With all the rumors surrounding the budget crisis everyone is now fearful of their job. My lead Campus Supervisor (who I can not live without!) walked in my office this morning and handed me a piece of paper with a "proposal for staffing reassignments." The trusty rumor mill had our security crew expecting to be next on the chopping block and she wanted to provide me with a real vision of life without them:
Staffing Reassignments to deal with the loss of Campus Supervisors :
OCS (On Campus Suspension) - Use teachers on a rotating schedule during their prep periods. Of course the contract will have to be re-negotiated, but perhaps the increase in salary benefits will only be a few thousand more than Campus Supervisors are paid by the hour!
Gates -Maintenance will need to lock all gates once school starts and open them at the end of the day, including the bike rack. They will take calls every period for kids leaving school for various reasons to lock and unlock. Hopefully the potties will not overflow or kids do not get sick in classrooms during this time!
7 & 30 Gates - Leave side gates closed all day – send all 2800 students to front to enter or exit campus through the administration building- Admin will need to rotate 2 hour shifts.
Front gate - Have admin do another 2 hour shift to handle everyone coming or going from the school including yellow passes, lunch passes, free 5 & 6 stickers, Work 5 & 6 stickers, sports passes, deliveries, and all the adults that want to come on campus for one reason or another. Not sure what will happen to kids who fight, take drugs, etc, but we will save money.
Front Desk - We will need to require parents to go on campus and retrieve their students from class or where ever they may be (wrestling room, baseball field, P.E. etc.). They will probably want to use the golf cart so you better raise the liability insurance.
Drop Offs - Due to the lack of staffing we will be unable to except the 50 thousand items a day that our darling children are unable to survive the day with out.
Lunch Supervision - Say a Prayer????
Secretaries - Will have to fetch students for their V.P.’s and do the locker searches. They will also need to escort them down to OCS. When a teacher needs a student removed from their classroom the secretary must retrieve them. You better sign them up for yoga classes because they are not accustomed to dealing with the verbal abuse along the way.
Games - Coaches must sell and take tickets – no coverage inside.
Traffic - Pam (after my fender-bender this week... yeah right!)
Escorts - The Administrator who assigns the non-sense
Medical - Nurses office will need to respond to any calls of injury or illness with the cart. Staff will have to prioritize importance such as head injury in Room 2-10 vs weighing wrestlers for meet.
911 Calls - The Principal will need to go out in the street and wave down the Emergency personnel, and AP's can wait on the southeast corner of the building to escort them to the nurse’s office.
Bathrooms - Bathrooms will remain closed except during passing periods when the counselors will monitor them.
Lockers - Forgot your key? Sorry!
ASD (After School Detentions) - Teachers must do their own.
Football Security - Hire an additional 10 – 12 more security people at triple the rate we work an hour. Or... perhaps negotiate with a local gang to monitor athletic events, we could barter with confiscated drugs and save a few bucks.
I prepared my resignation letter the same day!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
1-27-09 -- How Many Chances?
How many chances do you give a drug dealer? None? One? Two? What if they are only in 9th grade? What if they only sold to one person? What if they have a supportive family that promise to help them change? Should you kick them out of school? Should you lock them up? Should you just believe that they are young and they can change? What message will your discipline send to their friends and other who contemplate the same offense?
Tonight I am angry. I am mad. I am frustrated. At this moment I feel that we are fighting a losing battle that is doomed to get worse and we are helpless to make change. Tonight we took two students before the School Board who both were selling drugs to their peers. Two kids with the same offenses but with very different situations... or are they?
Before the holidays a young man walked into my colleagues office and said, Tio has drugs in his pocket today. He followed the statement with, "how much is the reward from the police department? My colleague was already late for a meeting so I agreed to search Tio. When I brought him into my office he immediately confessed he had drugs and handed to me from his pocket. He stated that he had gotten it for a friend. I also noticed he had $75 in his wallet. I looked up at him and asked, "How long have you been selling drugs on campus"? He replied. "Only a couple days." Now under California law selling drugs is against the law and ground for an expulsion. He was cited by the police department and we began the paper trail for the expulsion hearing.
