End of Week 2

Well, I survived another week. What's that? It's only Wednesday, you say? Well, you're absolutely right. I, however, am done for the week. Woo-freakin'-hoo! I have to attend two days of professional development tomorrow and Friday. Now, my long-time readers know exactly how I feel about professional development days. But, as tempted as I am to leave, I think I'd better stay, since the PD is for our new reading series. We'll see how the first day goes. Perhaps I'll be enjoying a free day on Friday.. ;-)

I may or may not have mentioned that this new series is practically identical to the series we've been using for the past couple of years. I'm hoping that the first day they will let us know what actually comes with the program, so that I can look for it when I get back to school. I don't necessarily need any information on how to use the program, which is why I'm thinking I may just skip Friday. Like I said, I'll have to see how it goes.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am that I don't have to go to school for FOUR WHOLE DAYS!!! And, thankfully, a friend of mine will be subbing for me these next two days, which meant I didn't have to do a fraction of the crap I usually do to prepare for a sub. I've actually been meaning to post about this friend for a week or so, and I just haven't had the energy to do it. (You know, cuz I've been too busy bitching about things!)

I try to keep this short. This friend of mine, Mrs. F., has worked at the Hell-Hole for a few years now. At the end of last school year, Big Cheese told her that he lost her position, and told her she'd have to start looking for another job. He even offered to get her a sub one day so that she could attend a job fair. Since she knew her position was being eliminated, she signed up to work summer school, just in case she didn't find a position right away. This way, she'd at least have some money coming in. Well, we all know that Big Cheese got canned over the summer (she's actually the one who immediately called me!) and that New Principal took over a few days later. Mrs. F. spoke to her that day, and they talked about her situation. New Principal told her not to worry about anything because she's not letting a good teacher get away (she said she observed her teaching summer school) and she'll figure out a way to get her a position. Mrs. F. didn't completely buy into this, and kept attending job fairs. On the last day of summer school, Mrs. F. handed in her keys and said good bye, but New Principal said, "Oh, no, I'm not losing a good teacher. I'll have a position for you." Mrs. F. asked several times if she was sure, and was told yes. Around the middle to end of July, Mrs. F. actually received calls from 4 different schools offering her a position, but she told them all "Thanks anyway, but I have a position."

Jump to the first week of work. We had those 3 days without kids to set up and attend meetings. (Remember? Those horrid days when I could get in my damn room? But, I digress....)She spent those days hauling her stuff from her former 2nd floor classroom on one end of the school to her 1st floor classroom, literally on the OTHER side of the building. Oh, I'm sorry, did I forget to mention that Mrs. F. is pregnant?! Yeah....good times, good times.... So, the next week, the kids start school, and on Tuesday, the 2nd day we had kids, New Principal proceeds to tell her that she may have to close her position. WTF?!?! Naturally, Mrs. F. was not happy. But, she kept working hard with her students, and hoped for the best. Well, come Friday afternoon, at 2:00, Mrs. F. was called into the office and told her position had been eliminated and she didn't have to return on Monday. I was shocked, as was Mrs. F., to say the least. But, New Principal seems to be talking out of both sides of her mouth, because as she told her she didn't have to come back Monday, she also told her she didn't have to take her stuff because she will probably be able to hire her back. Are you kidding me?

I've been so upset for Mrs. F. She let at least 4 other jobs go because she was PROMISED a position at the Hell-Hole. She asked New Principal 100 times if she was sure she could keep her, and she was assured that she had a job. Now, those other 4 positions are surely closed, and seeing as she's going to be giving birth in about 9 weeks, it's going to be almost impossible for her to find another job right now. I'm just sick for her.

She actually has subbed everyday this week so far, thankfully. And, she was told that they would call her as often as possible. But, that still screws her in many ways. First of all, she no longer will be making a teacher's salary. And, unless she's a permanently assigned substitute at our school (known as a cadre) she won't get benefits. Plus, she just told me this afternoon that she's going to get screwed out of all the sick days that she's banked, and that she planned to use to help cover her maternity leave. Now, that's just bullshit. CPS should at least have to give her a payout for those, wouldn't you think? Again, I'm just sick about this.

Now, luckily, Mrs. F. and her husband are both in the military, so her medical expenses should be covered at least. And, they'll still have her husband's salary, but I don't know if that's going to be enough to live on. I don't know much about the military. She and her husband are both in the reserves. As a matter of fact, her husband just returned from Afghanistan about a month ago after being gone for two tours. (Obviously, he got a short leave about...oh...I don't know...8 months ago!) I don't know if she even draws any kind of salary because she still only does the two weeks a year, one weekend a month kind of thing. Thank God she's never had to go overseas. Unfortunately, her husband has. As a matter of fact, he was shot right after the holidays. He was literally patched up, and within two weeks, he was back on the front lines. OK, I surely don't want to start on this rant, so let me get back to Mrs. F.

I hope and pray that everything works out for her. Feel free to say a prayer or two for her, too. She needs them!

I realize I didn't write about how today went yet, but I've got to run. I'm taking Stud to get a haircut. He goes back to school tomorrow!!! Yeah, he's thrilled, too.... I'll try to come back later.