Nes Gadol Haya Sham

In case you are wondering, I am not playing dreydel or referring to the miracle of the oil lasting eight nights on Chanukah. I'm talking about a modern day miracle, a miracle so beyond my realm of belief that I am still wondering if it is real.

The miracle I am referring to is the miracle of working for a principal that gets it without playing gotcha. Never, in my wildest dreams would I have believed a person like this could exist.

Earlier this week I had a nasty encounter with Mr. AP. The encounter left me so angry that I spent quite a bit of time venting to Ms. APO (who I really like) and then blogging about it here, even though I knew it would be read by people in my school.

The exec board of union met with the principal yesterday and Mr. AP was discussed. I am not the only one having issues with his tone.

Today, in the beginning of my eighth period class, the principal decided to visit. He looked around said "I can't here a pin drop" and smiled. He said he heard about what happened and he wanted to talk to me. TALK, NOT CATCH ME NOT DOING MY JOB!!!! NOT TRY TO FIND SOMETHING NEGATIVE TO WRITE OR SAY!!!!! He apologized for not talking to me sooner. He knows I will be out next week so he said he will talk to me after the vacation. For the first time in my career I am not dreading talking to an administrator.

Yes, A great miracle has happened here.

Suit Free Staff Development

You need the map so you will know where to find me after a staff development day!

I was planning on posting this on the private blog but then realized, there is nothing I have to say there that I can't say here. The day wasn't as bad as I am making it out to be. Principal Hula did something I have never seen before--HE TALKED TO US, NOT AT US! No one yelled at us. No one told us what a crappy job we were doing and how we needed to do more.

The day began the usual staff development way--bagels and coffee in the cafeteria. There weren't enough benches down and Hula physically set up extra benches. Suit would have bellowed for someone else to do the dirty work.

Hula told us his background. For those who have been asking, our school lucked out. HE IS NOT FROM THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY! He's a real guy who cares about kids and helping teachers help them succeed. He talked to Joe about problems he was having because I asked him to (Jimmy was really pissed about my doing this) and he volunteered to talk to Jimmy to try to help him also. I'm giving him Jimmy's real name tomorrow because Jimmy told me today he only answers to people higher than a teacher. I know he would prefer Obama, but since Obama is busy he will have to settle for Hula.

Having a principal that is a human being is a new experience for me, something I hope I can adjust to. He told us our school report card grade, which was excellent. I worry that in order to keep the grade he will give up some of his humanity. We also heard from the AP of guidance, a woman I have liked and respected once I got to know and overcame my cynicism. Then our CC spoke. He didn't say much but did make a few jokes about Suit and his self appointed Principal Emeritus status.

Next, we had short department meetings. Nothing much to report here. Then, on to E-Chalk. E-chalk is great but time consuming. Too bad the regular classroom teacher does not have access to a computer. Heck, some of us are lucky to have access to chalk. I know, I get mine from my after school job at the college. I couldn't remember my DOE e-mail address. I only use it to do my grades and have it bookmarked at home.

From E-Chalk we went to Smart Board. Smart board will not, in my opinion, make smart kids. It is just another gimmick that might or might not work. I don't see how it is worth the time it takes to set it and get running. And, it is not that easy to learn to use. I know I am not politically correct in saying this but, DUMB IS DUMB and some kids are just incapable of learning the stuff we are being forced to teach them. No smart board, or tablet (the next workshop) is going to change that. The best technique I have found is to photo copy exams and mail them home. I make no comments. The grades say it all. The kids hate this and do tend to work harder because of this.

Our last workshop was in helping ELL kids. The woman who ran it is great. (She is not an administrator.) She is knowledgeable and bright and loves her job. She helps without preaching. She probably would have been an administrator if she did not oppose Suit at times.

The shock of the day came when Mr. AP said something nice about me. He even said he will miss me when I retire. I'm glad I was sitting down when he said this.

My biggest complaints of the day: There was still no time to talk to members of my department to see what others are up to. There was no time to share. There is still no easy access to all this technology.

