I spent today in new teacher orientation in my new county. It was small – 25 of us. It was a tad unnerving when the school superintendent – who used to be the state superintendent – walked up to me and say – HOW do you pronounce your name? It was a good feeling.
I’ve never gotten so many welcome gifts – including one that was personalized – I don’t mean with my name, but with what I do! When I was perusing the goods, the one I got was set in front of me. I got excited – OH! That’s what I do!!!! He said – I KNOW that’s what YOU do! That’s why we made it!
I spent 2 and half hours in a school bus, traipsing all over a rural county with narrow, bumpy, dirt roads – this is where your kids live. And this is where your kids live. Here’s one of 2 grocery stores and here’s one of the 2 flashing lights – NO red lights in this county. OH! And here’s the smallest church in the United States. Seats 6. The owner of the property deeded it to God when she died, so the community takes care of it. A few years back, vandals broke in and tried to rob the donation box and when they couldn’t break into it, they burned the church down. The community rebuilt it. And here is the Methodist Church the Union Army tried TWICE to burn during the Civil War, but it refused to burn. Then we had a hurricane in 1890 and leveled it. The community rebuilt it.
I kept hearing that – the community did this. The community did this. The community isn’t rich, not by a long shot. But they rebuild things. And they step up to the plate.
They have a WIFI bus. They took one of the old buses they were getting ready to send to the bone yard and dropped a new transmission and new engine in it. They tore out the seats, built long siderails and outfitted it with wifi and 16 laptops. A lot of the neighborhoods don’t have internet so 4 days a week, this bus – which an artist painted on her own time – makes the rounds, along with volunteer teachers and parents, so kids can research and study, or even just read…
There is a professional football player – my brother will probably know who it is – who graduated from there. every year, he comes home and works with the kids and supplies every single middle school student with loaded backpacks. All of them.
One of the stops was a drive by the pier for one of the coastal islands. Apparently, we have children who live on the island and come in on the ferry, which runs twice a day and if the ferry is late, the bus waits. The ferry is always late.
The high school has very nice bathrooms. I know because I was jumping around towards the end of the tour and they made a pit stop for me.
We drove by the new townhomes being build on the harbor. Gorgeous. There are a dozen. Start at 450K. Not for me. Too rich for my blood.
Most of the residents are not year round residents. Most of them are retired Yankees who own homes there as retirement, summer homes down there.
We were shown all of the great eating places. Apparently one of the seafood places – is noted in the top 10 best seafood restaurant in the nation. IF you want to eat dinner there, be in line by 4 PM. There is another called – It’s a hole in the wall, with old nasty carpet out on the parking lot and you don’t know what you’re going to get, because the cook will just send out a platter with whatever he feels like you need. We drove by the wine bar and were gently reminded that if we visit the wine bar after school, we were not supposed to come back for PTO or football games. Oh and on the last day of school, the wine bar is pretty full with teachers. PS remember your kids talk. And most of them go to the local Church of Christ and they will talk there. Just a friendly reminder.
School closes for hurricanes, snow, and heavy rains. The county is low and a lot of dirt roads bog down.
100% on free or reduced lunch. And yet the county is considered one of the wealthiest because of all the valuable beach property –
That the feds and the state own. One third. Untaxable land that the county can’t obtain income from.
Shrimping is the main economy generator, followed by tourism.
When we lived further south, there were days I’d come home just… done. So done. I taught middle school. I loved them dearly, but there were days my last nerve was trod on and I would go home just gritting my teeth and Spawn would take the keys and drive us up to the harbor, to sit and watch the shrimp boats come in and out or just bob on the water. It was my peaceful place. That and the beach. Funny, I’m now teaching half a mile from there.
I guess what I’m saying is even though I’m now stepping away from the known and into the unknown,(always an uncomfortable feeling) I’m feeling better and more confidant about this decision I made. I’m feeling God’s hand more and more, guiding each step. As I was driven around a largely rural county, with the school superintendent playing tour guide – yes he and the assistant superintendent both were on that bus showing us the things they were proud of – including the family abode who we were told we WOULD get to know – I began to get a warm, fuzzy feeling about not only my new digs, but this new place with students I’m pretty sure I”m allergic to and will have one serious round of asthmatic bronchitis within 2 weeks. I’m ready to fall in love with all of this.
Spawn is having a rough time of it. He doesn’t move or do change well. I”ve decreed this evening as a break from packing.
And I’ve been in the mood to do something I’ve not felt like doing in quite a few months. No, I”ve not bought a thing and I can’t. I have a move to fund and a few credit cards to pay down and off. But still…
Pretty, right???
Here’s something else that’s pretty!!!
