Budget Crisis Staff Redux

So,  I’m curious what other school districts are doing.  Ours is laying off all temporary workers, most probationary employees, and seeing what happens.

This is quite upsetting. One of the most promising new teachers at our school, Amy, has just been notified that she will have to reapply for her position.  This is one day after finding out her fiance got laid off.  Now, I understand the budget crunch and its impact on people’s jobs.  However, I wonder what the logic in having a developing teacher “reapply” for her position.  She is making progress, she is acclimating to our student population, she is addressing the cultural divide, and she is passionate about teaching.  So, why invest the money to find other candidates with whom she must compete?

Another teacher, Angela (names are always changed), is in her 12th year of teaching, but is probationary because she moved here last year from Colorado. She wasn’t offered the opportunity to reapply.  What is going on?  Her position will be taken by another teacher that has gained the approval of the administration.

I wonder what will become of our school.  We are known for unique curriculum and non-traditional teaching approaches. In these times, I think that this school has to change.  Perhaps some sort of standard curricular approach?

More thoughts later.

asthma

So,  I was in class today, and students were discussing the variety of problems with the idea of an afterlife.  One student, my favorite, mentioned that some people have something called anesthesia, and that is when they can’t remember things, and somehow that related to the afterlife.  Good Lord!  Literally.  I hope I have anesthesia when I die.

Introduction

In an effort to throw my voice, my anonymous voice, I will appear as a monstrous head, a beautiful lady, a strange tigerlike creature, and a ball of fire.

To establish an objective, this blog is intended to open up my world, as a teacher, to the rest of the world.  I will convey actual student, teacher, coworker, administrator, etc. conversations.  Hopefully informative, humorous, and simultaneously infuriating.

Due to legal constraints, I will remain anonymous.  All faculty, staff, students, admin, etc. will receive assumed names.

So, I work at Summerville High School, a school with a different philosophy in structure and practice than most public schools.  Summerville, CA, a town of 30,000, exists as both a blue-collar and a white-collar commuter town.    Details to dispense soon. Stay tuned.