School Gal Speaks

Dear Pissed Off Teacher,

You know that I will miss your blog. It is valuable and I hope you reconsider. You really didn't know other teachers from your school knew about your blog??? It only takes one teacher to spill the beans if your school is anything like mine.

Gee, Does that mean when I called your staff, Suit and AP "Idiots" I was doing it to their faces!!!! I hope so!!!!

You have nothing to worry about because you spoke the truth.

So please take the next few weeks to listen to any feedback. I am sure some of the readers who are emailing you are from your school and were grateful, mainly because they had no backbone, that you were expressing what they were
feeling.

And, if you do decide to begin a new blog, I hope you invite me.

Thanks,
Schoolgal

Of course Schoolgal was added immediately. I am a big fan of her comments.

I had a conversation with Principal Hula about this blog today. He told me not to stop writing, that he has thick skin and can take it. Besides, he said he learns from reading. He really seems okay. I will keep writing here but will not include anything that can be incriminating about anyone in my building.

I've been teaching a long time and I have never met an administrator I liked and truthfully, I still don't trust anyone in a suit and he does wear one 4 days a week! I think I will tread carefully.

Nothing has been posted on the new blog yet. That is a good sign. If I decide to make this my last year at least it will end on a high note.

Cover Is Blown

(one of two girls doing their homework in a nearby fast food place--cropped to hide names and faces)

The faculty meeting went off as scheduled. Principal Hula (formerly known as Mr. New) was true to his word. He took the questions from the staff and answered them. Many of his answers were the kind a politician would give, but they were answers nevertheless. He said he really cared about what we thought and wanted and he wanted to be the kind of leader that helps. He sounded sincere, and, I can't believe I am writing this but, I actually like him. I know we are still in the honeymoon period and it is natural for things to get a bit rocky when we move to the next stage of our relationship but, I LIKE THIS GUY!!!! I think I can even work with him. I had no desire to read a book, listen to my I-pod or ring my cell phone non stop. Now, liking is not the same as trusting. He is still an administrator and an administrator's agenda can be total opposite of that of a teacher's. My trust is something that is not given in a day, a week or even a year.

Waiting for the meeting to start, one teacher comment on Principal Hula's shirt and suggested that we take a picture and mail it to ex-Principal Suit. Hula saw me taking the picture and came over to ask me if I was taking it for this blog. My cover is blown! My face turned the brightest red. He knows my feelings about Suit and Mr. AP and all the other things that drive me crazy in this place. He told me to talk to him about any issues I have. He already stopped the announcements and lowered the music on my request. I'm going to be careful. I'm considering making this an invited only blog or starting a new one. Or, maybe I will just quit writing.

Mr. Hula doesn't want or need my advice but, since I am older, more experienced and have one foot out the door, I am going to give it here:

1. Respect your staff, the entire staff. Everyone here performs a valuable service, from the custodian to the kitchen lady, to the school aides, to the paras, to the security staff, to the teacher, to the assistant principals. You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Suit never got this and as a result, many people, including myself, stopped doing as much as we used to do.

2. Listen and consider what people have to say to you. You are the boss and all final decisons are yours. Some of us have valuable ideas. Just consider them and if you reject these ideas do it based on intelligent reason, not on ego. Suit never got this either and as a result many of the programs he started did not work.

This blog was started to get out the frustrations caused by Suit's faiure to follow these simple premises. I needed an outlet and got one here.

As of today, nothing negative will be written about Packemin HS, at least not on this blog. Sorry, it is about to become very boring. Anyone who has been following it and would like the dirt is welcome to become an invited reader on my new blog, Packemin HS, the Blog.

No Interruptions

We made it through parent teacher evening with no announcements over the PA system.

On another note, Suit tried to change our C-6 assignments. We fought him but he would not give in. He left without making any decisions. The new principal took our side and lt them stand as they were!

I think I might actually like this new principal.

Q & A Session

Mr. New left a note informing the staff that there will be a faculty meeting tomorrow before parent teacher conferences. The note was sweet. It invited us to come and ask him questions. The tone of the note was inviting.

Mr. New asked us to leave questions for him in his mailbox. Not being a shy one, I decided to take him up on his offer and left him the following. I look forward to his answers.