You’re welcome
zee's muse 
What a wonderful welcome! Sounds really great so far. I’m sure Spawn will adjust, too. Probably good that he has some time off school to get settled in. (What happened with the math course, by the way?)
He failed Calculus for the 3rd time and has decided to change majors as he can’t go any further in his current major until he passes this course. He’s having to pay for it now and it cost over 1000.00 this last time. He’s also going to need a car, so he’s taking the semester off for the change and for us to scrounge up something somewhere somehow to get him a set of wheels.
He doesn’t move well and change is a bothersome thing, not when you’re someone who finds great comfort in a routine, which he does and right now, he doesn’t have.
Too bad. Does he have a job to give him some routine?
No. I’m hoping when he gets a vehicle, he can get something part time. He’s on SSI so he’s limited to how much he can work. We’ve discussed just moving on, but his health insurance is wrapped up with it and considering his heart and the fact his doctors are among the best in the world, we don’t want to mess with that until he can get something he’ll be able to make a living doing.
Makes sense. You mean it’s wrapped up with SSI or with school? (Not sure how it works there.) Something part time could at least give some routine. Or maybe a volunteer gig.
His health insurance is part of his SSI. He’s limited – VERY limited – to how much he can work with the SSI. However, with us moving, my rent going way up, he can probably work more hours to ‘help with additional expenses’ and not worry about it.
I see. First thing I guess is to adjust to the new place and settle in, and then find a job to help out.
He’s talking about hunting something fairly quickly. When we lived further south, he worked for a small SMALL retail chain that was in walking distance. He really enjoyed it.
That’s good. Hope he finds something that suits.
That sounds really, really nice. I am actually speechless at the gift you receive. Could it be that this is a school that really values their teaching staff? A whole tour through the county – unheard of. I think it all bodes really well for the new “era”. Now only the packing and the move is still a problem – but maybe this is motivation to get it done? Best of luck, anyway.
Country kids are very different from inner city. 90% of the county is marshland. So we saw lots of … marsh! I appreciated the tour because they’re right – you see WHERE you kids live, what conditions they live in. We passed a roadside motel and the Parent Liason says – and we have 7 families who live here… and I”m looking, there aren’t but maybe a dozen motel rooms? And she said there was ANOTHER small motel that was mostly families living there semi-permanently. It makes you reevaluate your mindset. When they live down dirt roads… or out on an island and dependent on a twice a day ferry or their own boat. It was slightly surprising to hear they close school on super rainy days because of the mud problem. And this is supposedly considered a wealthy county, because of the pristine beaches… located out on the islands!
I think it is a very good idea to show the new teachers around the county – and to where their pupils live. Puts many things in perspective and probably also feeds the motivation to do something for those that are less lucky than we are.
when I first moved to the coast back in 2015, I had no clue where my kids lived or where my school was! We were in a temporary facility on the other side of town for 2.5 years. When our new facility was completed, I left early to go look at my room. When I finished, I drove the neighborhood – so I could see where my kids lived.
I was appalled, saddened, it grieved my soul the conditions my children lived in.
I then remembered something my former former principal said – what you might think is ghetto, unlivable conditions, might be a palace to them, because it’s they’ve known. Sleeping on the couch might be all they’ve known. Sharing a room with 3 other siblings might be all they’ve known. That roof over the head is precious, no matter how nasty it looks.
To my kids, a Chevy Impala is a Cadillac. They think I’m rich. To them I am. I was showing a picture of my new to me Chevy to one of our custodians and he said – that’s your HOUSE? That’s a NICE house. And I suppose it is. But to me, it’s just a house. Certainly not something that’s down in the Plantation down the road where Spawn and I cruise to look at Christmas lights.
So yeah. Driving around, showing us the ‘neighborhoods’, where our children live, is so very important. I assume everyone has internet, right? Apparently a large portion of ours don’t. And there is ONE library in the county and it’s not very big. So that Wifi bus means a lot. Everything means a lot. I remember at my last school, if a child got his or her uniform dirty, they wore it dirty for the rest of the week, because mom went to the laundry on Saturday and they only had one uniform.
By Friday, uniforms were pretty gross. I had to teach myself not to cringe when a child hugged me.
There is a raw beauty in that county. I think I”m going to like it there.
It all really makes sense, the way you are describing it. It’s actually really insightful for me (and your other readers), too. There is a bit of surprise for me that such conditions exist in an industrial nation of the US’s size and stature. (Mind you, it exists in Europe, too, of course.)
And it also shows me that you are a thinking, compassionate teacher. Your former school really have no idea what they lost!
The biggest reason for poverty in this country is lack of education – which is wrong as our education system IS free. Many of my former students parents DIDN”T finish high school, are being raised by aunts and uncles and grandparents who don’t have an education. There is a decent percentage living in homes that have been in the family for generations.
