Friday, May 21, 2004
The Dress Code
My crusty old vice principal hands me a blue slip. This paper is something I invented. It was a way to identify a student that has violated the dress code without the student knowing where it came from. I place a blue slip in the attendance folder for each homeroom teacher. When they see that a student has really done a number on the dress code they write the student's name down and the violation and put the slip back in the folder without anyone knowing.
The vice principal, Jack, says that he has problems with this parent and hands it to me. I call the student down. She is an adopted child; an African-American girl that is beautiful in every way. She wears contacts which make her eyes look a light brown. she has a full figure and she is very athletic; toned muscles under her dark skin. She walked into the office with shorts and a top that matched. The shorts did not successfully cover her butt cheeks. There is not fat on this girl; just toned dark brown muscles. Her top had metal clasps that revealed that she wore nothing underneath. you could see her skin from her neck to her naval.
I said to her that she had to chance her clothes and wisely had a female secretary in the room with me. Patrice said that other girls were wearing the same length shorts and that I shouldn't punish her until they were taken care of. I told her that those girls, wherever they were, would be taken care of and that they had nothing to do with her decision to put that outfit on today. I asked her to change her clothes anyway and she said she would and left. We told her to come back to the office to check out the new outfit. Brigida, the secretary, said she didn't think she would return.
Brigida was right, so I called her down again. She had not changed, so I sent her to the ISS room and tried to reach her mother. I called her home phone, work phone, and cell phone with no success. Finally, I left a message at home.
After a few hours I sent for Patrice and she came to the office. I sat her down and reasoned with her. I could tell she was thinking about it. I had written up her referral but did not tell her. I said, "What's the use of sitting in ISS when you can go to class if you change?"
Patrice thinks and finally relents. She says she will chang if she can get into the girl's locker room. I arrange that and she changes into shorts that are not much longer but they cover her butt at least.
Later, Jack comes back from the lunch I never get and asks about her. I tell him that it is all taken care of and I ripped up the referral notice. About that time my secretary said I had a call from the girl's mother. I braced myself for a difficult conversation. The mother was appologetic because she told Patrice not to wear that outfit. She was so embarrassed and appologized again. I went out to Jack and told him and he said that if he were taking care of the problem the she would be yelling at him. I rest my case.
The vice principal, Jack, says that he has problems with this parent and hands it to me. I call the student down. She is an adopted child; an African-American girl that is beautiful in every way. She wears contacts which make her eyes look a light brown. she has a full figure and she is very athletic; toned muscles under her dark skin. She walked into the office with shorts and a top that matched. The shorts did not successfully cover her butt cheeks. There is not fat on this girl; just toned dark brown muscles. Her top had metal clasps that revealed that she wore nothing underneath. you could see her skin from her neck to her naval.
I said to her that she had to chance her clothes and wisely had a female secretary in the room with me. Patrice said that other girls were wearing the same length shorts and that I shouldn't punish her until they were taken care of. I told her that those girls, wherever they were, would be taken care of and that they had nothing to do with her decision to put that outfit on today. I asked her to change her clothes anyway and she said she would and left. We told her to come back to the office to check out the new outfit. Brigida, the secretary, said she didn't think she would return.
Brigida was right, so I called her down again. She had not changed, so I sent her to the ISS room and tried to reach her mother. I called her home phone, work phone, and cell phone with no success. Finally, I left a message at home.
After a few hours I sent for Patrice and she came to the office. I sat her down and reasoned with her. I could tell she was thinking about it. I had written up her referral but did not tell her. I said, "What's the use of sitting in ISS when you can go to class if you change?"
Patrice thinks and finally relents. She says she will chang if she can get into the girl's locker room. I arrange that and she changes into shorts that are not much longer but they cover her butt at least.
Later, Jack comes back from the lunch I never get and asks about her. I tell him that it is all taken care of and I ripped up the referral notice. About that time my secretary said I had a call from the girl's mother. I braced myself for a difficult conversation. The mother was appologetic because she told Patrice not to wear that outfit. She was so embarrassed and appologized again. I went out to Jack and told him and he said that if he were taking care of the problem the she would be yelling at him. I rest my case.
Monday, May 17, 2004
Cherry Hill Part three
I went to Saddle Brook for the first half of the day, then traveled via the Turnpike to Cherry Hill for an interview with the super.
This time they warned me about how bad the postion was. They told me that they have had four principals in six years.
I kept interviewing, though.
This time they warned me about how bad the postion was. They told me that they have had four principals in six years.
I kept interviewing, though.
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Graduation Day, Part 2
We got up very early and checked the weather. The night before there were thunderstorms and constant rain in varying amounts per minute. The weather channel told us before bedding down that the entire eastern seaboard would be solid rain. Donna gave me the hotline number to call to see whether they would go with the outdoor graduation or change to a smaller, inside ceremony.
I called and it was on. I looked out to see a wall of fog and nothing else but the cars close by in the lot. We went prepared for anything. We arrived at about 7:45 A. M. and were one of the first waiting to go on the field. There were thousands of white chairs being wiped down by an army of staff. We stood and waited to go on the field with the others that arrived early. We were among the first. While waiting a guy in a beard and shorts pedeled by us on a mountain bike. The lady keeping us there told him to stop but he just replied that he was a professor. One of the people waiting with us said, "Well, I'm a father!"
