Summer is a very odd time for me. I go from super busy in May and June (up to 5 classes in a day) to summer where we have 2 classes in a week. I go from May and June where I have numerous phone calls and emails every day to summer where there’s only a few a week (well, July at least – I know a lot of teachers will be back in the schools planning in August).

So in the summer I get to catch up on all the ideas and writing and planning that I’ve had in the back of my mind for the past year (or more). It’s a time when many of the long term things on my “to do” list get moved over to my “to done” list. Now, that’s a wonderful feeling.

The 2012 Regional Heritage Fair booklet is updated and ready to be sent out and also ready to be uploaded to our web-page. If you’re wanting a copy emailed or mailed to you, just let me know. We’ve also finished a brochure that we’ll use to better promote the heritage fair to schools, teachers and the public.

Also finished (it’s just now being prettified – I know it’s not a word, but it should be) the Archives kit we’ve been promising for the last few years. Lindsay Van Dyk, who did the bulk of the work on it as an Applied Studies student, is starting her Masters in Public History program in the fall. She should be incredibly proud of the work she did on this kit and I know teachers will love it.

Another thing I’ve been talking about for a few years is creating a document on how to visit museums with kids. This idea came from talking to parent groups (especially parents of toddlers and pre-schoolers). They want to bring their kids to museums but they find that museums are often not very welcoming and they don’t know how to make the experience enjoyable for their kids and fun for themselves. Many parents find a visit stressful because all they seem to do is keep their kids from touching or running. Many museums are creating better environments for kids but this book is designed to give parents ideas that will help them at any museum or historic site. This is also being prettified and should be available to pick up at the Galt or downloaded from our web-site this fall.

Next projects? Getting started on another project dear to my heart – a mural for the entire west wall of the classroom that will have a timeline of international, national and local events so that context will be provided for all of our schools programs. Also a booklet on using the cemetery as an educational resource because I’ll need that for a couple of teachers’ conventions I’m going to next year. And…

Well, I better get done this blog so I can get back to getting more things on my “to done” list. Yeah for summer!