Greetings from Kodiak

Hello world! It has been a while since I've posted on this blog. I figured I would continue to develop this blog instead of creating yet another one. I must have at least three blogs out there, and it gets difficult to update them all.

Mill Bay Beach

The purpose of this post is two-fold: one, to document my adventures and learning experiences in Kodiak, Alaska, and two, to share those experiences with friends and family. I promised that I would maintain a blog that showcased life here in Alaska, so here it is! Take a gander at what I get to view every day. 

Yum!

Above is the view from across the street from my apartment. Yes, I said across the street. I am very fortunate to be living right across the street from Mill Bay beach, a small but incredibly gorgeous beach that hosts all sorts of sights and sounds. Might I add that swimming along these shores are catches like the picture to the right? That, my friends, is a silver salmon, 22 inches in length. Apparently tis the season, as these delectable are jumping like mad up and down the coastline. Not every beach though. I have been to a few others, and there is no sign of them anywhere. I am incredibly fortunate to be living across the street from a beach rich in food supplies. Hopefully I can get a better fishing pole soon, catch more, smoke the meat and then send it off. Soon enough the care packages will be sent.

School has officially started here in Kodiak. The high school (Go Bears!) is pretty big and they're fixing to begin on renovation and addition to the high school. The middle school is attached, and offices are strewn about both buildings, making an office visit a journey all in itself. All faculty and staff are very kind and supportive here, which is no different than past experiences. All day yesterday we offered technical support and training for the new Moodle 2.0 system that was installed. During that time I had ample opportunity to meet many of the teachers here. What amazes me the most is the amount of technology integration in this district. Each student, teacher and administrator receives a MacBook Pro and iPad! Wow! This is even more essential for students who live in the rural villages and need access to lessons from teachers who live in the city proper. We also have a very advanced Video-Teleconferencing System that connects students all around the island. Students in remote areas of the island can interact in real time with teachers in Kodiak. 

My job is to assist those virtual teachers in technical support and ensure that all services are running correctly. I am also charged with helping teachers find and implement new technologies for their lessons and units. Technology integration is the name, and nerding out on computers is my game. This position is right down my alley and I am SO incredibly happy to be helping students move closer towards much needed 21st century skills.

With that being said, I will close this post. Keep an eye out on this blog for more posts on my adventures in Kodiak!

It's a good day to be a Bear!

Stuffed Kodiak bear at the high school