Weird Monday

Winter break is over, but as I didn't work last week, I'm posting stories from the week just before the break.

The call came late. An hour prior, I saw no call and I figured I wasn't working. It was Monday of finals week, so I was not terribly shocked to not have an assignment.

The call came at the time I should have been getting into my car, so while I accepted the assignment, I let them know I'd be late.

I got to the school about a half hour into the school day. The office was empty of all except the receptionist. Everyone else was out at the fire drill.

Score! I missed the fire drill!

The office staff returned, and I checked in. The teacher I was covering had first period off, which meant I had missed nothing being late. And I had about two hours until my first class. (They were on a block schedule for finals.)

I got into the classroom and got set up for the day. I was enjoying the first prep period I'd had all month when the office called. Could I go and cover another class? Naturally.

I arrived at the silent class (about an hour into the block). They were in the middle of their final. The teacher had no idea what I was doing there.

He called the office. It turned out there was an IEP meeting he didn't know about.

Some days just go sideways. I guess I was due for a weird one.

Expected Drill

There's always a fire drill on a minimum day.

I was surprised to learn Tuesday was a minimum day. The kiddos would get out at 12:45 so the teachers could ready their rooms for back to school night.

When I checked in for the day, I asked about the fire drill. The secretary said there wasn't a fire drill.

No fire drill? On a minimum day? Really?

Okay, fine. But on my way to the classroom, I ran into another sub. He mentioned something about a fire drill.

I knew it! I called the secretary. She said she'd check.

As the students walked into period 1, one of them mentioned that there was a fire drill in ten minutes. I figured she knew what she was talking about. And she did. Ten minutes into class, the principal came over the PA to do his usual talk before the fire drill began.

At least this fire drill was mostly painless.

Excellent Timing

The last day before winter break was a minimum day. And as with most minimum days, they scheduled a fire drill.

Insert eye roll here.

I do not like fire drills. They are disruptive. I never know which students are mine, so I hope that they're showing up where they're supposed to be. And then when we get back to class, they're all wound up.

I understand the importance of fire drills. I do. Emergencies happen. We've had to evacuate due to earthquakes and actual fire incidents (that were minor). But that doesn't mean I have to like participating in them.

But, it was a lovely, wet day in SoCal. It had rained much of the night before. And we were expecting more rain later that day. So, they'd surely cancel the drill, right?

Nope. Drill as scheduled.

*grumble, grumble, grumble*

I did luck out in that the drill fell on my prep period. When the alarm sounded, I was to report to an assistant principal to "assist". (Read: stand around.) We got out to the athletic fields, and then we were promptly sent back to class...

Back in class, I got back to the setting up for the day stuff I needed to do. I heard all the kiddos arrive back in class, and when things settled down, I figured it was a good time to hit the restroom before I had a class the next period.

I walked outside... And it was pouring down rain.

We missed getting rained on by minutes. Now, that was some good timing.

Kind of Expected

Rain was in the forecast for later in the day and for the weekend. It had rained the previous day. And while it hadn't yet rained that Friday, it was cold and dark. It smelled like rain.

Third period. There was a fire drill scheduled. (I hate fire drills.)

The lesson plan had me skipping the checking of the homework to account for the shortening of time they'd be in class.

But I was 90% sure that they'd cancel. Because, really. The kiddos scream when it starts raining and they're indoors.

Third period started. I gave the correct-the-homework instruction. I took roll. I passed out the day's assignment. And the time for the drill rolled around...

The principal came on the PA system. Due to weather, the fire drill would be postponed...

Yeah, I called that one. (The class, however, was disappointed. They wanted to get out of chemistry.)

Third period ended. I looked out the door. It was raining.

Are you a fan of fire drills? How about a good rainy day? 

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...

Missing Class

Oh, how I hate fire drills!

The class had a video. I got it started right away. Surprisingly, everything worked the first time. And I had just settled in for the period when an announcement came over the PA. I paused the video...

The principal was doing his usual spiel before a fire drill. But no one told me there was a fire drill...

I pulled out my sunglasses. Looked about for and found the emergency envelope (that every classroom has). And that's when it was time to evacuate.

We followed the crowd. The emergency envelope had a map of where each class was supposed to line up, so I found the spot for our room easily. And I waited. And waited.

No one from my class made it to our spot. Ummm...

By the time the thing was over and we went back to class, I was ready to read them the riot act. Where were they?

"Where were you?"

Turns out that they had no idea where we were supposed to meet. And since I hadn't known there was a fire drill, I hadn't had time to do my usual spiel about the purpose of these things and where we were to line up.

Ahem.

Okay, then. Time for a "learning moment".

Me: "So, we're in a real emergency, and you have no idea where to meet your teacher. How might you figure out where your teacher is?"

When I put it to them like that, several came up with good solutions. They were freshmen. I don't think they had considered the issue before.

Do you hate fire drills as much as I do? Have you entered my giveaway yet? (Giveaway is open throughout the A to Z.)

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...

Sorry, M not available for the giveaway
(but several other letters are!)