Labor Day weekend dead ahead

And with it comes the unofficial end of summer 2017.  Seems like it just began.  Things ought to seem different this year for me.  No turning leaves (or will there be?); no cool October nights. Wonder if the skanks will trash my house on Halloween.

I am so relieved to not have to deal with them anymore.

My first bi monthly check came from lake County: $1200.  Gross was $1900.  So I'm drawing $3800 a month.  Thought it would be more.  Might inquire.

Ain't that the truth?

I sure do miss him.

Whew!

Gotta stop talking to certain people.  The head of the science department took me aside, privately, to ask about an encounter I had with one of the assistant principals.  I had shared that, in confidence, with the head of the discipline committee.  Now it seems it's common knowledge.

I had made a general statement, that the office staff and one assistant heard. when I went to the office to request a referral form when a student came into my classroom and threatened one of the students in my class.  At first, they didn't want to give the form to me, saying they didn't have any. I was unconvinced and told them that they can talk all they want about "soaring" (we heard it every morning) but if teachers aren't supported then it won't happen.

They gave me a copy of an old referral form.  The district has yet to issue new ones.
Those who gossip WITH you will gossip ABOUT you.  I had hoped I had left this kind of thing behind.  Seemingly not.

Discipline is apparently weak at CLMS, but I've been through this before.  I will not let it  hijack my efforts in the classroom and I will not get myself into the middle of disputes.  I let myself be drawn into that in my early years. No more.

And they don't.  The right wing had no real use for "religion" from the beginning.

They just want the power, the money and the votes it brings them. Too many "Christians" are dumb enough to fall into their trap.

Radical elements of the right are preying on them and most don't even know it.

They lure them under their spell with abortion and gay rights issues, not to mention gun rights. Meantime, they are picking their proverbial pockets with so-called "tax reform," justifying paying them starvation wages while the price of nearly everything goes up and threatening to torpedo their future financial security by disabling both medicare and social security, not to mention depriving them of decent healthcare coverage, all in the name of protecting the profits of the insurance moguls and big Pharma.  What's disturbing is that they don't even see the need to hide their true intentions anymore, so delusional are many in our culture.

Madness.

Went to Clearwater this weekend...

Got to see Winter and Hope of "Dolphin Tale" fame, in the flesh.  What a thrill.  Went out on a boat to see wild dolphins, up close.  We actually saw some.  Fascinating.

Meantime, back in Clermont, things are going along swimmingly.  Rain, rain and more rain.  Not an issue for me.  It makes for better sleeping at night, something I seem to be doing better than I did back in Carolina.

My feet are swelling.  Gotta get a handle on that.  Not sure the cause.  Message Dr. Jorden, my cardiologist; they recommend I see a GP.  They must not fear heart issues.  I've no shortness of breath for such or chest pains.

Don't miss Carolina.  Not at all.  Odd.

Traffic here can be an issue but back home, it was also, in spots.

People here continue to be friendly.

I gotta be careful

I know how easily I am drawn up into disputes and controversy.  Don't want to go that with this time.

Parents in Lake County are very political and very outspoken, I am told and I know, from experience elsewhere, that school administration is easily intimidated by such.

There's been a lot of pushback against the discipline code (revised) at Clermont middle, mostly concerning the dress code and the detention for not having student IDs.  The district has told us to stop issuing detentions for not having IDs. There's also been some loosening of the dress code, recently.

Apparently, discipline has been an issue this past year or so. Not good.

I've seen it all before.

I am determined to make this work.  That's bottom line. I need to, for more than just financial reasons. I've come back home to the faith of my birth. Probably am completely through with St. Paul's, in Greensboro and will not darken the door there again.

Unfortunate. I was a member there for decades.Knew a lot of people and was very involved there. Can't do that anymore.  The place is a hostile environment to me thanks to Pope Urban VI and the knights.  That too, is sad.  Used to be that the K of C was one of the only things holding me to th Catholic faith.  It became something that drove me away.