We are an industrialized nation, but the entire nation isn’t industrialized, if that makes sense. You have industry and factories in the big cities mostly on the coast – that’s why there is such a huge population in NYC and Detroit and Atlanta, and San Francisco and Los Angeles. That’s where a lot of jobs are, but the biggest land mass of this country is agricultural; fishing. We have the Bread Basket of this continent which feeds all of us. For some decades, the federal government has pushed a college education, white collar, not caring that the large majority of students have no use for it. The big push now are STEM and STEAM schools – my new school is a STEM school (Science, Technology, English? and Math) but in an agricultural setting, the technology they need the most ISN”T the type to get them into college – they’re going into the fields with dad or out on the fishing boat. They need THAT sort of technology, how to rotate crops, how to follow the schools in the water. How pollution or industry kills our water and our soil. It’s very different than these big big cities that have a different view point.
We will always need mechanics and plumbers and carpenters and computer repair people. Those jobs pay money, certainly more than flipping burgers. But you need to be able to read, hunt stuff on a computer. And you need an education for that.
I’m not expecting to raise up an Opera star, or a 1st chair for an orchestra. I just want to raise up a decent human being who is curious aobut the things outside his or her reach and give them the ability to take something apart and put it back together, because that’s what all musicians are good at – taking something apart examining it and putting it back together.
I believe my former school will tell you they had someone very different that me. But that’s their problem. They never asked me what was going on and even if they had, I wouldn’t have told them. But that’s in the past and I’ve got something very different and probably more up my alley than where I came from.
If that makes sense.
There is an unnatural emphasis on white collar work these days, no matter where you are. In Germany we now actually have a problem because there are not enough young people who are interested in doing apprenticeships as craftspeople. Everybody wants to get a college degree. The result is that both areas of work are being devalued. I wish that there were more investments in education – on all levels.
I agree. There’s been a huge push in recent years to rise up blue collar work. Again, most experienced auto mechanics make more than I do. There’s always a need for technology repair. For a long time, everything was considered disposable. Had your phone for 2 years??? Are you nuts? Think of all the advances.
Well, I’d rather NOT and it ticks me off that everytime there’s an advance, your outdated model won’t work because everything advances with it. *shakes fist at Windows*
I’ve had my phone quite a while and this was is paid off and I don’t plan to change it until it stops running. I mean the price of stuff today is outrageous and I don’t need that much to function. I would hope our round would get back to simple things in life and focus more on being nice and kind to people and appreciating the people around us !
I usually buy cheap. I think the shortest I had a phone last was 3 months. 3 of the number pads got stuck and made it unusuable. I paid 80.00 for the POS I have now and i will be replacing it asap. The internal storage fills up and takes everything with the stuff just to run the phone, which is stupid and ridiculous. I can’t surf the net, email, nada. It’s irritating. I’ve never hated a phone so much. I wish I had done research when i bought it – the one I had, I dropped in the toilet! So I was in a hurry. Worst purchase ever.
So I am asking as a friend and a fellow consumer where do you get your phones? I went to Verizon Wireless for mine I was really looking for cheapest per month
I’ve been with Virgin Mobile since 2003. I liked the no contracts, swap out your phone at anytime at no charge. For years, I put on a set amount of money on the phone for the month.
In 2007 I went to a monthly plan. I have unlimited calls and texts and either unlimited or 1T data. And including tax, I pay a little less than 45.00 a month. I used to get rather cheap phones as I didn’t need or want internet and such, however, that’s pretty impossible anymore. In recent purchases, the phones last for a lesser and lesser time. The phone I had before this one I had for 2 years and was on its last legs when I dropped it in the toilet. This phone has been a huge disappointment and I’ve let everywhere that carries it know it’s a shit POS! No one has had anything nice to say about it.
I’m concerned as the reception in this house has been horrible – I have to go outside to talk – and the reception between the new house to the highway is non-existent. So I’m looking to change phones as soon as I get moved.
Ahh thanks for the info! I hope to have this phone w me several more years esp since it is paid off now but my monthly amount is double your 45
I won’t pay that much. It’s just a phone. I have a laptop for everything else. I’m goign to replace my Kindle as well and I’m NOT getting a Fire because Alexa – which you can’t take off – takes up so much room. I just want to read books and I can’t take books off my Fire when I”m done with them.
Well I admit I rely a n the phone much more then I ever thought! For work emails blogs Richarding
You tube weather texting (I miss you) taking pics
I don’t have kindle IPad is mainly traveling now
World not round sorry!
Sounds like a positive start to your time there. How many new teachers are there? I’m assuming quite a few to warrant a bus tour!
