*************************************Today, Friday, is the day "we" have all been waiting for... the day of dread.
I know I mentioned it awhile back that our budget has been slashed like all school budgets everywhere.
Our high school is being closed at the end of the year. Squeaky will not graduate on the stage where he sang The Tooth Brushing Song and Must Be Santa (as did my other children) but instead in the town to the left.
We have made adjustments to most of these complaints. Squeaky will graduate and that is a great thing all by itself. The stage really does not matter beyond sentimentality. My pride in him will be no less. I'll still cry and embarrass the heck out of him. We will celebrate.
But today we are back to the real problem. If I do not lose my job today, I may lose hours that I cannot afford to lose. I will certainly be losing friends. All of my friends in my lunch bunch are at serious risk. All are high school teachers. It's pretty sure that we won't need them without that high school. There is a teacher who was hired as temporary that will be gone.
There are no jobs open right now in teaching. Too many teachers are being laid off. We, the support staff... that's those of us who are not teachers but work as Instructional Assistants, Secretaries, Bookkeepers, Janitors, Cooks, Media Specialists like myself... we will fall by the way as well.
Today the ax man cometh. He will meet with us one by one and we will learn our fates. There will be the gauntlet of high anxiety, tears, anger, grief and most especially felt by all... loss. I can't tell you how much I will miss these people. I am dreading today and that foul ax-man.
(Yes I know, he's just doing his job and who would want that crap assignment?)
As for myself, I have decided that what is meant to be will be. If I lose my job, there is another somewhere. Maybe in the town to the left. I truly have been wanting to move anyway. I will let this decide if I stay or go. I will call it an adventure...like I do when we get lost on trips to places we have not yet been... and hope no one notices that I am lost. Again.
All I really have left to say about it is... MAN THIS SUCKS! I'll let you know what happens. Until I know, I'm just one of those stupid concrete statues in the photograph above... waiting my turn in line. I'm hoping the concrete keeps the ax at bay. The Clash - Should I stay or should I go
Don't forget to go check out The Great Turtle Race... go to billy's anubis, anubis, anubis http://ghostofruby.blogspot.com/
This one needa an illustration of Jack Nicholson from "The Shining". and I hope you don't see him.
ReplyDeletei am so sorry to hear it. you know things are bad when teachers are being laid off and schools are closing. i wish you only the best in the next chapter.
ReplyDeleteit would seem that your leaders want to maintain the current competitive disadvantage that your country has with the other G-8 countries in terms of education. you could build and staff a lot of schools with the money being thrown at aig.
ReplyDeleteshort term expediency usually leads to long term failure.
the turtles appreciate your support.
dmarks-- I wish I'd thought of that! A bit of humor would have been a good interjection.
ReplyDeleteLime--Thank you.
billy-- You are so right. I apprecite the turtles!
All-- So far news is great. My boss grabbed me and gave me a big hug this morning and told me that I do not have to see ax-man! I think he was as happy as I was. I may lose .5 to 1 hour of time. I can live with that. Phew! I was afraid there would be a scene... me kicking and screaming as they tried to peel me off of the corner book staks. BIG FREAKING GRINS!
Now I have to wait and see what happens to my friends. So far, the one I wanted to stay most is. Another who wanted to transfer, got her position. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the others.
dmarks--oops. Thank you. I'm so glad I didn't have to.
ReplyDeleteAnanda girl - Thanks for coming to my blog too, I love your comment on the environmental piece I wrote! I'm sorry to hear about the sad state of affairs in your school.Is this happening all over Oregon? The Ax-Man has been very active here in San Diego, my wife and I feel very lucky that she has a job, several of her friends in Del Mar were given their pink slips. CA is in quite a mess financially and schools are getting crushed - the State here overspent during the good times in the last 5 years and didn't plan well for this recession.
ReplyDeleteLeft Coast Rebel-- Yes, it is happening all over Oregon and I guess the whole country. I have a dear friend down your way that is in a school they are closing completely. Fortunatley I still have k-8th. When there is so much excess and waste in other areas, this makes me so angry. An uneducated public becomes a pawn!
ReplyDeleteThank you... I enjoyed my visit to you very much and wondered how you would take my comment. The Hitler Youth were a strategically smart idea. I am no fan of Hitler beyond his part in the production of the VW Bug though.
I'm glad you get to stay with few hours lost. A friend of mine just lost her job at my daughters' school. It's so sad because she's the best teacher. It's such a loss.
ReplyDeleteChurlita-- Thank you. It's been an anxious day. One of my favorite people has no job now. Three are moving to the town to the left to separate schools. But there are two who get to stay. One that will have only a half time job. One still up in the air. It's very hard on schools right now everywhere.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct... I am sooo lucky and so grateful.
I'm glad you were spared from having to meet with the axe man today. Times are rough everywhere.
ReplyDeleteCube-- Thank you... and you know it's very funny really. I know how to spell axe... yet did it wrong and missed it entirely until I saw you do it right. Geeeez. My head is, well, you know. :-)
ReplyDelete