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| Issue 47 passed. Barely. On Tuesday night, around 11:45 P.M. it was confirmed that Issue 47 passed with 50.6% of the vote. There are still provisional ballots and the late absentees to count, but it is pretty well confirmed that Issue 47 has been successful. (Last time the late votes and provisionals gained us 100 or so votes, and we are up by 450 votes right now.) I attended my first Student Council meeting Wednesday afternoon. It was weird, but in a good way. Issue 47 restored bussing and extracurriculars to SWCS. (Busing starts November 30, according to DSC.) I am relieved and excited. I expect salary freezes at least for the next year and possibly beyond, but I'm not going anywhere. I'm just happy that the current seniors have something to look forward to. And with pay-to-play (including a $20 fee a year for activities like SC), I'm hoping we will not be in the same position for at least 4 years. It would be especially helpful if the current levy lasted at least 5 years. No, I don't want to take a pay cut, but I am willing to freeze my pay for awhile. I am anxious to see what the new school board has in mind. So, yes Tim, all of the great stuff that made GCHS worth attending has been restored. For now. In my professional opinion, it is time for all of us to rise up and demand that the State of Ohio make the change to a fair and equitable funding solution for Ohio schools. Thank you to all of you who voted "for" Issue 47. It is greatly appreciated!! The SC has decided that our annual canned food drive in December will be the most successful ever. We are determined to show the GC community that we appreciate their support. Again, thank you!! Until next time. Take care of yourselves and each other! "And I wonder if everything could ever feel this real forever?
If anything could ever be this good again?
The only thing I'll ever ask of you,
You've got to promise not to stop when I say...when." - Everlong, Foo Fighters | | |
| I didn't intend to wait this long to file another report from the front lines, but, as usual, things have a way of just happening. So, here's what I've been up to recently... Issue 47 is just a few days away. Issue 47 is the SWCS's fourth attempt in the last year to get a levy passed. They reduced the milage a little and made the levy permanent instead of just for four years. If you don't know why this is important to me and the 21,000 students in the district, then there's probably not a lot I can say at this point to make you understand. But it is important, so I'll try. If Issue 47 doesn't pass, then there will continue to be no extracurriculars and no sports. Bussing will stay at minimums, including no bussing to the high schools. In addition, the district faces an $8 million budget gap for next year. The following year, another $17 million will have to be cut. Heck, even with the passage of Issue 47, the district has pledged to make the levy last four years, which will require an additional $15 million in cuts over those four years. Already, there are decisions taking place that will help that along. Recently, all three unions agreed to a restructuring of our health insurance, which will result in about $2.5 million in savings for the district. The three unions also have agreed to pay freezes for this year, and I can see that happening again for next year. The teachers and other staff members are doing their best to help out, and we hope it will be enough to convince some members of the community to vote for the levy this time. There's a lot of positive energy out there right now, and, by my estimation, I figure the levy has about the same chances of passing this time as it did the last time, only maybe a little better. (The August levy failed by just 400 or so votes.) I think the bussing issue may have tipped some in our favor, along with the reduced milage. I think pay-to-play may also put a few more in our corner. It will all come down to the number of voters who turn out on Tuesday. I anticipate numbers similar to the August election, and I think that falls in our favor. Maybe. Who really knows? I keep hearing doom and gloom from people in the community, but I don't subscribe to that negative talk. I can't. If I allow myself to believe that this levy will fail, then I lose myself. It's that simple. If it doesn't pass, then I'll deal with it. I just can't be that person right now. I go to school every day with a positive attitude so I can be the best English teacher my students could ask for. And for the most part, the kids are staying upbeat too, despite the crappy hand they have been dealt. Sure, they miss football Friday nights, band, and so much more, but in class, they are just like every other group I've taught, if not better. No matter what happens Tuesday, they