Two doors down from my office another colleague had just gotten information that Stewart had a strong odor of marijuana. She had escorted him to the office and after searching found pot hidden in his shoe. When she asked him where he got it, after changing his story a number of times he finally said, "I found it on the way to school." (Yeah Right!) While they were discussing the issue, his phone buzzed with a text message from a couple of non students asking if he would walk over to the fence and sell them the drugs. He too was informed that he was suspended pending an expulsion hearing.
Tonight was the big night, both boys had to face the music and testify to the School Board for their actions. Now to most folks these case are no brainers... give them the boot! But to the good folks to sit on the School Board, know they must carefully navigate this insanity we call a legal system and arrive at a decision that is not only good for the student, but the safety of the school as well as legally compliant.
For the most part I have agreed with the current Board's decisions as I understand they are extremely limited in their jurisdiction. For instance, the most a kid can be expelled is for only one year. Then... the district must provide an alternative placement such as a county school that has transportation to and from the site which happens to be about 30 miles from our city. And, in California there is always a stipulation that the kid must get some sort of counseling (we really like the rehab stuff here) then reappear to the Board at the end of the term for a re admittance hearing.
Typically this means that if a kid is expelled, he is out of school for about a month pending the hearing... during that time the school is responsible for providing homework for Little Johnny Delinquent. If he/she is expelled, it is usually for only one semester and often the expulsion is suspended so basically the kid only misses a month of school while he/she is allowed to do all their make up work. Now granted the kid is told that if they have any additional infractions the expulsion will be back in effect. This process creates a "revolving door" for those who are repeat offenders. Many times school officials do not recommend disciplinary issues for expulsion, because there is simply no teeth involved.
In some states when kids are expelled the only option they have is to return to a continuation school, but not here. In as little as one month a drug dealer can return to a comprehensive school campus to covertly resume their source of income. This was the case with both Tio and Stewart tonight. Although our Board attempted to instruct the parents that they could not return to our school, Stewart's family kept pressing the issue and now plan to return to our school at the end of the year. What has happened to our society? I sit and shake my head in wonder of the absolute nonsense that we are forced to tolerate.
I am dedicated to my battle field, but I must admit it is quite demoralizing when you are shooting with rubber bullets.
Tonight I am angry. I am mad. I am frustrated. At this moment I feel that we are fighting a losing battle that is doomed to get worse and we are helpless to make change. Tonight we took two students before the School Board who both were selling drugs to their peers. Two kids with the same offenses but with very different situations... or are they?
Before the holidays a young man walked into my colleagues office and said, Tio has drugs in his pocket today. He followed the statement with, "how much is the reward from the police department? My colleague was already late for a meeting so I agreed to search Tio. When I brought him into my office he immediately confessed he had drugs and handed to me from his pocket. He stated that he had gotten it for a friend. I also noticed he had $75 in his wallet. I looked up at him and asked, "How long have you been selling drugs on campus"? He replied. "Only a couple days." Now under California law selling drugs is against the law and ground for an expulsion. He was cited by the police department and we began the paper trail for the expulsion hearing.
Two doors down from my office another colleague had just gotten information that Stewart had a strong odor of marijuana. She had escorted him to the office and after searching found pot hidden in his shoe. When she asked him where he got it, after changing his story a number of times he finally said, "I found it on the way to school." (Yeah Right!) While they were discussing the issue, his phone buzzed with a text message from a couple of non students asking if he would walk over to the fence and sell them the drugs. He too was informed that he was suspended pending an expulsion hearing.
Tonight was the big night, both boys had to face the music and testify to the School Board for their actions. Now to most folks these case are no brainers... give them the boot! But to the good folks to sit on the School Board, know they must carefully navigate this insanity we call a legal system and arrive at a decision that is not only good for the student, but the safety of the school as well as legally compliant.
