Max & Debi's Blog

Paw To Pen: My Surgery

2011-08-14T19:59:00.000-07:00

Arf Arf to my four legged fans. I will be absent from The Education Depot for a few days. My person discovered a large growth on my leg joint( a location similar to a human elbow) She and the Vet, Dr. Dan were very sad and determined that surgery was necessary to remove and biopsy it. My David person has been very upbeat and has been sending positive vibes all week.

In my absence,I will miss Stuart the mailman, Keisha the UPS lady, the police officer who brings me a dog biscuit every day, the businessman in the store next door who barbecues a lot and always seems to have some delicious bone for me after the weekends. I shall return with a slight limp,and an awkward gait but ready, wiling, and able to accept any and all treats . ARF ARF for now Max

Back To School 2011

2011-08-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

The back to school season is getting longer and longer in the metropolitan Chicago area. The Track E CPS schools went back August 3. The CPS Charter schools and some suburban schools start on the 15Th. The parochial Schools go back the week of the 22Nd.. The rest of the CPS schools go back the week of the 29Th. Everyone else will start after Labor Day. I no longer get a summer vacation. I really miss the times when schools were closed for 8 weeks, and I could count on regular holiday vacations. I miss spending time with my children and grandchildren.

Sometimes it is hard to figure out what will be the new HOT item for the school year. Are the students and schools Rockin Into---? Poppin Into---? Are they a Great Crop? Back to School Stars? or a Great Bunch? Do we give Peace a chance? Say no to Bullying? Are we into the Turquoise or Chocolate Brown color scheme? Is it a Jungle out There? Are we Rocketing into Reading? Soaring into Math? or Buzzing about Books?

After the decorations are complete, and the children appropriately welcomed into the classroom, we now have to contend with the new programs instituted over the summer. Two to three years is the maximum until an academic program becomes obsolete and a new one has to purchased at great cost. The schools don't give the children enough time to get used to a particular learning style. There no longer seems to be any consistency in the learning curve. The new buzz in academia is that children do not need to learn cursive writing since they all use computers. They also don't need to learn time tables since they have calculators. Pretty soon we can forget about teaching them to speak, since children will only be communicating with computers , i pads, and cellphones.

I, for one, plan on making sure that my grandchildren know how to write in cursive. They will memorize their multiplication facts and learn all the states and capitals. They will learn the difference between Austria and Australia, They will understand that good manners don't cost anything. I will teach them not to equate money with class. We are living in a global society, and my grandchildren will learn that the the world is a potpourri of colors and textures and dialects. This is my role as a parent and grandparent, to make the world a better place, by making my offspring better people.

To all of the students, parents, teachers, and administrators, have a great 2011 back to school. And please, if you must be absent, be absent because you are making a memory, not because you are sick . A memory lasts a lifetime...a headache, tummy ache, or runny nose only lasts for a day or two.

New for summer

2011-05-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

Just in time for summer school and summer camps.Peace Sign decorations . Coordinate your classroom or playroom with planners, charts, stickers, cutouts, and trim. " Have a PEACEFUL summer" "Travel to the 60's" are just a few ideas incorporating these whimsical products.

Max looks for work

2011-04-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

My male person, John saw an add for a TV commercial audition for a pet. I guess he thought I qualified so he printed the info out and brought it home. Alpha Mom, Debi thought it was a great idea. My person brother, David, sign me up and took me downtown today. It was a very long and nervous wait. The location was on Ontario...not in a park, mind you, but in a PEE FREE BUILDING. There were animals in the waiting room, animals in the hall, and in the elevator...etc. The smells were unbelievable, and I wanted to mark my territory ALL THE TIME. David did a good job keeping me entertained and keeping me from doing the nasty inside. He is the comedian of the family. Naturally, I am the adorable one so I don't need to do much but look cute.

I missed going to the store with Debi and Nathan (see picture) today. Every other Sunday Nathan gets to come to the store and pass out candy and laminate things. He also will vaccumn and clean the bathrooms. He is a busy boy. If I get the acting job I would be trading one fun day for another. What if I am discovered? What if they want me on TV. What would our customers do if I wasn't around to lick them, Play with the children, or bark at the Postman Stewart. There are some mighty big decisions I may have to make. Woof Woof to you all Love, Max

