POW #3~ Dr. Berry Letter

Dear Dr. Berry,

                Did you know that we have not have had more than four snow days in a school in over fifty years? Most people in the Olathe District know that there are only built in snow days to school calendar. However, this year we have had six snow days and making us having to make up two extra days of school. There have been many rumors that you might decide to add on two days to the end of the school year. Many people however, are opposed to this idea. We should not have two extra days of school because teachers have already canceled some lesson plans, most students would not attend the last two days, and having the school opened two more days would be expensive to the school district.

                There are a few teachers who do think that we should have two extra days. One of the reasons being that the students would get the amount of school that is required. However, how much more is a student going to obtain in two extra days? Furthermore, some say that teaches would have more time for lesson plans but most teachers have already cut their lesson plans to accommodate for the snow days. Even though these might be valuable points there are better reasons not to have extra school days.

                One of the reasons we should not have extra days of school is because the teachers have already canceled some of their lesson plans to accommodate for the snow days. Mr. Court Allam said, “My lesson plans are driven by indicators and by the curriculum set by the state. Adding on two days to the end of the year would not affect my curriculum.” This come to shows that adding two days wouild not affect what teachers decide to teach and how they teach it. Teachers are prepared for snow days and do not need extra days for lesson plans. Furthermore, the last two days of school at most schools are spent by playing games, watching movies, and enjoying the day by welcoming the end of the school year and welcoming summer. This would not benefit anybody. We as the students are not going to obtain anything in the last two days of school. How is this any use to anybody? For this reason  I strongly believe we should not have extra school days.

                Second, why should we have our schools opened when most students aren’t going to be attending the last two days of school. In a study six percent of students do attend the last day of school. Imagine how much higher that percent will go up with having two extra days of school. I know that peers have vacation plans set for after the last day of school. So do some of the teachers. However, this is not one of the only significant points I have. Most students miss at least five to ten days of school during the school year. They either miss because they are sick, have appointments, they take a vacation with their family or simply miss just to take a break from school. The school board however, does not me the students make up days for that. So why should we make up for two extra snow days?

                Thirdly, it is going to expensive to keep the school open for those extra days. You are going to have to pay for the water bill, the electric bill, and food expenses. You would have to do this for all the Olathe District buildings. Imagine what you could do with all that money. You could spend it on more education for us students, or start paying off for the addition reconstruction to the Olathe high schools, or refurnishing  the classrooms that got burned in the fire at Green Springs Elementary. There is much you can do with this money instead of keeping the school open longer.

                With all of this information, I urge you Dr. Berry to not keep the school open for two extra days. With teacher already having canceled lesson plans, and students not attending the last day of school, and the expenses I find it unreasonable to keep the school opened longer.

                                  Sincerly,

                                          Andrea

Outside Reading #1 ~ Brisingr

I am reading Brisingr by Christopher Paolini.

This is book three of the Inheritance series. The first book was Eragon and the second book was Eldest. Much has happened in the first two books so I will explain so as you read you will know what is going on. In Eragon the main character Eragon finds what he believes is a blue stone in the woods called the Spine. The blue stone turns out to be a dragon egg which hatches for him. He slowly raises the dragon and he name her Saphira. However, soon the king, Galbatorix, finds out about the dragon egg in the village called Carvahall where Eragon is living. Galbatorix sends out his servants, the Ra'zac, who are terrible creatures of Alagaësia. Saphira, however, takes Eragon and flies off before the Ra'zac can capture them. The Ra'zac though kill Eragon's uncle trying to get information about Eragon and Saphira. Later through an adventure Brom the storyteller of the village and Eragon and his dragon go to pursue the Ra'zac to have his revenge for the death of his uncle. Along the way, they rescue an elf named Arya. Brom dies through the hands of the Ra'zac. Murtagh soon joins Eragon trying to escape the Empire. Together with Saphira and Arya they go to the Varden who is a rebel group that has protested against the Empire. The Varden with Eragon and Saphira's help, defeat the Urgals and the soldiers Galbatorix has sent after them. Eragon also defeats a Shade that was sent after them. In the second book Eragon goes to the elf's dwelling place to train. There he learns many things about magic and he finds out that he is not the only other dragon rider alive. During his training he is healed by the ancient dragon from a fatal wound that the Shade had inflicted upon him. During his training Roran, Eragon's cousin, returns home to find his father dead and his home destroyed. Soon, the Ra'zac return to Carvahall to capture Roran in hope of dragging out Eragon. However, Roran evades the Ra'zac and takes the whole village to go join the Varden. There Eragon and Roran reunite. There Roran tells Eragon everything that has occurred since he had been gone. He also tells him that his betrothed was captured by the Ra'zac and he makes Eragon promise he will help rescue her. Meanwhile, Murtagh was captured by the empire and made a slave to Galbatorix. Later a dragon egg hatches for Murtagh. In the Battle of the Burning Planes Murtagh and his dragon, Thorn, attack Eragon and Saphira. Eragon and Saphira barely escape with their lives but find out horrible news. Eragon finds out that Murtagh is his brother and that Morzan was his father who was a betrayer to the Riders. Saphira learns that she is the only female dragon and that she is only wanted by Galbatorix to mate with one of the male dragons. That is the end of the second book called Eldest.
In the beginning of Brisingr, Eragon and Roran are at the lair of the Ra'zac. There they find Katrina, Roran's betrothed, they kill the Ra'zac and escape the Empire once again. They return to the Varden who are in Surda at the moment. There many things happen. They battle Galbatorix's soldiers and evade Murtagh and Thorn once more. Eragon marries Katrina and Roran. I have only read to up to the part where Nasuada, the leader of the Varden, has sent out to Eragon back to the Varden's original hiding place to seek help from the dwarves. Keep reading my blog to find out what happens next.


One of the quotes from the book that I recognize is when Roran says, "He's a Dragon Rider now." (Paolini 57). This quote speaks to me because this is when Roran accepts that his cousin is a Dragon Rider and that there is nothing he can do to change it. Also he is happy that Eragon is a Dragon Rider and that he is willing to help him defeat the Empire.


Through out the blog posts I will put about this book I will rate the book. I will rate this from one to five fireballs. I picked fireballs because brisingr means fire in the ancient language used in this book. For now I give Brisingr 4 out 5 fireballs because there has been a lot of action and much adventure. However, I do not give it a five because there is a lot of unanswered questions that I would like to know.

There are a few questions I would like to ask the author. Below are a few.

• Where did you come up with this idea with the book?
• When are you going to write the next book?
• Will another dragon be hatched?
• When will Galbatorix attack the Varden himself?
• Will Murtagh escape Galbatorix and free himself and Thorn from his oaths?