It’s not an accurate depiction of what I’m going to write, but it is apropos …

When I left Weston High in 2012 it was not at the traditional end of the year, it was at the conclusion of the first quarter. When Sue left Greenwich High in 2020, it was also not at the end of the school year but at almost the same point as I did 8 years earlier. There were a lot of reasons for both of us to exercise that option at that point, more than I need to detail here, however it was kind of like the title says.

This time I’m writing with us both having ended a traditional school calendar this past June. I stumbled onto All Saints back in early 2013 and spent the next 8 years having a blast there. Sue, when she left GHS, was offered a position there and it was a nice easy transition from the tumult that was GHS. The rapid sale of the house put us in a position to fully retire and now, here we are in South Carolina, furnishing and arranging a brand new home and getting used to the changes.

I’ve been very interested in the “back to school” stories, posts and exchanges with friends, former colleagues and just reading things and I can honestly say, not ONE single time have I felt any pangs of sadness about not returning to the classroom. I had a magical 47 year run and most of my friends to this day are the result of that, I enjoyed each day in the classroom, I’m still in touch with many former kids (now no longer “kids” though that’s relative I suspect).

The thing that has struck me most is how, now, I can look at the various stories and posts about returning to school “convocations” with real clear eyes…The Admins are always touting how “The teachers are looking forward to sharing their goals and expectations for your children with you…” this when talking about the dog and pony shows that are always “Back to School” nights. [btw, that quote above is taken verbatim from a school message to parents]

So let’s talk about these events….The always take place after a full day of instruction, usually go late into the evening, sometimes over multiple evenings so the parents don’t have to walk too far from a crowded parking area, then there is at least one more day in the week of full instruction [now many districts arrange these nights earlier in the week so it comes down to multiple days of instruction]. Truth be told, I always enjoyed the night, I saw it as my 10 minutes to read the room and to put myself on full display, for the past 41 years I led off by passing along pix of my own kids with the opening line “I have to look at your kid(s) for 180 days, the least you can do is ohhh and ahhh over mine for 2 minutes”…always the best icebreaker…and always well received, (even parents where I had multiple years of their kids would come and ask to see updated pix of my kids). Even at that, getting home usually after 9 pm (having been up most days since 5 am, commuting to school teaching a full day, going home to get my kids dinner, then going back, then driving home) I was all hyped up from the needed energy to do a good job so there was very little sleep (if any) thus the annoyance at having to do more days of full instruction always wanting to be at the top of my game. I know many colleagues dread the evening for many reasons, mostly due to the drain. What amuses me to this day is the Admin attitude making their usually presumptive Admin statements about what “teachers are excited about”…as if most of them really had any clue at all…Not ONE time in 47 years, not ONCE, was I ever asked about how I felt, or what I was going to do, or did I have any suggestions for how to make it work better…NOPE we were ALWAYS informed that it was a “contractual obligation” and that was that…Parents told we are “excited” but the grunts given a different message…not one of “hey here’s why this is a good program or a good idea” nope….It is an OBLIGATION, that is how it is put forth.

Team work?? another lie…there is No ADMIN in TEAM….there is a big D for Dictation and Direction but there is no team on their part…[again, once upon a time at GHS way, way back there were a bunch of leaders who actually did value the staff and actually did their best to make it a team but that was very long ago and like “free form radio” didn’t last when the bean counters and status climbers begin to mount the administrative positions. I was very fortunate to have worked for a few such folks…my second year at GHS (1982 if you’re interested) I was confused and worried about a few things, I called the district math dept coordinator who listened patiently to all my questions and concerns…his reaction: “hey, I hired you because I trusted you, figure it out and get back to me with not the problems but the solutions”…lest you think that he was putting off the responsibility, it was quite the opposite, he was sending the message that I was free to come up with reasonable solutions and if I was wrong we would then talk it out and fix it together…THAT simply does not happen and has not happened for a very long time. Now broad stroke statements are made on behalf of folks with very little consultation (usually none).

So…we come to the end of this chapter on a rainy day in SC (thus the desire to write since there’s not much else going on..) with a smile and a real excitement for how I can watch and listen to what’s going on and to not be told what to do any longer….though I do miss passing along pix of my kids (and for the past almost 10 years, my grandkids)….

If you’re reading this and headed to a BTS night….just smile and listen to what’s going on. If you’re reading this and have to “perform” at a BTS night, embrace it and enjoy it…it’s an administrative “obligation” but it truly is your 10 minutes to make friends and to read the room…and feel free to pass along pix of your kids….it’s part of the human connection that makes the job so very much fun