Start of school for Barbara

Well summer is over for me and time has come to get back to the real world and put in my time in the working field. I have started back to work and it has been an interesting start to the new year.

I was told I was going to have a Temporary Contract this year. This coming only after I have worked for the district for 6 and a half years. I was so excited because this not only gave me benefit ( which isn't important because thank goodness Rob provides this for me and Beth), but I would get "SICK" days!!!! I would not only get the sick days I would also get to have my pay stretched out for the whole 12 months instead of not getting a pay check in the months of July and August. I also would start putting money into a retirements account, This was all very exciting. BUT..... The hitch is that the director of the pre-school never summited my name so as of right now I am not under contract and will continue to be a time reported para for the time being. I was reassured that I will be getting one just we don't know when HR will be doing that.

We also have 3 new pre-school class rooms added to our team!!! Yea for that. We had only 2 classrooms in years past in our school (19 classrooms thru the district), so now we have 5 classrooms. They have no furniture or supplies all this was ordered and was expecting a delivery Thursday some time. BUT..... We found out that the order was never put in so they are without ANY furniture or supplies. We have Orientation on Monday and the children start on Tuesday. The furniture and supplies will not be delivered until the TUESDAY AFTER the Labor day weekend. How is that for a school district!!!! I can't believe that someone dropped the ball on this. So we got together and pulled resources from the other two classrooms and the school, to see if we can get the room's set up and running. We only need to have this arrangement for 3 days as we have Orientation on Monday, and we are off on Friday and the following Monday for Labor day weekend until it all can be delivered...

What a start to the school year. I am hoping that it will get better and that this is not an indication of things to come.

Our day has also changed from the way we were use to. They pulled all the different programs that existed within pre-school that use to have separate classrooms. We now have a mixture of children ( these can be children with IEP's, our ECAP,and tuitions paying) in one classroom so we can serves more children. My program if yo remember was for low income children, IEP's are children who may delayed in an area,a tuition are household who can afford to paid for day care. Good idea!! BUT.... We now have 3 year olds, new time structure to our day and possibly not enough time to do it all.

Our day will start at 9:00am with 3 year olds; this brings with it...diapers (possibly- most likely), snack (which we have never done before), criers, and children who have never been in a classroom let alone away from their moms. This is not as bad as it sounds (I hope) and I am looking forward to having the experience with them. They leave at 11:30am on BUSES and some pick-up. The afternoon children will be getting off the bus at 12:00pm!!!! Yes I said 12:00pm!!!!!! How in the world are we to get 3 year olds on a bus, eat lunch and get the room set up for them in a half an hour???????? What were they thinking. This doesn't account for if we have late buses (and we always do).

So I guess I am trying to say that my year will be a very trying one and if I seem grouchy and snappy please don't take it to heart, I just may need a hug!!!!

I do love working with children!!! I do love getting out of the house and spending time with adults!!!! I do love getting a pay check!!!!! I do love having my summers off!!!! I do love having time off around the holidays!!!

I choose to be here and I will make this a good year if it kills me..........