The trauma and drama that began 4 days ago played out to its end last night. In my never ending attempts to get BACK to the school that I have considered my home for the last 7 years (crazy, dysfunctional and such as it is.. it is home) I offered to cut my contract in order to take a part time sped position and a part time Language Arts position, knowing that SpEd will up the staffing by the 3rd week of school and soon I would be back at a full contract. I left this message with the administrator on voice mail. My call was never returned. Nor has anyone ever replied to the numerous emails I have sent.
And my whole rant about how this was NOT on the Principal's head, that this whole issue come down to the special ed department being woefully understaffe, well, THIS part falls solely on the administration. She had it within her power to fix 2 potentially very BIG problems and chose not to. According to a source, she "will not have me back on her campus". So this has nothing at all to do with my ability to teach (which I could assume from the start since in the 4 years of her being at this school, she has been in my room 3 times) or with doing what is best for special ed kids, but what is best for HER.
There will be staffing allocated for special ed after the 2nd week of school. I got THAT much done for my former students and team members... but it will not be me filling the position. As we all know, these are not easy positions to fill, so just because the staffing allocation will be there, it could be a long time before there is a person in that position. This is her personal vendetta against me being played out and it is the kids who will suffer for it.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Do-gooder thrown under bus. Story at 11.
I will preface this self-pitying rant with the acknowledgment that I do realize I should be thankful, in this economy, that I have a job.
That's about where my thankfulness ends.
I have said for years now that no good deed ever goes unpunished. I know that this is not a very Christian way of looking at the world, but I have seen it time and time again, and have been chanting this as a mantra for the last 6 years. Every time our school psychologist would qualify a kid for special ed just because it was to 'be nice' that family ended up biting us in the butt. I know that no good does from doing-good. And yet, I tried.
When our district cut staffing at my school, the least senior member of the team was the one to be reassigned. She had no say in where she would be reassigned. And I blogged before about how important it was for her to be able to stay at the school we taught at because her daughter goes there etc.
I also did not believe for a moment that, when I agreed to take her place as the person reassigned, our staffing numbers would remain dismally low. I mean... come ON??!! 9 grades (K-8) in a school that grew over the summer by 300 students?? No flipping way 2 Special Education teachers can handle THAT!!!
So - my good deed - offering to go to a different school so that my co-worker could do what is best for her family.. Yeah - now I am the one being bitten in the butt.
The school to which I have been reassigned... circa 1954. Fine. I can handle an old building. Ok, so my room smells bad. (really bad.. MOLD bad) Fine.. so there is NO WHERE for me to put my stuff.. Ok, so the new Principal didn't even know I was coming or that I was new to the campus and forgot to INTRODUCE ME TODAY during our first staff meeting. Fine.. I'm there to teach, right?
LRC right?? Learning RESOURCE Classroom. Not self-contained. Not Lifeskills, right?
Not so fast.
Yeah - it is called LRC but evidently my new caseload is just one step away from self-contained. This is not the population I either wanted to work with, or am good at. I won't be helping kids maneuver through their Social Studies text books... or helping them with their science or math.. I will be working with kids who do not know that "A" says "A". I will have kids who need paraprofessionals at age 13.
There are people in this world who are great at working with this population. There are folks with the patience to teach and reteach the same things for an entire year.
I am NOT one of those people.
Had I known... I would have let the other gal figure something out.
It is going to be a very unbearable 182 days.
That's about where my thankfulness ends.
I have said for years now that no good deed ever goes unpunished. I know that this is not a very Christian way of looking at the world, but I have seen it time and time again, and have been chanting this as a mantra for the last 6 years. Every time our school psychologist would qualify a kid for special ed just because it was to 'be nice' that family ended up biting us in the butt. I know that no good does from doing-good. And yet, I tried.
When our district cut staffing at my school, the least senior member of the team was the one to be reassigned. She had no say in where she would be reassigned. And I blogged before about how important it was for her to be able to stay at the school we taught at because her daughter goes there etc.
I also did not believe for a moment that, when I agreed to take her place as the person reassigned, our staffing numbers would remain dismally low. I mean... come ON??!! 9 grades (K-8) in a school that grew over the summer by 300 students?? No flipping way 2 Special Education teachers can handle THAT!!!
