another day, another story

Mrs. J and I were talking today and I mentioned Mrs. M returning on Monday.

Mrs. J said not to count on anything, and that Mrs. P, still has me in the system until May.

This is how Mrs. J explained her thinking to me:

Mr. M, is feeling really good, but his cancer is actually spreading. Mrs. J said that his cancer is in his brain, spine, liver and lungs. The only vital place it is not is his pancreas.

Mrs. J put it like this, "the living before you are dying syndrome". Where you have a period of feeling great right before you go down hill, fast.

She said that is why she didn't say anything to me, or call me last night about it (she had to leave early yesterday, because her daughter was sick at school), because she doesn't really expect it to happen, or if it does happen (Mrs. M coming back), that I should be prepared to be asked to come back in within a couple of days, at the most a few weeks.

I told her that I understood that all too well, since it sounds like how several people I have know that suffered from Cancer have been right at the end.

I also told her how last night I was happy for Mr. and Mrs. M, because with the way she was talking it sounded positive, but that I was going to miss "my babies" if I had to leave them. Mrs. J giggled and said "they grow on you quick don't they?" That they sure do, that they sure do.

Mrs. J also told me that she keeps telling Mr. L and Mrs. H, and Mrs. B that she feels I am not being utilized the way that they should be using me, and that she is keeping her eyes and ears open, and constantly asking her fellow teacher friends at other schools to let her know if they hear of anything coming open, because she "knows a great teacher looking for a job." Smile

Rumor mill has it that if the teacher across the hall that has been out since before Christmas, does not return next week, she will be "let go". I guess next week she will pass the ____ days of missed work (she had some surgery, I think). And is giving the school the run around about when she will return.

I know every week since I have been in the school (and for the three weeks before I started) we have heard she will be back on Monday, and then Monday rolls around and they have the sub again. Of course I have heard every week since "winter break" that if she didn't return "the next week" she would be let go, but this time it supposedly came from the "horses mouth".

The sub that was in there from Christmas until the week before the job fair, and now this week again, told me to day that I should have gone in there this week, and then I could have just walked into the job when it opens. Problem there was no one told me that the teacher wasn't not coming back, so I couldn't put the bug in Mr. L's ear about it. sigh Plus I can see where they wouldn't want to have that happen in case she did come back next week, then they would have disrupted the routine in two classes for nothing (giving both classes yet another sub.) I asked the para-pro in there why Mrs. S was encouraging me to go for that position, and not going for it herself and she said that Mrs. S already has a position for next year. sigh yet another position that "hasn't been released yet" that is already filled.

I am really surprised that none of the parents have not been up in arms in that classroom over all of the changes yet. I know if it were one of my kids in there, I would at least be asking some serious questions, about the situation. But hey its not my kid...

Jerry said that I had a phone call today from one of the other counties schools. I tried calling them back after I got home, but there was no answer. I will have to try in the morning before I go to take DJ to preschool.

Oh and speaking of DJ and preschool...

Ms. M the new teacher in his classroom said that he had a rough day again today. So I explained to her all of the changes and adjustments that he has gone through in the last year.

Jerry being "gone" for 6 months.

P, N, J and W moving in with us for 2 months.

The move here.

New school.

My working 3 jobs trying to make ends meet.

The fact that his old preschool was a much smaller class (6-8 students), and much more structured. Everyone colored, and did arts at the same time, everyone played blocks, everyone did whatever on the schedule.

I think he does better with structure, and I explained this to her. Hopefully she will start to take this into account (Ms. D never did, and knew all of this, but its worth a try.)