School

[flygirl813126]

I am not sure that anyone wants to see a post with this title yet, but here goes anyway. I went into my school yesterday to meet my principal (who is new to the building), attempt to pick up my curriculum, see my classroom, etc. Well it made for a bit of an interesting morning. When I got there I recieved paperwork to fill out, oh joy. I brought it back home with me since I didn't want to do it right then. And no, it wasn't my contract because I can't sign a contract yet since the district hasn't finalized negotiations....the prinicipal told me not to worry about it, it should be done soon and there isnt any major disagreements on the contract so we should have it before school easily. He seems to be very nice. He asked if I had seen the entire school, and then took me on a tour. We looked in the 6th and 7th grade science rooms, since he wasnt sure that we would be able to get into mine, the floor had just been waxed. The sixth grade room was nice with lots of storage along the walls. The 7th grade room still needed to have work done. Apparently the teacher last year, who was a new teacher, did not have any discipline at all. The students literally took apart shelves and destroyed some of the lab tables. The teacher had to be removed from the lab and put into a traditional classroom. Which leads me to the fact that the 7th grade science teacher officially turned in her resignation yesterday. So, nobody to ask what they learned last year, and nobody in 8th for me to see old lesson plans, ideas, etc. Then we get to my room. Along the way I am informed that the self-contained special ed students are mainstreamed only for science. This was true where I student taught as well, and I was told that for any class with a special ed presence their would be someone else in the classroom with me. When we got to my class he opened the door, and decided that the wax wasnt too wet, so he took off his shoes and wandered around the room telling me about it while i stayed in the doorway. I don't have all the wonderful storage of the 6th grade room, but it is in one piece unlike the 7th. I have a chemical room, since I teach science, but it was locked so we didn't get in yesterday. I have been warned that it looks like an earthquake occurred in there, though. We couldn't find my textbooks, but the superintendent is going to get ahold of the warehouse and see if they got sent there when the teacher left. After the "tour" of my room we went back to teh office and he introduced me to the secretaries. They gave me my "curriculum" which is literally one sheet of paper, front only, of major things that I must hit for the entire year. The principal suggested going online to see state standards and benchmarks because that should give me more of an idea. So now I am feeling completely overwhelmed with no real clue of what I am going to be teaching in 3 weeks.

Sorry this is so long. Once I got started it just kinda came.
btw, school colors are blue and yellow. Go Bulldogs.