Health Break

I may be taking a little break from computer time for a few days. I have been diagnosed with breast cancer and will be undergoing surgery on Wednesday, November 4. For an update on the treatment, go to http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nancysojka . You will need to set up a log in with your email address.

Thanks for all of the good wishes. I feel like I have a very strong group of friends and family behind me!

Mrs. Sojka Receives Distinguished Service Award

On October 3, the Art Educators of Iowa presented an award for Distiguished Service in the Profession to Nancy Sojka. Mrs. Sojka was honored for her work with the AEI organization as their webmaster since 1994 and a member of their board of directors since 1986, as well as her years as an art teacher at North Winneshiek.
Five other people were honored with awards at the ceremony at the University of Northern Iowa, during the AEI Fall Conference. Also attending the Conference for her first time was North Winn. art teacher, Susan Heier. The annual Fall Conference is a chance for art teachers from across the state to take part in workshops, learn new techniques, and network with art teachers and artists from across the state.

Branching Out Grant

Branching Out Grant

As members of the Decorah Tree Board, Bob and I accepted a check for $2000 from Alliant Energy's rep. Lori, in front of the Berenstein Bears' Treehouse. Albert looks on approvingly!
Originally uploaded by Smooth Sailing Nancy

Mustang on the Roof Close-up

The Last Mustang I painted this summer. Can you guess where it is?

How to get Blogs fed directly to your Mail program.

When I loaded the new Mail 3.6 with the new OS X, I began getting the RSS feeds from Apple again. I had deleted that from my mailboxes a long time ago. It made me start to think about RSS feeds from Blogger. I figured it out!

First, you go to the blog that you want to have fed to your computer and copy the URL. Then in the Mail program, under the File menu, go to Add RSS Feeds...

Select Specify a custom feed URL and paste in the URL. Click Add.

The title of the blog will show up in your RSS Mailbox. The first time you get the feed, you will get all of the postings that the blogger has posted, but it is easy to delete down through them and see what you might have missed earlier!

Several teachers at North Winn. updated their blogs today. I'll be around to help anyone who would like on Monday morning.

Decorah ArtWalk 2009

I've participated in past years, but this year has started out well. I got a call from a former student, asking to buy a couple of quilted items that I have on display in the windows of Elaine's.

It's All About the Art!

Obama Administration Working To Revamp Image Of "No Child Left Behind."
The Washington Post (6/23, Glod) reports, "Seven years ago, a rally at the Department of Education promoted one of then-President George W. Bush's most significant domestic achievements -- the No Child Left Behind law. The backdrop: a red schoolhouse." Now, as the Obama administration seeks to put "its own stamp on education reform," officials are considering "a new name and image for" the law, which "has grown unpopular with many teachers and suburban parents, even though it was enacted with bipartisan support in Congress." Currently, "No Child logos on the Education Department elevators are being stripped." In addition, "official correspondence to states now refers to the law's original name, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965." And "on Saturday...construction workers pulled down the schoolhouse and its No Child Left Behind sign. Instead, photos of students, from preschool to college age, are going up on 44 ground-floor windows, forming an exhibit that can be seen from outside."

New Bloggers: Everyone starts somewhere!

Welcome to all of the North Winn. teachers who are beginning their Blogging Careers! We are planning an in-service on Monday, January 12 to get everyone going!