Facebook

2011-04-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting the gist if Facebook. I don't necessiarly care if someone went to dinner or got a speeding ticket. But I am enjoying that I can track down former friends from grammar school (Bradwell)and High school (South Shore and Bowen friends also. A lot of us were split apart during the turbulent 60's. There was a lot of movement in and out of neighborhoods, and the friends we grew up with were suddenly transplanted to a new neighborhood....or gasp, the suburbs. It has been fun reconnecting, and going down memory lame. I recently found a web page on 1968 class of Bowen. I had a lot of friends IE sorority sisters from there as well as from South Shore. If you didn't grow up in that era and years earlier, you probably do not even know about the Sings at Arie Crown, or the sorority and fraternity parties that the sophisticated south siders were attending. The Tea Hut, Carl's, Bob and Jacks, Cunis Candies, the original White Castle on Essex and Bon Tons on Colfax. What great times and memories. I had my first teenage crush on a teacher from Bradwell, And my friend and I would go to Bon Tons at lunch time just to watch Mr Reece and Mr Starnicki have lunch.. We shopped at Seder's and Bramson's and Joseph Shoes and we thought we were all that...which we were. Bye for now.

2010-11-16T10:38:00.000-08:00

ARE ILLINOIS SCHOOLS PREPARED FOR COLLEGE?

Chicago Tribune recently ran a report to guage how prepared high school students are for college. The nonprofit ACT company has set "college readiness benchmarks" for each subject tested on its college entrance exam. According to ACT research, meeting those scores means students have at least a 50% chance of getting a B or higher,and at least a 75% chance of getting a C or higher, in key freshman courses. According to the Tribune, "most Illinois juniors last spring failed to meet all four benchmarks." As a matter of fact, only 19%. And a rousing 35% met NONE of the benchmarks.

On the positive side, in Cook County, 3 of the top 5 schools that met all four benchmarks were Chicago Public Schools. The top Cook County Schools are:

Northside College Prep, Chicago 78.8%
Payton College Prep, Chicago 68.3%
New Trier Township, Winnetka 61.8%
Whitney Young Magnet, Chicago 60.1%
Glenbrook North, Northbrook 51.6%

For further information you can find the article
http://http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-school-report-college-ready-20101111,0,838182.story

EDUCATION DEPOT IN THE NEWS

2010-09-07T18:29:00.000-07:00

THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF THE VILLAGER

Debi Ockrim was a CPS high school teacher when she decided to open the Education Depot 25 years ago. “Most school stores focus on primary and middle school students,” she said. “It was hard to find materials for high school and upper school classrooms.”

Knowing just what kinds of materials were useful and important to teachers, Ockrim began to stock her store.

“The store has always been teacher-owned and –operated,” Ockrim said. Most of the employees were or still are teachers, including store manager Diana Loesche.

Geared to teachers, students and parents, the colorful store offers everything from school supplies to anatomical models. Workbooks, materials, educational games, art supplies, practice books, charts, maps, flash cards, models and more cover every subject area and grade.

Because so many teachers use some of their own money for classroom supplies, Ockrim works hard to keep prices affordable and provide her customers with creative ideas and excellent customer service.

One of the best sellers is the Depot’s SCIENCE FAIR BUFFET which includes everything students need to for their science fair displays: 3-fold project board, 2-inch letters, trim and labels. Education Depot staff can visit schools with the science fair and history fair packages, or they can be ordered on line.

But visiting the store is best! Bright bulletin board decorations for every holiday hang on every wall. No-nonsense learning tools including videos and computer software are available at the store and online. Furniture and other large items are also available online.

The store has student supply lists from many area schools, and also provides purchase orders for Chicago Public Schools and other neighborhood schools.

To view article go to www.bapa.org/article.asp?articleid=1166

Goodbye Gunnar

2010-06-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

This is an email I received from my friend. It talks about the death, wake, and funeral of Gunner Hotchkin. He was my nephews best friend. May he rest in peace. Debi

Gunnar Hotchkin was killed in Afghanistan on June 16th. He was part of a volunteer detail that searched out roadside bombs to secure areas for the ground troops. He and another soldier died when a bomb was detonated from a remote site as their armored tank rolled over it. He was 31 years old.

Taylor and Gunnar were swim buddies and although there was a three year age difference, Gunnar and Preston Bokos took Taylor under their wing when they were seniors and Taylor was a freshman.

I have been to many funerals but none is more intense, tragic, brutal and beautiful than a military burial with full honors. Gunnar was brought home to Midway airport on Thursday afternoon. Preston said that the airport was temporarily shut down when the plane landed. Fire engines lined in a row and shot spray over the plane while the firefighters saluted. His casket was carried off the plane by his fellow paratroopers, followed by a short memorial service. A police caravan escorted the casket to a funeral home in Hinsdale.