Blessed Sacrament is a very different place from all that.  It is very welcoming and the pastoral staff there does not reside in the 14th century.  Neither do they back away from addressing current issues, like bigotry and social justice.  No more ranting about abortion or "liberals."  No more telling us to "vote correctly." what a blessing. No pun intended.

I no longer find myself looking in the rear view mirror or glancing over to my neighbors to see if trouble is heading my way. Don't need to worry about my mailbox being knocked down or my tire stems cut. None of that.

I've no roach problem...yet although I have dispatched the few I have seen.  My bathroom floors are stable and when it rains (which it does every day) I don't find myself wondering if the ceiling will cave in.

Yes, I will have to deal with those problems when I return but it's a decided relief to not have them looking me in the face every day and night.

People are, for the most part, quite friendly here.  Already met three residents who hail from the Tar Heel state.  No one comes up into my yard and taunts me.  My vehicle has not been slimed.

Traffic in Clermont is heavy, at times and stores more crowded.  That will take some getting used to. But I no longer drive past St. Pius X or the Greensboro Science center and am reminded of the trauma I endured there.

In essence, I feel like my time here in Central Florida has been therapeutic,  and healing for me. It's been something I have needed for some years.  I see that now.

It's even been helpful to be away from the NC mountains.  Never thought I would ever say that. I associate them with my connection with the Griffins. Mike pressured me into the white water kayaking thing.  A major manipulator, that one.  I did right in moving away.

How is it that I so often learn my lessons in retrospect?

This afternoon, as I left Blessed Sacrament, I met up with the local K of C; am going to give them another try.  Am thinking it was just the social dynamic of the one in Greensboro. Too many right wing radicals. Perhaps it will be different here.

Whew! A lot has transpired in the past few days....

This may wind up being a one year thing....if it lasts that long.

And it was inevitable I fear. Things were going too well.  Nothing serious has happened, nothing big...just a bunch of little things.

I've grown used to having chalkboards; first time since 1984.  Never mind that there is no pencil sharpened in my room and I have an antiquated projector mounted on a table and no smart board. If the bulb burns out, there are no replacement bulbs in the school.  The roaches I find in my classroom, some mornings, are big enough to put saddles on.  I have to sweep them up because if I don't the ants will come in and carry them away.  I've accepted that I am limited to 1500 copies.  They did give us consumable science books, but they are huge and heavy.

All that I have just kind of accepted in course.

But after a science meeting where the other sixth grade science teacher and I were subjected to the third degree by our science department chair, I am wondering about some things.  It was intense. Right now I feel a little hemmed in.  You see, the science test scores fell from last year and now there is a full court press on getting them back up.  She wants things done just so and I don't feel comfortable about that.

Not sure where to do with this.  Don't want to overreact.  I do that enough.

The solar eclipse was an inspiring event.  We watched on NASA TV.  We didn't have any of those eclipse  glasses and I didn't trust them no way.

They say they'll be another in 2024.

I am left to wonder if I will still be here. Yeah, I am to that stage in life where that's a wonder. I'd be 75.
















Meantime, back here in the USA, crazy is running amuck!

Trump held another campaign like rally in Phoenix and said and did some more crazy things, belittling the press.

Hitler did that.

There's more talk of alt right violence.  Truly, they aren't the only ones. I am hearing chatter from the radical left about the same thing.

Are we headed for another civil war, the kind with bullets? Each day that passes, there is more and more discussion of that.

Mad.  Utterly mad.







This is the way the world ends?  This is the way the world ends?  Pooofff, with both a bang and a whimper.....

How did we ever end up here?  How could we, as a nation, have become so delusional, so foolish? Wish I knew...

Had my faith restored this morning

The celebrant at mass, this morning, at blessed sacrament, told us that there is no place in the church or in the world, for hate and bigotry. He reminded us that we, as Catholics, were often met with intolerance, and thus should be particularly sensitive to such things. Pope Francis espoused a similar message, recently. Finally, a catholic priest who doesn't live in the fourteenth century and  spout right wing drivel at mass.
I think I've come home.

