Deep Sleeper

It was seventh period at the continuation high school. Science class. They were supposed to be working on Punnett squares, but most weren't doing much of anything. Basically, it was a typical day.

I had not had a break since about noon. This is not typical, as the teachers usually have their "lunch" period sometime in the afternoon. But I was picking up an extra period as the teacher had to leave early. Because of the scramble, I had not had a chance to hit the restroom, so by the end of seventh period, I really, really needed to go.

It was about 3:15. The kiddos tried to leave. The bell hadn't rung. But another teacher had let his kiddos go, so I dismissed the class, and then the bell rang.

I was ready to be out the door when I noticed that one of the kiddos was still at his desk. Asleep. Sigh.

I totally should have noticed that earlier, but oh well. I went over to wake him up.

"The bell rang. Time to go."

No movement.

So, I went to gently nudge his shoulder. No movement. Louder, "It's time to go." No movement.

Deep sigh. I can't leave the kid alone in the room. But I really have to go. How to wake him?

I tried turning off the lights. I stomped around. Nothing was waking him. Finally, I got into his face and told him it was time to wake up.

And finally, he did.

He rubbed his face. Shifted position. Got out his pencil. And made a pretense of working...

So, yeah, not awake.

"The bell rang. It's time to go."

Finally, he got the message. He kind of staggered out, not quite conscious.

I feel kind of bad for pushing him out the door like that. It was clear he wasn't quite with it yet. But, I really, really needed to get to the restroom. I'll save my gentler wakings for when that isn't so urgent.

Bygones

For the penultimate day of school, I was once again at the continuation high school. (I did not work the last day of school this year.) The kiddos had an assignment, but very few of them chose to do it. In fact, very few of them chose to come to school at all.

(I think this is why the traditional high schools give students finals. It keeps them coming to class and makes them try for those last few days.)

I was basically on crowd control. Well, if you consider a class of seven to be a "crowd".

2nd period. I pointed out the assignment. A couple of them even got out books and paper.

"Remember when you pulled that knife on me? I wanted them to expel you for that."

This is not the sort of statement that is usually accompanied with laughter. But there was no anger in Julio's voice. He seemed to be in instigating mode. Waiting to see if I'd have to intervene, I just listened in.

"You stole my pizza," Daniel replied.

This is when Julio noticed that I was listening, so he explained.

Back when the boys were in middle school, they were in home ec. together. One day the assignment was pizza. They cooked it. At the end of the period, they each got a slice.

You know when you take a slice of pizza how sometimes a bit of the tip of an adjoining piece gets stuck to it? Julio's slice had a bit of Daniel's slice's tip attached.

So, Daniel demanded that Julio give him back that little bit of pizza. Julio refused. Daniel grabbed a butter knife and held it to Julio's ribs...

They didn't tell me what happened after that. Apparently the teacher called for backup as it sounds like the issue got resolved with school administrators.

"If I could forgive you for that..." Julio said to Daniel.

Apparently, this is one of those funny stories that they like to remember. At least they can laugh about it. If they were still angry at each other...

Rolling Starbursts

It was fifth period science at the continuation high school. The day had started off pretty good, but at this point, the students weren't all that into the doing of work of it all. Three of them put their heads together as one of them pulled out some Starbursts.

I caught snippets of the discussion. Something about "striped sides". It sounded like they were going to treat them as dice. Um, okay...

I pulled out my daily note. I started writing.

"Are you writing down that we're rolling Starbursts?" one of the boys asked.

Well, no. Actually at that moment I was finishing up my notes for period four. But I wasn't going to tell them that.

"Of course," I replied.

I made a mental note to myself. "Rolling Starbursts." Brilliant description. I went back to writing my period four notes.

The idea that I was writing it down upset them? Before I pulled out the note, when I was telling them to get to work, they informed me they would after their game. Their game that they play all the time. So, if they play it all the time, why would their teacher be upset?

The boy wouldn't let it go. "But, you're going to get us into trouble. He'll drop us from the class. Why you gonna play us like that?"

Huh? I always leave notes. I always write these sorts of things down. They know me. This shouldn't come as a shock.

He continued to argue. He told me that I should delete the mention from the note. He asked me exactly what I had written. (As I hadn't written it down yet, I hedged.) When I wouldn't, he said he was so upset he wasn't going to do any work. (Not that he had been doing work. But now, somehow, him not doing work was my fault.)

