tough loss to our old rivals in Rice. District is still not over and we still have a chance to make the playoffs, so let's support the Lady Bears in their endeavor to win out the rest of the season. The girls play in Cayuga on Tuesday at 5:00. They play Kerens here on Saturday, but it be at 2:00pm instead of 10:00 am.

Congrats to the Junior High Lady Bears for their wins over Kerens last Monday.

Polar Bears had an bye week and the boys are gearing up for our first district home game against Bremond.

There will be a pep rally on Friday.

Junior High Volleyball will travel to Cross Roads on Monday and Junior High Football will travel to Bremond on Thursday. Good luck to all of our Polar Bear and Lady Bear teams this week.

Week At A Glance

Monday: Begin 2nd Six Weeks - J.H. Volleyball at Cross Roads - 5:00
Tuesday: FFA Students go to State Fair - H.S. Volleyball at Cayuga - 5:00
Wednesday: Team Kids and Youth Church @ FBC - 5:30
Thursday: CiCi's Pizza Night - J.H. Football @ Bremond - 6:00
Friday: Report Cards go out - Pep Rally at 2:40 - H.S. Football Game vs Bremond (Here) at 7:30
Saturday: H.S. Volleyball vs Kerens (Here) at 2:00 pm.

Classroom Schedule:

Monday: Conventions & Style - Coordinating Conjunctions pg 40

Tuesday: Beowulf Literary Analysis pg 37 Due at the end of the period

Wednesday: Work on Beowulf Project in class

Thursday: Go over Open Book Test together, review for selection test

Friday: Selection Test over Beowulf

Vickery's Vit & Visdom

Patience is the best remedy for any trouble ~ Plautus~
Genius is nothing but a greater aptitude for patience ~ Benjamin Franklin~

This weekend was extremely busy for me and I found myself in a hurry everywhere I went. Of course, when I was driving, I ended up behind every slow driver in Navarro County. I find it difficult to have patience for people who do not reach the speed limit on a highway. When it says 70 mph, I am very annoyed by drivers who go below that posted speed. But after I pass them and give them the "stink eye glare" as I pass them, I soon feel guilty for losing my patience. I shake my head when I see my children act the same way. Usually they are acting that way toward their dad or me. The shoe is on the other foot now. Now I am the one who is glared at, or who receives the heavy sigh when I am not as fast or as aware as they want me to be. They learned their impatience from their dad and I. I can remember being annoyed at them when they were little because they were so slow or they impeded my progress on my errands and tasks. I wish I had those days back. If you are impatient with a child, they will learn impatience. If you are patient with a child they will be less likely to glare at you in your old age. Remember that your children will pick out your nursing home, so be patient with them, so they will return the favor some day. Be kind and patient to everyone. We are all fighting some kind of battle.

Week 6

The fall weather has finally arrived, at least until the next heat wave. It feels great to wake up to the cool breeze in the morning. One trend that I have noticed in the fall, especially with high school students, is that it also becomes harder to get up in the morning because it is still dark. The time changes in October, so until then, you will have to make yourself get up and come to school. Absences are increasing, which results in missing vital information, which in turn results in students falling behind. If you are truly sick, (fever, vomiting, broken bones, etc) stay home by all means. But if you just don't feel well or are tired, get your tail up and come to school. You will feel better as soon as you get here. If you are absent, don't forget to bring a note to the office or your make-up work will not be graded. If you go to the doctor, bring a note back to the office, so that your absence will be excused medically.