Completed my first full week...

think I might be getting some of my stamina back.

I have five classes, there advanced and two regular level.  They've entrusted me with some of their biggest talent and I hope to be up to the challenge.

The advanced classes are small, 11, 14, and 17, thus providing me with the opportunity to really meet the NASA challenge of training up the next generation of explorers.  It's an opportunity I've have almost never had before .

Not missing NC as much as I feared I would. NOT YET.

Might go over to Clearwater, this weekend to visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, home of
Winter and Hope, the dolphin stars of the motion picture Dolphin Tale.

Remain determined that my "job" won't absorb my whole life this go around. The longest I have remained at school after the students left, so far, has been a little bit over an hour.

I haven't done any writing lately. That isn't good and I need to change that.

Tired again today...

but it's a good tired, not one derived from frustration or exasperation.  Oh sure, there are occasional issues, but nothing like I can remember from before. Of course, it is only the first full week of school.

There's a major solar eclipse coming up and I have been warning my people NOT to look directly at the sun  because they'll damage their eyesight. The school district has directed all outdoor activities to be moved inside.

I do not intend to take mine out.  They're advertising these special glasses that are supposed to be able to view the eclipse with.  I don't trust them and suspect they're just a money making scam. People are so shameless anymore.

Ugh...

this is wearing me out. Hope I can rebuild my stamina or this will be a long, difficult year.

The kids have been great, for the best part. There are a few challenges but nothing like what I've seen before. Not yet anyhow.

My first full week is looking me in the face...

The first two days went okay.

Tried to post my lesson plans online, as I was told to do, but made a royal mess of it.  Hopefully someone will take me in hand and help me get it right.

Had hoped to take a trip somewhere this weekend, but after spending almost all of my Saturday trying to write and post my lesson plans and then trying to repair them today, I just haven't had time or energy.  That's gonna change.  Not gonna let this thing consume me, as I did before.

No!  At 68, I won't have the drive or the stamina for that.

Just checked my pay status.  $1700. Since we get paid bi monthly, I am hoping that is just for two weeks. Right now, I am being compensated as a teacher with just a bachelor's degree.  Don't know how many years of experience they credited me with. I know UNC sent them a copy of my Master's degree. Gonna have to ask them.



Joined a local fitness club or, at least, I am doing a thirty day trial.  Gracious Lord knows, I NEED that.

And so, once more into the breach, dear friends....

It just felt good...

interacting with students again, MY OWN students, not merely ones "borrowed" for the day. I've always said its wasn't the same and it was not.  That is more obvious, now, than ever before.

Still, the first day does not tell the tale; it's the second day.

No significant problems today and I even let them pick their own seats. Tomorrow will tell me more.

Siri took me on an errant "adventure " this morning.  I asked her to guide me to the nearest post office. She sent me over to "Howey in the Hills." There is a post office not far from the school, in Clermont . Should have specified "post office in Clermont;" live and learn?

Well, I didn't.  Next, rather than going to my Waze ap, where I have Clermont middle school saved, I opted to ask Siri to guide me to "Clermont middle school."  Siri spelled that "Claremont" and was sending me on some incredible journey; I was in Eustis, 41 miles away before I realized what was happening. Barely made it back in time to assume my morning duty.
Geeessssshhhhhhh....

and soooo...

tomorrow is the day.

Felt a little anger (a better term might be frustration ) as I went to school this morning.  I was unsure if my Mac would hook up to the projector, still could not print or copy, and so many other things were unsettled.

The Mac worked. Still cannot print or copy, but I've got a better handle on what happens tomorrow morning. Most of the first two days will involve procedures and going over the rules.

Yesterday, we had to endure the rantings of the discipline committee  chairperson, one who thought nothing of slapping other staffers down and being belligerent.  She reminded me of some of the women at Rock Middle.  I guess each school has some.

Middle aged women can be hazardous to the peace and serenity.

Bernie Sander's stock in trade is on the rise and there appears to be a possibility he will run for President again in 2020.  He's in his mid 70s and that could be an issue, of course, but the democrat party (oh which Bernie does not really belong) has got to do something, perhaps something radical, to reverse its fortunes.