kids will be alright. It's the community I'm worried about. For SWCS's school board, we have eight candidates. Four are for the levy, and four are against it. I'll be casting votes for Cathy Johnson and Karen Dover. My last vote is still up in the air. I don't know if it will be Ed Palmer or Greg McCarty. Or maybe I'll only vote for two. We will see on Tuesday. I was one of five staff members who chose to chaperone the fall dance put on by the "student alliance" and the PTA. It cost me. Two of my good friends accused me of supporting something that I shouldn't have, and said some hurtful things. (My relationship with both of them has remained okay since the dance, but I have no way of knowing what they really feel about me since the dance.) I understand their frustrations and hope they understand why I chose to chaperone the dance. How could I face those Student Council kids next week if I didn't support them and the levy passes? I was afraid they would see me as someone who was only interested in money and not them. And the kids did a great job. Sure, there were some hiccups in the process, but it was still a success, and I'm proud of them. And it was a learning experience for the "student alliance." They heard the same complaints that I do every year. My only problem with the dance? They spent almost $1000 on a DJ that they thought would be better than anything the Student Council has ever been able to produce. My observation? The DJ played the same music we do and had even less lights/effects than we usually do. Part of me saw this as a victory. Okay, enough about school... Modern Family is a great new show from ABC that deserves your support. It's funny and has a heart at the same time. I'm also impressed with The Middle and Cougar Town. The Middle is especially hilarious. The little kid, Brick, is one of the funniest characters on TV. If you aren't watching these shows, you need to. I also recommend The Big Bang Theory, The Office, Community, Parks and Rec, and 30 Rock. All are great, funny shows. And, of course, there is the animation block on Sundays from FOX. Justin has been coming over on Wednesdays to watch the ABC comedies with me. It's a great time and helps us pass the days until Lost returns early next year. Now there's some good television... The new Brand New disc, Daisy, has continued to perplex me. Some of the songs are great, and some are....well, you know. It won't gain them any new fans, but it is solid. I'm also enjoying the Kings of Leon's newest. I literally had "Sex on Fire" going through my brain all day the other day. I know Alex doesn't like them, but damn, that song is catchy. Book club is currently reading Shadows of the Wind. It's alright, but it takes some time to get through. It is supposed to be a mystery, but so far the revelations have been coming at a snail's pace. Meh. Well, I guess that's about it. If you are so inclined, please vote for Issue 47, and if you can't vote for it, then please keep us in your prayers. We could use them. Take care of yourselves and each other. Until next time... | | |
| Today, I feel tremendously blessed. I was reminded that I have wonderful, caring co-workers. Sure, I already knew that, but today they proved it. As usual for Fridays, I went out to lunch with Marilyn, Randi and Marilyn's student observer, Dave. We went to Five Guys. (Which, by the way, has delicious burgers and fries - I highly recommend it!) I drove. We had a great lunch, but when we got back in the car to return to school, my car wouldn't start. While Marilyn "reminded" us that it was a laughable incident (we hadn't checked out with the admin), I was, of course, mortified. It seems my 12 1/2 year old car battery just wasn't up to the task. So I would like to publicly thank Kevin for picking us up and taking us back to school. Emily for arranging coverage of our classes until we could get back to school. Marilyn for covering my 8th period class so I could get back over to Five Guys to meet the AAA guy. Kris for allowing me to use her car/behemoth to get over to Five Guys and back to school. Angie for watching 90(!) kids until Marilyn, Randi and I could get back to school. And Kevin and Randi for dropping me back at my car after school. As the only single person in the dept., it is nice to know that I have friends who are willing to go the extra mile to help me out. Yes, I have family in the GC area, but not needing to depend on just them was a wonderful feeling. The AAA guy was also extremely nice, and his wife works for SWCS as a school nurse. I discovered, to my astonishment, that most car batteries last just 4-5 years. Mine held out for 12 1/2. I really can't complain. So, I have a new car battery, and I'm $125 poorer. It was well worth the price. I've been advising Student Council behind the scenes for