Today at 3pm I get an email from the current principal that "the evil one" has completely screwed up the schedule. Now this has been one of my main jobs the last 4 years. She hasn't asked for my help, my input, nothing. It's a very intense process that takes months. We generally start in March. She just started last week and said that it was so easy. We usually send out polling forms and course catalogs to all the students and they write down their classes and electives for the upcoming school year, she didn't do it. She just was doing her own thing and going by last years schedule with her "improvements".
The next step once we get all the info, Is I enter all the data into our computer program. That's 650 students times 20+ choices. That let's us know how many sections of each class we will need to offer. So if there are 60 kids that want Art 1 that means we need to offer 2 sections to fulfill their wishes and so on and so forth.
Then we take that info,and start placing all these magnets with each class written on them on a huge schedule board. Once we get it all figured out making sure there aren't any conflicts (or as few as possible) I then get to put all that info into the computer program.
I have to put in the time, the room number, the class and the teacher for each class. We are on a trimester system with 5 classes a day. So it's a shit load of info to put in and I have to do it while I also do my job. It takes focus and concentration. You can't screw up or you could have 2 teachers in one room or the same class twice and so on. It's one of the reasons we start the process the week before spring break which is the last week in March.
Then we start computer simulations where the program starts putting students in classes. After a few runs, we see where we are at. It will let us know where the conflicts are etc. we then make adjustments and do it again. This goes back and forth until we get as many as we can to schedule by computer...usually 1/2 to 2/3. Then the rest have to be done by hand.
Well, the principal told me in this email, that it's now going to be my job to get it done by the end of school...WTF? We have 15 school days left. We have senior check out next week. That takes me a whole day. I have to go in to each of their transcripts and mark graduated and put in the date. That's another day. We have the day of graduation, which is an all day ordeal, plus I have to work it that night (usually until 10 pm) and then go to work the next day.
Then we have the rest of the student body check out day. I have to print out all the report cards, stuff and mail them. Then I have to print out all the seniors transcripts and send them to all the colleges of their choice, after signing and putting our official seal on each and every one. I have to pull all the seniors files to put into storage to make room for all the incoming freshmen. I have several reports I have to run for the district office and the state board of education.
I don't know how I am supposed to do it. The stress I am feeling right now is crushing. Working at a maximum security prison sounds like a walk in the park. What the hell do I do you guys? I'm afraid that this has been her plan all along to give me the final up the ass. Do I bust my ass and get it done no matter what to just show everyone I can do it. Or do I just do what I can and if it doesn't get done, oh well.
Any advice would be awesome.
Showing posts with label help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label help. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
No longer circling the drain...
I've been pretty down in the dumps of late, but the drugs finally kicked in and I'm feeling a lot better. I did something a couple of days ago, that made me feel fabulous and wish I could do it as a job. Anyway, I over hear this teenage boy talking about how his life is just out of control. There is just too much to do and not enough time to do it. I could hear the pain in his voice, he was crying and I knew he was at that point...you know the point where you feel like there is no way out? That life is just going to keep screwing with you and you'll never feel on top of it again? I know that feeling and I knew I had to help.
So I took him into my office and I said, "How do you eat an elephant"? And he just looked at me. I said "One bite at a time". So I got out a piece of paper and said tell me what's going on. He said he just found out he's failing 2 of his core classes that he needs to graduate. The prom is coming and he's broke. His car is broke down. There is some drama with the sport he plays between him and his coach. His parents are on his back. Graduation is in 4 weeks. etc.
So I said okay, let's take these one at a time. The most important is your grades. Because if you don't pass those classes you won't graduate and that will set a whole bunch more stuff in motion. I told him there isn't school on Thursday (conferences) but we will all be here. Come to school and work all day long on catching up. Ask the teachers if there is some stuff you can do for extra credit. Teachers love it when a student shows ambition and is really trying. Then I asked about his vehicle. He said it was a Ford and tada, guess what? My husband works at a Ford dealership. I called him, explained what was going on and put the student on the phone. Long story short, my husband is getting his parts at cost and will help him fix the vehicle if his dad doesn't know how. At this point the student actually started to look happy. I said "See you need to break each thing down, it's more doable in little bites, get it"? And he laughed. So then we continued with the list. I told him the drama will blow over with the coach. It always does. As for the prom, talk to his date and see if she wouldn't mind doing it a little less expensive. Like go to Applebee's, they have that special where you can get an appetizer, dinner and dessert for 2 for $20. He doesn't have to have a tux, just wear some nice slacks, a shirt and tie. I told him that she said yes because she wants to be with him that night, not so you have to spend your college fund. Next try to explain to your parents that you are totally stressed and just need them to go easy. You understand that they are stressed out too, but you can't handle it all right now, it's just too much. And as for graduation...well that's coming for sure, there is no stopping that, so all you can do is work as hard as you can for 4 weeks...that's it 4 weeks. Not 4 months, not 4 years, 4 weeks and then you are done.
He left my office with his list and a smile. That night my husband said he came and got the parts and seemed like a good kid and was smiling. The next day he was at school bright and early working with teachers on catching up. When I saw him, he just smiled and nodded. At that moment I got this warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart and it felt fantastic.
It showed me that I was supposed to be there right then. Too many things lined up for it to be just a coincidence. I helped someone through the darkness and by doing that I helped myself.
What can you do to help someone?
So I took him into my office and I said, "How do you eat an elephant"? And he just looked at me. I said "One bite at a time". So I got out a piece of paper and said tell me what's going on. He said he just found out he's failing 2 of his core classes that he needs to graduate. The prom is coming and he's broke. His car is broke down. There is some drama with the sport he plays between him and his coach. His parents are on his back. Graduation is in 4 weeks. etc.
So I said okay, let's take these one at a time. The most important is your grades. Because if you don't pass those classes you won't graduate and that will set a whole bunch more stuff in motion. I told him there isn't school on Thursday (conferences) but we will all be here. Come to school and work all day long on catching up. Ask the teachers if there is some stuff you can do for extra credit. Teachers love it when a student shows ambition and is really trying. Then I asked about his vehicle. He said it was a Ford and tada, guess what? My husband works at a Ford dealership. I called him, explained what was going on and put the student on the phone. Long story short, my husband is getting his parts at cost and will help him fix the vehicle if his dad doesn't know how. At this point the student actually started to look happy. I said "See you need to break each thing down, it's more doable in little bites, get it"? And he laughed. So then we continued with the list. I told him the drama will blow over with the coach. It always does. As for the prom, talk to his date and see if she wouldn't mind doing it a little less expensive. Like go to Applebee's, they have that special where you can get an appetizer, dinner and dessert for 2 for $20. He doesn't have to have a tux, just wear some nice slacks, a shirt and tie. I told him that she said yes because she wants to be with him that night, not so you have to spend your college fund. Next try to explain to your parents that you are totally stressed and just need them to go easy. You understand that they are stressed out too, but you can't handle it all right now, it's just too much. And as for graduation...well that's coming for sure, there is no stopping that, so all you can do is work as hard as you can for 4 weeks...that's it 4 weeks. Not 4 months, not 4 years, 4 weeks and then you are done.
He left my office with his list and a smile. That night my husband said he came and got the parts and seemed like a good kid and was smiling. The next day he was at school bright and early working with teachers on catching up. When I saw him, he just smiled and nodded. At that moment I got this warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart and it felt fantastic.
It showed me that I was supposed to be there right then. Too many things lined up for it to be just a coincidence. I helped someone through the darkness and by doing that I helped myself.
What can you do to help someone?
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