For the most part I have agreed with the current Board's decisions as I understand they are extremely limited in their jurisdiction. For instance, the most a kid can be expelled is for only one year. Then... the district must provide an alternative placement such as a county school that has transportation to and from the site which happens to be about 30 miles from our city. And, in California there is always a stipulation that the kid must get some sort of counseling (we really like the rehab stuff here) then reappear to the Board at the end of the term for a re admittance hearing.
Typically this means that if a kid is expelled, he is out of school for about a month pending the hearing... during that time the school is responsible for providing homework for Little Johnny Delinquent. If he/she is expelled, it is usually for only one semester and often the expulsion is suspended so basically the kid only misses a month of school while he/she is allowed to do all their make up work. Now granted the kid is told that if they have any additional infractions the expulsion will be back in effect. This process creates a "revolving door" for those who are repeat offenders. Many times school officials do not recommend disciplinary issues for expulsion, because there is simply no teeth involved.
In some states when kids are expelled the only option they have is to return to a continuation school, but not here. In as little as one month a drug dealer can return to a comprehensive school campus to covertly resume their source of income. This was the case with both Tio and Stewart tonight. Although our Board attempted to instruct the parents that they could not return to our school, Stewart's family kept pressing the issue and now plan to return to our school at the end of the year. What has happened to our society? I sit and shake my head in wonder of the absolute nonsense that we are forced to tolerate.
I am dedicated to my battle field, but I must admit it is quite demoralizing when you are shooting with rubber bullets.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
1-23-09 - So What Do We Do Now?
Part of the job as a high school administrator is to be able to think quickly on one's feet and make decisions that will impact lives hopefully for the better. For eight years I have prided myself in my ability to do this fairly well. When my colleague walked into my office with the following question, all my arrogance flew right out the door.
She said, "I have a student in my office who is 16 years old, she is a young mother, does not speak a word of English was dumped here by the baby's father and is now living in a group home and oh yeah... she only has a 4th grade education from Mexico. How do I schedule her classes????"
OK... this was a new one for me. I sat in a room full of professionals, two assistant principals, the school nurse and a counselor and none of us could produce a workable answer. After a brief moment of chanting "INS" I came to my senses and realized we were bound by law to provide this young lady an education.
Now before you label me cold-hearted keep in mind that California schools are now facing the worst budget crisis in decades. Our district alone faces 15 million dollars in cuts if the trained monkeys we elected to lead this state do not produce a budget, which is now months overdue. In order to meet payroll, school districts were forced to submit "bare bones" budgets for approval so that they can borrow to simply meet payroll... forget about operating expenses or purchasing expensive textbooks we are mandated to update. This week I watched my principal hand out 22 pink slips to veteran teachers based upon whether they were credentialed to teach non-English speakers. Other than the now diagnosed one, this dilemma produced a knot in my stomach so big it produced a lump in my throat.
The LA Times ran an article this morning that the trained monkeys have are now producing a "bail out plan" to the tune of 11 million dollars to present to the federal government. Heck, if the bankers and auto makers can sell their deal in order to give million dollar bonuses to their CEOs surely the poor children of California are entitled to be bailed out too??? Right??
So... what do we do with our young mother? The minor parent program at the continuation school refused to take her because she does not speak enough English, the adult education program refused to take her because she is not old enough... so this poor soul is left with her 4th grade education to try to muddle through the murky waters of the comprehensive high school.
We finally opted to place her in a two-hour block of English with other students learning English and pay for a home teacher for the remaining courses. My only prayer is that after we manage to educate those who do not have to prove their citizenship that we can afford to pay the electric bill so they can actually see to read their newly adopted textbooks that we had to borrow money to purchase and we have enough paper to print the IOUs to pay their teachers who had to obtain special credentials to teach them.
