Another week about over

The 1st quarter of school ended yesterday. Today is an inservice day. :( I'm not really excited. We are doing something with curriculum mapping, I think. I don't know. No one really knows what we're doing. It seems to be the story of my life, well as far as school is concerned. It's been the goofiest month. I have had a week free of run-ins with the principal. That's a nice thing, even if I do hold my breath every time my classroom door opens. Life isn't fun when you have a bully for an administrator. I don't really feel like the superintendent is doing that great a job either. Oh well. 1/4 of the school year is over with. I'm so glad. I've started my job search for next year. I'm looking for a music job in Alaska. It'll be easier for me to move within Alaska than moving back to the lower 48. I'd like to stay in Southeast, but we'll see what happens. My boyfriend has mentioned several times that I could move to Anchorage, which is where he is. I wouldn't really mind that. It would be nice to see him more often, seeing him every three months has it's challenges. I've concluded that no matter what happens next year, I'll be fine. I'm either going to find a music job and work full-time, or sub/drive a bus and go to grad school. Regardless of what I do, I'll make it.
In non work related news, sort of, it's another frying Friday. My parents bought me a deep fryer for my birthday. Last Friday Jodie, the new high school english teacher, and I deep fried halibut and homemade french fries. It was totally awesome. The deep fryer is probably the BEST GIFT EVER!!! (I probably said that about my KitchenAid when I got that). So we are going to deep fry some food again tonight. There is nothing more stress relieving (at the moment) then cranking up the music and deep frying some stuff. Jodie and I had an awesome time last Friday and I'm sure we'll have a good time this today. I love good food and good company.
One last note about work (I feel that work is mostly tri-tones, sorry music nerd alert) my student did make it to Honors Festival. I'm pretty sure she had a good time. From what I hear everything went well, but everyone noticed that I wasn't there.
I'm off to go work on grades and sit in inservice.

Drama, drama, drama

That should explain it all. All there seems to be in my life is drama. Ok, that's not completely true. My personal life is just wonderful. My friends aren't causing me stress, neither is my boyfriend (thankfully when I talk to him it relieves the stress). The drama is all just work related. I feel there is a witch hunt and I'm the witch. It all started when the high school principal decided I didn't need to go to Honors Festival. He felt I'd be missing too much time. Not only do I have a student going but I have responsibilities there too. Obviously that's not really important. That drama is still going on and Honors fest is next week. I was pretty much told that they felt that it was too hard to find a sub for me. What?????
Last Tuesday I had my first formal observation by the high school principal. What a joy. NOT! At least he sent me an email about it the day before. (I really hope that the elementary principal does my second observation). I had my meeting with the principal on Thursday, because I used a sick day on Wednesday (stupid fever and headache). Apparently I'm too nice and friendly, and I give too much praise. Huh????? *I raised an eyebrow at this* (I really don't get it). Then the conversation turned back to Honors fest (let's beat that one to death some more). He went on about how it is done is Oregon (where he's from) and on and on and on. Wait, I thought I lived in Alaska....when did we become Oregon. When did what works there work here? This is Southeast Alaska, nothing is the same here as it is anywhere else outside of Alaska.
Then went on and on and on about something not related to him at all. Sorry last time I checked I had an elementary principal. So the high school principal has nothing to do with the k-6 end of my job, but he seems to think he does. Then he went on about my numbers and how I couldn't blame the schedule. HELLO!!!! I can blame the schedule, there about 10 students that can't be in the music program during the regular school day because of the scheduling. I see most of these kids after school on my own time. I also explained how I have no feeder program at the elementary and how I've been trying to get one for as long as I've been her, but that's been shot down too. Does he not realize the amount of work that I do as one person. Apparently not. Anyway, then he told me how the school board and administration are not happy with me and if my numbers aren't up by the semester they are going to terminate me. What!?!?! I don't even know where to start with that one. That's a big thing to speak for the school board, considering from what I hear the school board likes me. Also, I can't control my numbers. Hello the schedule!!! I have a year long contract, they can't terminate me without buying me out. (unless I'm doing something illegal I suppose which I'm not) Now if they really want to get rid of me then why don't they just buy me out now and let me go somewhere else. Don't worry the union is involved in this. I'm telling you witch hunt. The only reason I go to my job is to work with the wonderful kids that I see everyday. I really like the students. My job can be a lot of fun, it's also a lot of work. I keep looking for the positive in life. One last little negative note, I don't know if the pep band is going to Regionals or if the band and choir are going to Music Fest.
On a positive note, I'm going to the National Orff Conference in Milwaukee in November. I'm taking my personal days to go because more school drama. I'm going to spend 3 1/2 days in Anchorage visiting the wonderful man in my life that I haven't seen since the beginning of August. Then I fly to Chicago to stay with my family (and drive my car) for the duration of the conference. It's going to be a little hectic but the Orff Conference is always fun. I'm looking forward to the time off. Everything else is going pretty well. We've had some great rainbows here. I've got some great teacher friends and great other friends. I wish I got to see everyone more often. I'm planning a road trip for the summer to drive my car from Illinois to Alaska. By then I will have lived two years without it and I think that I will probably need it by then. We'll see what happens.

