The End is Near

We go back to work tomorrow. I suppose that means that summer is officially over. *sigh*

It's been a great summer. We got to see some fantastic places and spend lots of time with people we love. I haven't done any work-related things for at least a month. I finally finished Invisible Man (Ellison, not Wells). We watched a LOT of the Olympics. We swam, we ate entirely too much, we played games, we hung out with each other.

So now, we go back to the chaos that will be this school year. Our principal (an amazing man) left to pursue his PhD. Our Dean of Students (equally amazing) left for a more supportive environment (now that our principal is gone). New Principal (appointed by the district without teacher input) is proving to be ineffective. But we have this amazing staff that's working miracles. So now we have to pursue charter status or else we will be lumped in with all the other small schools on our complex in Fall 2009. After that, the plan is to level our school and re-build it from the ground up.

So mostly this summer I've been trying to ignore all the sad things that have happened to our school. And now I have to put my game face on and go in tomorrow ready to fight for our kids and educate them to the best of my ability.

So tonight I have mixed emotions. I am grateful for this wonderful break from my all-consuming job. I am excited to work with our amazing staff and students. I am hopeful that we'll be able to do something to save our school. And I'm sad that the district doesn't support programs that are really making an impact for the neediest kids.