She said, "I have a student in my office who is 16 years old, she is a young mother, does not speak a word of English was dumped here by the baby's father and is now living in a group home and oh yeah... she only has a 4th grade education from Mexico. How do I schedule her classes????"
OK... this was a new one for me. I sat in a room full of professionals, two assistant principals, the school nurse and a counselor and none of us could produce a workable answer. After a brief moment of chanting "INS" I came to my senses and realized we were bound by law to provide this young lady an education.
Now before you label me cold-hearted keep in mind that California schools are now facing the worst budget crisis in decades. Our district alone faces 15 million dollars in cuts if the trained monkeys we elected to lead this state do not produce a budget, which is now months overdue. In order to meet payroll, school districts were forced to submit "bare bones" budgets for approval so that they can borrow to simply meet payroll... forget about operating expenses or purchasing expensive textbooks we are mandated to update. This week I watched my principal hand out 22 pink slips to veteran teachers based upon whether they were credentialed to teach non-English speakers. Other than the now diagnosed one, this dilemma produced a knot in my stomach so big it produced a lump in my throat.
The LA Times ran an article this morning that the trained monkeys have are now producing a "bail out plan" to the tune of 11 million dollars to present to the federal government. Heck, if the bankers and auto makers can sell their deal in order to give million dollar bonuses to their CEOs surely the poor children of California are entitled to be bailed out too??? Right??
So... what do we do with our young mother? The minor parent program at the continuation school refused to take her because she does not speak enough English, the adult education program refused to take her because she is not old enough... so this poor soul is left with her 4th grade education to try to muddle through the murky waters of the comprehensive high school.
We finally opted to place her in a two-hour block of English with other students learning English and pay for a home teacher for the remaining courses. My only prayer is that after we manage to educate those who do not have to prove their citizenship that we can afford to pay the electric bill so they can actually see to read their newly adopted textbooks that we had to borrow money to purchase and we have enough paper to print the IOUs to pay their teachers who had to obtain special credentials to teach them.
Friday, January 9, 2009
1-9-09 - Belly Aching
One of the first eating establishments I was introduced to in the Golden State was a restaurant named, Soup Plantation. I remember walking in, looked to the left and I saw a nice array of soups, then to the right and noticed a spread that would make Bugs Bunny proud. I immediately turned to my colleagues and said without hesitation... where's the food? You see in the South soups and salads are appetizers you eat before the main course, AKA... MEAT! My mother raised a carnivore and I take much pride in saying I have never seen a "Happy Cow" in Texas! Heck, why should they be happy... they know it is only a matter of time before they end up marinated with Billy Bob's rich and tangy barbecue sauce.
For forty-something years I have prided myself as a "meat-eater." I would laugh loudly at all my California friends (both male and female) who ordered salads for lunch while I enjoyed my favorite critters sandwiched between two slices of bread! This week... the "critters" got their revenge! For about a week I had an odd feeling in my stomach so I made an appointment with my doctor for Tuesday morning expecting a lecture about my eating habits and a couple pills. Monday afternoon my boss walked into my office, saw the look on my face and declared, "Go to the emergency room now"!!!
As you can imagine I am not the world's best patient! After all I have places to go, people to see and things to do! Once again I thought I would get some blood drawn and they would send me on the way. Oh no, next thing I knew, I was hooked up to an IV and was forced to drink this concoction that tasted like someone had gone to the utility closet and mixed every cleaning agent there! I laughed at the fella who left me two lollipops thinking... do I look 4 years old? After one sip of this mess I KNEW WHY!!! I thought I would blow bubbles out my nose if I breathed too hard. I looked desperately for a place to dump the junk... but no luck!
After hours of tests, the ER doctor came in and told me what I already knew... I don't know what is wrong with you! The best he could surmise was somewhere around the first bend of my large intestine laid the results of two episodes of the stomach flu, screaming parents, pot-smoking kids and an entire herd of unhappy cows! And... by the way, your potassium was depleted! As I lay in that awful hospital bed I thought to myself, "Pam you are not 20 years old anymore, you need to take better care of yourself." " No longer can you live somewhere between Jack in the Box and Carl's Jr."!