the last few weeks. Part of me misses the whole thing (including the stress of Homecoming), and part of me is glad to have the break this year. It makes me feel very guilty, knowing what these kids are missing out on. I'm really hoping the levy in November passes so I can get back to normal. Whatever that is... Student Council took home 3rd place in the Red Cross Blood Sharing Challenge Luncheon today (for the "big" high school division). That's a drop from the previous years of 2nd place, but I'm still very pleased. With around 300 units collected, we have the potential of saving around 900 lives. That's pretty damn impressive. GCHS was featured as the "Cool School" of the week for central Ohio on Fox 28 today. We won last fall, too, making us the first school to repeat. A lot of the kids asked what we had to be cool about this year without sports and extracurriculars. I asked myself the same question, but it's clear that we are persevering, despite the deck that is stacked against us. I downloaded the new Brand New CD (Daisy) from iTunes this week. I like a few of the songs. Some others...well, it is a bit of a departure from their previous stuff. A few more listens should clear things up for me. The new TV season has finally started. Heroes was better - more down to Earth. Big Bang Theory was great, as was The Office. Community looks good, as does Modern Family. We will see if they can keep it up. The Simpsons and Family Guy start this weekend. Can't wait to see what they have in store for us. I guess that's about it. I'm reading Dan Brown's newest right now. The Lost Symbol is not nearly as good as The DaVinci Code or Angels and Demons, but its still a decent read. Take care of yourselves and each other... Until next time... "We never are what we intend, or invent." -Brand New, At the Bottom | | |
| Different. What an ambiguous word. It can imply many things. But, despite the abstract quality of the word, it is the only way for me to accurately describe the start of this school year. No sports. No Student Council (well, at least not that I'm involved with...more on that in a moment). No band. No buses. It's just different. My classes are okay. I have 5 CP4 classes this year and 1 AP3 class. The biggest change for me is the extra CP4 class. I had my usual beginning of the year exhaustion, but the biggest struggle has been to keep straight what I've told each class. I find myself forgetting to tell that last CP4 class some things because I'm convinced I already told them. Repetition is good for some things, but in teaching, it gets old fast. I mentioned Student Council above. There shouldn't be a Student Council at GCHS right now - no extracurriculars at all - but there is. And I'm not involved. From what I have gathered, a certain member of the faculty at GCHS met with some of my kids over the summer and started organizing them. He got them in touch with the administration and the PTA, then bowed out, for the most part. My SC members met several times over the summer with the admin., and I knew nothing about it. On the first day back for teachers, during our meetings, the principal announced several activities that SC was going to be doing this year. I was completely blindsided and pissed off beyond belief. (And more than a few teachers thought I was involved and were not happy about that. It's akin to crossing a picket line for a lot of teachers.) With the support of the PTA, they have a homecoming/prom/formal dance planned for Oct. 16 at the Aladdin Shrine Temple in Columbus. They also have a lot of other stuff planned, too. A lot of this is student and parent driven, but I can't help wondering if this won't work against the levy in the long run. The community is stepping up to help out with a lot of things, but I'm very afraid that a lot of people in SWCS will say, "see, we don't need to pay for this - they are doing it without taxpayer money." And, of course, the admin. and PTA supporting these moves is a slap in the face to all teachers who have worked their asses off over the years to be class and SC advisors. I personally lost $5000 because SC is gone, and I know plenty of other teachers who lost the same or more. I'm sickened by the whole thing. Teachers are threatened until they get out of the building at 4:30 each day, but these things are allowed to take place. It's not right. The thing is, though, I'm not mad at the SC kids. They are doing what the think is the right thing to make the year as bearable as possible. I was SC president my senior year, and I honestly can't say that I wouldn't be doing the same thing if this happened while I was in that position. With years of experience on the other side, I obviously have a better perspective and understanding of the situation. I know what will happen if they show the community and