This is it mon last “official” week of freedom from other people’s teenagers. Next week I head back to work for workshops, the week after that the wild hordes of kids will be upon me.

I’ll have my usual tenth and eleventh grade kids – for those of you in other parts of the world, this means they are roughly 15-17. They’ve also given me ninth grade. Argh! What a rough age.

We also have a new principal and a new superintendent. Three of our school board members are up for reelection in November. AND *drumroll* so is our referendum. It comes down to this – if it fails, my school and job go bye bye.  If it passes, life will be good.

What a weird and whacky feeling. This may be it for a school district.

Cross your fingers for my school and for moi! I get those hyper little ninth graders this year!!!

Peace

Yesterday I drove Girlcub to the theater so she could meet a friend for some teeniebopper movie. When we drove up,  I noticed three squirmy little boys and one chubby little boy all hanging outside the theater.

As soon as I parked, the chubby one walked over to the car with a “wanted poster”. The poster had a pic of Waldo and was done up like a police wanted thing.

For unknown reason he thought he was amusing as he went up to movie people and asked them “Have you seen this man? The police are looking for him.”

Sadly, he was too much of a nerd to realize how geeky he was actually being!

When he finally walked away, mon Girlcub grinned at me and said “Uh, mom, he’s one of your new students this year!”

Oh joy!

I knew having one class of younger kids would be different, but I didn’t expect this one. Ha! I’m going to call him Waldo!

Peace

It’s tentative, but it looks like I may know what I’ll be teaching next year. With all the ups and downs with my district, nobody really knew what would be going on in the fall. I will still have my 10th and 11th grade kids, but they are adding 9th grade to the mix.

Of all the grades I’m licensed to teach, this is my least favorite age. Those kids are too old to do silly things like the younger kids do and too young to do some of the things the older kids do. All that middle ground makes them a hormonal mess that can drive a sane teacher insane. I don’t know what it will do to someone like me – already a bit off the wall!

Next, this particular group of ninth graders are going to be a challenge. They’ve been that way since elementary school. Fortunately, I connected with some of them when they were in 7th grade – those kids have been following me around, texting me, spending lunch hours in my room, etc. ever since. I’m hoping that will help me this year.

Finally, the subject matter. *insert yawn* I’m licensed to teach seven different areas – two of them are my least favorites and this is one of the two. It’s government. Ugh ugh ugh! I’m going to be scrambling for the rest of the summer. I’ve never taught this subject and I know it can be horribly dull if not taught the right way. I have to find that way!

I do love changes and challenges, so this is going to be unique. In a quirky weird way I’m looking forward to it. Hmmmmm we shall see!

Peace

I have found it.

Well actually someone else found it for me, but hey – who cares? It could be my future!

Last night at a school board meeting the board chairman said to moi “Just wait until you see what we have in store for you!”

Hmmmm

He was chuckling about this; I figured it he was up to no good, but I just had to ask.

His response?

“We’re going to get an old school bus and paint it blue. We’re going to put you in it and turn you loose on the race track”

Huh?

Apparently, a local race track has an annual bus racing event. This year another school entered it and used the side of the bus as a huge advertisement for their district. Clever clever!

Somewhere in all of this, our school board has decided that I get to do this next year. I glanced over at the zany teacher that is usually at my side when crazy adventures are taking place and said “only if my partner in crime goes with me!”

She moaned, laughed, and said she would.

Okay, so neither of us has ever driven a bus. We both drive compact cars. We’ve never done any kind of racing.

What the hell?

It sounds like fun!

This time next year I may start my racing career in a school bus, but I figure by the end of the summer I’ll be ready for Indy. Look out Danika Patrick, there’s a new girl racer on the way!

Peace

They didn’t want me. Oh woe woe woe is moi. Actually, I’m truly not upset about not being contacted about that job. I just thought it would sound wonderfully dramatic to do the whole woe is moi thing.

I have time to figure out what I am going to be when I grow up. However *insert shudder here* I do have a sudden concern about what will become of me. It didn’t actually occur to me until I was dangling my toes in the lake while sitting on the dock with a bunch of friends and family.

Somehow that conversation got around to age and aging. Someone said I don’t appear to be as old as I actually am – that part I pretty much knew and loved. The next part is what has me worried. They said that I seem younger because I act younger and I act younger because of my job.

Egads!

What happens if/when I have to leave the world of high school and get a job in the adult world? What happens if I get an office?

Will I suddenly feel old?

Will I look older?

Will I forget how to laugh?

Will I become one of “those” older people?

Will I forget what it is like to be a kid?

Will I forget how to play and be silly?

Will I ever giggle again?