Now that I had successfully scared everyone in the office, I returned to work the following day with the same sharp pain in my left side. And... for some reason all the imps running around knew this because I ended up suspending six kids! Evidently they had way to much time on their hands during the holidays, because they wanted to roll around on the ground like a bunch of chimps during lunch. "Some dude said something to my friend's girlfriend, and you just don't mess with my friends!" Honestly I felt so bad I don't remember all the details, but I do remember one kid using the the word "hell." I spun around in my office doorway and yelled, "Son, I don't want to hear that word in this office unless you are talking about a geographical location... and this isn't church"!!!! I looked up to see smirks on everyone's faces, then looked down to see a puzzled look on the kid... I think he was still trying to figure out what the word, "geographical" meant.
I had just completed the paperwork for the four kids associated with Hellboy's rumble, when Debbie walked into my office. A teacher had called with a tip that a drug deal had just happened... in her classroom. I immediately grabbed one of counselors (who happened to have previously employed by the Juvenile Youth Authority) and escorted the participants to the office. Immediately my colleague found the pot in one of the young men's shoe... the "seller" was in my office and started crying that "he didn't do it." Now I had three witness statements indicating otherwise, so I knew he was lying to me. The problem was ... he didn't have any money on him!
Eventually the young man who purchased the pot informed us that he did not have time to pay the guy before we walked into the room. Given poor track records with the California courts we opted to only request the young man with the pot in his possession be cited by the police. I did suspend the seller based on the statements of other students.
Now my stomach was killing me and all I wanted was some peace... I didn't get it! First the seller's father wanted to argue his son's point... later his mother came in and demanded that we "do something" about all the drug dealers on campus... uh, I thought that is what I just did with her son?!!! Finally they left and I walked into the Nurse's office to weigh in for our campus version of "The Biggest Loser" and let the School Nurse poke tummy friendly herbs down my throat. Now feeling even more frustrated, after realizing just how much weight I had gained, I just wanted to go home! As I walked out of the office I turned to our lead campus supervisor and said... I am going home to make vegetable soup, I have handled all the "belly-aching" I can deal with for one day!!
For forty-something years I have prided myself as a "meat-eater." I would laugh loudly at all my California friends (both male and female) who ordered salads for lunch while I enjoyed my favorite critters sandwiched between two slices of bread! This week... the "critters" got their revenge! For about a week I had an odd feeling in my stomach so I made an appointment with my doctor for Tuesday morning expecting a lecture about my eating habits and a couple pills. Monday afternoon my boss walked into my office, saw the look on my face and declared, "Go to the emergency room now"!!!
As you can imagine I am not the world's best patient! After all I have places to go, people to see and things to do! Once again I thought I would get some blood drawn and they would send me on the way. Oh no, next thing I knew, I was hooked up to an IV and was forced to drink this concoction that tasted like someone had gone to the utility closet and mixed every cleaning agent there! I laughed at the fella who left me two lollipops thinking... do I look 4 years old? After one sip of this mess I KNEW WHY!!! I thought I would blow bubbles out my nose if I breathed too hard. I looked desperately for a place to dump the junk... but no luck!
After hours of tests, the ER doctor came in and told me what I already knew... I don't know what is wrong with you! The best he could surmise was somewhere around the first bend of my large intestine laid the results of two episodes of the stomach flu, screaming parents, pot-smoking kids and an entire herd of unhappy cows! And... by the way, your potassium was depleted! As I lay in that awful hospital bed I thought to myself, "Pam you are not 20 years old anymore, you need to take better care of yourself." " No longer can you live somewhere between Jack in the Box and Carl's Jr."!
