Just as I think I’ve made a decision, and a difficult one at that, our school board decides to confuse the issue by “partially funding” my previous position for next year. What does that mean? Your guess is as good as mine. There are currently 111 people with my job as instructional lead teacher in our district. That costs the district $7 million per year. They have funded the position at $5.5 million for next year, so clearly, some positions will have to be cut. So how will that look? No idea, but my guess is that some positions will be reduced to half day ILT, half day teaching positions, which would help the district in a number of ways–they would not only save money on the ILT program, but they would regain some strong teachers in the classroom.

My gut tells me I should probably stick with the Graduation Specialist position. Something tells me I’m supposed to do this new job, even as I fear that I won’t be very good at it. But it will get me helping kids again, and that’s something I haven’t done much of this year.

One thing I’ve realized, though, is that I’ve had more significant moments of success this year than I have had in many years in the classroom. Here are a few that I want to record for moments when I’m feeling discouraged:

* I helped a student get his diploma. He could not pass the science section of the Graduation Test, and I helped him by following up, making sure all his documentation was in order, and arguing his case at the county hearing. Both he and his parents made the effort to thank me in person. It may be the most important thing I’ve ever done as an educator.
* I helped support a struggling new math teacher who was ready to quit just a few weeks ago. This week, she came by to tell me that out of 54 Algebra students, 50 had passed the state end of course test. This is an astounding achievement for any math teacher, let alone a first year teacher. I’m so incredibly proud of her.
* I am working with a student who was placed incorrectly into an honors geometry class. The student knew she was misplaced, as did the teacher, the dept. chair, and the guidance counselor. Yet no one did anything to help her as she quietly failed the class. Two weeks ago, I started my campaign, talking to the counselors, the administrators, the dept. chair, the teacher, lobbying for them to allow her to get credit for the on-level course. I spoke with the student this week, and yesterday she ran up to me and hugged me because she had passed the end of course test. Now all she has to do is pass the final for the on level course, and she can receive credit. It’s sad that with all the adults who knew about this injustice, none of them had taken one step to correct it for this child.