Polar Bears and Lady Bears are in a slump. There, I said it! Yes I did! Maybe it is because we are playing bigger schools that have more athletes. Maybe it is because we have so many freshmen and sophomores on the teams that have to start. Maybe it is because we don't have a lot of big or tall athletes. Maybe it is because we are discouraged since we are not that accustomed to losing. Whatever the reason, we have to be careful not to make our reasons for losing an excuse. At the end of the season, even if we lose the rest of the games, you should be a team that never whines or complains about officials, the coaches, the size of the teams, cheating or the performance of the your teammates. If you keep working, realize that playing a game is supposed to be fun, perform your job on the team to the best of your ability 100% of the time, and keep a winning attitude, you will earn the respect of other teams, your coaches, teammates, fans and yourself. Do not ever make losing okay in your own mind by making up excuses for it. Just do your best individually so that your team can depend on your performance to help pull each other out of this slump. Practice well, think clearly, be dependable, and realize that each player on a team has a contribution to make. Help each other realize their importance and encourage your teammates to perform to the best of their ability. Polar Bears and Lady Polar Bears are in the position to be spoilers this year of some pretty good state ranked teams. Play together, play smart and give 100% of yourself 100% of the time.

This past week, Kerens, Cross Roads and Cayuga all handed us some convincing losses. The football team has a week off to heal and work on their strategies for district play.
The volleyball team will play at Trinidad on Tuesday and then will finally have a weekend off, since they will play Rice on Friday afternoon here. Make sure you support the Lady Bears in their remaining district matches.

This Week At A Glance Announcements

Monday - Junior High Volleyball vs Kerens - Here at 5:00
Tuesday - High School Volleyball vs Trinidad - There at 5:00
Wednesday - Team Kids and Wednesday Night Church - Baptist Church - 5:30
Thursday - No Junior High Football
Friday - High School Volleyball vs Rice - Here at 4:30
Saturday - Methodist Church Lord's Acre BBQ and Auction at Frost Cafeteria 11:00, Auction at 1:00


This week's class schedule

Monday - Continue reading Beowulf together
Tuesday - Look at comparisons of Old English and translation
Wednesday - Journal Check/ Make up day
Thursday - Vocab Review - From Seafarer, The Wanderer, Wifes Lament and Beowulf
Friday- Vocab Test - End of 1st Six Weeks

Vickery's Vit & Wisdom

~Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm~
Winston Churchill

What Mr. Churchill does not say in his wise quote is that showing enthusiasm can reverse the failure simply by creating a winning attitude. Also, learning from each failure will give you courage and experience to face whatever obstacles you face. Looking at life through the eyes of a pessimist can disCOURAGE a person from trying new things or doing their best. Looking through the eyes of an enthusiastically positive person (optimist) will enCOURAGE yourself and everyone around you.

Have a great week and stay courageous in all of your endeavors.

Week 5

Week 5

It was a tough week for the Polar Bears and Lady Polar Bears. The Polar Bears suffered losses to very tough Meridian junior high and high school football teams on Thursday and Friday. Injuries affected the varsity with the loss of our two senior linemen, but the Bears gave their best effort to make up for their absence on the line. The boys are working hard in practice to get ready for Cross Roads on Friday.

The Lady Bears lost to Milford, on Tuesday in three games and to Avalon, on Saturday morning, in four close games. We are gearing up for a better week with Junior High games in Cayuga and High School games in Kerens on Tuesday and back home on Sat. against Cross Roads.

Activities for this week:

Monday - Junior High Volleyball Game @ Cayuga - 5:00pm

Tuesday - Varsity Volleyball Game @ Kerens - 5:00 pm JV & V

District FFA Meeting @ Midway H.S. 6:30 pm

Wednesday - Fall School Portraits

Thursday - Junior High Football vs. Cross Roads (Here) beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Jostens meets with Juniors @ 1:00 pm

Friday - Varsity Football @ Cross Roads 7:30pm

Saturday - JV & Varsity Volleyball vs Crossroads (Here) at 10:00am

Remember that this is the fifth week of the the 1st Six Week Period. If you are in danger of failing a class, this is the week to buckle down to raise your grades. Your teachers are here to help you, but you have to make your best effort as well.

Week At A Glance

Monday - Begin "Beowulf" Burton Raffel Introdution to "Beowulf" pg 31 & 32 See it Video DVD- Complete Listening & Viewing Worksheets during DVD presentation

Tuesday - Vocab Warm-up list and exercises/Builder, pg 33, 34 and 39

Wednesday - Read children's version of "Beowulf" for understanding out loud.