We were finally given the signal to find our seats and went out quickly to get a place near where Damon would sit. Mom and John joined us later. it began to get hot. We had come prepared with cold water, but the college had provided water for all the graduates by putting a bottle under their chair and the spectors by handing it out to them. Donna put on a beautiful straw hat with a black bow and I put on my hat with sunblock. We waited. Girls there took off their shoes and obviously wore no sun protection by the red look of their skin after the ceremony was over. The band warmed up as did the choir. Soon we heard the band play the prelude music which sounded like Anthony Holborne, a Renaissance English composed arranged for brass choir. People began to rush to the edge of the track to see the graduates process across the covered bridge to the field.
It was a sight to behold; the long line of black robes. We waited and watched. We took pictures and saw Damon come down the aisle finally behind the "English" school banner. Eventually all the graduates came in and sat after a prayer. It began to get hot and some of the girls took off their gowns to reveal strapless dresses and a lot of leg.
The speeches and presentations were good as was the music. We finally saw Damon walk across the stage and receive his diploma (blank) from Dr. Sawatsky, the dying Messiah President, who is retiring to Canada with his wife to die of reoccurant brain tumors. He received great respect and applause from the seniors.
We finally left with Damon and met some of his classmates and friends at the field where the refreshments were served. We parted from Mom & John and began the ugly task of packing Damon up and getting out of Messiah for the last time.
Donna and I didn't have time to reflect about the happennings until we drove home. Then we reflected about the sacrifices, the stoies, the money problems, the girl friends, etc., etc.
Another milestone has been passed in his life and thus our own.
I called and it was on. I looked out to see a wall of fog and nothing else but the cars close by in the lot. We went prepared for anything. We arrived at about 7:45 A. M. and were one of the first waiting to go on the field. There were thousands of white chairs being wiped down by an army of staff. We stood and waited to go on the field with the others that arrived early. We were among the first. While waiting a guy in a beard and shorts pedeled by us on a mountain bike. The lady keeping us there told him to stop but he just replied that he was a professor. One of the people waiting with us said, "Well, I'm a father!"
We were finally given the signal to find our seats and went out quickly to get a place near where Damon would sit. Mom and John joined us later. it began to get hot. We had come prepared with cold water, but the college had provided water for all the graduates by putting a bottle under their chair and the spectors by handing it out to them. Donna put on a beautiful straw hat with a black bow and I put on my hat with sunblock. We waited. Girls there took off their shoes and obviously wore no sun protection by the red look of their skin after the ceremony was over. The band warmed up as did the choir. Soon we heard the band play the prelude music which sounded like Anthony Holborne, a Renaissance English composed arranged for brass choir. People began to rush to the edge of the track to see the graduates process across the covered bridge to the field.
It was a sight to behold; the long line of black robes. We waited and watched. We took pictures and saw Damon come down the aisle finally behind the "English" school banner. Eventually all the graduates came in and sat after a prayer. It began to get hot and some of the girls took off their gowns to reveal strapless dresses and a lot of leg.
The speeches and presentations were good as was the music. We finally saw Damon walk across the stage and receive his diploma (blank) from Dr. Sawatsky, the dying Messiah President, who is retiring to Canada with his wife to die of reoccurant brain tumors. He received great respect and applause from the seniors.
We finally left with Damon and met some of his classmates and friends at the field where the refreshments were served. We parted from Mom & John and began the ugly task of packing Damon up and getting out of Messiah for the last time.
Donna and I didn't have time to reflect about the happennings until we drove home. Then we reflected about the sacrifices, the stoies, the money problems, the girl friends, etc., etc.
Another milestone has been passed in his life and thus our own.
Damon's Graduation
I took the Friday off to help him pack. When Donna and I arrived at his apartment, the one he shares with four other grads, we found that nothing had been done except a huge hole in the wall was patched up. They did that out of fear, but from Tuesday to Friday nothing was done.
We did a bit to get things together, but when Damon left to see a friend, we decided to leave to go to our motel. We met Mom & John and went out for a light meal. Damon called and asked where we were! We told him.
We met him later for the Baccalaureate service. We thought we got there in time, but seats were scarce and it looked like the building was at capacity. We looked for Mom & John because we dropped them off, but they had already gotten a seat and had two for us, but we needed three. Then an African-American girl came to us and said she had two seats. It took us a while to get organized, and she did not offer the seats to anyone else. Donna decided to go with Damon and I went with Mom & John.
The service was inspiring with scripture, talks, hymns, and modern Christian songs. They also had a slide show. The gospel choir sang and a men's glee club sang. There was a dance selection and a keynote speaker. The thrilling part was hearing thousands of trained voices singing a hymn in four-part harmony again. It had been a long time since I heard that.
The reception afterwards was in the gym and it was well catered. We didn't stay long, though, and got back to the motel quickly. Damon went off to party until 4:00 A. M.
We did a bit to get things together, but when Damon left to see a friend, we decided to leave to go to our motel. We met Mom & John and went out for a light meal. Damon called and asked where we were! We told him.
We met him later for the Baccalaureate service. We thought we got there in time, but seats were scarce and it looked like the building was at capacity. We looked for Mom & John because we dropped them off, but they had already gotten a seat and had two for us, but we needed three. Then an African-American girl came to us and said she had two seats. It took us a while to get organized, and she did not offer the seats to anyone else. Donna decided to go with Damon and I went with Mom & John.
The service was inspiring with scripture, talks, hymns, and modern Christian songs. They also had a slide show. The gospel choir sang and a men's glee club sang. There was a dance selection and a keynote speaker. The thrilling part was hearing thousands of trained voices singing a hymn in four-part harmony again. It had been a long time since I heard that.
The reception afterwards was in the gym and it was well catered. We didn't stay long, though, and got back to the motel quickly. Damon went off to party until 4:00 A. M.