Now that I had successfully scared everyone in the office, I returned to work the following day with the same sharp pain in my left side. And... for some reason all the imps running around knew this because I ended up suspending six kids! Evidently they had way to much time on their hands during the holidays, because they wanted to roll around on the ground like a bunch of chimps during lunch. "Some dude said something to my friend's girlfriend, and you just don't mess with my friends!" Honestly I felt so bad I don't remember all the details, but I do remember one kid using the the word "hell." I spun around in my office doorway and yelled, "Son, I don't want to hear that word in this office unless you are talking about a geographical location... and this isn't church"!!!! I looked up to see smirks on everyone's faces, then looked down to see a puzzled look on the kid... I think he was still trying to figure out what the word, "geographical" meant.
I had just completed the paperwork for the four kids associated with Hellboy's rumble, when Debbie walked into my office. A teacher had called with a tip that a drug deal had just happened... in her classroom. I immediately grabbed one of counselors (who happened to have previously employed by the Juvenile Youth Authority) and escorted the participants to the office. Immediately my colleague found the pot in one of the young men's shoe... the "seller" was in my office and started crying that "he didn't do it." Now I had three witness statements indicating otherwise, so I knew he was lying to me. The problem was ... he didn't have any money on him!
Eventually the young man who purchased the pot informed us that he did not have time to pay the guy before we walked into the room. Given poor track records with the California courts we opted to only request the young man with the pot in his possession be cited by the police. I did suspend the seller based on the statements of other students.
Now my stomach was killing me and all I wanted was some peace... I didn't get it! First the seller's father wanted to argue his son's point... later his mother came in and demanded that we "do something" about all the drug dealers on campus... uh, I thought that is what I just did with her son?!!! Finally they left and I walked into the Nurse's office to weigh in for our campus version of "The Biggest Loser" and let the School Nurse poke tummy friendly herbs down my throat. Now feeling even more frustrated, after realizing just how much weight I had gained, I just wanted to go home! As I walked out of the office I turned to our lead campus supervisor and said... I am going home to make vegetable soup, I have handled all the "belly-aching" I can deal with for one day!!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
1-4-09 - Home from the Holidays
Happy New Year 2009! It seems impossible that I haven't blogged since October, but since Jawaha said it in his sermon, it must be true! The last few months have been a blur of holiday concerts, plays, parties, staff breakfasts and ornery children who obviously forgot that Santa makes a list. I would have loved to peek in their windows to see surprised looks on their bright shiny faces as they unwrapped coal (or switches) from the old guy in the sleigh! Ok... I can't be that lucky, but I would actually pay to have three ghosts visit a few of them for a quick wake-up call! Personally, I think the fat man in the red suit is shirking his duties, if he really had a naughty list I would have far less traffic in the discipline office... for the month of December anyway!
I began my long journey home on December 20, following truancy hearings after school on the 19th (the last day before break!) Someone was serious about punishing those truants (and the rest of us) when they made that schedule! After a quick dash to Central California after the hearings I crashed for a few hours, got up packed the presents and puppies and settled into my long drive to my parents house. This yearly journey takes me three days via Tucson, Midland/Odessa, then finally to Ashdown, Arkansas which is about 19 miles north of Texarkana, TX... if you saw the movie, Smokey and the Bandit.
I was ever so proud that I didn't destroy (via backing over) any luggage this year, and I didn't catch the stomach flu until I actually got there! I will spare you these details! My mother had the house decorated in her regular "winter wonderful" fashion with snowmen at ever turn... most of them singing and shaking their behinds to Christmas music. I found Dad in his chair watching his normal line up of Shootem' Up Westerns with a football game or two scheduled into the mix, Mom prepared my favorite smoked ham... and all was good. It is comforting after all these years, to walk back into my parents door and seemingly find them the exact way you left them. It is a special feeling to walk into church and know that hugs are waiting just beyond the sanctuary doors and that you will soon feast on a sermon that will challenge you to return to battle with a new zeal for the Purpose. I wish all children had this privilege during the holidays.
