Not sure what to title this...

I like working with people who work well together.  Today was a great example of that.  The other assistant principal, the school resource officer, our secretary, and I went non stop today... putting out fires left and right.  I will say that part of me expected to have my tires slashed or my truck vandalized when I left tonight, but thankfully nothing like that had happened.  I hate suspending kids... but there is a time and a place for it... today was one of those days.  There were fights...yes, that's plural, there were online harassment issues, there was defiance, there was an arrest... and of course parent phone calls, teacher conversations, and other things... things are chaotic... and I cannot help but wonder what is happening and why... part of me wonders if the end of the principal's tenure is approaching... his attitude and investment have changed... I believe so deeply that the leadership in the building dictates its climate... and I am sad that as part of the leadership team I am not able to help things turn around right now... I need to somehow... I am getting more and more excited about hiring a new principal...(fingers crossed that our top choice accepts!)  and I am also getting less and less patient with the current principal... it is hard to go to him with things... like today... I needed to let him know about a situation that had happened and it was so hard from him to keep track of the players involved and to recall the contact he has already had this year with the said players.  One of the players was a student from the fall... whose parents attacked me in a meeting, blaming me for their daughters marijuana use... it was one of the more difficult meetings of the year and the principal was involved.. and I had to remind him throughout my conversation today that we were talking about a student who he already knew... and remind him of the meeting  which I still do not think he recalled as I was talking... one of the other players was a student who recently left school without permission and about whom there was much controversy... and he was confused about it... I threw in a couple of the other players and I could tell that he was overwhelmed...and unclear about what was happening... but it is stuff I need to share with him because he should share it with the supt in case she gets questioned about it.  I may call her tomorrow to let her know what happened in case she gets called or needs more information... because I know he won't recall the details...
It is a day where I think about the kids... and how they got to where they are... the kid who was arrested... for fighting... has had many fights this year... it makes me sad that he has so much anger... and so little support outside of school... I think about the sisters who are both in need of significant mental health interventions... one of whom is going to be charged with assault next week and how that will make things worse instead of better...I think about kids who feel unsafe at home and how lucky I am to have grown up where I did... and wonder about being able to one day maybe provide that stability to a kid who may need it... I think about the kid who showed up at school today after not coming for months because he was told in court that he comes to school or he goes to jail... and within being there for an hour was suspended for five days... about what his future holds... I think about the teenage mom who is fighting the odds and so far has been a great parent... I think about the girl who will soon be a teenage mom and how her boyfriend has 'manned' up and supported her and how his teachers are treating him badly because he has missed almost as much school as she has because he takes care of her... I think about the kids who take no responsibility for their actions and think people are out to get them... about the kids who are so self conscious about their academic struggles they prefer to be complete assholes to their teachers to get kicked out of class instead of being brave enough to ask for help... I think about the kid today who, after several conversations about doing the right thing, showed up when I asked him to, despite me doubting that he would... and it gave me hope... I think about the girl who is using medical marijuana at 17 and whose alcoholic parents may be working hard to keep their daughter sick because they have a twisted need to do so... and I think about the girl with whom I have been unable to reach out to because of all the other craziness... and wonder if she thinks I have given up on her...I haven't.  I think about the kids who have built a relationship with me... and how much that helps in the work I do with them... and I think about the kids with whom that relationship has yet to be built because that trust has yet to be built... and about the kids who I have needed to 'send' to the other assistant principal because I have been unable to be effective with... and know he may do better... It's relationships... all of it... the good, the bad, the ugly... it's relationships...
On top of this I am not feeling well this week... a cold... last weekend I woke up with a stuffy nose and mistakenly assumed my allergies were starting... but... when I woke up on Tuesday I knew it was more than allergies... the good news... I don't think it's a sinus infection... at least not yet... the bad news... it has me so run down I don't feel like heading to see Dad and Betty this weekend is a good idea... don't want to get them sick and don't want to run myself down even more... so I will stay put and rest...
I bought myself some tulips this week... as a little celebration of what I think will be a new beginning at work, a new principal.  I am hopeful.  I like this picture because I love tulips, but also because one of my paintings is behind them...It also, for some reason makes me think of kayaking... I so hope to get out in my kayak soon... fingers crossed!