October 23, 2008

Dear Mr. New,

As you are probably aware, Principal Suit made sure that everyone who passed the Integrated Algebra Regents or the Math A regents in June and had gotten a 55 in the class had their grades reversed. All these students are now taking MG 21 (geometry).

Many of these students are failing miserably. They lack the skills needed to succeed and have trouble with basic concepts. As their teacher, it is breaking my heart to see how many are not succeeding. I gave a test on Tuesday and mailed copies of 28 (out of 60) papers home because the grades were so low.

I would like to know how you are going to help us address this problem. Going slow does not seem to be the answer, as I have been doing that.

I also hope that you can address the issue of computer access for teachers. The library only has four computers available for teacher use. Yesterday, the printer was not working. Today, only two computers were working. It is very upsetting to spend the better part of a prep period waiting for a machine or working on one only to find that you cannot print out what you need.


Thank you very much for taking the time to deal with this issue.

Sincerely yours,

Ms. POd
Math Dept

Mr. New Seems To Be On Target

Suit pushed a lot of kids into the second term of math B although they either failed or never took the first term. He only cared about pushing them ahead so our school would get a better grade.

Billy is one of those kids. It took Billy three years to pass the first year of algebra. Billy was not doing well in the class and his teacher wanted to put Billy in a more appropriate class. Suit said "NO."

Billy's teacher went to Mr. New (new principal) and made the same request. Mr. New said "Well, what does Billy want to do?" I think this guy might be okay! He actually cares about what the kids want and what is best for them.

Not The Worst

Mr. P said "Suit is not the worst principal around." That was easy for him to say because he wasn't being targeted for career ruination. I'm not being targeted either but my eyes are open. I see what is happening to my colleagues. I see what he has done to others. He goes to arbitration at the DOE and lies. The arbitrators believe him because "He is a principal. He always speaks the truth." I know of a person languishing in a rubber room somewhere because he would not bow down the the Suit's demands and he refused to wear a tie. Suit made up things to destroy this guys reputation and credibility.

Anyone who deliberately sets out to destroy another person is wicked. Maybe there are others more wicked but evil is evil and whether he was not the worst around does not excuse or condone his behavior.

The new principal was an assistant principal in a high school in another borough. I don't know if he was a leadership academy person or not. I'm still reserving judgement on him. I'd like to think that there might be at least one decent administrator out there.

Principal Update

We have a new principal, but Suit is still roaming the halls like he is king. He's still on the loudspeaker and he is still coming to the cafeteria to get his free lunch. The only difference now is that he is collecting his pension and earning lots of extra money on the side. One of the school aides told me he plans on being around for three months. She was told to set up a mail box for the new principal right next to his.

Suit's retirement party is next week. All the little suck ups are lining up to go. Some are swearing up and down that he was a great principal. I can come up with lots of reasons why he was the absolute worst one we ever had but two reasons come to mind. One, he is close minded. He sees things his way and his way alone. He is not open to new ideas or any ideas that conflict with his. Second, he does not respect other people. He looks down his nose at school aides, cafeteria workers, security guards and teachers. He thinks nothing about berating anyone, anywhere and anyhow.

Yesterday I asked the new principal to cut down the announcements. He said he would. Today I asked him to lower the music between periods. He also said he would. I don't want to be a thorn in his side, but I want some better working conditions. Suit might still be around but he is no longer in power. I hope this guy is strong enough to take the reigns and put this guy in his place.

In other news, the little suck ups are already starting. Two of the sweet young things were already bringing a welcoming plant to the new guy. I'm sure it is going to be an interesting year.

Possibly A Ray Of Sunshine

I met the new principal today. I was happy to see that he was not wearing a suit. He's young (probably 40). He seems nice and not too full of himself but only time will tell.

I heard him say that he is not going to make too many changes. That was my opening.

"New Principal, the announcements are too long and too often. This morning they were disturbing to my AP students taking a test. In the afternoon, my class is difficult and the lengthy announcements make it even more difficult." To which he replied, "I agree. If things don't change please speak to me again in a few weeks."

Maybe there is some hope.