When I think of Gunnar, I remember a handsome, slightly goofy kid who clapped his leg when he laughed, a bit of a prankster with a smile on his face. After his wake and funeral, I learned about the man he had become. He got married, adopted his step-daughter and had two sons. He did a bit of modeling and worked for a home construction company that went bankrupt when the economy soured. He joined the army at age 30 as a way of supporting his family. He was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Caroline, became a paratrooper, earned ten medals and the Purple Heart. He had been in the service for about 18 months.

During the wake, the funeral home was surrounded by American flags and a volunteer detail of military vets who believe it is their sacred duty to keep the area safe from any potential protesters.Their Harley's were parked in the driveway. They stood at attention as people came in to pay their respects. Gunner's casket was closed and draped with the American Flag. An officer stayed by Gunner's wife and his parent's side throughout the entire two days. His dad is wheel chair bound, recovering from a traumatic stroke. He can't talk, but he knew what was going on. Toward the end of the evening, a ceremony was performed in front of the casket. The motorcycle vets, in pairs, walked to the casket and slowly saluted him. There wasn't a sound in the room.

The service on Friday was held in a church a block from downtown Hinsdale. Again the vets formed a line as mourners entered the church. There were many state and local dignitaries there. The governor spoke as did Gunner's commanding officer from Fort Bragg. His final comment, "Today, Gunner has a different set of wings." The last song sung was Battle Hymn of the Republic. Flags were flown at half mast.

As the casket was carried by his fellow paratroopers, the bag pipers were playing Amazing Grace. Again, the vets led the way as the funeral entourage wove their way through town. Every intersection along the fifteen mile journey was blocked off with firemen and their engines, police and their cars, standing in line and saluting. What few cars were going the opposite direction stopped and turned on their lights. A few folks got out of their cars.

Once at the grave site, the vets once again formed a circle around the mourners. The same paratroopers began the slow, precise folding of the flag. Gunnar's commanding office presented the casket flag to Erin, Gunnar's wife. Additional flags were presented to his three children and parents. Watching this part of the service was like watching a scene in slow motion. So Precis. So somber. So Real. Then came taps and the 21 gun salute. The minister spoke a few words. Each of us put a rose on his casket. We said goodbye.

At the reception, I sat next to a young paratrooper who had gone through training with Gunnar. That is when I learned what kind of soldier he had become. He talked about their first jump at 1500 feet - of course, Gunnar was the first one out of the plane. How he always gave 110%. Then he talked about what Gunnar was doing in Afghanistan. How important and difficult a job it was.

Gunnar died serving his country. It seems only appropriate a few days before the 4th of July, that we remember Gunnar and give our thanks and prayers to the men and women oversees. I hope he is the only war hero I will ever know. What I do know is that it was an honor and a privilege to have been a small part of his solemn return home.

Andrea

2010-06-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

.........Pen to Paw 2..............

Saturday was a stressful day at the Education Depot for my person. The Quickbooks POS was again not working properly. I know when Debi is upset because she continually pets me. I think it is her way of keeping her sanity. She had to talk to some (insert name) in some far off land. I know this because she kept repeating her conversation with the person on the other line. This time the credit card terminals would not function. What should have been a 10 minute fix turned into a 2 hour fiasco. All the while Debi was checking out customers, some of which were of the short persuasion and kept coming behind the counter to PLAY with me. I was not in the playful mood so I put on my tense look. This look usually gets me pretzels( I do not like dog bones). Debi kept giving me pretzels and petting me. I am surprised there is not a bald spot on my head.
This petting action is also performed during the drives to and from work. I sit in the passenger seat, licking the metal seat belt clasp, and Debi keeps rubbing my fur. Often times my person has conversations with me, but I don't answer.

PS: I would like to send a shout out to the black Labrador who walks his female person down Talman.

"I'm watching you" ...Arf Arf...

With Love Max!

