Bracing for Day One

Wednesday and Thursday were filled with such hope and optimism.

Then Friday hit.

My morning started off rough and involved vomit, pee, cat poop, sexual harassment from creepy men at the gas station, and Waffles trying to bring a bird that she'd caught into the house...all before seven am. A rather rough training followed, then I hid in a colleague's classroom during what I'd like to call the invasion of the kinders.  My classroom is near two different kindergarten classrooms and all the parents came in to meet the teachers and tour the school.  

I went as far away as possible on the off chance I share a sibling with one of those teachers.  See, the kinder teachers dressed up that day.  I was in a tee shirt and yoga pants, not the ideal first impression.  

Lunch was provided, which means having to bring my own lunch on Monday will be a strange adjustment!  We got a little spoiled after food for three days.

I found time to tackle a few small tasks, some laminating, and prepping the first Sunshine treat of the school year.
 
Rather heavy trainings on bullying regulations followed in the afternoon, followed by committee updates.  

Then the bombshell dropped.

I knew that fourth grade's numbers were high.  My roster on Monday had 31 names, but Thursday's had 33.  I'd already alphabetized their files, made labels for markers and data folders, set up desks, entered names in class dojo, and printed welcome letters.

I redid everything for Thursday's new additions.

But the list wasn't done.  I got more.

In fifth grade, in an inclusion room (meaning I have students with IEPs, LEPs, and in tier 3 for RTI), I have thirty five students.  If I want to buy anything for my classroom, I need three dozen.

Other fifth grade classrooms are all upwards of thirty, with two sitting at 38.  Thirty eight students.  

We're hoping there's enough funding come federal count day to get another teacher, but that's a month away. We have no room for this new teacher, so that poses an additional challenge. School starts on Monday and the district is several hundred teachers short. 


So....how do I cope with the fear of having 35 students (if not more) on Monday?

One, I tried to frame this in a positive way.  We have such a great school that everyone wants to be there.  Lucky us!  

I stayed until after six on Friday, then had errands afterward.  I got home around ten pm, so that was a very long day.  Saturday brought a {Jamberry} and make overs party, followed by Chinese food and Arizona Cardinals football.  I'll carve some time out tonight to work on craft projects for the classroom.

Tomorrow,  the day before school starts, brings a few hours in the classroom (just to be totally ready) and a hair cut before getting to bed nice and early. 

Monday will be a long day, followed by a tough conversation with someone. I don't like confrontation, but there are some things that I'm not okay with just ignoring. 

I'm bracing for day 1.  Positive vibes, people!