My mother was especially anxious for me to open one gift before Christmas. My Dad's family (all 27 of us) gather on Christmas Eve for a holiday reunion. To my demise, when Mom wants me to open a present BEFORE the event it usually contains some shirt that blinks, a stupid Santa hat or lest I forget the year I opened the Grinch t-shirt she demanded I wear because of my lousy attitude that year. So I took a deep breath and took the gift, I knew this would take a while with all the tape applied. Good stock tip... 3M during the holidays, my mother causes a surge in profits by herself! To my surprise it didn't sing, dance or shake it's butt... it was a pocket size HD Video Camera. I had more fun the next few days with that silly thing... makes for good blackmail material for Cousin Stinkerbelle too!
About eight years ago I left my heart in suburban Dallas, TX. There are just special connections between folks who started teaching together. A trip home would not be complete without a visit with people I still consider my best friends. These visits are NEVER long enough and I leave with a sick feeling in my stomach (not stomach flu previously mentioned) that I didn't get enough time with those I love. Stacey and I were called Peanut Butter and Jelly when we started teaching, because if you saw one of us, the other wasn't far behind. Stacey was certainly "Jelly" because she is the sweetest. Her students adore her, even to the point of naming her Homecoming Queen this year!
Cathy, I met in the parking lot on my way in the door the first day of school. Immediately I knew this was someone I wanted to always keep close. Cathy is a straight-shooter and will lovingly grab you by the nap of the neck before you run into a brick wall. My only life-time attempt to workout in the mornings was with Cathy when I lived in Dallas... because she told me that we needed to do it! The depth of our friendship got me up!
Beautiful not only on the outside, Kris has an inside to match. When you want someone to cry with you, Kris is always willing to walk the long mile with you. She is now a Counselor and lucky are the kids that cross her path. Her quirky sense of humor always amazes me... I know immediately that cards and notes are from her heart.
Tad is a true "blue" friend in every sense. He has overcome tremendous difficulties with health and his mere "being" is an inspiration to all who know him. I have watched him build his French program beyond anyone's expectation and reaffirm to many kids that school can be fun! He is the proud husband of an incredible wife, Steffi , who easily joined our clan and a beautiful newborn, Beau.
I can easily dodge the question of "returning to Texas" from anyone except from my buddy, Keith. Keith is the type of man that every mother wants her daughter to marry... the embodiment of "John Wayne" values. Many of teenage girl has swooned over "Coach Flowers" who I loving refer to as my buddy, "Stud Muffin." Just five minutes with this man and you are reminded of the good that is still in this world and you have value in it. Keith stole the heart of a former Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader and they have a beautiful baby, Kolton.
Although I have no children, I consider myself, "Aunt Pam," to their children... Molly, DJ, Brad, Amanda, Corey, Hanna, Maddie, Allie, Beau, and Kolton. It is sad that time and miles separate us, but is is comforting to know that at any given moment any of these folks will climb in the trench with you and help you with any of life's battles. It is my prayer that they feel the same about me. As our nation enters into a time of economic and political instability I suggest that we all keep those who are dear close to us, to walk along bumpy roads and to hold us up in the times that we feel like sitting down. Teaching our children that friendship is life's greatest gift far beyond the worth of X-boxes and Wiis.
I wish everyone who reads my "nonsense" a very blessed New Year and I promise to share more adventures with "the kids" in the days to follow...
I began my long journey home on December 20, following truancy hearings after school on the 19th (the last day before break!) Someone was serious about punishing those truants (and the rest of us) when they made that schedule! After a quick dash to Central California after the hearings I crashed for a few hours, got up packed the presents and puppies and settled into my long drive to my parents house. This yearly journey takes me three days via Tucson, Midland/Odessa, then finally to Ashdown, Arkansas which is about 19 miles north of Texarkana, TX... if you saw the movie, Smokey and the Bandit.
