And now for the rest of the story

Wow. What a week.  I'm so behind that I even missed my weekly post.  The one thing I swore I wasn't going to do.  I should know better.  

I has been crazy busy with the new job and I am so so so tired.  I tried to use an old login that I haven't used in 4 years to access my online bank this morning.  Gonna be a long day.  OK...where was I...

Monday morning I walking into my new school (after standing outside of it for 5-6 minutes because I didn't have a badge to let myself in and no one was in the office yet) and headed to the cafeteria.  The first person I met was the woman who had this job before me. Excellent, I could gain valuable information.  Not so much. 😑

All I heard were the negatives.  The bad news.  The awful stories.  Awesome.  As a teacher new to the county, state, school, classroom, it's always good to be encouraged like this on your first day.  Good Lord.

Turns out, the reason last year was so horrible was not only due to the students.  This teacher was also a great contributor to the chaos.  I believe the term used was "hot mess."

I missed the new teacher training as I was hired after the fact.  Speaking of that, the principal announced on the very first day (to the entire staff) that after he interviewed me, he cancelled all his other interviews for this position.  No pressure.   

I never signed papers or became official until the second day.  Even that was iffy as they didn't like my certification from MD.  I'm now on an emergency cert.  Because after 20 years, I need to prove I'm a teacher.  Speaking of that, I need to PROVE that I've taught elsewhere. 

HR is starting my salary on Step 1 of the pay scale.  That's HALF of what I would have been making had I stayed where I was.  I need to provide documentation from MA and MD that I actually taught there. THEN, I need to provide transcripts from all colleges I attended so that I can get my +15 or +30 (I don't remember how many now.).  After they get all that, then they will bump up my salary.  That's insane.  When I started at my last district, they asked how long I'd taught and started me on the scale accordingly.  

I also needed at TB test and a background check/fingerprinting.  Both cost money.  And time.  I had to drive over an hour one way after work one evening to get the background check done.  I passed.  It's good to know people. ;) 

I'm learning everything as I go.  It's like I woke up in another country with no prior knowledge.  I really have to say, the people I work with are wonderful.  They have been so helpful and kind and accommodating.  Anything I need, someone will attempt to get it for me.  I still don't have everything I need.  I don't get planning or lunch (yet).  I still don't know everything I need to know to be successful with these kids. I'm missing curriculum. I have to give some kind of testing to kids that don't want to learn.

The kids. I have 9 students.  Three are ELL; three have BIPs; one is on the spectrum; one is truant (missed 2 of three days so far), and one is here for reasons I can't figure out.  I like most of them. Two are going to be the death of me.