90s49 More Difficulties

Friday, December 10, 1999 – Today I met with Longfellow Key, our before and after school program, to talk about concerns they have with a difficult parent. This parent has been rude to them and demanding of their space for PTA functions. Apparently, this parent told them the PTA had priority of their program and they would just have to work around the PTA events. I assured him that was not true and that if it happened again he should refer them to the office. He said the Key board of directors was upset about the issue. Once again a difficult parent feels compelled to make the lives of others miserable unnecessarily.

Another parent meeting went fairly well. At least, there were no major outbursts. We are just giving in and doing everything they ask. As long as they get their way they are happy. It’s too bad for the child, but I think everyone is afraid of these people. Besides, what do we know? We have only successfully educated thousands of children.

Friday, December 17, 1999 – Today is the last day of school for this century. Students will be out two weeks. We are losing an associate over the break. He will be going to Mann (maybe?) and we will be hiring a 3-hour and a 6-hour associate. He was not very popular here or at the building where he was before. He doesn’t have good social skills. I hope things work out for him. I am going to be working 3 days each week over break. I hope to get a lot done.

Tuesday, December 21, 1999 – It now appears that the associate I mentioned earlier will be going to his original building instead of Mann. The CAO changed their mind on that one. I think Mann may have complained so much that they decided to send him back to the original building. I’m sure they won’t like that. Interesting implications from this include if you don’t like somebody bad enough you don’t have to take them. Actually, I don’t think the Mann staff ever met him. His reputation was just too much for them.

Friday was the last day here for one of the difficult kids we have come to love. As always, it is hard to let them go. He will be going to the BD program at Lemme. We will miss him but I’m sure it is the best for him.

I think I have finished the first round of teacher observations and am planning on working on the baseline competencies this week and next while there isn’t anybody around to interrupt me.

We have read and heard a lot lately about the y2k implications. That is short to what might happen when the calendar roles over to 2000. Apparently, many believed it would have a dramatic effect on computers.