Louisville, Kentucky

I was able to attend the National Middle School Conference in Kentucky this year.  I arrived with a few co-workers on Wed.  We navigated our downtown hotel-the Galt House.  We used the Pedway to walk to the Convention Center. 

Thursday, we visited some other schools.  I was able to go to Indiana that had a middle school with 5th to 8th graders (1500 students)  Craziness!  The afternoon, I attended more classes and wandered the exhibit hall to register for free things and collect free stuff.  Thursday night, we hung out at the 4th street live area.  We were super cool!

Friday-more classes.  Coolest thing ever was that a group from North Carolina was presenting.  I went over to talk with them and found out they were from Raleigh- Students and teachers from Wake-Forest Rolesville Middle School.  10 years ago, the school was my first job.  Coincidence! The students knew some of the teachers I had worked with 10 years ago, when I started my teaching career.  I was able to stop the Louisville Slugger Museum (ran into the NC people)  In the evening, we went to dinner at a fancy hotel called the brown.  Before dinner, we were brought snacks, one of them was cheese its, my favorite.  I said that aloud.  The gentleman brought me my own bowl of them and later brought me a to go box of them.  YEH!
Basketball Game Louisville Yum center was too expensive.  ($35 for the cheap tickets)

Sat- more classes then off to Churchill Downs, yes horse racing.  My friends learned how to place bets.  It was amazing, more photos from my camera to come.  It is interesting to see the uber rich and uber not so rich interact over horse racing.  It was just like in the movies.
Sat. night after dinner, we had a great hotel emergency.  Apparently, someone had smoked a cigar in the building, set off the alarms, many people had to leave the building, firefighters shown up and most people were in the PJ's because it happened around 11 pm.  YEH! 

I made many friends at the conference, some networking, people on the bus, at the horse track, at dinner, and it was great to be super friendly.