It's now or not at all.

I've heard a lot of talk that I ought to just chill and accept what is, that we'll survive. Will we?  At what cost?  How much damage Trump does will be difficult, if not impossible, to undo?

It's a nutty world!!!!!

No mushrooms sprouting yet. Crazy as the NK leader and Trump are, I have to hope they are not stupid enough to actually start a nuclear exchange. Hope. It's the one thing stronger than fear.

we're all gonna be nuclear ash

Trump is taunting North Korea again. I'm as concerned as the next one about NK and its nuclear capabilities but threatening them and provoking them is stupid.  Did we do that with the Soviets during the Cold War?  When we did, it nearly started a third world war, back in 1983.

Marmalade man is going to get us all killed.

My big day grows closer and I am nowhere near ready.  We had meetings all day today and only have tomorrow morning to work on our own.  Pucker time!!

I gained some additional insight today

The science department, all 9 of us, had lunch together today. It's clear these teachers are very close and it showed today

I was the only man. Not something I minded at all. Didn't say a lot. Mostly listened. That will. Hanged as I become adjusted. For right now, I seek to learn from the others.

One of the things I believe I learned today is this:

The discipline plan the school now has resulted from what must have damned near been a palace revolt last year.there were, apparently, some big behavior problems. With PBIS in use, I would be surprised if there weren't. Everywhere else I have seen it, PBIS has been a bust. Was that the case, here?

The entire admin team was new. I've seen situations like that and the results were never good, with the possible exception of graham middle, which had a hard charging, take no prisoners, assistant principal that kept things going. Rock middle was a catastrophe after Steve left and hasn't been right. Since.

Well be meeting about the discipline plan tomorrow and I will know more.

Attended mass this morning...

two weeks in a row now.  Never thought I would go back. The separation seemed permanent, irrevocable...

Perhaps the relocation. Did more good than even I thought it would.

Here I am, back in the sunshine state, after decades in the Carolinas. This is something else I didn't see ever happening. I believe many others are amazed too. Mike would, doubtless, have something cryptic to say. Something like there being no white water in Florida. Therein was one of my main troubles with mike. He tended to define everything from his point of view and understanding. The kayaking thing was something forced upon me because it suited mike. The control thing once more.

Yes, that I am here is amazing to me and others. Yeti think it is something I really needed to do.

I was never going to get back in the classroom I either Virginia or North Carolina. I've actually been fortunate to land where I did. At least,that is what I think right now. I don't know how I will handle it if this turns out to be a disappointment. It still could be.

Age has been my main detractor. There are other teachers at clermont middle who are just about the same age as me. I was surprised at that.

I needed to get away. Now I have. And the more I ponder that, the more I think I might not go back, at least, not to my neighborhood or to Greensboro area. Too many memories of heartache. I don't feel that herein Florida. This could provide me the time I need to heal.

I certainly hope it does.

Living dangerously

I'm in Orlando, again, today...well, actually, Altamonte Springs, a suburb  of Orlando.  It's crazy all the same.  Got me an adapter so I can use my MacBook on my projector at school.  The media specialist at CMS tells me I am not supposed to use my personal computer on the projector, but Mr. McCue left me with the impression that I can. Indeed, at the faculty meeting a few days back, I believe I saw him use one.  The computer wasn't the HP that we all get.  The media specialist seems like a bit of a rule follower, but then, since she is new, like me, that is likely something she feels she needs to do.

The people near me in the RV park aren't terribly friends.  Maybe that will change.

Still, it is a decided relief to not have to worry about Ma Barker or the skanks across the street.
check my ADT site this morning.  The house appears to still be there although I do admit, again, it would almost be a mercy if someone burnt it down.  Peculiar, I know and NO, I don't plan on getting anyone to do that or in doing it myself. I don't roll like that.

Sounds just like some people I know....

There is increasing talk of "civil war" if Trump gets impeached. And some of his disciples are just crazy enough.