district leaders these things can happen without paying teachers extra for it. I'll be out of a job. Many of my colleagues have talked about not joining PTA this year. Me included. I've loyally supported the PTA every year I've been at GCHS, but I find it hard to pay for a membership in an organization that is working against teachers right now. Sigh. Nothing is ever easy... No busing for high school students has turned the parking lot into a giant clusterf***. They (the admin. and GC cops) have permanent barriers in place to flow traffic in specific directions. But you have to be careful. Because of the barriers, you can only go certain directions when you exit the parking lot. It's ridiculous. Okay, enough of that crap. On to better things... I'm currently about 2/3 of the way through Drood by Dan Simmons. It's a fictional account of the last few years of Charles Dickens's life and involves the creation of the character of Edwin Drood. It's pretty cool. I've especially enjoyed the exploration of the underworld (literally and figuratively) of London in the mid-1800s. It's worth a read. Book club is reading The Likeness by Tana French for this month. I'll tell you more about it next time. I attended Shawn and Amy's wedding a few weeks ago. It was a small, wonderful affair in Pittsburgh. I think there were only 24 or 25 people there. Alex and I made the trip together to celebrate with our friend. I wish them both the best of luck and hope they have decades of married bliss together! Congratulations! (And Shawn, we still owe you a proper bachelor party!) The fall TV season is starting soon. I'm looking forward to it, if for no other reason than it will be a good distraction from the fact that there are no football games in GC on Friday nights this year. Hell's Kitchen started another season a few weeks ago. Delicious! I'm rooting for the bald guy. It's one of the craziest seasons ever. No new music recently. Brand New has a new album hitting soon though. Can't wait for it! GC received about 5 inches of rain yesterday and last night. My mom's electricity went out and the sump pump stopped working. According to her, there was quite a bit of water that accumulated in her crawl space - she has a split level without a basement. And, of course, the sump pump stopped working after the electricity came back on. It was 37 years old, afterall. One of the neighbors has agreed to replace it and some of the pipe in the yard, rather than hire someone else to come in and do it. Since my dad moved out, 10 (?) years ago, she has been on her own, but she has done a fantastic job of keeping up with everything. I'm very thankful she has neighbors who still watch out for one another. There were no less than three neighbors who came over and helped her out. My thanks to each and every one of them. Mom also said she was up until 5 AM this morning dragging buckets of water from the crawl space to dump in the yard. I'll probably be over there tomorrow to help her drag out some of the plastic and old carpet that was used to line the crawl space. She's an amazing woman! I bought a new chair for my classroom. The old one I used at the computer had the arms duct taped on. Andrew S. (Class of 2009) came to school and picked up the old one to take to college with him. I don't understand why anyone would want that chair, but it was a comfortable, faithful part of my classroom for many years. It's the end of an era.... I also am obligated to mention my old college roommate, Jim. He sent an email threatening me that I would be "dead" to him if I didn't respond to his email and mention him in my next blog entry. Done and done. Do I get to "live" now? :) Jim lives in Chicago with his wife and two kids, and is a good friend from way back. I stayed with him and his wife years ago on my way out West, and I also visited him when I attended the best Morrissey concert I've ever been to. Some day I'll travel that way again... Well, that's about it. Take care of yourselves and one another. Until next time, my friends.... "I want to live where soul meets body
And let the sun wrap its arms around me,
And bathe my skin in water cool and cleansing
And feel, feel what its like to be new.
Cause in my head there’s a greyhound station
Where I send my thoughts to far off destinations
So they may have a chance of finding a place
Where they’re far more suited than here.
And I cannot guess what we'll discover
When we turn the dirt with our palms cupped like shovels.
But I know our filthy hands can wash one another’s,
And not one speck will remain.
And I do believe it’s true
That there are roads left in both of our shoes.
But if the silence takes you,
Then I hope it takes me too.
So brown eyes I hold you near
Cause you’re the only song I want to hear,
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere.
