A School Is a Small World

When I arrived at school on Wednesday, Allie, the secretary I check in with, was assigning the sub in front of me an extra period. So, when it was my turn, I asked if she needed me to cover a class for my prep that day. She did. She assigned me to the AP Environmental Science class. 

My prep period that day was the class after snack. At snack I first headed for the restroom. While I waited, another teacher arrived. Ms. K. The teacher I was scheduled to cover the next day. Before I could say something, Ms. K noticed the restroom line and decided to go and find another restroom. 

Allie had said to call her at the end of snack so she could call security to open the classroom door for me, but the classroom I was going to be in was in the STEAM building. I had covered a couple classes over the last month or so in there, and I had noticed that the building has its own security staff. I figured I'd find him and if I couldn't, then I'd call. 

On my way to the STEAM building, I passed Mr. T, the teacher I was going to be subbing for. I was going to say something, but he was talking to two students and heading the opposite direction. I decided against, and I headed inside. 

I found security talking to a group of students. When he spotted me, he asked me if I needed something. I explained that I was period subbing, and I asked if he could let me in the classroom. He did. And I had a couple minutes before the end of snack to eat the muffin I had brought with me.

The bell rang. I opened the door to start letting kiddos in the room. Who was outside? Mr. T. 

The students questioned why there was a sub and the teacher. Mr. T told them he had a doctor's appointment. Mr. T briefly went over the lesson plan (which wasn't necessary as he had left written lesson plans on his desk), and he asked if I would do a task that he had only just gotten an email about. 

The AP test was to start the next week. (As you read this, the AP tests have started and will continue through next week.) They asked that the students each fill out an index card with their name, student ID number, College Board username and password. Because apparently students don't all remember it, and rather than having to look it up for them (as they have in previous years), they'll have it available. 

Mr. T left. Class started. I passed out the index cards and explained. They had done this last year, so the students knew what to do. I collected the cards back, and then they started on the lesson for the day (studying for the AP test). 

Realizing that I now I didn't have to call roll, I alphabetized the cards, and then I compared them to the roll. I called the name of the missing student. Somehow he had not gotten an index card. Sigh. 

(I passed out the cards and then asked out loud if I missed anyone. Grrrr.) 

Mr. T had printed out the email, so I saw that the cards needed to be returned to Allie. Who is the secretary who checks in us subs. And checks us out. Who I would have to see when I left for the day anyway. I left this info in the note I left for Mr. T. 

At the end of class, I grabbed my stuff and was almost out the door when I came across two students waiting to get in for the next period. I knew the next class would also be period subbed. Because the school is on a two-lunch schedule, and my lunch was next, I had time to let the kiddos in while I waited for the next sub. So, I did. 

The bell rang to start class. No period sub. Before I had a chance to ponder that, the next period's sub arrived, just a touch after the bell. Ms. K. The teacher I was covering the next day. 

(She was grateful I was there as she would have had to find security to let her in. While the class waited outside. After the bell.) 

Again, I didn't have a chance to mention I'd be subbing for her as class had started and the room was full. I told her the lesson plans were on the teacher's desk, that the biology class had a test, and I headed out to my lunch. 

I passed the main office on my way to the classroom I would be in for the rest of the day. Or, I could go through the office... 

I went to Allie's desk. I gave her the index cards. She deposited them into whatever basket she had for that purpose. And then I headed to the teacher's lounge to eat my lunch. 

I've been around long enough to know the various teachers and where things are and how things work. Sometimes I can even make use of that knowledge.