Thursday - Read Textbook version together- Look at different translations.

Friday - Continue reading Beowulf together. Discuss essay project, and poster project.


Vickery's Vit and Visdom:

"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much."
~Oscar Wilde~

" The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." ~Mahtma Gandhi~

One of the best pieces of advice that I ever received was that when someone hurts your feelings, then you have chosen to allow that person to affect your self esteem. You have chosen to be hurt. Yes, the person was probably insensitive or intentionally hurtful, but you chose to let it get to you. The hardest thing to do is to let ugly things that people say to hurt us, roll off of our back. This is where forgiveness comes into play. If you immediately forgive the person for the hurtful comment, then you will not give them the satisfaction of hurting you. Your self esteem and self image should not be formed by other people. You are in complete control of your emotions and feelings. You are in complete control of your self image. You are in complete control of your desire to retaliate. You are in complete control of of your ability to forgive. When you allow your feelings to be hurt, you give up your control of your own emotions to someone else.

Week 4

Homecoming Dance was a success and everyone seemed to have a good time.

Congratulations to Marcie Hernandez - 2010 Homecoming Queen. Congrats to the rest of the court as well. You were all beautiful. The escorts were a little sweaty but still handsome.

It is always tough to play a volleyball game after a home game, and especially a Homecoming game and dance, but the Lady Bears didn't seem phased on Saturday morning. Congrats to the Lady Bears for their decisive win in 3 games over Covington. The score was 25-17, 25-22, 25-22. Great job girls!

The Bears suffered a tough loss on Friday to TCA, but, they never lose their spirit. Keep working Bears. District play is right around the corner.

Activities for the week:
Monday: J.H. Volleyball vs Rice (Here) 5:00

Tuesday: H.S. Volleyball vs Milford (Here) 5:00

Thursday: J.H. Football vs Meridian (Here) 6:00

Friday: H.S. Football vs Meridian (There) 7:30

Week at a Glance

Monday- Open Book Test over Seafarer, Wanderer and Wife's Lament

Tuesday - Continue Open Book Test - Begin Review for Selection Test

Wednesday - Review for Selection Test

Thursday - Selection Test - Seafarer, Wanderer and Wife's Lament

Friday - Handout - Before You Read - from Reader's Notebook " Beowulf"

Vickery's Vit & Visdom:

Responsibility:
"Responsibility is the price of greatness."
WINSTON CHURCHILL

"Make it a point to do something every day that you don't want to do.
This is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without
pain."
MARK TWAIN

Here's the Vit:
When I see a player on a team, after making a mistake, point at himself/herself and say"My Bad", I have to admire the gesture, but it doesn't excuse the mistake. My Bad....let's think about this grammatically. Not only is it a fragment, but it makes no sense. My bad what? My bad mistake? My bad for making you look bad? Let's just shorten it even more and say "M.B. and point at ourselves. When I am around cliches and sayings long enough, I find myself saying them also, even if the slang is grammatically imperfect. I am instantly forgiven and excused from responsibility. NOT! (Another grammatically incorrect cliche) Here at work, if I make a mistake on grading or teaching, all I have to do is say, "Sorry, Mr. Lockett, My bad" and everything is okay. Again NOT! So when I mess up your grades and you get a C instead of a B, just remember "My Bad" excuses it all. And when you mess up on a test or don't turn in your homework, or give less than your best effort in my class, just remember "My Bad" fixes everything. NOT!

Week 3

Class of 2011 - Two weeks down and only thirty nine to go.

Start the countdown!

Congratulations to the Polar Bears for their win over Lakehill Prep.
Final score was 21-12. Check out the article at
http://corsicanadailysun.com/sports/x955427161/Frost-uses-big-first-half-tough-D-to-earn-second-win

This week is Homecoming Week. Don't forget to show your spirit by dressing up this week. You can find the spirit schedule on the bathroom doors.