Laugh laugh if you like, but I have to say this is one of the things that scares me most about my possible school closure and career change.

I don’t wanna grow up!

Peace

I am finding myself utterly and completely burned out on this whole school thing. I am avoiding meetings now. I am simply too sick of the whole thing to take part in any of it right now. I feel like I have been beating my head against a brick wall over and over and over and now my head simply hurts.

What will be will be.

If they get their shit together and pass this referendum in November my district shall survive. If the referendum fails, the district will go under. It’s as simple as that. I find it sad that people in my community have taken their school for granted for so long. Every other distict around us has been funding their schools; ours simply expects it to be there for them with no financial help.

I’m done.

I’m job hunting.

Actually, I applied for something that really intrigues me. I seriously doubt I shall even get an interview, but it was worth a try. As soon as I applied, I regretted my decision. I really do have until November to make a decision about leaving teaching and my current job so I am not planning on firing off any more resumes until then (unless the dream job with a great income shows up)

The beauty of the situation is this: I can take a five year leave of absence from my job to explore other options. If I bail and the district survives, I can always come back.

Between now and November I’m going to sit and watch for postings.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I love teaching. I love my school. I love my kids. I hate the idea of giving it all up. I hate the idea of my wonderful district going under.

Peace

PS – Is it tacky to ask someone if they’ve had a boob job? Ha! I’m snoopily curious about my cousin’s seemingly enhanced chest.

Right now my career hinges on whether or not taxpayers in a depressed economy will decide to support their school via a small increase in their taxes. Ugh! It’s damn scary to think of even though every school around us already pays more than we do, I have no idea which way this vote will go.

If it is a “no”, then I truly believe my school district will cease to exist in a very short time. Personally, if it’s a “no” I think they should announce the closure of the district at the end of the school year. Either way, if this doesn’t pass, I will probably lose my job or see it drastically cut.

Today I applied for a new job. Ugh! I am utterly torn. I told myself I’d start applying to anything that intrigues me during the next year. However, I didn’t expect this rather appealing job to jump out of nowhere so quickly. I just wish it wouldn’t have been posted until after the election in November. If I knew I was losing my job it would be a no-brainer to take this new one. Now, it’s a mess.

On the off chance that I am offered this job, what do I do? Do I give up a job that I absolutely love for one that pays about 15K a year less? The new job is pretty cool, but it’s lower pay and I don’t think it will be as awesome as teaching. I can take a leave of absence to take this new job, but that would mean bailing on my district at a very crucial time. If the staff starts bailing out, the kids will bail, without us – nobody will vote yes.

Yuk yuk yuk!

I want both – the new job and my old job.

I want a crystal ball to see into the future.

I want a magic wand that will provide my district with the money it needs to get out of debt.

Damn damn damn!

‘Course, I doubt if I’ll even get an interview for the new job so this whole blog is moot.

Whatcha think, peeps, “if” they want me, do I take the new one?

Peace

Hmmm… Where to start. I feel as if so much has happened in the past few days that my head is spinning.

Even though my heart was breaking, I went to graduation as did every other teacher in my district. It’s what we do – we are there for our kids – they are a part of our lives. However, the chairman of the school board opted out. Graduation started at 7:00, and at 5:00 he called the principal to say he (and the rest of the board) wouldn’t be coming.

The Rational?

They heard everyone was angry with them. They didn’t want to be boo’d and they heard the kids were going to refuse to shake their hands when they handed out diplomas. So, instead of the school board recognizing the kids that night, the principal and one of the teachers handled graduation. Parents were less than impressed with the actions of the board, especially when they found out the board chair was across the street having dinner at a local restaurant during the ceremony.

The next day was our last day of classes with students. The kids were amazing in their support of their teachers. My desk was buried under cards and things from my kids. Previous graduates were in and out of the building all day to say “g’bye” to those of us who wouldn’t be back. Television and newspaper reporters were all over the place. The story had gone wild. This was the third day straight that my baby school was one of the lead stories in the area.

The student walk-out was well done. They had a bbq and held signs that said things like “what about us”, “don’t destroy our family”, and things like that. A number of them were interviewed by television stations and they did a beautiful job. Every bit of press coverage was excellent. Parents showed up to support their kids when they walked out. I cried at the support we were being given.

The board meeting to cut us was scheduled for 6:00 that evening and everyone was going to attend. At the end of the day, we heard they were planning to meet at 5:00 to “discuss” things first. Within minutes of hearing that, the text messages and facebook pages were updated to let everyone know what was happening. Parents and students arrived early – just in case.

Our students packed the floor of the gym and reserved the seats in front of them for their teachers. They wanted us to all do this together. As it turned out, almost more people showed up for this than for graduation. They came at 5:00 and waited until 6:00 – they had things to say. Again, reporters and cameras were everywhere to cover this.

