Interesting, isn't it (and scary) - just how quickly things can change, and you find yourself thinking 'wow, I really didn't see THAT coming'.
Last day of Term and I get called to the Principals office, with the usual cackles from students and 'You're in trouble, Miss Shelagh'. (Turns out they may have been right...)
Our new Principal informs me he wants me working from the Front Office area, as back up for Reception and the SAMS operator, plus doing the newsletter & Good News Stories as well as anything else that needs doing. He was VERY clear that I wasn't losing my job, however. Out of all those - Reception is the one I definitely don't want to be doing.
When asked who was going to do my jobs in the Library area, his comment was 'someone else'. Helpful not at all, and on my querying him, he agreed he didn't see the Library as any sort of priority. Harsh but probably fair, given the climate in the school, let alone in general society.
I pointed out all the other things I did, from that area - but no dice. 'Pack up and clear out your personal possessions - he would hate to accidentally throw out something that belonged to me'. Oh - and there were other options, canteen, classroom support - the job at the Public Library, if I preferred!!
Right up until that moment, I had been taking everything he said at face value - I know how short staffed we are, and are going to be. Aside from Reception duties, everything else he planned for me to do, could still be done from the Library area - while I still continued to manage the laptop bookings/iPads/AV equipment & loans, babysitting the study room area for the Distance Ed students, proof reading assignments and locating requested information for Senior students & teachers, management of the TV4ED system...
But .. the comment about the job at the Public Library? Where did that come from, if he was genuine about his reasons for moving me?? And where does that actually leave me?
So - I'm currently looking into taking my Study Leave - which would mean they can pay for me NOT to go to school for about 12 months, then there's 6 months Long Service Leave - by then, retirement, I guess. But after 26 years - it stings! And even more so as I don't know why this is his plan - or what it is that I have/haven't done. I talked about retiring last year - when everything was so volatile and there were so many issues with staff and leadership, so maybe it's come back to bite me? Or maybe the Universe is saying 'here, this way'?
If I do go down the study leave path - I doubt that anyone is going to be thrilled at picking up all the extra jobs I currently do - but I guess he has a plan? At least, I hope so!
Anyway - we lost 2 of our new teachers at the end of the term, and the other is hanging on by a thread. I think our Special Ed teacher is finding Tennant a hard place to be as well. We have an assistant Principal coming in week 5, with a second one in week 8. It looks like a possibility that we will have 2 or 3 new teachers to start the term off - and maybe they'll last. The kids are more feral than usual - but they've had so many staff changes, that they are just not in the mood to deal with it, any more. (Maybe it really is time to bail??)