Juniors will host the Homecoming Dance after the game. They are selling raffle tickets all week and at the game. Prizes will include a Polar Bear and Lady Polar Bear team autographed football and volleyball, a wooden standing drink cooler and many other prizes. Remember that the juniors are raising money for your senior prom, so let's show our support for them and buy some raffle tickets and attend the dance. More details on the dance will be posted in the hallways and announced during the week. Don't forget to vote for Homecoming Queen!

Lady Bears will have a week off this week and will resume play on Sat. Sept 11.

Speaking of Sept. 11. Most of you were only eight of nine when the 9/11 bombings occurred, but even at that age, I'm sure you have some memory of the impact the tragedy had on our country. As we approach the ninth anniversary of 9/11, please keep in mind the people who lost their lives that day and our soldiers who continue to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. They are fighting for our way of life and our liberties. Justin Baldridge, 2006 Frost graduate and son of Coach Jerry and Teri Baldridge is part of the Marine company that is clearing out the Taliban extremists ahead of our troops. He is right in the thick of the danger and he, now more than ever needs our thoughts and prayers.

State Senator Brian Birdwell who survived the Pentagon bombing on 9/11 will speak at the Navarro County Courthouse on Sat. 9/11/2010 at 1:30pm. Senator Birdwell is a very good friend of our family and has quite a story of survival to tell. I urge you to attend the gathering in Corsicana if you can. I will let you know what time he will speak.

This is the third week of school and progress reports will go out next week.

Here is our week at a glance:

Tuesday - Literary Analysis: Anglo-Saxon Lyrics/Elegy pg 17
Wednesday - Vocab Builder pg 19, Enrichment: Social Studies pg 21
Thursday - Begin Open Book Test pg 22-24
Friday - Continue Open Book Test

Vickery's Vit & Visdom
"Tell me a fact and I'll learn. Tell me a truth and I'll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever." --- Indian Proverb

This brings to mind, when my children were very small. I underestimated their intelligence, as many parents will. I got in the habit of saying "no" and using the reason, "Because I said so." After all, that is how I was raised. My children wanted reasons, justification and would negotiate their case whenever they could. I was exhausted trying to outwit them. Finally, I realized that they deserved an explanation to my decisions. Once I took the time and explained why they couldn't have something or do something, and used a story from my own childhood as an example (sometimes I had to make one up), they were more okay with the decision. Children are smart if we allow them to be. If we bully and intimidate them when they are small, they figure out very quickly, it is not worth it to question, which is sad on so many levels. Danny DeVito in the movie "Matilda" demonstrates his terrible parenting skills with this line,"I am smart, you are dumb, I am right, you are wrong and there is nothing you can do about it."
In class, I sometimes get off topic and share a story from my childhood to prove a point in a lesson. Years later, kids (now adults) come up to me and tell me, "I loved your stories". If it helps them to remember the point I'm trying to make, I will gladly get off topic for a minute to explain, not just state facts to be regurgitated on a test. My parenting advice to you, although I hope you don't have to use it for a while, is to correct your children early, often, but, always explain your correction. It makes them feel more valuable that you took the time to explain. The time you take to do this will help your child in the long run.

Here's the Vit....If you learn to laugh at yourself, you'll never run out of smiles.

Week Two Post

Week Two Post
The first week of the 2010-2011 school year seemed to be a smooth one for most of you. Start your count down now to GRADUATION.


Congratulations to the Polar Bears for their win over Krum on Friday night. It was an exciting game and great start to a promising season.

I was also impressed with the cheerleaders. Good job on the fun pep rally. Seeing the PreK kids dancing makes it all worth it. Great job at the game. You kept the crowd going all night. By the way, I WANT A FOOTBALL THROWN IN MY DIRECTION NEXT TIME.