The meeting started at 6:00 with the board reading a statement explaining what was happening. The crowd was not impressed. Our principal spoke as well. He supported the teachers completely and said the board did this without his input, after he left a meeting, and that he was not in favor of the cuts. The crowds cheered. One lone board member said the same thing. In fact, he pointed out that they didn’t even let him know they were planning on cuts – he was out of the loop completely and he was angry. He also felt the cuts were insane and impossible. The crowd cheered.

After that parents, students, teachers, and community members lined up to address the school board. One after another stated they didn’t want this to happen. At times it became a little heated. I was impressed by the quality of the arguments being put forth. Parents did their homework and had facts and figures given to them by the state to support their cause. The board squirmed and tried to squiggle out of some things. The meeting went on for hours!

During the meeting the board chair actually began texting while one of the kids was asking a question. At that point, parents shouted “listen to our children and put your phone away!” At first he refused, but when more and more started shouting, he put the IPhone away. Later, three of the board members leaned back and began talking among themselves. The crowd shouted to stop that because it violated the open meeting laws. The board responded by saying they were considering tabling the cuts.

Eventually, the board challenged the parents to pass a referendum that we need to survive. They told the parents and teachers that they’d stop this IF everyone – community, employees, and board all worked together to find ways to make our school solvent. The crowd cheered. The only voice that argued was that of our superintended. He wasn’t at the meeting, but he was called. When the board told him hundreds and hundreds of community members were demanding they stop this, he said “too bad, make the cuts”.

They opted not to make the cuts and the celebrations began.

Kids and parents were hugging us. Tears were flowing. Parents that I’ve never seen in the school came up to tell us how important we were to their kids. Each of us had our own compliments, and I’m going to post the two that touched me the most. A hubby/wife duo came up and hugged me and said “without you, there is no school here” and another mom said “you have no idea how much this community loves you”. Touched doesn’t even begin to cover the emotions that statements like that stir up.

The kids were ecstatic. They learned first hand that citizens can make a difference if they work together. A number of them said things like “wow, power to the people!”

And then…..

Yesterday – our last day of work. No students were there, it was just us – the staff. For many of the teachers, they won’t be back until August so they would have had no idea what our board and superintendent were planning.

After everyone was gone, the superintendent and a couple of board members met. They posted a new meeting. Legally, every time they meet they must post it ahead of time. Their posting was put up inside the school, facing the empty hallways after everyone left for the summer. It was legal, but was it ethical?

What they didn’t know was that across the hall was one last teacher. He was sitting in the dark, entering grades on his computer. He heard them. He waited until they were gone and he took a picture of that posting.

Before long, the text messages began to fly. Reporters found out. Our superintendent finally spoke to the press and said “we still need to make cuts”.

In spite of everyone’s offer to work together, this man – who doesn’t even officially start as our superintendent until tomorrow – is going to ignore them. He’s going to forge ahead and we think only one board member will try to stop him.

Emotionally, this has been a disaster. It’s up, it’s down, it’s all over the place. Right now, I don’t know if I will have a job or not. I have no idea what is going to happen.

I do know this.

Our new superintendent is going to start his career at a school with no support from any staff. The community despises him. The kids want to toss him off the nearest bridge. Several of the board members are going to be leaving the board so he will lose that support. I don’t think it’s going to be a pleasant job for him, and that’s okay. He negotiated an enormous salary and benefits package for himself. He can spend his time counting his money because he certainly won’t have any friends to count.

Peace

I know I’ve whimpered and whined about the financial situation my school district is in. I also know I’ve bragged and boasted about what a wonderful place it is.

We just hired a new superintendent. I’ve been on several committees with him and have had a chance to get to know him a bit. He was awesome about coming to an assembly to meet our students. He’s been to staff meetings and promised to get our finances on track and said we just all had to work together.

Meanwhile, state test results came back. In one grade we actually had a 100% passing rate. That is unheard of! We rocketh!

Tomorrow is the last day of classes and tonight is graduation.

Yesterday the new superintendent called my boss, the wonder principal who we all love, and said he needed to talk to him. Da’ boss went in in one mood and came out in another. The first was good, the second was furious.

Meanwhile, I ran into a custodian who told me the supt (from hence to be known as the Terminator) was announcing some massive cuts. It does amaze me that a custodian would know this before the principal, but wtf, things are topsy turvy today.

I’ve been there a very long time… a very very very long time.

Soon rumors were flying as one teacher after another made the walk of doom to the Terminator’s office. I never thought I’d be hit unless the district actually folded; I was wrong.

