Closing time...

It's been awhile since I've last posted, and there's a few big events that have happened.
To begin, I actually took vacation on Spring Break!  AMAZING!  My husband and I travelled to Hawaii for 7 days.  I got to explore and see historic sites, such as Pearl Harbor.  

USS Utah

USS Arizona Memorial

Flag above the USS Arizona

USS Missouri

USS Oklahoma Memorial

This quote by Jan Denise reminds me of how I felt each morning in Hawaii:

"Watching the sun rise over the ocean is making it easy for me to wake up and get out of bed.  I'm not jumping up to take a shower or go to work.  I'm jumping up to greet the majesty of the day, of God, of me.  The majesty reminds me that God's in his heaven... and so am I.  And, heaven is a lovely place to start the day, a lovely place to live.

After exploring and loving Hawaii, we returned, and the next week I was presenting at the National Council of History Educators.  My group and I created an argument about the Civil War and, using archival documents, supported our point.  Another amazing experience!

Penn Center

Penn Center

Fort Sumter

33 Star Flag over Fort Sumter

Water Front Park

Old Exchange and Povost

St. Martin's Church

Foyer where some clips from Gone With The Wind was filmed

Finally, the last bit of news.  A few weeks ago, we found out our school was being changed from 9 - 12 grade to a 9th and 10th grade remediation school, and that 8 people would be cut.  I had asked my boss a few times whether or not I'd have a job next year, and he kept telling me that there was a 99% chance I'd have a job next year, especially since the other social studies teacher was applying all over and had no desire to stay at our school  Upon returning to school after my conference trip, I was in my morning meeting.  My principal stated that this meeting was going to be about next year and that the teachers were currently in three groups.  The first group was those who intend to return next year.  I thought he'd mention all of us who signed our intent to return form.  Instead, he mentioned four names... none of which were mine.  It was that moment that I realized I'd just been told I will not be returning to my school in front of the entire faculty.  I was slightly in shock... and incredibly angry.  I couldn't believe it.  I had asked my boss directly whether I'd have a job, and he gave me no inclination to worry about my job.  Now... I had no job.  What the heck just happened?!  According to friends of my, my boss is somehow under the impression that I knew I would not be chosen to stay.  Where that idea came from, I have NO idea.  About 15 minutes before classes started, I was talking to my friend across the hall when my principal came in and asked me if I had a moment to talk.  I looked at him and said, "I don't really want to talk about it right now, ___."  He said okay and to talk to him when I was ready.  I haven't talked to him yet... mostly because I don't know how to simply tell him that the way he handled this situation was inappropriate.  I don't want an apology, his response won't change anything, but somehow he has to know that it wasn't okay.  At the same time, in order to cope with everything, and forget how sad it will be to lose my kids and my friends as coworkers, I am trying to keep everything at a distance.  As soon as I talk to my boss, he's going to try to personalize and justify and attempt to make things better... but I won't be able to handle him doing that.  I'm at a tipping point and need to figure out the best way to talk to him without letting him make it personal.  

My career at my current school is coming to an end, and I have no idea how what direction I'm going next...

"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." -Pericles