Great group of kids you have there. Unfortunately for my school, socioeconomics is a factor. If we let them leave, they’re not coming back and are more than likely getting into something that they shouldn’t be doing.
35 minutes. We have a table at the main entrance where all lunches (teachers and students) get dropped off. The drivers aren’t allowed into the building and the kids have to go out the side door (that they leave for off campus lunch) and walk around to grab it. They can then come back in through the side door if they want to eat it in the cafeteria. We also have Chinese, Pizza, a Dunkin’, and a car wash with a convenience store less than a block away.
My hs is pretty close to 100% frpl and is in one of those “scary cities” but I will agree with you, I’d rather be poor and black in Nj than in Mississippi (no offense intended at all, we just put more money into our schools). I see kids all the time collecting $1 from each of 6 people and then splitting a plate of Chinese food 6 ways instead of buying school lunch. (Also the school lunch isn’t that bad.) This year we bought 8 microwaves to try and get less kids to go out so they wouldn’t waste their money - it’s helping a little bit but some kids have to go out. I think it’s dumb to spend $5 on lunch every day when your parents qualify for free lunch but I stopped giving my opinion on what my students and their families spend their money on a long time ago.
District board is recommending closing down and/or consolidating 16 schools (13 elementary, 2 middle schools, 1 high school) for the 2024-2025 school year. Wow
Are they like super low attendance at each or is the district just so over budget they think overcrowding classrooms will make everything better?
Combination of what you mentioned. Plus we had 37 teachers across the district fired because of testing violations during the state testing period last year. The high school recommended is our school’s biggest rival. We’re located 3.1 miles apart and their football team tried to fight us this year after we won the rivalry game on the last play.
Today is multicultural day at my HS. Our students normally wear uniforms so this day is a dress-down day IF they wear something “that represents their culture”. When you phrase it that way, the students take a lot of liberties with their outfit.
Our school district has turned Thanksgiving into a mini-Christmas break. Kids got out of school Nov. 15 and don't go back until the 27th.
Got offered what’s basically my dream job; school close to my house, move up to HS, assistant football and baseball. Unfortunately, they want me to leave mid year from my current job, my first one in education, where I’ve been for six years. Fuck, this sucks.
Do it. They aren't going to pay more to keep you. And if you died tonight they'd find someone to be in your chair tomorrow. One of the benefits of education is our skills are needed everywhere. Go live where you want to live.
Do what’s best for you as I’ve moved into the admin side of this you have to look out for yourself because no one else is.
I debated leaving my previous school a year and a half ago after 11 years there for my current position, where I have more autonomy and leadership. I figured the kids would suffer, the staff would miss me, etc. since I was involved in EVERYTHING. I visited recently, walked the entire building, and 2 people spoke to me. Do what makes you happy.
Update: Had a phone call with the principal again, who said he appreciates my commitment to finishing what I started and will wait for next year so I can finish the year.
Don't know what sickness is going around, but I'd venture to guess half or more of my school is sick with it. Temps into the 100s, dry coughing fit etc. Pulled a temp of 101 all last night.
Sooooooo, I just spoke on the phone with Alec Baldwin. A group of my students did a shot by shot remake of the Coffee is for Closers scene from Glengarry Glen Ross. One of the students in the scene saw Baldwin at a convention in Atlanta and showed him a snippet of their remake scene on his phone. Baldwin loved it so much he asked the student to email it to his agent. He just called my student today during class to again congratulate him and to ask me if he can be a guest speaker in my class via Zoom later this school year.
4 day weekend turned into a six day weekend due to the superbowl victory for the chiefs. Wednesday canceled school after our nerd supt had already announced we’d go ahead and have classes followed by conferences. had to walk that back after teachers started calling in sick ahead of time
That’s really cool, I bet your student lost his mind. Did you try to steer the conversation towards or away from “manslaughter via scabbing”?