Sad, Sad Week

So, I haven't updated the blog in a while, although we have been doing a lot of neat stuff.....

This week has been stressful, emotional and long. The Spokane School District is having huge budget issues because of state funding....Therefore, they decided to lay off 103 of the least senior teachers. (NOTE: This does NOT include the 180 teachers who were on one year contracts...they have about zero hope for a job next year...)

Unfotunately, I received a phone call Monday evening from my principal...I was one of the 103 teachers to be laid off. Although I was expecting to be laid off, it wasn't easy to hear. I love my job...I love where I work, my students and the people I work with.

Tuesday morning, I go to work. We have department meetings and I find out two other math teachers were also laid off, and a total of 8 teachers from Roger's. One of the other two math teachers was number 103 on the seniority list. He missed the cut-off for the layoffs, just barely because he took two unpaid personal days off last year.

So, at our department meeting, there was a total of 11 teachers in attendance (a couple were gone...) and out of those 11, three were laid off, and three are on one year contracts. Half the department will be gone next year....

Tuesday is my long day, I don't have a prep period because of our weird block schedule (and this week I have a practicum student from WSU watching me...this adds some stress, not a lot, but a little). I was trying so hard not to show anxiety or sadness to my students...but students are smart and they can tell. Also, I teach freshmen and we have small learning communities at Rogers. This means that all the students I teach also have the same science, english and history teacher. Their history teacher also got laid off. Therefore, two of their four core teachers will/could be gone next year. It's devasting to those kids.

Then, in 2nd period, I get a phone call from a newstation. They wanted to hear my reaction. I was a little rude to them...I mean, really?? I just got laid off and you are calling me in the middle of the school day when I am trying my best to still be an awesome teacher for my awesome kids??? Anyway, my 2nd period kids could tell I was flustered and then we had to have about a 10 minute conversation about the layoffs. Luckily, they were my honors kids and could get back to the math...but it was still stressful.

So, Tuesday finally ends. Thank goodness! Wednesday is a little better, but I have to attend a meeting for all the teachers laid off. All in all, I learned I am number 75....This is actually pretty good. When they start to hire teachers back, they will first start with number 103 (the math teacher in my department) and then go to 102 and then 101 and so on....So there are only 28 teachers ahead of me.

My biggest concern right now is: Where will I be next year? At a middle school? At some other school that isn't as awesome as Rogers? What will happen to my students? I have developed some really strong relationships with these kids. I want to see them grow up..get older...Some of these kids do not have a stable adult relationship in their lives and live in constant turmoil. I've earned their trust...Showed them I'm not giving up...that I'm not going anywhere...oh wait, yes, yes I could be going somewhere....I had one student tell me today that she isn't going to be at Roger's next year. What's the point? Two of her teachers will be gone...

I am not ready to leave Roger's yet......