Last day last year my students (with help of paras), made lifesaver cars (straws, lifesavers, piece of paper & fan) This activity was a huge hit, I would like to start the year with something similar & perhaps work it into my curriculum do do something like this more often. The kids really enjoyed themselves & there was some critical thinking skills involved. I have a classroom of diverse middle school learners with low cog to autism to dyslexia so kiddos who can find creative ways of doing things. My winner last year was a girl who is low cog/slow learner & she rocked it, I feel like this type of activity is what my classroom needs more of!

Bonus points if you can aim me towards a book or tell me what these kinds of activities are called so I can search for them on TpT (perhaps kinetic science?)

I just bought a set of BAOFENG G11S GMRS Handheld Radios. They were recommended for our car club to use on runs where we drive together & need to communicate. We always use channel 5 & my regular walkie talkies work but aren't great.

If I only use it for this application, do I need a license? I honestly don't have a clue so a nice explanation to help me learn would be fantastic.

Also, if this still relates, would someone recommend either a car antenna or ones to go on the unit themselves to boost the signal? I have a nice car so nothing that will damage it. I don't use my AMFM stubby so maybe something I could put there?

I am going into my 3rd year in a tough room with 4 paras. 2 oldies & 2 newbies, I am very thankful for having their support as we have kiddos who are runners, throwers, spitters & destroyers. I could not do my job without their support & I gift them through the year with giftcards & treats.

I would love to put together a gift bag for the start of the school year that is thoughtful as well as useful for them.

I have a drawer full of "teacher supplies" for them that includes post its, Tide pens, lanyards, etc so I don't need any of those work related things.

I was thinking the typical hand sanitizer & some good lotion but I am stuck on other stuffs. I am not a fan of Dollar Store stuff, I'd rather give a few things that are valuable than a bunch of random cheap stuff.

Anyone have ideas on what to add?

I am going into my 3rd year of teaching middle school special ed. I have a lovely student who is frequently absent & mom pulled her out for 2 weeks in May for a vacation. Mom sent an email to myself & her gen ed teachers that said please don't send any homework for her vacation "per her IEP". Well, her IEP doesn't have anything about homework mentioned. My limited experience & understanding tells me that she should definitely have homework, & mores o because she loses her progress due to her absences.

This is a student who is capable of learning, but at an extremely slow pace. Not only is she behind, she is cognizant enough to know that & is embarrassed as a middle schooler that she can't read, etc.

I still sent her with a fun graphic novel Bad Kitty book to "read" on while she was on vacation. I also told her to keep it over the summer to do the same. She is motivated by these books so hoping she will at least look at them.

She has a learning disability label & receives all academics with me, she is able socially so I put her in gen ed for History/Science & specials with an aid.

She has JUST made a huge leap with her phonics before mom sent that email, I was really frustrated. She had to, of course, re-learn once she came back. She also missed state testing so mom was really worried she was stressed out because she had to take the tests in another location from my classroom (admin decision so all classes could get back to normal). So, ya, sadly, when her child missed the school's state testing schedule, her child suffered.

I am really tempted to start out the school year with a weekly homework packet to address this student's lag from absences. But I am really at a loss. She is in 8th grade in the fall & will head off to HS the following year. I am also wondering if she would be a great choice for the summer school option for sped?

How would you all handle this?

56F PCOS & T2 & down 30lbs - I have a long history with food. I was a jr olympian gymnast; eating disorder at 11. Then had to quit due to an injury. I quickly gained weight, eating the same as I did as an "athlete". I vividly remember the day my mother ordered me "husky" pants from JcPenny Catalog. I fought with starving & exercising for years & years. I finally just became comfortable in my bigger self. At one point I was 200lbs at 5' tall (apple). BIG men shirts & sweatpants, etc. I was diagnosed with T2 somewhere in there. I tried to get on top of it but my cravings were so bad with T2 as well as PCOS that I couldn't. I could only get my A1C to upper 7 but mostly was in the 8s. Then my doc prescribed Mounjaro.

My starting weight after struggling to drop was 162 (April 2023), I was a s l o w loser, now I am down to 132. My doc wants me to lose 5 more lbs. I am off all 3 of my blood pressure meds, I feel like I am done. I am 56 & am not concerned with looking good for anyone but myself but I literally cannot wear the bigger clothes anymore so I am quickly replacing everything.

I hate shopping so Amazon is where I "go". I ordered a pair of pants in Large, too big. Then Medium, still too big. I ordered Smalls, thinking there is no way they could fit & once again I would feel that disappointment that has dominated my adult world. Wholly Sh333T. They fit & they fit nicely. I broke down & cried, I am not really sure why, it was just a weird moment that I never, in my wildest dreams, ever thought I would be a small. The tag says 4-6. My daughter & I can now share clothes (she has a better figure at 26 but I am literally getting hand-me-downs from my daughter now).

I recently visited a school I used to work at & one of my old coworkers said "where the hell is the rest of you?!". It wasn't a compliment, it really felt like she was unhappy I wasn't my fat self. My bestie says "you are so small", my husband calls me too skinny & he thinks every guy who talks to me is "hitting on me". I could care less with that, I am really so done with wanting men to be attracted to me.

The weird thing is that I don't see the weight loss in photos, I can see it in the mirror though. I just got back from Ireland in April & I struggle to see myself as a smaller person in the pictures.

I just wanted to share, I feel the need to have someone to tell. I know there are others out there like me on this page. No one in my circle wants to hear it. If I tell my bestie, I feel like I am bragging as she struggles with weight like I did.

I am proud of the changes, especially for my health. I feel like MJ is saving my life. I lose my Saturdays to low energy/nausea but it is all worth it. I have been given a 2nd chance & even changed careers 3 years ago. I feel like I am living life for the first time in my adult years.

2026 Miata | OEM wireless BT | Pixel 9 Pro XL| Android 16

Not sure why my flair doubled but I can't seem to fix it.

My husband's phone overrides mine if he is within a hundred feet or so of my car. He can be sitting in the house & I start my car & his phone runs my AA. It is a royal pain to gain control back, I have to drive down the road & park & restart my car. My only solution so far is to ask him to turn off his Bluetooth while I leave. Is there any way to set my AA to choose my phone over his? Or another option that I am missing?