Monday, March 12, 2007
Goodbye, Cruel Winter
I have to admit that I'm probably speaking too soon. Snowdrifts, dirty and scowling, the size of dump trucks, still dominate the parkingscapes of plazas and malls. I still must scrape my windshield in the mornings or remember to leave on my defroster so I can use my remote starter. A nor'easter may still pummel us happily. Spring, nevertheless, peeks coyly down on us in the mornings, thanks to an early dose of daylight savings time.
At 7:30 this morning, the halls filled with kids as usual. What was unusual was the pace. This morning our middle school looked like the mall on senior citzens' day: jam-packed...no one really going anywhere, instead turning slowly in a circle, looking cranky, confused, disheveled, people occasionally demanding things rudely or complaining: "Hey, you didn't say there was a test, Mister!" "Are you kidding me???!!" "I hate my bus driver."
Our state assessments are this week. They begin tomorrow. I have lost an entire week of instruction due to weather, and, in addition to that, I've lost my second period class for all or at least part of the period 10 times easily due to assemblies, feel-good mentoring classes, two-hour delays, among other things. They may have missed a month of instruction all told.
Recently we were indoctrinated in security measures for this week. We had to sign papers avowing that we duly understand the measures to be taken to insure the integrity and validity of the assessments. People from The State may be paying visits to quiz us on said security measures, what adaptations can be made for students with disabilities, how to allow restroom breaks, how to correctly shuttle a student needing more time to an appropriate testing area, what to do in case a student dares to voice an original thought or show the slightest interest in learning. Principal Stan feels that we have a better than average chance of actually experiencing such security checks because of our recent award and our district's high scoring elementary schools. He did, thankfully, promise to put up one hell of a fight if anyone tries to enter rooms while our students are trying to concentrate. The man does have one hell of a set of balls (which will keep him from rising any higher in school administration), so he means it.
At 7:30 this morning, the halls filled with kids as usual. What was unusual was the pace. This morning our middle school looked like the mall on senior citzens' day: jam-packed...no one really going anywhere, instead turning slowly in a circle, looking cranky, confused, disheveled, people occasionally demanding things rudely or complaining: "Hey, you didn't say there was a test, Mister!" "Are you kidding me???!!" "I hate my bus driver."
Our state assessments are this week. They begin tomorrow. I have lost an entire week of instruction due to weather, and, in addition to that, I've lost my second period class for all or at least part of the period 10 times easily due to assemblies, feel-good mentoring classes, two-hour delays, among other things. They may have missed a month of instruction all told.
Recently we were indoctrinated in security measures for this week. We had to sign papers avowing that we duly understand the measures to be taken to insure the integrity and validity of the assessments. People from The State may be paying visits to quiz us on said security measures, what adaptations can be made for students with disabilities, how to allow restroom breaks, how to correctly shuttle a student needing more time to an appropriate testing area, what to do in case a student dares to voice an original thought or show the slightest interest in learning. Principal Stan feels that we have a better than average chance of actually experiencing such security checks because of our recent award and our district's high scoring elementary schools. He did, thankfully, promise to put up one hell of a fight if anyone tries to enter rooms while our students are trying to concentrate. The man does have one hell of a set of balls (which will keep him from rising any higher in school administration), so he means it.
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I haven't smoked for almost one month. I didn't even feel like it a couple of weeks ago when our staff took a trip to a casino. I'm getting better at gambling. I lost half as much, but played longer! Yay me! (I don't think I'm proficient yet, though. I think I need remediation. I'm still a gambler "left behind.")
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This Friday many of our staff, Mrs. Snow included, will trudge over to a bar a few doors down from our school, a bar where they serve a sandwich you can't refuse, and celebrate the end of a cruel winter, the cold, cold season of testing.
# posted by Chrissy Snow @ 3/12/2007 01:53:00 PM 
