Starting from Scratch

The first day of school was last Monday. The Wednesday before that I got a call from the sub desk. Would I be interested in a vacant art class? 

(A "vacant" class is a class with no teacher assigned. This usually means they are in the process of hiring a teacher for the class.)

As I hadn't been aware of any art teachers retiring, I asked whose class it used to be. I was informed that the class was new. 

Then I asked if I could start a day early. Having had to scramble on the first day of school before, I knew the best thing I could do for my sanity was to come in early, get the lay of the land, and attempt to get some things set up so I wasn't starting ice cold. (They let me last year, and it was so very helpful.) 

The sub desk attempted to get a hold of someone at the school but could not, so she made the executive decision to start me a day early. She emailed them to let them know. 

Of course, they had not gotten the email when I arrived. I joined the beginning-of-year all-staff meeting, and when the (new) principal mentioned me, I informed her I was actually present. For which she was greatly relieved. 

Yeah, we all had the same idea. 

And it was a good thing too, for once I finally got keys to the classroom and got into the room, I found that I... had... nothing... 

The school added two new art classes. They had hired one of the teachers. (They hired someone for the position, but he ended up going elsewhere.) And the school assigned us to rooms that were used as detention rooms for the past few school years. 

I had a room with bare walls and 34 desks. There was a teacher desk that the custodians informed me they had added that week. And there was a white board. (I mean, there were doors and floors and windows. A ceiling. Lights. It used to be a science classroom, so there was a demonstration bench at the front and built in low cabinets in the back.) 

However, the air conditioning unit worked wonderfully. (Which was excellent as we're getting our late summer heat wave. The kiddos have complained that it's "too cold". So, yes, I'm well-pleased with the a/c.) 

So, that Friday afternoon, I had a mad scramble. What could I cobble together? I got class counts and learned my largest class would have 39 students. That meant I needed five more desks. Oh, and that teacher desk? Desk, but no chair. But custodial was around specifically for this purpose, so I talked to the lead guy. 

I also did not have technology. I needed one of the big TVs that we use now in class. There was no Chromecart for computers for the kiddos. And I'd need a teacher computer. 

Long story short (too late): those in charge were on top of things, and I had everything except the teacher computer before I left for the day. The teacher computer took a few days, for reasons. (Don't even ask about the tech issues they were having all week.) 

By the time I left, I was exhausted. (I was so exhausted I developed a migraine the next day.) But I had the desks configured in a way I thought might work. I had made sure my ViewBoard was working (so I could create slides to show the class to get through some sort of lesson). And I made sure I could use one of the student Chromebooks until I could get a teacher computer. 

So, now I'm diving into a new school year with a temp gig. With nothing. Sigh. The things I do to work the first day of school.