Bring it, skanks!!!

What a mixed "blessing" today...

But the majority of it...well,  I know now I did the right thing in coming here.

Just drove through a torrential rain storm...could barely see and the roads flooded.  Had forgotten what it was like in summers in the sunshine state.  Pulled over to a KFC to have something to eat and am hoping it blows over.

Went by an "Anytime Fitness" health club.  There was a sign on the front door threatening "members" with  $150 fine if they let non members in.  I didn't stay long and didn't bother talking to them.

Drove over to the Roper YMCA in Winter Garden. Eighteen miles.  Just too damned far.

Our first faculty meeting lasted all morning, four hours.  In other schools, that would have felt intolerable.  Not this time.

I have never seen an admin like Mr. McCue.  He kept things moving, upbeat, and relevant and gave us frequent breaks.  He also realized that he could defer some issues until later and so he spared us that.  His method, indeed his whole philosophy puts almost every other principal I've dealt with to shame.  It's plain he respects his staff.  Rather than the ":my way or the highway" regimen, he made it plain that vision and method is shared at Clermont Middle.  He wants OUR input, wants us to have ownership.  Yes, there was some discussion of test results but even his approach to that was different. He looked for the silver lining in every dark cloud.

Cannot say I have seen anyone like him, ever, not even at Rock Middle.

One part of me is still skeptical, thinking the whole thing will dissolve into a blur any moment and  return to the CEO/textbook tyrant mode.

somehow I just don't see that happening here.  But as I just said...time will tell.

I'v e learned a lot today...

and I'm not even  on contract yet.

Mr. McCue referred to me and my neighboring 6th science teachers as his :"dream team." took me slightly aback.  The other science teacher is almost as old as I am.  And this is Mr. McCue's second year as principal, making last year his first.

I think I am seeing some of his motivation in trying to get me to come here, now.

Mr. McCue, it turns out, is a grandfather.  Didn't know that he was that "old."  And he's been to the proverbial mountain top, according to my fellow science teacher, having gotten a lot of accolades and now now just wants to "pay back."  An admirable sentiment.

Helped in giving out schedules for 7th and 8th graders and got to see some other things. There was a lot of interaction between staff and former students, some high fives and even some hugs, both men and women.  So it appears that is not a Pleasant Garden.  Vast relief.

Not many 7th & 8th came. Not many 6th either.  Unsure what to think about that. We'll sure see a week from tomorrow.

I continue to feel optimistic, yet I am still afeared to believe it.  Too many letdowns and disappointments.  Every place has its shortfalls.  Some merely have more than others. As I have just said, we will soon see.

A mixed blessing thus far...

well, that's not actually accurate.  I've only had one soul chilling experience and that took place yesterday, during the first PD session I attended. Three women  were part of the grouping where I sat. I came in late, asked them if it was okay if I sat with them.  They said nothing and I sat down. The whole time, the women would never speak to me or even look at me, unless I said something first. Had to brush off the frost when I left. Never had that happen to me in decades.

All else has gone well. The PD at the ":new beginnings" session was among the best I've seen and I made sure to tell their director that.  It was focused, organized and relevant, not liking some of the aimless drivel we were subjected to in NC that focused solely on testing or on some pet project the "suits" promoted for the sake of their jobs.  Cynical but true.

I've gone into my classroom three times now. The only downside to the whole thing are the chalkboards.  Just went to Office Depot and got me a small white board.  My ambition is to cut some white tile board and tack it up. Administration has approved that.

As I've already said, I had better bring my "A game."

The people here seem more dedicated and focused than anyplace else I have been.

Evaluations don't worry me, as I know I won't remain here long enough to become "vested" for retirement (8 years), but I just don't want to disappoint.  Mr. McCue did something few others were willing to do - hire an old curmudgeon. I am certain that is why I got the proverbial thumbs down in 'Virginia.
Don't those people know that things become more valuable with age?  I guess they don't.

I notice there are a lot of deciduous trees here.  Wonder if they lose their leaves in the fall.  I will see, I think.  ✊