I still love my work...

 This is a follow up to my post from yesterday...I need some advice, some counseling, some consoling and then I need to share about my awesome kiddos!!

I do love my work...I like my work directly with students, I do not like the bureaucracy that has become education!

CRAY CRAY things are going on in my school district...I cannot make this stuff up!!!

First of all, a new facilities plan had to be drawn up due to closing of some really old elementary schools.  So the first plan built us a new high school and proposed to close one of the two middle schools and combine them into one mega middle school.  This first plan closed two elementary schools and combined them into one.  This called for the closing of 4 more smaller elementary schools at the end of this year, remodeling both the old middle school buildings and turning them into new elementary schools.  This is the plan we started the year with.  Are you lost yet?  I was at this point last year...

NOW we have a new plan...This one makes a little more sense to me and I like it a lot, especially for my own children.  Our elementary schools are down to four buildings and they are all now configured for grades k-4...The next level in one of the old middle school buildings is a grade 5-6 intermediate school (middle school prep experience with and elementary feel).  The next step in our children's academic career is the middle school grades7-8 where its traditional middle schools experience.  And the last stop in this train of Clark County KY education is the high school grades 9-12.  I voted for this plan, I spoke in front our local board of education in support of this plan.  I like how this walks our preteens in baby steps through some really tough emotional milestones.  This configuration of grades gives our county two tested grades (at least) at each level.  

HERE IS WHERE THE TRAIN SEEMS TO DERAIL...I went to a redistricting committee meeting last night.  OMG, the numbers are totally changing at each elementary school and the district lines are now completely different.  I have been fortunate enough to teach in my children's district, NOT ANY MORE...My kids will now have to get permission to come to school with me and my oldest is starting K next year.  That was a hard pill to swallow.  Plus, the community where my road is located, I have spent 14 years developing relationships with parents, students and futures students and now those will be severed...because these kids will be bussed right by their old school to a school further away.  

Here is the worst part of this whole thing.  We are going from seven principal this school year, to six principals next year...today all our principals were informed they were being demoted to classroom teachers next school year and would have to reapply for their jobs.  Teachers had to choose two schools they would want to work at and two grade levels they would like to teach. We all chose to stay put to be with our principal!   We had no idea that this would happen and now we are left hanging in the wind with no clue who will be our leader...Anger, despair and woe spread across the elementary and middle schools like wildfire this afternoon...I just don't know how to feel right now!!!  Our school decision making councils are dissolved which traditionally chose the principal so we have NO SAY...Our superintendent is making the decisions, no one is sure who will be on the committee that interviews...the positions are being opened to anyone...AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH  I just want to pull my hair out.  Change can be good, but this it too much!  There is going to be much prayer involved in this one!  

Now, for my good news.  I love my job for this reason.  Yesterday I had a student face time my ipad for some homework help.  He was S-T-R-E-S-S-I-N' about the homework before school and was almost in tears.  I told him to just call me and we would work it out.  He was at home working on his homework and sent me a facetime chat at around 5:30  We worked through the hard part of his homework in about 5 minutes.  He then texted me later to get permission to do an assignment in the morning.  He did not ask his parents, he asked me!!!  He is not the only one either, another one of my students asked permission to do an assignment in the morning  I almost always so no because they just want to get out of doing it that night and don't want to try.  I have children who stay in contact with me during the home hours about homework or other things that go on outside of school.  The asking my permission has cracked me up though!   So in reference to all my district level craziness...I love my work but am not loving the bureaucratic state that my district seems to have become.  This too shall pass and I just need to listen to God and let him be the guide.  

Thanks for letting me vent...If any of your out there have been through anything like this, I would like to hear from you!  Please leave me a comment and some support...I need some strong shoulders to lean on!