Virtual High School in Chicago

2010-06-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

I never knew that the Chicago Public Schools had Virtual High Schools and Middle Schools. This means that courses are available online for students. The population includes regular education learners, former drop outs, children who are home schooled, and alternative learners. Students take their classes via the Internet. Check out the CPS web page at www.cps.edu/Programs/Academic
There is also the Chicago Virtual Charter School (CVCS) for grades k-12. This is a full time tuition free public school option. The program is a combination of brick and mortar schooling and
on line learning. Books, materials, and loaner computer systems are provided. Currently there is a waiting list, but the program seems worth a look. The CVCS High School program serves students grade 9-11 who reside within Chicago City limits. This is a tuition free program with a stipend allocated to offset the cost of Internet access. There are currently summer programs available. Check out CVCS @ www.k12.com.cvcs.
Happy Summer learning Debi and Max

Pen to Paw

2010-06-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

*** Pen to Paw ***

My person friend, Andrea V, said she would like to hear from me. I love being the Depot Dog. I follow Debi and Diana and David around the store, in hopes that some tasty morsel may drop from their fingers and into my mouth.

I am very busy at the store and have numerous responsibilities:

I bark at Stewart the Mailman every day.
I sleep behind the counter.
I bark at every UPS and Fed EX delivery person...at least twice a day.
I lick bare skin, both employee and customer, when available.
I go outside and water the bushes(ha ha)
I howl at the sirens on Western Avenue.
I lick anything metal.
I beg for treats .
I do tricks for treats
I let the children who come into the store pet me.
I growl at the vacuum cleaner.
I stayed home today to post my first blog

With Love, Max!

Quickbooks Makes Me Crazy

2010-06-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

When I first opened my store in 1985, I hand wrote customer receipts and manually logged in inventory. I miss those days. In a perfect world, the Internet would work all the time, Ouickbooks would not fail, and power outages would be a thing of the past. HELLO this is not a perfect electronic world.
Last summer I had to spend thousands for new Quickbooks software. Why you may wonder? Because my prior Quickbooks was 3 years old and customer service would not answer any technical questions after the system was 90 days. If you can work around their system, you get an outsourced technician who barely speaks English, located in some far away country(but it was hard to work around the system on a monthly basis). So I ended up buying new software from Quicksbooks. However, like stock market trading, you do not get a tangible product i.e. a disc. For the privilege if paying $600 per computer, the customer gets to download the merchandise from their web page.. God forbid you are not a quasi tech yourself.
To get any help,for the new download,you first have to talk to 3 separate people, who you can barely understand and who frequently apologize for your problem
"Hello this is (insert Name). How are you doing today?"
"This is my 4th time calling and I am not a happy camper"
"I am so sorry to hear that..what is your name?"
"My name is Debi and my business is the Education Depot"
"I am so Sorry to hear that. What is your account Number?"
" XXX can I please speak to a technician?"
"What is the problem?"
"I can't log into my Quickbooks account"
"I am so sorry to hear that. What version of Quickbooks do you have?
" Version 8.0 I just downloaded it yesterday and I can't sign on"
"I am so sorry to hear that. What is the problem"
"I JUST TOLD YOU I CAN'T SIGN ON."
"I am so sorry to hear that.When did you purchase the 8.0 version?"
"I told you..I just downloaded it yesterday. What about this conversation with you am I missing?"
"Oh, I am sorry to hear that. Let me transfer you to a supervisor"
"I don't need a supervisor, just transfer me to a technician"
"I am so sorry to hear that let me put you on hold"This could go on for 15 minutes and 6 separate telephone calls before a technician is reached. Meanwhile, I am still trying to help customers and maintain a HAPPY FACE while I think of ways to sabotage (insert name) specifically and Quickbooks in general.

When you finally get a technician he has to log into YOUR system and take over your computers. Then the next day you call and go through the process again because while fixing one problem the technician created a new one. Last summer it took approximately 6 weeks to get the problems fixed. I have a list of days, times, ticket complaint numbers , and names that I can barely pronounce, yet alone spell.
All this in the name of retail progress.

2010-06-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

So You Want a Job

The biggest overall problem with store ownership is getting good RELIABLE help. I have found that over the years the mature, often retired adults are the best. I usually have 2 teenagers supplementing the adult staff, and it never ceases to amaze me the multitude of excuses I get from these young people.

They all want to work, are desperate to save ...make...need money, and list their schedules and available times etc.

Then they get hired and the missing work excuses come in like a 747 flying into Ohare airport:
"They are sick..
They are going to the hospital...
They are in the hospital.
Their mother,father,aunt,uncle, brother,sister,dog,cat,neighbor,boyfirend,the guy,down the street is in the hospital
Their cousin, neighbor, dog, cat, turtle, someome from school, their friend' s uncle's cousin has died
Their car broke down, ran out of gas, had a flat, was in an accident, was stolen, was borrowed by a friend, mysteriously disappeared.
They are helping a friend through a personal crisis
They have a personal crisis.
They missed the bus.
They missed their ride.
They forgot that they decided that they should go to church on Sunday and it runs from 11:30-4: (our Sunday hours)_
They are helping a friend move out
They are helping a friend move to college
They have their prom, a friends prom, a siblings prom, a boyfriends prom, their parents reunion prom ( substitute dance,sporting event, shopping trip, theatre,concert, kiros,field trip,college visit for prom and the excuse is the same.
These excuses also apply to why they are late or have to leave early.