I was ever so proud that I didn't destroy (via backing over) any luggage this year, and I didn't catch the stomach flu until I actually got there! I will spare you these details! My mother had the house decorated in her regular "winter wonderful" fashion with snowmen at ever turn... most of them singing and shaking their behinds to Christmas music. I found Dad in his chair watching his normal line up of Shootem' Up Westerns with a football game or two scheduled into the mix, Mom prepared my favorite smoked ham... and all was good. It is comforting after all these years, to walk back into my parents door and seemingly find them the exact way you left them. It is a special feeling to walk into church and know that hugs are waiting just beyond the sanctuary doors and that you will soon feast on a sermon that will challenge you to return to battle with a new zeal for the Purpose. I wish all children had this privilege during the holidays.
My mother was especially anxious for me to open one gift before Christmas. My Dad's family (all 27 of us) gather on Christmas Eve for a holiday reunion. To my demise, when Mom wants me to open a present BEFORE the event it usually contains some shirt that blinks, a stupid Santa hat or lest I forget the year I opened the Grinch t-shirt she demanded I wear because of my lousy attitude that year. So I took a deep breath and took the gift, I knew this would take a while with all the tape applied. Good stock tip... 3M during the holidays, my mother causes a surge in profits by herself! To my surprise it didn't sing, dance or shake it's butt... it was a pocket size HD Video Camera. I had more fun the next few days with that silly thing... makes for good blackmail material for Cousin Stinkerbelle too!
About eight years ago I left my heart in suburban Dallas, TX. There are just special connections between folks who started teaching together. A trip home would not be complete without a visit with people I still consider my best friends. These visits are NEVER long enough and I leave with a sick feeling in my stomach (not stomach flu previously mentioned) that I didn't get enough time with those I love. Stacey and I were called Peanut Butter and Jelly when we started teaching, because if you saw one of us, the other wasn't far behind. Stacey was certainly "Jelly" because she is the sweetest. Her students adore her, even to the point of naming her Homecoming Queen this year!
Cathy, I met in the parking lot on my way in the door the first day of school. Immediately I knew this was someone I wanted to always keep close. Cathy is a straight-shooter and will lovingly grab you by the nap of the neck before you run into a brick wall. My only life-time attempt to workout in the mornings was with Cathy when I lived in Dallas... because she told me that we needed to do it! The depth of our friendship got me up!
Beautiful not only on the outside, Kris has an inside to match. When you want someone to cry with you, Kris is always willing to walk the long mile with you. She is now a Counselor and lucky are the kids that cross her path. Her quirky sense of humor always amazes me... I know immediately that cards and notes are from her heart.
Tad is a true "blue" friend in every sense. He has overcome tremendous difficulties with health and his mere "being" is an inspiration to all who know him. I have watched him build his French program beyond anyone's expectation and reaffirm to many kids that school can be fun! He is the proud husband of an incredible wife, Steffi , who easily joined our clan and a beautiful newborn, Beau.
I can easily dodge the question of "returning to Texas" from anyone except from my buddy, Keith. Keith is the type of man that every mother wants her daughter to marry... the embodiment of "John Wayne" values. Many of teenage girl has swooned over "Coach Flowers" who I loving refer to as my buddy, "Stud Muffin." Just five minutes with this man and you are reminded of the good that is still in this world and you have value in it. Keith stole the heart of a former Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader and they have a beautiful baby, Kolton.
Although I have no children, I consider myself, "Aunt Pam," to their children... Molly, DJ, Brad, Amanda, Corey, Hanna, Maddie, Allie, Beau, and Kolton. It is sad that time and miles separate us, but is is comforting to know that at any given moment any of these folks will climb in the trench with you and help you with any of life's battles. It is my prayer that they feel the same about me. As our nation enters into a time of economic and political instability I suggest that we all keep those who are dear close to us, to walk along bumpy roads and to hold us up in the times that we feel like sitting down. Teaching our children that friendship is life's greatest gift far beyond the worth of X-boxes and Wiis.
I wish everyone who reads my "nonsense" a very blessed New Year and I promise to share more adventures with "the kids" in the days to follow...
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