Finally, back to work!!!

[avalen]

the day finally got here, woohoo, and I'm really trying to keep up with you girls but its
hard to get the time to run over to the office and try to catch an unoccupied computer.
We had our big yearly meeting today, lunch was served but it was pretty yukky, soy burgers
and some antipasto salad and potato chips, iced tea or ice water. Then find out where our
buses got parked and tomorrow we run our routes and learn them, do the times on wednesday
and continue the same on thursday. Students start back next Monday.
My new route has 5 kids, each run except the last run of the day only has 2 kids. I did get my
aide, my friend Lana who I had requested but they said they didn't know if I was to have an
aide or not. Lana is a retired teacher from Fountain Hills and just wanted to be busy so she
decided being a bus aide would fit the schedule. Her husband is a driver.
We had a big monsoon rain over the weekend, I slept through the whole thing but when I
got up in the morning and proceeded to make my coffee, with my eyes shut of course I stepped
in a puddle, first thought was oh no, the dog peed but then realized it was rain from the upper
cabinet above the microwave. Guess I better get some of that self leveling sealer stuff and
seal that back cap. Spent several hours sopping up water and getting the carpet dried out.
(That was saturday) Sunday morning when I went to make my coffee I discovered my coffee
pot finally bit the dust. Had to heat water in the microwave and pour it over the grounds
Forgot to stop by my daughters today to pick up her extra coffee pot. My bad.
Will check back in when I can.

[jemek]

Wow...back to school is early for you guys. Then you also finish up earlier, I would imagine.
It seems so weird to hear people saying school is starting up already. It seems here they just ended. Here the last day is mid June, and we start back up the day after Labor day.

So glad you got your aide. Have fun with the route this year.

[BirdbyBird]

Hope that you enjoy your new route, students and their parents. Students with special needs usually have good parent-driver relationship (well with good drivers anyway ) I know that you will enjoy getting the regular pay checks again You made it through one more summer!

[VickieP]

Soooooooooooooo Ava, this means that very soon you will be taking your mystery excursion, huh. You didn't think we had forgotten about that, did ya?

[snowball]

It does seem early doesn't it? my dd is in education and think that school starts soon for her as well
what happened to your computer? Thought you had one?
good luck with your with your new assignment
sheila

[Nasoosie]

Congrats on going back to steady work, Ava. It is very early for school to begin, if you ask me. Of course we have another full month of school in June while you all are out and fancy free, so we don't start back here until after Labor Day. I will tell you it sure does seem funny to not be getting mailings about the first days, superintendent's days, yearly schedules, etc. Then I remember, "Oh yeah-----I'm not going back this year!!" Wow.

[cpatinjones]

Good news, Ava!

[avalen]

Soooooooooooooo Ava, this means that very soon you will be taking your mystery excursion, huh. You didn't think we had forgotten about that, did ya?

yep, soon, shooting for end of September or first of October

[avalen]

It does seem early doesn't it? my dd is in education and think that school starts soon for her as well
what happened to your computer? Thought you had one?
good luck with your with your new assignment
sheila

yes, I have a computer but the internet is down right now, and will be until labor day when that big paycheck
shows up. We just gotta do what we gotta do to save the pennies where we can and for me, having the
internet is a luxury.

[Liz]

Glad you have a paycheck to look forward to again....but Labor Day seems like a long time to wait for it. Hope nothing else bites the dust before that.

[ohlucy05]

Ava,

I have to tell you that I am a high school teacher and many people say,"Are you crazy?" But I have to tell you in my opinion, bus drivers and drivers education teachers win the award for tough jobs. I can not imagine trying to keeping the vehicle on the road, keeping students safe and keeping your sanity. I tip my hat to you. I hope that you have a great year and lots of extra trips (I know that is how you make extra money.)

As for drivers education teacher - I taught all 3 of my children to drive and did not let them do behind the wheel till I was satisfied they were responsible, safe, and could handle the privilege. I know lots of parents just give in...and I think they are crazy. And lots of parents pay the price. And I think that drivers education behind the wheel teachers are nuts. Do you really want to put your life in the hands of such young irresponsible drivers?

I start back for teacher days in 2 weeks and I am reworking curriculum so I am staying busy before I officially go back. I do this to preserve my sanity because I teach 5 classes but I have 7 preparations (I have multiple classes in several classes) = Accounting 1 and 2 together. We also do not start back with students until after Labor Day.

It always amazes me that people say: "But you get so much time off - 1) we need it to keep up our energy during the year 2) we are usually doing something that we have to for next year and 3) I get to spend time with family.

As for your trip, I hope that it is fun, restful and gives you a great lift. And as for your Internet - you are definitely not the only one cutting expenses. Hope everything smooths out for you and that you have a great school year.

ohlucy05

[JudyJB]

I agree!! I can't imagine how anyone can drive even reasonably safely with a bus full of kids, whatever the age. When I read of some bus drivers blowing up and leaving a kid alongside the road, I can certainly understand it, based on my experience just driving a car when my kids were young. I am glad someone does it however, and I respect you for doing it.

I taught high school way, way, way back, and found it tough to have to be a constant disciplinarian. My son, in spite of my warnings, loves teaching high school science. His wife is a vice-principal, so they do get tired of teenagers.

I teach only adults, who are usually much better behaved. Since I never see my online students in person, I don't have to deal with talking on cell phones or text messaging in class, something that happens a lot in real classrooms, I am told. Also, teachers get irritated when they discover them surfing the internet during a lecture, so many ban computers open in class.

JudyJB

[Acadianmom]

I don't know how the drivers ed teachers put their life in danger getting in a car with teenagers. My older son took drivers ed and we thought he was good to go. The first time we let him go to town alone he ran a stop sign and hit some people. When it was the younger ones turn we told him he had to drive 1,000 miles with one of us in the car. He was one of those ADHD kids and I was afraid to let him on the road. He made me so nervous that we both took a defensive driving course. I went to make sure he was paying attention. That was 12 years ago and so far so good. When you think about how much driving experience they get in class it isn't much. They go out with 3 kids a couple of hours for maybe a week. I think the state has changed the law and now teens have to have a permit and drive with an adult for a while.

Now I'm worried about my DH. If you see him coming, RUN. lol

Martha

[snowball]

Now I'm worried about my DH. If you see him coming, RUN. lol

Martha

Sheila