He went back to his game. I went back to my note. I finished up period four and wrote down what the boys were doing. What the boys were still doing.

The protester returned to argue with me a couple more times, between rounds of the game, I imagine.

The end of the period arrived. Had he finished his game and done any work? Of course not. The boys finished by "disposing" of their playing pieces. (Read: they ate the candy.)

If they would only put that sort of effort into their schoolwork, they would graduate in no time.

Early Dismissal?

I have a couple classroom pet peeves. One of my big ones is students trying to slip out of class a minute or so early.

Occasionally students may legitimately need to leave early. Special ed students whose bus leaves early. A student on crutches. A student who goes to take medicine. Students on athletic teams who have games. In all of those cases, the students ask permission and all is well.

7th period at the continuation high school. Environmental science. They had a packet of work that most ignored. Five minutes before the end of class (and the day), they all lined up at the door. And I saw a girl slip out...

I called her back. A couple times. Eventually, she heard me and turned around.

"It's almost time to go."

True, but it wasn't time yet. She needed to come back to the classroom.

She was halfway across campus. (It's a small campus.) She argued that she was almost out the gate. I told her that school wasn't out yet, and she needed to return for no matter how long it was.

She took two steps toward me when the bell rang...

In anticipation of the end of the day I had shut down the computer. This was how I logged into the attendance system. There is a screen that has all the students' pictures...

I didn't know her name. This is rather common with subs, especially in classes with no seating chart. The rest of the class "helpfully" didn't call out to her as I called out to her, so I couldn't glean her name that way. I'm pretty sure that's what she was counting on.

What she didn't get, though, was how much that stunt pissed me off. And it turns out I can access the attendance program via my phone. Finding her name was very easy after that.

It then took me a few minutes to write down her name, pack up my stuff, and check out from the office. On my way to my car, who do I see hanging out in the parking lot? Because she had to leave class early to hang out just outside the school?

Lost Pass

It was the very end of the day in the science class at the continuation high school. A student returned from the restroom.

"Pass." I held out my hand.

The boy looked at the floor. "I lost it."

He had been gone a reasonable length of time. It wasn't a long distance. The passes are the size of a half sheet of paper and are laminated. How...?

The explanation was detailed, but it didn't make any sense to me. Something about it getting stuck in some sort of crack and he couldn't get it back out.

"Oooh! You're going to get in trouble..."

I hardly thought so. But the rest of the class enjoyed the idea.

I noted it in the note (so the teacher knew why his restroom pass was missing). Then, due diligence and all, I notified the office as I checked out for the day.

The secretary got out the walkie-talkie to call the school's custodian... (Walkie-talkies are issued to staff that don't stay in one place very long: the principal, the counselor, the custodian, security, etc.) Partly to see if he could retrieve it. (He couldn't. He couldn't find it.) But mostly, to share the funny with those within walkie-talkie range.

Because...pretty funny.

Day in the Life

It's 2nd period, and the science classroom at the continuation high school is pretty silent. Except for the two girls taking their 12th selfie. Although, that seems to have finally stopped.

Some subbing days are easier than others. And there are some battles not worth fighting. They all know what their assignment is. Many of them are even on task. Those that aren't... *shrugs* At least they're being quiet about it.

The boy just directly in front of me had his head down on the desk. The boy next to him indicated that he was crying. My take on this is if he wanted me aware of his turmoil, he would not be hiding his face. If he needs to talk to someone, he can ask to go and I'll let him. But until then, I'll let him have his privacy.

But then this boy asked to borrow his neighbor's pencil. He set it on top of his own crosswise...

"No! Absolutely not."

So, now the two are playing Tic-Tac-Toe.

Many of them are on their phones. Although, the girl who was actually making a call finally ended it. I could go the put-your-phones-away route; but then I'd spend the rest of the period policing them, confiscating phones, and just fighting them. It's not really worth it. The room is mostly silent. I'd rather maintain the calm.

Besides, I already have six finished assignments in a class of nineteen students, and everyone has a book out.

So, I keep an eye out for the crazy as I write (on paper--I'm inputting this into Blogger days later). Ten more minutes. I hope period 3 is as settled as this.

They were. It was 5th period that wasn't. 

From 5th period I learned a new little tidbit. Did you know that there are YouTube videos where girls are applying makeup? Some of these channels are popular. The things on the internet...

Actually Watching?

A week ago we had Thanksgiving. A week before that was the continuation high school's annual Turkey Day. They changed things up a bit this year, calling out students alphabetically rather than by classes. And so, there was no need to keep them in the same class, so they got to attend all their classes.

