Schedule #1

I got to school today. Unlike all the other practice drives, there were people there! It was a great morning and I was delighted to be able to see more people than just my new best friends, the neighbor kids. There were some very interesting moments and some moments that easily have happened in any school I've worked in.

1. Here is my schedule. However, I was told right away to not count on it, it might change between now and Tuesday, which I did learn is the first day of classes. See all the big white spaces, I don't have to be anywhere near the school on those days (ie: Mon p.m., Tues a.m., Fri a.m. or at all on Saturday).

2. I sat in on a meeting with a colleague and the new principal. The old one is finishing his final month or so and taking retirement. My colleague was presenting a student exchange which is not a new idea, but has a tradition of at least 5 years behind it. The new principal had some interesting questions and issues and knows French school law very well. Upon leaving, the colleague asked my impressions of the meeting and the new principal. Clearly, before the school was a well-oiled machine and the leaving principal was a go with the flow kinda guy. Clearly, there will be some transitional pain as the entire staff gets used to a new "hands on" administrator. Oh, I'm so thrilled to be in this boat again! :)

3. I stopped by the office and said, I've not received anything at all, should I be nervous about that? No, they responded. There is new teacher training from 12 to 12:30 on Monday. Uh, okay. Basically, Monday is the back to school week all rolled up into one day. There is even time for the aperitif and a buffet lunch, the French style. The sophomores come back Tuesday, the Juniors and Seniors Wednesday and by this time next week, I should be "teaching." (In quotes because beyond "whatever I want," I still can't get a sense of any curriculum....)