Woe or Whoa?

Well, the first week and a half of school is over and I am tired...mighty powerful tired.  But I am going to try to put some thoughts on the page that are a reflection of the last week and a half. ( We started on a Wednesday and then had Labor day...go figure).

• On the day before school starts, we have a staff event called "Convocation".  This is a combination event that starts with coffee ( I usually skip that) introductions (new staff and the members of the board of education) and a kind of pep talk for the new year.  I always  enjoy the Superintendent's message.  So far, no woe but here goes....I happened to sit near some teachers who had already printed off their class lists.  They all taught in the same department but different classes/levels.  They spent  some of the down time reviewing each others lists and  talking about their history with students.  "Oh (s)he is smart but he doesn't do his work"; "(S)he  doesn't' really do anything."  In my brain I was like "OMG! Really?"  These kids are going to walk into a room where someone has already decided who they are.  I like to think of each day as a new day...and sometimes that can mean each period is a new period.  Whoah! Let students prove who they are....

• I had to change classrooms.  I have to admit, the  previous classroom was palatial.  I had more space than  anyone could imagine and we used it all.  I'm in a room about 2/3 the size...maybe even 1/2 the size.  It is now the  mini version of the palatial room. And when you put 24 bodies in the room during 9th period (26 if you count me and the paraprofessional)....it is packed....like sardines.  In the old room I had  12 desk top computers for student use and a printer.  The new room came with 4.  The IT guys (who I  appreciate very, very much) were able to  move  6 computers from the palace to the   mini palace.  The printer finally got moved yesterday.  Call this one "Was a woe! Not a woe anymore!"

• Yeah...lets talk about moving. Last spring  I spent about  2 days packing.  This summer I came in and unpacked in half a day.   (This is my  3rd move in 5 years...I'm getting really good at downsizing) Today, I finally got all of the cabinets labeled.   Another "Not a woe anymore!"

• This week was our Open House.  It went from 6:30 pm until 8:53 (don't ask).  Yeah, lets just call it 9:00.  Needless to say...home by 9:30 (my usual bedtime) and what a day.  Our school is in the middle of the city.   Parking  is a premium and when you invite the parents of 1400+ students...well lets just say I don't leave the building.  I find some work to do and snack on something  to hold me over.  This one gets a "whoa" and a "woe".  I'm tired...mighty powerful tired.  TGIW...Thank God its the Weekend! (No Woe!)