This was good as it gave the students something to do besides sit and complain. But some students decided they didn't want to go and eat. (I spent some time convincing one girl she should go and just see what was there. Her name was called, and I urged her to go. She did. Upon her return, she said it was good and she was happy she went.)

The teacher I was covering left Planet Earth for them to watch. (It was a science class.)

I popped in the DVD and sat back. Much of the class seemed to be engaged in things other than watching the show. But then I started to hear things...

Things that related to the show. Things that made it seem like...they were actually watching the DVD.

Astounding.

Of course, this was one for one class, but still. Kind of a minor miracle.

Ditching to PE

It was Friday at the continuation high school. Fridays are even more laid back than the rest of the week. The students expect to do little to nothing...

(Well, many of the students do little to nothing on a regular basis. It's how they ended up at the continuation high school in the first place. If they were more academically inclined, they wouldn't be in the position of making up the credits that they should have gotten in classes they already took.)

Basically, most of the teachers reserve Fridays as the makeup day. That is, the students have the day to finish any work they didn't complete during the week. But, of course, when there's a sub, they all claim to have finished the assignments.

So, it was 4th period, and one of the other classes on campus that period is PE. (I was covering the science class.) Mr. K lets students join his PE class on Fridays sometimes, so when a couple students asked if they could join his class, I said they could. Provided that Mr. K didn't mind them being there.

Five minutes later, Mr. K returned the students to class. Well, that's pretty clear to me. They weren't welcome. So, I told them to stay in class, and I passed out their extra credit assignment.

But three boys weren't having it.

"I've got to...um...see my counselor..."

And he left before I could tell him no. Because that ploy wasn't very obvious.

I went through and did a head count against my roll call. I was missing three students. Sure enough, they had somehow gone back to PE...

Really? They don't think I'll notice?

(Although, if I had managed to keep them in class, they probably would have spent the period being difficult. That's what usually happens.)

Crosswalk Stalker

It's #ThrowbackThursday or my repost day. This post originally appeared on January 27, 2010.

It was 3rd period. Biology. I was walking the room, making sure the kiddos were on task.

Basically, I look at each student's desk. I make sure that the book is open and paper is out. If they appear to be working, then I pass by with no comment. If a student is not working, I stop to ask.

I had just about completed my circuit of the room. I asked the last pair of girls if they were going to do any work today (with the implication that their answer should be yes). I waited as the girls looked for books and paper. I was hovering.

"Thank you for bringing this up," one girl said.

Wha??

The one girl was talking to the other girl, pretty much ignoring me (although my hovering was what prompted the thought): "I feel like those crosswalk guys, you know..."

"Crossing guards?" I offered.

"Yeah, them," she continued, still talking to the other girl. "I feel like crossing guards are my personal stalkers."

Girl 2: "They follow you home?"

Girl 1: "No, but they follow me across the street."

Girl 2: "Not all the way."

Girl 1: "Sometimes they cross all the way."

Girl 2: "They're there to help you."

Girl 1: "But they creep me out..."

I walked away at this point. I was offering nothing to the conversation. And I didn't want to laugh out loud at girl 1. I thought that might be rude.

Sometimes, the stuff that they say...

The Occasional Worker

I ran into Juan quite a lot in December. So, it was no surprise to see him again the last day I worked before the winter break.

The first time I met Juan was in opportunity. Every time I've seen him since, he's been one of the students who spends the period talking. Pestering. And doing no work.

That day, Juan actually took the time to look at the day's assignment and pull out a textbook. He got out paper and a pencil. I didn't think too much of it. I expected it all to be pretense, although it was more than he usually did. Then he really shocked me. He appeared to do the assignment.

I held my breath. This student does no work. Ever. And yet...

He asked me a question. Not "what page?" or "we really have to do this?". Nope. He asked an actual question about how to answer one of the assignment questions (and it was a reasonable question, too).

You could have knocked me over with a feather.

I suppose I shouldn't say Juan does no work ever. Because, apparently, he will pull out the book and do some work. Occasionally.

Cheating?

I love the Internet.

Back at the continuation high school (my last gig before the break), the science class had a crossword puzzle on earthquakes. The lesson plan stated: "Feel free to help them. Give them a few of the tougher answers... I don't have a key." After glancing at the crossword, I saw I was out of my depth.