Where soul meets body." -Death Cab for Cutie, Soul Meets Body
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| Well, nothing much to celebrate, at least not like last time, but I guess I do have things to share. So let's get to it... The summer has been sailing along. I have two weeks (it is Monday now) until school starts. I don't know how I really feel about this. I'm usually very excited (new students, new year), but this year will be markedly different. As I'm sure you all know by now, the levy failed for the third time. It was only by 500 votes, but this is neither horseshoes nor hand grenades, so being close certainly doesn't count. I am disappointed to say the least. As many of you know, I also gave up the peer mentoring and tutoring gig and my position on TEAM. With the failure of the levy, I will also not have Student Council. This is going to be a very different year for me. For the first time since my first year at GCHS, I will only be an English teacher. Part of me is looking forward to this - with new textbooks and no distractions, I feel I can rededicate myself to being the best damn English teacher possible. The other part of me (despite my yearly pseudo-complaints on here) will truly miss Student Council. I feel terrible for those kids who were elected by their peers to serve, especially the seniors. GCHS is going to be a much different place this year. I'll let you know how it goes. I have to rave about a book right now. Book club picked The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield as its latest pick. I was reluctant at first (too much flowery language for my taste in the first 25 pages), but the end result was a page turner of a mystery. The 400 pages eventually took me two days to get through. It's not "great" literature (in my opinion), but it was a compelling read. Check it out if you like contemporary fiction. It's worth the time. See if you can figure out the mystery before the narrator. I spent the last two days without water in my apartment. The shower faucet has slowly been dripping for the last month. Sometimes a little, other times a lot. On Friday evening I decided to check it out. I turned off the water at the main valve in the apt. to see if there was something I could do to make things better. I investigated and decided that it either needs a new "cartridge" or a replacement all together. So I turned the water back on and decided to let the apt. complex know on Monday (new shower assemblies are expensive). When I turned the water back on, however, the trap primer valve decided not to cooperate. All of the water was being sent straight through it to a floor drain in the utility closet. The only choice I had was to turn off the water again. (Let me stop here and say the trap primer valve is a valve that senses pressure changes in the water flow and sometimes allows small amounts of water to travel through it to the drain to help with built up gases and the such - it is not supposed to allow the entire flow to "go down the drain," so to speak). I had no option but to shut off the water again. I tried a couple of things over the weekend to get it to stop to no avail. The last two days I have traveled to my mom's in order to shower, and I only turned on the water long enough to get a pitcher of drinking water or flush the toilet when I had to - not the best of situations. Well, anyway, when I turned on the water tonight to flush and get some drinking water, the sensor in the valve finally corrected itself. I have no idea why, but it did. I know they used some pretty cheap stuff when they built this place (I have personally replaced both bathroom faucets and the kitchen faucet because of leaks), and that evidently extends to everything they installed. Having lived here for almost 10 years, I guess some eventual break downs are to be expected. Still, it seems like they may have gone too cheap. So...I'll let them fix the shower leak and if the valve acts up again, well, that's their problem. Not mine. For now, I can shower again and use water to brush my teeth and flush. It wasn't like roughing it exactly, but it was similar. Just without the tent... I have two "classes" this week through the district. One is on web design for a personal teacher site through the district, and the other is a teacher leader class. I also have book club on Thursday. A busy week for me! Actually, not that busy, but more so than usual. I've also been cleaning out some stuff here at the apt. that has needed to go, but I just never got around to. All of my old electronics are now in the garage awaiting either a garage sale (anyone need a scanner or two?) or a time when I can take them to a recycling center. I have also boxed up old files, gradebooks, and some books that are destined for the garage. As my good friend Gwyn used to say - "cluttered house, cluttered mind." So true... I did have two exceptional dinners last week. Wednesday was dinner with Roberta and Gwyn at City BBQ on Henderson. Delicious food and great conversation! And Thursday was dinner with Jeny at Spaghetti Warehouse (our usual). It was also a great time with great conversation! I guess that's about it. Take care of yourselves and each other. Until next time... | | |
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