FIRST DAY

Today was my first day back to work. And let me just say, it was a doozy. I arrived to school about a half hour later than I had anticipated. When I got there, my payroll sign-in card was missing. Wondering what had happened, I went to ask one of the ladies in the office, and she informed me that they needed a copy of my newly signed contract. I pulled out a certificate and handed it to the woman. However, what I had just given her was a copy of my credential, not my contract. The night before, one of my AP's called me at home. But I didn't get home until about 11 o'clock at night. I'm still not certain why he did not call my cell phone, as the number is listed on my school contact card. Apparently, this little piece of paper is very important. Not important enough for the office to tell me that I needed to bring it in (except for a message the day before school starts). They wouldn't allow me to enter the classroom.

Now, I've signed my contract, and I'm allowed in the classroom. I talked to this woman, who said maybe I could leave during my conference period to go find the paperwork. Otherwise, maybe she could get it the next day, seeing as I did sign the missing paper. I was ecstatic. However, when I went to obtain my room key, another woman asked if I had given a copy of my contract to the previous woman. When I said "no" she refused to hand over a key. When I asked what I was to do, she said she had no idea, but that I needed to bring in the copy of my contract. Aargh. Then I asked about my classes and what would happen to them. She informed me that they already had a substitute.

So I left the office, got in my car, and headed back to my house in morning traffice. A few miles away from school I remembered that I had picked up the program cards for my homeroom students. Students use these cards to sign into class and to know their classes/teachers/classrooms. Knowing that this was a necessary part of their first day, I had to turn around and drive back to school in order to drop off the cards.

I finally got myself home, picked up the contract, and brought it to school. They gave me a key, and I was there in time for second period. Everything seemed to be fine, except for the fact that my new room is like a mile (literally) away from my last room. As far as I knew, I was supposed to stay in the room (or at least move to one next door). The department has been pushing "shared" rooms, so that teachers have easy access to their stored supplies and materials. Needless to say, my current location is anything but convinient when it comes to obtaining access to my materials. I am out in the boonies, in a bungalow. Yet not just any bungalow. I am in a small building which is completely separated from any other. It apparently used to be an herbology room, and it smells like a mixture of gas and manure. Wonderful. Moreover, it only has 31 desks, and I have 41 students on my roster. Good grief.

At the end of the day, I was not nearly as mean or strict as I should have been. I anticipate problems later. However, I still like 11th grade and still abhor 10th grade. There is one student in my 6th period who is a nightmare already. The whole class is already teetering on the edge.

Let's see what happens, shall we?