The puzzle had an author on it. I typed that into Google. The puzzle didn't come up, but all the terms and definitions did. About half the terms were words I had never seen before. Realizing that they'd have more difficulty than me, I decided to make them a word bank.

There were 33 terms, things like "Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale" and "Mohorovicic discontinuity". My hand cramped up just thinking about writing those up on the board. But I had a computer hooked up to a projector.

I love technology.

A quick copy/paste into a word processing program, add bullet points, and voila! I had a word bank for the class.

I wonder if their teacher wanted them to find those terms. Terms that weren't in their textbook (I checked). I mean, these are the students that will not do an assignment just because it's too hard. They got to the continuation high school for a reason. So, helping them out this way was the right thing to do.

Right?

(Not all the terms were impossible. The crossword also contained Richter scale, aftershock, foreshock, and other terms that Californians, who have been through many earthquakes, should be familiar with.)

Fifty Shades of Rebellion

Biology class at the continuation high school. After the student took her seat, she pulled out a book from her purse. She explained to her friends that she was going to spend the period reading.

The book: Fifty Shades of Grey.

On the one hand, she's reading. A book. Voluntarily. These students don't do that sort of thing usually, so reading is one thing I try to encourage. But Fifty Shades of Grey? Seriously?

(Do I have to censor this? It's not school appropriate. She's under age. But what if she has parent permission?)

The other students recognized it. "Is it that sex book?"

"Read it out loud to us."

There's the limit. I don't know if I should take the book away from her, but I do know that letting her read it to her fellow classmates is definitely not appropriate for school. Especially when they do have an assignment. So, I gave them my definite no.

"You've heard of this book? Have you read it?"

No, I haven't read the book. However, I don't live under a rock. Knowledge of the title and its subject matter has made its way to my attention.

The student opened the book. (She couldn't have been more than a page or two into it.) She looked at it for about a minute. Then she decided that perhaps she should do the class assignment instead. And she put the book away.

I wonder. Do you think if I had made more of a fuss, might she have continued to read?

Ah well. Problem solved.

Flying Balls

Is it unreasonable for me to require students not throw a ball around while inside a classroom?

Don't worry, that question is rhetorical (mostly).

It was after snack at the continuation high school on a Friday. Small group. Kick back assignment (video).

Someone found a small ball. It was about 3/4ths the size of a standard volleyball. And the students thought, "Wouldn't it be fun to throw this around at each other?"

They didn't understand why I would put a stop to their fun.

Rather than give the usual explanation, I went more personal. I explained that when things go flying in the classroom, I'm the one that gets hit. True story.

In various classrooms over the years, I've been hit by paper, pencils, erasers, rubber bands, and a book. (It was a math book. Long, ugly story.)

They knew of one pencil incident, so they knew I spoke the truth.

You'd think that the throwing thing would go without saying. Deep sigh.

Background Noise

"WHY IS IT SO QUIET IN HERE?"

Okay, he wasn't shouting, exactly, but it felt kind of like shouting when he spoke loudly in a silent classroom. Yep, the room was silent, and the student couldn't handle it.

It was that kind of day. Fairly mellow. I didn't go after the headphones.

A strange thing happens when teens plug in their music players. Or perhaps you won't find this so strange. They put on their headphones, turn on their music, open their books, and get lost in their own little worlds. And do their work. It's kind of miraculous.

I'm not supposed to allow them to listen to their music in class. But half the class was plugged into their mp3 players, and they were working. So, I let them be. It made my day much easier.

I wish those that make the rules would change this one.

What's-His-Name?

On Tuesday I was back at the continuation high school. It was the day they got new schedules. (They get new schedules about once a month. They are supposed to be earning credits quickly enough so that they need to switch classes often. For some this is true. For others, not so much.)

The first thing we do on these days is to pass out their new schedules to them. It was then that I realized something. I couldn't figure out their names.

I've never been good with names. And I don't know all of them. But I do know some of them, and I recognized many of their faces. I just couldn't come up with their names.

I didn't really have to. I could just call out their names and pass out the schedules that way. It was like I had forgotten them, though. It hadn't been that long since I had been there last, but it was as if I had been away years.

I had to call out roll. There are several students with "interesting" names. Most of them I have learned. I don't stumble over all of them. On Tuesday? It was as if I had never met these students before. Even though I had.

I was rather worried. What had happened? How could I forget?

As the day wore on, I started remembering names again. I started remembering pronunciations. It was as if I needed to get warmed up first. Then I got back into the swing of things.

