I grumbled through the day yesterday, indulging my inner curmudgeon. Early in the morning we’d received a text announcing a stand-up Zoom staff meeting regarding staffing for next year.
The thing is, our district has had a habit of announcing bad news late on Friday afternoons. And here we were, the Friday before Spring Break. What else could it be but bad news? So, I grumbled through the day.
The last ten minutes of the last class were excruciating. My mind whirled. Will they tell us how our staff will be decimated by the opening on the new middle school in Fall? I wondered. Will they name names? Ask for volunteers?
Time ticked slowly. I said good bye to my students, logged out or one Zoom meeting and into another. (I am so looking forward to a lot less screen time over Spring Break!) I kept both my mic and camera off – all the better to grumble through the meeting. Which, it turned out, wasn’t the meeting I’d expected.
Instead of bad news about cuts to our staffing because of the new school, we got bittersweet news. One of our two Vice Principals will be an elementary school principal next year. It’s exciting news for her, but sad for us.
I’d like to think I learned a lesson from yesterday’s meeting, but I know I didn’t. I will be grumbly when the next stand-up Zoom staff meeting is announced. I will hope that the news isn’t too bad. If I expect the worst, I am never disappointed.
booksandbassets 
I love your choice of words ‘ grumbling’ ‘curmudgeon’. They set the tone for the piece of writing. I can feel your irritation.
I hope when staffing is announced you’ll be relieved with your options. It is always an uneasy feeling not knowing what you’ll get.
I love the word curmudgeon, since I can be a bit grumpy for no reason at all! It’s sad to see a good principal leave, but at least there were no staff cuts. All the more reason to REALLY enjoy your spring break! 🙂
“Grumbling curmudgeon” is the perfect description of how I’ve handled the unknown this past year. I will need to remind myself of this bittersweet post as I face my own staffing conversations in the next few weeks.
Our school got huge budget cuts, which includes the loss of teachers and support staff for next year. Just think, if we could cut some other things, we probably could add staff. Or bring our library’s book collection up to date. Or classroom libraries. Or replace wobbly desks and chairs- needed in every classroom, all of which are furnished with a mis-matched collection that is who knows how old. Or new equipment for P.E. classes. Or… or… or…
Somehow it seems that we are preconditioned to think the worst when things like these pop up. It is hard to lose a good principal, but good for her that she is moving up.
Well, that makes two of us. I hate to say it, but I’m glad I wasn’t alone yesterday. My TA flat out told me no, he doesn’t need it when I asked her to do something I want to try with one of my students, and then my principal left me out of the weekly bulletin, again. So, I hate to say it, but seeing your post makes me happy I wasn’t alone. Hoping spring brings a better season for both of us.
Oh those Friday afternoon meetings always get my stomach in a jumble.
And I am never disappointed in your writing.
I hope, however, that your meeting was not the trickledown effect meeting. They tell you the least painful bad news first…vascillating between the glass half-full and half-empty…they hit you with the bad stuff in a week or two. Good luck and hug Richard.
Cathie
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Cathie Padgett
Glad the news was unexpectedly good. I’m just jealous of your break! Enjoy less screen time!
If I expect the worst, I am never disappointed….I always do this and it has served me well, but it drives my husband crazy!
My inner curmudgeon has become more active lately! I’m like you were here – skeptical of late emails and announcements. Sorry to hear you will lose your VP. Will the bad news you were expecting be the topic of the next meeting? Who knows!
That “standup meeting” phrase does hold a lot of negative weight. I hope you do not experience cuts at your building. And I am excited you get a screentime break soon- so needed!!
Haha, I’ve mastered the art of ‘expecting the worst,’ knowing that if I do so, the news will actually be better than I expect it. BUT, and this is where it gets complicated. If I KNOW that it won’t be all that bad, then it just might be. 😀 😀