Don't Feel Like a Husky.....Yet

New School Week 1 Aug 29 to Sept. 2, 2011.  I Don't Feel Like a Husky..Yet

School started for me on Monday of this week.  I went to the faculty meeting and sat with Holly, the girl I taught with last year.  We were in the auditorium of the brand new school that was supposed to be Indian Valley High School, but halfway throught last year, that all changed.  We all got consolodated and redistributed in the brand new Mifflin County School System.  Holly will be teaching in the new "Huskies" high school.  I will be at the "Huskies" middle school.  This will be, quite possibly, the last day we work together for a long, long time.

We eat lunch together and then part company.  It's time for building meetings.  As we begin to go over policies for the new school, I feel my anxiety level rise.  There is so much to learn and so many new ways of doing things.  Our principals seem great though, so I think this will help calm my nerves a bit.

I spend teacher workday printing out documents and forms I need.  At the end of the day, Matt the new PE teacher I will be working with, and I plan out our units for the next three marking periods.  This lessons more anxiety.  Where I taught before, only Holly and I tried to work together and we could only plan things out day to day most times. The other two PE teachers kind of just did their own thing.

On the first day of school, the middle school kids come into the building looking like deer caught in headlights.  They are all in a new building with mostly new teachers.  They get lost, the locks on the lockers won't work and their busses are late.  We all get through the day and give ourselves a pat on the back.  By day two, things are considerably calmer and the kids don't look so scared anymore.  My youngest daughter is at the high school.  When I pick her up, it seems as though they are getting a decent start to the year.  I see some of my former colleagues in the parking lot and feel a little left out.

On Friday afternoon, I am already sick with a cold.  I am sure I caught it because I froze to death in the central air of my new building during teacher workday.  When I get home I am thankful that I have three days to rest and get over my illness.  On Facebook, I see posts from high school teachers about the pep rally and how the kids are really coming together.  I'm glad.. and a little sad that I am not there to witness it happening with the kids I know from last year.

I think I will like the middle school age group, but I haven't met all my classes yet.  I know I am going to like my new faculty and admin.  It will take a little while to get to know everyone.  I don't feel like a Husky yet, but I'm sure I will.  Tune in next week for the next installment!