Why am I so tired?

I haven't figured out why I'm so tired. I've been getting plenty of sleep. I got up early yesterday morning to finish getting things ready for my birthday. I had some friends over for soup and cake. I made a ton of potato soup. Almost literally. I cut up about 10lbs of potatoes, 3 onions, 1lb of bacon, and 7 cans of evaporated milk. We didn't even make it to the second pot of soup last night so I took a pot of soup over to a friend of mine. I also made bread, pound cake, and red devils food cake. It was awesome. I have lots of leftovers. I'm ok with that.
I don't feel any older, usually. It was funny yesterday when the kids kept trying to guess my age. My birthday got put in the school bulletin, so I think everyone knew. It was hilarious. I had two students yesterday who also had birthdays, so we sang to them. It was also the superintendent's birthday so I took the choir to go sing to him.
It was a fun time.
Work seems to be going well this week. I have tons of stuff I need to get done though. We start pep band rehearsals tomorrow, I have songs to finish arranging for the band, I can't find my copy of Finale, and the list goes on. This also includes that fact that I have homework that I need to do before I get really far behind. Oh wait, I already am behind.

Where did September go?

Holy cow the last month has totally gotten away from me and I don't know where this one is going either. Where exactly did September go? All I can figure is work got into full swing, my classes have kept me busy, and I don't know what else has happened. I go to work everyday and I'd love to say it's better than last year, but I don't know if it is. I still have no elementary curriculum, my schedule is insane, and I'm taking two classes. Well I'm technically taking three classes. Two of them are for my Alaska certificate, the other is a graduate level class that was part of inservice week. So I technically have 9 credit hours, and my classes are starting to kick my butt. I don't know if this was a good idea to take all of this. I'm sure that I'm busier this year than I was last year. I thought your second year of teaching was supposed to be a little easier than your first. I don't think that was ever referring to life here. I'm on my 3rd high school/middle school principal and my 2nd elementary one. I'm not sure how I feel about either. (This is my second year at this school). I hate turning in lesson plans every week. I also really dislike when teachers decide to change their schedule and don't tell you about it till the day that they've decided that they are coming to see you. I'm not that hard of a person to find. I'm always in my classroom and all the teachers have email. Angry face.
Until Thursday of this past week, there has been no phone in my classroom. Thus no way to get a hold of me. It's very exciting and I'm sure not legal. Thursday I was brought a school cell phone, that I now need to keep track of and make sure that everyone who needs my number has it. At least it's better than nothing.
I can't believe how busy and tired I am. Holy cow. Well that's life I guess. I don't even feel like I'm keeping my head above water anymore. I also can't find my copy of Finale and I need to arrange the Christmas music for my band. I also have pep band rehearsal starting this Thursday. It seems to always be one more thing.
I hate to start rumors, but I'm pretty sure that I won't be coming back to Met next year. I'd rather be in a place where the administration supports the program. I don't feel like I have any support at all. I don't know where I'll go yet, but I'd like to stay in Alaska. If I don't find a job up here, I'll probably go to grad school full time. That will be a hard adjustment again. I have lots of faith that things will work out how they are supposed to. Who knows maybe things will change significantly here, I doubt it but hope springs eternal.
Oh and there was the best rainbow Friday. That's the picture up at the top.