Congratulations to the Lady Bears for their 2nd place finish at the Covington Tournament on Saturday. Great Job Ladies! Keep working! District is just around the corner.

WEEK OF AUGUST 30 - SEPTEMBER 3

Monday - Vocabulary Diagnostic Test - 40 Questions
Tuesday - Vocabulary Warm-up Word Lists for "The SeaFarer", "The Wanderer" and "The Wife's Lament" Handout. Assignment: Vocab Warm-up Exercise Worksheet, pg 14. Complete by the end of class or for homework.
Wednesday - Reading Warm-up A & B pg 15 & 16. Assignment: Answer on your own paper, questions 1-8 Warm-up A & questions 1-8 on Warm-up B.
Thursday - Assignment: Pg 19 Worksheet - Vocabulary Builder -
Begin Open Book Test pg 22-24 Worksheets
Friday - Continue Open Book Test - Complete by the end of the period.


Other activities for the week are:
Lady Bears Volleyball Game vs Dawson -Tues. - HERE - beginning at 5:00pm

Polar Bear Football Game vs Lake Hill Prep (ladeedah) Friday - THERE - at 7:30

Junior High Volleyball - Thursday - Sept 2 -Vs. Crossroads @ 5:00pm

VICKERY'S VIT AND VISDOM:

Always shut the gate behind you. Two men were walking through a pasture when they encountered a gate. The first man opened the gate and went through. The second man came through the gate and left it open. The first man went back and closed the gate and told his friend that when you pass through a gate, always shut it behind you. This applies to our lives today in that we always worry about past fears and failures. One of the essentials of a successful life is to be able to walk away from past experiences, good or bad, shut the gate behind you and go on to a new experience. Dwelling on past mistakes is non-productive. Learn from those mistakes, shut the gate and make the next encounter more positive.
Side note:(Here comes the Vit) Also, living in the country, we all know that when you leave the gate open, livestock gets out and wreaks havoc. Shut the dang gate!

12th Grade British Literature Syllabus

Welcome to Mrs. Vickery's British Literature Class

Class Schedule: 3rd Period - 9:53am - 10:38am

Title of Book: Prentice Hall/Pearson British Literature Text &
Glencoe Grammar Text

Supplements that will be issued to you: Grammar Workbook, Vocab Workbook, Spelling Workbook and other supplements that will be helpful.

Supplies Needed:

A three subject spiral notebook
2 red pens for editing
2 blue or black ink pens (always bring a pen to class)
A Green folder with brads
Highlighter (Any color)
Notebook paper (wide-ruled) *Do not open package
Composition book
1 Pkg of Page Protectors

Expectations:

As 12th graders, I expect adult behavior. Making responsible choices is required in life and certainly in this class.

I expect you to bring required materials and supplies to class each day.

I expect assignments to be completed on time and I expect high quality in your efforts.

I expect courtesy when I am lecturing and I expect all students to be respectful to each other and to me.

I expect all students to attend class and to arrive on time, fully prepared.

I expect your full effort in all endeavors

What you can expect from me:

You obviously have a goal for the year and I am prepared to help you reach that goal of graduation by providing required instruction, communication skills, as well as college readiness instruction to prepare you for your future.

If you need additional tutoring or test preparation, I will be available during my conference period, as well as before and after school. Be sure to let me know, so I can be sure to be in my classroom during those times.

I will treat you fairly, respectfully and will teach you the skills required to be successful in the English/Language Arts curriculum and in your future communication requirements.

Blog requirements

Each week, I will post assignments, scheduled tests, helpful links, and any other information that I think will help you in this class. Please refer to this blog and invite your parents to view the blog as well. I think this blog will be a useful organization tool and a great way to communicate with each other.

I look forward to our year together and hope you will take with you a positive experience.
Your senior year should be your best year. Lets work together to make that happen.

Mrs. Vickery
Fall - 2010

Welcome!

Welcome to Mrs. Vickery's 12th Grade English Class blog. Here you will find everything you need to know about the upcoming school year.