It's a good thing. I was starting to worry.

The Hot Seat

Students ask me questions. Usually it's of the "do you have any kids?" variety. They ask me a couple such questions, and then they move on to whatever other things they have on their mind. But sometimes, the questioning continues.

It was 7th period at the continuation high school. Most of the class was working on their assignment. One boy started with the usual questions, but those didn't satisfy him.

I don't have to answer any of the questions. I know this. However, they're usually so innocuous that it doesn't bother me. They can know where I went to college. They can even know the name of my high school (most have never heard of it).

But then he got into some crazier questions.

He wanted to know my favorite beer. When I told him ("I don't drink"), he told me not to lie. Since I hadn't lied, I didn't have anything more to say. So the rest of the class tried to name what beer had to be my favorite. Several brands were tossed out. Since I don't know the difference, I was mostly amused by this activity.

Then he got to the question I always get but never know how to answer. What kind of music do I like?

Most people have an answer to this. I don't. I stopped paying attention to the music scene somewhere around 1994. I turn on the radio. Mostly in the car. I like some of it. But if you put me on the spot and asked me what song was on, I wouldn't be able to name it. I might be able to come up with a band name, but more likely I would have no idea who it was.

This answer is unacceptable. (How horrified would he be if I told him that most of the time I work in silence?) Unfortunately, I don't have another one.

In the end, he started talking about himself (which is what he wanted to do anyway). This is fine with me. I rarely have anything interesting to say.

Are there any questions that you can never answer to the questioner's satisfaction? What kind of music do you like? (I'm asking so I can sample it.)

Graduation Postponed

"No! He's not here?"

Today was one of those last minute, unplanned call outs. If it wasn't a teacher I subbed for several times, I might have been worried. But, I know where he keeps his lesson plans, so if he had not prepared ahead on Friday, I would have been able to give the class the assignment he intended.

There was one thing I couldn't do, however.

Jane is ready to graduate. (That was her quote at the top.) She spent Saturday doing enough homework to finish her science credits. At least, that's what she told me as she pulled out said work and organized it so that she could turn it in.

The continuation high school works a little differently than a traditional high school. Credits are earned when a student completes a set number of assignments. A student who sits in class and does no work earns no credits. A student who does all the work and asks for more earns credits faster.

To graduate, a student must complete 220 credits. 40 must be in English, 20 in math, 20 in science, etc. Once the student has earned all 220 credits, she graduates, whether it be June, October, or February.

(The graduation ceremony is next week.)

Until Jane's work is corrected and recorded, she doesn't get those credits. And until she gets those credits, she can't graduate. She still has to attend school until those final credits are recorded, but once she graduates, she no longer has to show up.

Understandably, Jane was upset. She had science for two periods. During that time, she finished her last two credits (in a different subject), turned them in, and got those credits recorded. Now she just has to wait for the science teacher to return. (Jane asked an administrator if she could correct the final assignments, but Jane was told she would have to wait.)

There was only one thing I could do. I wrote in my note to the teacher: "Jane finished her homework and is anxious to graduate. She's waiting on you. Her work is on top."

Hopefully, by this time tomorrow Jane will be a high school graduate.

Extra Credit

It's Friday and I was back at the continuation high school. Yep, I'm there a lot. But Friday is the day to be there.

The students were supposed to be working on anything they hadn't finished this week. For those whose work was up-to-date there was an extra credit crossword puzzle. The lesson plan described it thusly: "Crosswords are officially just extra-credit, but you don't have to tell them that."

I walked around the room, giving crossword puzzles to students who had no other work. One girl was about to refuse the paper, but first she asked, "Is that worth credit?"

I debated and decided on the truth: "It's extra credit."

Girl: "Oh, okay then. I want it."

Something similar happened two other times. So, just when I thought telling them that it was extra credit was the way to go, I got another student who decided against doing the puzzle just because it was extra credit.

But it was Friday, so we got out early. Yeah.

Repeat Offenders

It is intersession at the continuation high school. They are officially on spring break, but for one week of their three weeks off they give the students a chance to make up more credits in a more intense four-hour class. This is a voluntary thing.

I would have thought that only students who wanted to use this time would take intersession. I was wrong.

I knew what I was in for when I saw the roll sheet. Kayla was on it. So was Marcus. Oh, right, I have only alluded to Marcus in the past. I guess it's time to spend a little time talking about him.