The Terminator had me in his evil sights as well. If his cuts get through tomorrow’s board meeting, I will be making about $300 a month. No, that isn’t a typo. If that happens, I will never teach again. It sucks and I am devastated. Teaching is all I ever wanted to do. I’m good at it. I love it.

Until yesterday, I loved my school. Now I am sad.

In my state kids can do something called “cross registration”. This means they can opt to go to any school district they choose as long as that district has room for them.

In the meeting with the Terminator I did ask him if HE was taking a pay cut. After all, when he was hired, he insisted on doing half the job that was posted for over $20,000 more a year than what was being offered. That, my friends, adds up to a lot of money. It actually turns out to be over a third more than what he cut from the teachers.

By the way, he’s not taking a pay cut. Imagine that!

I then pointed out that a lot of students will opt to cross register to other districts. He looked at me and seriously looked surprised that I thought that. He said “we’re still offering everything we did before”. Huh? Sure, but with classes nearing 40 kids with a schedule that doesn’t work, in classrooms being taught by teachers that they will be losing and scrambling to replace.

I told him they were already talking about bailing out. He said he didn’t think they’d do it. I told him I knew of two that were for sure – my own children will be gone next year. As it turns out, it seems that the exodus is beginning. Many many kids are planning on leaving.

Throughout the day, the kids and staff cried. I don’t think I’ve ever been hugged so much in a single day. I’m a softie – every hug meant a fresh batch of tears as I began to really realize this was it. My teaching career is over… gone.

The kids took turns marching to the Terminator’s office demanding answers. According to them, he was becoming rather irate with them for pestering him so much. Again, I think he was surprised.

Parents began calling. Some showed up. The only time I actually sobbed was when one of the dads came into my room and said “I only have one thing to say to you ‘come here’” and he wrapped me up in a giant bear hug. I lost it and blubbered all over the place.

I am not the only one that’s been hit.

He’s cutting or eliminating over half of our staff. Many of us that have been drastically cut will not be returning next year.

The kids are devastated and are organizing.

They have facebook pages on this.

They are having a student walk out tomorrow.

They called the press who showed up yesterday. I find it humorous that when the reporter called the Terminator he was “unavailable” and the reporter was also told that our school board chair is out of town for two weeks. Uh,  he will be at graduation tonight!

Tonight is graduation. I always expect it to be sad as I say g’bye to the seniors. This year may very well be my good bye to all my kids and my heart is breaking. I seriously have big old tear drops threatening to short out my computer.

Tomorrow is my last day as a classroom teacher. I’ll do a couple of weeks of summer school, then walk out that door.

My school is broken now. I think this will be the straw that breaks the back of a magical place in the middle of nowhere. Even if the board opts to try to fix this, the community is livid and kids are bailing out. Each kid that leaves makes our financial situation even more dire.

The Terminator didn’t get it.

He showed up and with his first “official” action, he destroyed a school district.

Peace

Gartoomi, I am beginning to feel like Linda Blair did when her head was spinning hilly nilly around in circles in the Exorcist.

I’m a busy little patootie right now. I am chasing one giant puppy, about to get another giant puppy, das cubs are involved in a bunch of activities through school, I’ve suddenly found myself on multiple committiees and uh, kinda sorta in charge of them as well. The school year is coming to a close which means paperwork and stuff like that. It’s spring which means gardens, flowers, and yard work. I’m redoing some curriculum for next year. *pant pant* Guess what? I am finding that I am loving this stuff.

It’s busy, but a good kind of busy.

I love the committies and I feel like they truly are making and will continue to make a difference.

The Cubs need to be involved in stuff. It’s a good thing for them and that kind of thing keeps kids active and out of trouble. They are on the go a lot, but are both holding down excellent grades. (gotta brag here – A Honor Roll – Sorry, I’m da mom and I’m entitled to brag)

The dog babies are adorably wonderful and galoompy. Who could resist a Newf? I tell ya’, this is a totally rockin’ breed of canine loveliness!

The paperwork that comes with the end of the school year can be good. It means I can say g’bye to the few kids that utterly drive me up the wall. Here’s the shout out “g’bye to JG, RA, JP! I won’t miss you guys one wee bit!

Gardens = flowery goodness and luverly scents wafting about my yard. I happen to love curling up in a hammock near my gardens and thinking “wow, I created those!”

Soon it’s going to be time to go to the lake and just be a bum. I’m looking forward to that. I think we’re putting an RV there so we have our own personal space amidst the chaos that my family is. As long as I don’t have to sleep outside, have electricity, running water, and a cozy bed, I love love love camping.

Hmmmm busy is good.

That’s my life.

I hope y’all are enjoying yours!

Peace