First Day of Professional Development
Well, today marked my first day back to work. It was welcome and professional development, which I helped to organize last week at our district improvement meeting. My day went something like this:
7:15- my alarm went off and I hit snooze twice.
7:30- get a text from a co-worker asking me to text her when I get there. Really? She was already there? We don't start listening to people until 8:15...she is crazy!
7:50-leave the house with an iced coffee in hand after it splashed all over the kitchen while putting the top on my Tervis cup.
7:55- Arrive at school, climb two flights of stairs in 80+ heat, drop stuff in classroom, and head to cafeteria...all while thinking: It does start at 8:15, right?
8-8:15: Sit with above-mentioned coworker, say hi to people, eat a muffin and yogurt provided at staff breakfast, touch base with the principal, and hear superintendent say he wasn't sure if technology department was showing up because neither I nor the tech. director was there yet (Tech director pulled in just behind me)
8:15-9- Hear all the administrators' speeches and introductions of new staff. Over half the high school staff was replaced this year. in addition to two new in the middle school, two new at the elementary, and a new elementary principal (she seems like she will be fun and fit right in). These weren't bad as all of them kept it short and sweet. Nothing earth-shattering to report, so that is always good news.
9- Teaching staff reports to the M.C. for a presentation from ISD staff on the curriculum initiative started two years ago. I was hopeful after our planning meeting last week to hear about the status of the documents, where they are stored, and the good ways to write assessments....boy was I disappointed!
9-9:40- Listen to the lady from the ISD tell us a story about her summer vacation trip to Chicago. Really? Why does this matter? At least I can now plan a good trip to Chicago for my kids.
9:40- She finally starts talking about the curriculum initiative, but she uses scare tactics...again...yes, she tried to scare everyone last spring at a special education meeting too. I thought the point of this initiative was to have all our bases covered? I text a friend on the other side of the room, and we muse over what this lady is thinking. My coworker and I pass a few notes.
10:15-Bathroom break...I had too many beverages this morning, and I need to get up or I will fall asleep. As I walk down the hallway, my principal comes out and asks my opinion. I laugh at first and tell him I will be right back. Upon return, I find him and the new elementary principal have similar feelings to mine.
10:30-Parapros are allowed to leave....lucky ducks.
11- We are finally free from the ISD ramblings. It's a shame the other lady never got to talk because I bet she was interesting.
11-12-Meeting with the principal as a 6-12 building. He goes over some items on our evaluation rubric to tie into the work we will do this afternoon. I am actually excited to get some work done. We are broken up into department groups for after lunch work on scope and sequence. He makes a few announcements and releases us for lunch.
12-12:45- Eat with a coworker, find and copy some ELA scope and sequence documents, answer some PowerSchool questions...basically get nothing done in my room, which is why I brought my lunch.
12:45-1- Quick recap of what the boss needs from our work session.
1-1:45- Plan in our 6-12 department using state documents as the documents for social studies that they talked about this morning are not available yet. Make some decisions on starting points in time.
1:45- Move upstairs to our floor to finish working with texts on scope and sequence. I don't know what is worse the M.C. or the third floor...I am wearing a dress tomorrow.
1:45-2:30- Help department plan the year and semesters for world and American history as I have taught both. Talk about work spouses and Captain Morgan rum. Decide that our department budget of $50 is enough for one bottle of rum for one department meeting...to be held off-campus!
2:30-2:45- Convince boss that we need 10 more world history books and another teacher's edition
2:45-3- Recap with the whole staff of what we did today and what to bring tomorrow
3-4-Pack up stuff, send out documents for photographer tomorrow that include students names, grades, and id numbers, grab a package that arrived for me, deliver the package to councilor as it is testing materials, try and sneak out...get spotted by the principal and have a quick conversation about tomorrow.
4- Leaving the building at last!
