And The Labs Are Upon Us. Year 6 of Young Adult Literacy Labs @fairfieldu - #YouGottaWrite #Ubuntu #GameOn #LittleLabs

He starts out slowly, because he remembers in 2014 how he ran the teacher institute and the literacy labs with the same starting date. The moving parts overwhelmed him, so he scaled back and rethought how to keep his sanity in the summer months.

He starts slowly.

The last week of June is Little Lab for Big Imaginations I and Game On! Sports Writing, working with 3rd-8th grade. We'll fold in the teacher institute during the 4th of July week, which is a shortened week.

Slowly, the other labs will follow.

I am thrilled to see incredible educators return, including William King, Jessica Baldizon and Mindy Khomvongsa. I'm also delighted that 5-year students, Stefania Vendrella and Justin Wooley are with us once again, as well as veterans (and high school graduates of Ubuntu Academy).

We are in a different location due to campus construction and yesterday, Monday, we kicked things off with a bang: team-building, writing notebooks, campus tours, humor and, of course, snacks. I'm crazed as an administrator, finding that each and every year I am lodged more in my office administrating rather than teaching.

The smiles in each room, however, pays off and it thrills me to know end to see kids laughing and having fun while writing.

We've been gifted with a. challenge for Day II, because freshman orientation has almost every room on campus booked. Tomorrow, we have new spaces for a day, but we'll make it happen. Things are tight on campus.

I retired my evening, however, with planning for the 2020 Spring Nor'Easterner Conference, a consortium of NWP sites in the region promoting the work that we do. The first event will be held at Lehman College in the Bronx. I've never planned a regional conference but I'm in great company with many other site directors in neighboring states.

Ah, the webs we weaves. It's beautiful, but I'm feeling my age. It's a great thing that nothing makes me happier than working with K-12 teachers and kids! Let's go, Tuesday. Bring it!

In the mean time, here are 50 Mikes for Mike's 50th Birthday. Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike

BIRTHDAY HAPPY, Bro-in-Law