Google Voice, Where Have You Been All My Teaching Career?

So I had a Google Voice number a while ago, but never really saw the value in it. Two days in my new school and BANG! It's risen from the dead. The new school is big, scratch that HUGE on parent communication and documentation. I'm not a fan of calling parents, never have been, probably never will be for the simple fact that calls home are almost always to report something negative. I know it, you know it, the parents know it. However, using Google Voice, I'm slightly less leary. I'm still figuring it out but it appears to document all calls, texts, voicemails etc., meaning that not only does it notify me via my phone, but it will also send me emails of the texts sent and voicemails left! Why am I just now learning about this?!

This is the beginning of a new me...yea I know, we've all said/thought that before. This time however, I REALLY mean it. After 10 years of teaching in one school, I decided to leave in lieu of a school/district much closer to where I live and where my kids will go to school. I am excited to teach Algebra 1 (haven't done that in a while) and Honors Algebra II (never taught that one before). This year will be full of changes, and I expect some to be bad/hard, but most to be good. It wasn't easy to leave my old school, but I know @Fouss will do just fine as my replacement. I guess this initial post, on my new and improved blog is to actually try to keep up with it this time! I've fallen too far behind, be come too complacent and this will be a great opportunity to reinvent myself and my classroom!