Life rolls on

Went to Louisville yesterday--our first district PD day--to be fingerprinted to go to China in ?? Went to the basement of the HUGE federal building there. We had appointments, so we were out of there in 45 minutes and were duly impressed. Others didn't have appointments and sat there for who knows how long after we left. I was most sympathetic toward an Indian (?) couple with two younger children. Can you imagine coming into our country just to meet up with stuff you don't understand that is explained in a language you barely do? When we left, they were taking folks without appointments, so I'm hoping they didn't have to wait long, but still, I don't know their outcomes.

Irony on my end: if I didn't mention before, this PD that I missed was multi-cultural sensitivity training. I asked Mr. Yost later--when he asked me about my trip and shared that his children were adopted--if the trip to China would cover the day's PD. Only seems fitting. When I mentioned it to Tony D. later, he said, "Sounds good. You could see if the school will pay for it--as long as it's at the district level." (Tony is now the principal in charge of PD and its funding on the building level. This transition has only served to sharpen his wit. On a related note, I feel like a proud momma. I've known him for around 9 years; I've watched him "grow up" as a teacher; I helped put him in both positions--two of my proudest accomplishments as a teacher and as a site-based member. He fits either position to the proverbial T.)

Fingerprinting is so neat now! No ink; no alcohol; no traces except what you leave at the office. Rub a clear gel on your hands and let the glass digital scanner do the rest. It's like making photocopies of your prints--the way some kids make photocopies of their backsides when no one is around to stop them. (I don't know what brought that on.) While I was back there, I sympathized with the girl who said they'd been having the walk-ins (see first paragraph) in droves of late. While Brian was back there, I swear he slept pretty much as he had on the way down--while he was driving. While Bart was back there, he talked about his sister and about the guys that he would beat up if they tried to date her. Whatever.

Came home to go to work, only to find that no one had told me the library was going to be used for new teachers. Kind of miffed, to say the least, because John knew but he hadn't consulted. Maybe he thought he would be off the hook because I was going to Louisville. I don't know. Whatever the reason, I was a little grrrr. OK, quite a bit grrrr. I was planning to straighten; instead I found a quiet spot and went over site-based policy. Not exactly what I had on tap.

Rich interviewed successfully at 4:00 for the resource ed math position at the middle school. Those kids love him and vice versa. We look at each other all the time like, "How do you TAKE that place?" He feels about the high school as I do the middle school. Middle schoolers are the devil, in my mind. (Phrase taken from high schoolers, of course.)

Opening day today. I wish I could say that the party is over, but this summer has been so work-filled that I don't think the party ever began. Two months ago I was in PR, but that was as good as it got--and I must say that was pretty darned good. And now I don't find that I'm lamenting much, so I guess I'll survive another year--or at least until Labor Day weekend. Wait. That's probably not my best thing to look forward to. OK. I'll last until at least October 8. Look for October 8. Wish for October 8. Yes. I'll focus on October 8.

Bad when you live for long weekends, huh?