Tuesday, August 24, 2004

It's been a long time since I have published, but I do have an excuse. Summer has ended and the work year has begun! It didn't catch me off guard, but it did become a whole lot of work extremely fast. I don't often use this site to complain, but the subject I am going to approach warrents being discussed.
I work in a school district that is so large and sometimes unpredictable that you never know what's going to happen. Instead there is this magic thing called "Day Four." These words are spoken with reverence, fear, and anger most of the time. These words mean that things could change in what feels like a moment.
Day Four in Fayette County refers to the fourth day of each new school year. This is the day when schools turn in their numbers--how many students they have attending their school. Depending on the numbers you can gain or lose staff to your school. Because of the new middle school in Fayette County this year, it was somewhat of a turbulent start to the new year. And now day four has come and changes have been called. At my school we are gaining a teacher and a half; but we are losing a special education teacher. It doesn't seem to make sense, I know. As it turns out one grade's special education will have to totally be redone, and one team's schedules (likely my 8th grade team) will have to be redone. It's all about the kids, I know...but it doesn't stop the frustration.
I am thankful that I still have my job...once again I escaped the horrors of Day Four. Others, were not so lucky and I can only hope that it works out for them.
Even as I sit here waiting for students to enter my room, I know that it is all about them. But I just keep wondering...what is wrong with a system that keeps hurting/frustrating its workers. The horrible cycle never seems to end in a job where security should be at its highest, you often don't feel secure.