So - my good deed - offering to go to a different school so that my co-worker could do what is best for her family.. Yeah - now I am the one being bitten in the butt.
The school to which I have been reassigned... circa 1954. Fine. I can handle an old building. Ok, so my room smells bad. (really bad.. MOLD bad) Fine.. so there is NO WHERE for me to put my stuff.. Ok, so the new Principal didn't even know I was coming or that I was new to the campus and forgot to INTRODUCE ME TODAY during our first staff meeting. Fine.. I'm there to teach, right?
LRC right?? Learning RESOURCE Classroom. Not self-contained. Not Lifeskills, right?
Not so fast.
Yeah - it is called LRC but evidently my new caseload is just one step away from self-contained. This is not the population I either wanted to work with, or am good at. I won't be helping kids maneuver through their Social Studies text books... or helping them with their science or math.. I will be working with kids who do not know that "A" says "A". I will have kids who need paraprofessionals at age 13.
There are people in this world who are great at working with this population. There are folks with the patience to teach and reteach the same things for an entire year.
I am NOT one of those people.
Had I known... I would have let the other gal figure something out.
It is going to be a very unbearable 182 days.
Monday, July 27, 2009
A weekend of bliss...
As a treat, Steve and I got away for a weekend this last weekend. The trip was a gift from my mom who is probably unbearably tired of me complaining about the heat so she said "off with you" and sent us to San Diego.
Steve and I stayed at the Marriott on Coronado. If you have never been, I recommend it. The hotel is lovely, the rooms are huge, and while it is NOT on the ocean side *you look at San Diego Harbor* the crowds are fewer and it is much quieter. There are three pools, and it is overall a lovely place to stay.
We went to the beach, and I reveled in having my feet in the sand, and ocean breezes blowing by... it was as close to heaven for this desert dweller as one can come!
The boys stayed with a sitter, for the first time EVER. And, I am thrilled to report there were no meltdowns, no tantrums, no panic attacks.. all went smoothly. Thank goodness!!
I have pictures posted on my Facebook page, or you can follow this link to see them. Coronado Photos.
Steve and I stayed at the Marriott on Coronado. If you have never been, I recommend it. The hotel is lovely, the rooms are huge, and while it is NOT on the ocean side *you look at San Diego Harbor* the crowds are fewer and it is much quieter. There are three pools, and it is overall a lovely place to stay.
We went to the beach, and I reveled in having my feet in the sand, and ocean breezes blowing by... it was as close to heaven for this desert dweller as one can come!
The boys stayed with a sitter, for the first time EVER. And, I am thrilled to report there were no meltdowns, no tantrums, no panic attacks.. all went smoothly. Thank goodness!!
I have pictures posted on my Facebook page, or you can follow this link to see them. Coronado Photos.
Friday, July 17, 2009
It's Too Damn Hot
My apologizes to Cole Porter for using his lyrics.. but it is true.. right now, today, this summer, it is just too darn hot to even think. Let alone blog. Or, really, move in any way.
I should toughen up. I've been here 8 years. I should proudly proclaim the heat index as if it were a badge of courage. I just can't.
It's too damn hot...
I should toughen up. I've been here 8 years. I should proudly proclaim the heat index as if it were a badge of courage. I just can't.
It's too damn hot...
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
10 years ago, I became a mom...
Parker turned 10 on Monday. Such a monumental age... TEN. Both hands, all fingers. TEN. The Big Roman Numeral X.
Having a summer birthday in Arizona sucks monkey toes, so we will do something to celebrate this monumental age after school begins.
I am still holding out hope that he will change his mind, and we will end up going to DisneyLand this fall to celebrate both BIG birthdays - his, and mine!! More likely, however, will be either a pool party or baseball game.
We did go out to dinner to celebrate. I think Macaroni Grill was a hit!!
Having a summer birthday in Arizona sucks monkey toes, so we will do something to celebrate this monumental age after school begins.
I am still holding out hope that he will change his mind, and we will end up going to DisneyLand this fall to celebrate both BIG birthdays - his, and mine!! More likely, however, will be either a pool party or baseball game.
We did go out to dinner to celebrate. I think Macaroni Grill was a hit!!
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