JIS blogging: one month later

Tomorrow will be the one-month anniversary of JIS Topics! That's several times longer than Britney Spear's first marriage lasted! Woo-hoo!

With 21 posts, one on-line poll, and a few comments under its belt, JIS Topics feels the need to expand its reach and usability. So today, you'll find something new on the right-hand side of this page (right under my profile and the "links" box").

It's the JIS Topics Suggestion Box!

Technically, it's called a tagboard, which is geek-speak for an online bulletin board that stays on a blog's home page. Blog readers don't have to comment on a specific post. Instead, they can just type an idea or thought into the "messages" box.

If you want to talk about a certain topic, or if you have an idea you'd like to share, follow these steps:

• Type your note in the "messages/smilies" box. (There's a 200-character limit, but don't worry -- the friendly Suggestion Box will tell you if you've bloviated.)
• Then choose a moniker for the "name" box. You can use your real name or make something up! ("Edu-stud" has been taken by my husband, just in case you were thinking about that one.)
  
• Enter your email address in the "URL or Email" box. (I use my real one, but if you feel uncomfortable doing that, you can create a free "junk mail" address with an email provider such as Yahoo or MSN/Hotmail. Just check it once in a while to see if anyone's sent you a note.....)
• Click "TAG" -- that's it.

Try it out. Hopefully it will make having a dialogue on JIS and the educational issues it faces easier and more fun.

Well, gotta go decontaminate several kids after a wet, messy, fantastic day at the JIS Fun Fair. Kudos to the PTA and all the parents, JIS staff, and sponsoring organizations who made this great day possible! It was absolutely super -- and exhausting!