And So it Begins

2010-06-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

My husband calls me the turtle...hard on the outside, soft on the inside. That is probably a pretty apt description of my relationships with the world. I opened my retail educational supply store as the culmination of many negative factors sucking the life out of me. My initial goal was to open a restaurant and make all the great food that I created during my role as a mother, wife, daughter, daugthter-in-law, sister, friend, committee member, etc. But the family discouraged that dream with tales of long nights and weekends away from the family.

But,there was a backup plan buzzing in my head.As a former high school teacher in the Chicago public school system, I knew a little about the educational market and needs of teachers. My parents had a business in Oak Park, Il. (where I spent my teen summers doing maid work) I learned how to do basic book keeping, clean quickly and time management. With these basic talents, and by cashing in all my banking accounts, I stepped into the twilight zone of retail sales. I incorporated in September 1985 and began the process of demolition, construction, buying, creating alogo, and all the stuff that goes into the planning and preparation of opening a business.
Posted by President & Owner at 8:21 PM 0 comments

2010-06-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

I decided to close the store on Sunday and Monday in honor of our Veterans. There was a time when businesses were always closed on Sundays and holidays. People went to church as a way to settle down and reflect on the activies of the pervious week. Families spent quality time together visiting relatives, having a family dinner, no fast food meals from a drive thru, In the evening, maybe watching Ed Sullivan or Playhouse 90. No TV with sex, drugs, violence, etc. Just shows that depicted family values and encouraged spending time together in front of the same television. Or heaven forbid, reading outloud together from the newspaper or Readers Digest or a book. Now there are Kindles instead of books, internet instead of conversation.
I miss those gentler times. I brought one of my grandsons home with me after a family party on Sunday. Nathan and i spent alot of Monday watching the storms roll in. We danced outside with umbrellas and measured the rainfall in tupperware. Then we made chocolate chip cookies and chili in anticipation of the family comimg over for a quick meal before the Hawks game. When the rain finally stopped we went for a bike ride to see how many puddles we could bike through. I'm glad that I took the time off to create some memories.
Posted by President & Owner at 6:39 PM 0 comments

Tough Times.....

2010-03-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

This has been a tough time for small retail businesses across the country.

I want to Thank my loyal customers for continuing to support the store, and for their kind words of encouragement.

More and more the small businesses have to compete with the big box discounters, and the online companies that do not have to worry about rent, gas, insurance, etc.
The education field has changed quite a lot in the 25 years I have been at this location. Teachers today spend many hours disciplining the students and teaching for the state tests.

It is hard to find time for art, music or field trips. Soon PE will be eliminated.

That in itself is a tragedy, considering that Illinois was one of the first states to require mandatory Physical Education. Classroom parties and celebrations are going the way of the dinosaur.

Chicago Citywide Science Fair

2010-03-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

I was privileged to be a judge at the CPS Student Science Fair on Friday, March 19, 2010. The title of the event was "Cultivating the Seeds of Innovation Through Science and Math", and was held at the Museum of Science and Industry.

I remember doing my own science fair projects in 7th and 8th grade while a student at Myra Bradwell Elementary School. This was in the late 1960's. I think I had a crush on my 8th grade science teacher, and so I tried to do my best. The students had to build their displays out of plywood or particle board. I got more help from my sister, Michele, than from my parents, because she was artistic. I don't think either of us were much into the scientific aspect of the project. I also remember hanging out by Bon Ton Restaurant on 79th and Colfax, because that was where Mr Starnicki(Science) and Mr Reese would go for lunch.
Times have certainly changed in the 43 years since I did my last project. There are decorated display boards, power point presentations, graphs, charts,and detailed written reports. The students at the Science Fair represent a rainbow of colors and a potpourri of nationalities. English is not necessarily the first language. There is no longer a rigid dress code...dresses for females...suits for males.
What has remained the same is the students eagerness to present their project. I judged five students, and then I spent time with some of the other entrants, asking them to explain their project. The students were polite, confident, and knowledgeable about their project. Some were better than others. But all of the students are winners in my book. Love, Debi and Max