I first met Marcus at one of the other high schools. It was in a government class. The teacher warned me about him in the lesson plan. I ended up having him for a second period for economics.

In the government class, Marcus spent the whole period goofing off. Talking. Doing no work. Flirting with the girls (and the girls enjoyed it). I remember thinking that he belonged at the continuation high school, and I wondered how he would manage to graduate. I figured that he was on track for graduation as he was still at a regular high school in the second semester of his senior year.

Then a funny thing happened in the economics class. The rest of the class disliked Marcus, and they shunned him. They were more interested in doing their work. Marcus put his head down on his desk and slept.

I was only surprised to see Marcus at the continuation high school because it is so late in his senior year. (Apparently, he won't be graduating on time.) Otherwise...

If everyone in class ignored Marcus, then he'd settle and not disturb anybody. But Kayla was in class. Yep, the inevitable happened.

I explained to them that they were there to work, not talk. Kayla told me she was "multitasking". Um, sure. Perhaps that's why she got next to nothing done. Marcus told me that it was intersession. So, because he voluntarily signed up meant that he didn't actually have to do anything while in class?

(The students only get credit for work turned in. If they do nothing, they wasted their time.)

Kayla told me that I was rude. Yeah, I guess I was. I wouldn't answer her random questions because I wanted her to do her work and stop talking.

Eventually, they'll both age out. I hope they'll graduate. I hope they'll wake up. But I rather doubt it. (I would love to be wrong, though.)

The Wake Up Call

The continuation high school is on a different schedule than the traditional high schools. They complain a lot when school starts in July, but I don’t hear those same complaints when they get three weeks off in October, an extra week for winter break, and two extra weeks for spring break.

Because of this, they don’t have a traditional summer school. They have intersessions. They get a week of intersession each time they have a break—in October, in April, and now.

I knew this intellectually, but I didn’t expect to get called to sub for it. The last three weeks of school I was at one of the other schools, so the continuation high school was a bit off my radar.

Intersession is voluntary. The students have to sign up if they want to attend. Then it’s first-come-first-served as space can be limited. The students can earn up to five credits in the subject they take. But they can’t be absent.

The assignment for the week was to plow through 11 chapters of the book, doing all the questions along the way. Each chapter had about five sections.

Many of the students in class were seniors. Well, now they’d be “super” seniors. Graduation for the class of 2010 was last week. If they were supposed to be class of 2010, they are now 5th year seniors, AKA super seniors.

You’d think they’d be motivated to get work done. Not so much.

Three girls would not stop talking. It wasn’t the talking that bothered me. It was the not stopping. They didn’t even finish the first chapter yesterday. By my calculations, if they want to finish the work for the week, they needed to finish at least two chapters. (They had six hours.)

One of those girls, Ana, was upset that the government class was cancelled due to lack of interest (not enough students enrolled). She was almost finished with her science credits. Ana talked about how the administration was ruining her schooling. (Her language was a bit more colorful, and it included anecdotes about arguments with the principal and various teachers.)

The rest of the class had suggestions for her.

Jesus commented that rather than battling the staff, the students needed to emulate them. His implication: the students had not graduated from high school, but the staff had. Jesus noted that the teachers get paid whether or not the students finish the work. But he was aware that the teachers would help if only the students made the effort.

I was shocked to hear this come from him. I’ve had Jesus in class a bunch of times, and he’s usually the one goofing off. He actually got a lot of work done yesterday. I was impressed.

Then Cassie added her two cents. She said that everyone had told her that she needed to stop messing around and concentrate on getting through high school. This time wouldn’t last forever. But Cassie didn’t believe them. She figured that she would get it all done.

Now Cassie knows that her sister was right. She missed graduating with her class. When Cassie found out that she wasn’t graduating, she ran away from home for two weeks (missing the last two weeks of school). She’s back now.

Cassie said that it is up to her to get it done, and she has a goal. She wants to finish her credits by the middle of August. Others are telling her she’ll finish by November, but she thinks she can prove them wrong. Cassie is determined to try.

Again, I found this interesting coming from her. Cassie is another one who spent most of her time in class doing next to nothing. It sounds like she got her wake-up call. I hope she does prove the naysayers wrong. She worked really hard yesterday, and if she keeps it up, I think she could do it.

I’m not sure if Ana heard the good advice from her peers. She still has that teen attitude of the world is out to get her.

As for Jesus and Cassie, I have hope for them. I’ve seen this change in attitude before. I don’t see much of those students after. They tend to graduate pretty quickly.