There are 25 of us, but I think only 20 went on the tour because several of the elementary teachers had meetings to go to. (Not me! I get out of most stuff! LOL!) I understand they started doing this a few years back because they wanted new teachers to get a feel for the area and to see where the kids live. And that’s REALLY important, tbh. I see me keeping granola bars and protein bars and stuff for kids who miss breakfast.
If this area takes pride in their history as you stated then they will show pride in their teachers, Sounds like you moved across worlds from where you were.
The place has a lot of history. The Union Army burned the city to the ground during the Civil War – with the exception of the Methodist Church. There’s also a lot of history there during the times of Civil Rights – they came kicking and screaming into the modern day, tbh. But it seems their commitment to their children – Education can break the cycle of poverty. They have a scholarship program for children whose family has NEVER attended college. It’s a big big deal! They only award so many of these scholarships and they’re worth a little bit! I was just incredibly impressed.
Good, something positive. That is always nice.
I concur with everyone above that this tour and gifts and welcoming you aboard yesterday are all good signs and motivational signs. If you keep on your meds and take care of yourself then the super flu or whatever may not come. I am very happy for you because you deserve the best and have so much to offer these children and this school. BUT now as an Enabler myself NO MORE CATALOGS OR CLOTHES for awhile especially if you want the car, the ipad, the kindle, the laptop, the furniture the home goods. I say with all the LOVE in the world and as a friend and we all are here to you I will sweetness.
Oh that bronchitis WILL happen. I’m getting ready to be inundated with a bunch of new germs all at the same time. I’m doubling up on the Vitamin C and the inhaler and the every other year crap is a given. Joy.
I need to move, need to take stock with what I have and what needs to go. I need a new kindle, a computer desk for me, rugs (only 2 rooms have carpet and while I have a rug for the dining room and a rug that will probably go in Spawn’s cave, I need a family room rug, a living room rug, a kitchen rug, and bathroom set up for the half bath. I’m going to need curtains for the family room, my cave… Spawn needs a car. Yeah. Probably no clothes buying for a few months.
You get a flu shot though right? I mean maybe these kids are healthier than the other lot. You need to eat healthier and hydrate but this school sounds charming…
Yeah get settle, purged what you really don’t need and then assess. You have time once you move girlfriend. You can make the house what you want it. Enjoy the process not the destination..
Any time I’ve gotten the flu shot, I got sicker. So in recent years, I’ve not bothered.
I remember the year that had that vicious flu strain – 2009 I think, and my school system PAID for teachers to get both flu shots. I got both, spent the entire Christmas break and the entire month of January sick as a dog! We had standardized testing in February and when it finished, I was out for a week. It was not fun!
oh I thought teachers had to get flu shots that it was mandatory although how would they enforce that right? well think positive and take care of yourself with taking your proper meds. Fingers crossed you will go bronchitis free this year!!
I’m sure in some places, it is mandatory. I don’t do well with flu shots, soooo…
well I can definitely commiserate there. The only flu shot I ever had I got sick right away that was like 17 years ago. I don’t do well with needles either of any kind..
speaking of stabby stabby done today? last night?
Regarding decorating the house most people cannot afford to get all they need at one time. So you go piece by piece as the money becomes available and eventually it will fall into place.
Sound advice Irish I’ve lived in my townhouse for 8 years and still need much fixing up and new coffee table, book case, other home goods, new kitchen tile… just takes time and money..
Right now, I just want to get MOVED. The rugs are going to be a necessity, espcecially the kitchen and family room. (Those will be the 2 rooms we’re in the most. Those curtains are going to have to happen very quickly as well!
your mom doesn’t have any extra curtains? Or some temporary ones or you don’t have any? I never liked curtains but my sister does…
Do you like mini blinds? They are rather low priced and they will cover the windows until you can get the draperies. That is what I did when i bought my first home. Because it is not always easy to find what you like.
The only curtains I’ll have to buy are the living room curtains, the family room and my breakfast area. I can do the breakfast and family room cheap – as in Walmart. Right now, I have a pair of my mother’s gold curtains in the living room. They are ugly and I’m sick of them. The living room rug can wait. The curtains for the dining room I have up and they belonged to my mom. They’re pretty, if you like the 1980’s tapestry flowery look. There are sofa pillows to match. If I can’t pick it up cheap at Walmart or Target or Beale’s Outlet, I can get them from Zulily. I’ll just wait until I can afford. It’s going to be a few months before I get to that point. I’m going to move and hit the ground running.
I like my bedroom curtains – oh, I’m going to HAVE to get something for my bathroom. I didn’t notice until I got to looking at the pictures that my bathroom – which is laid out and is the exact same size as the one I have now – has a window. I have mini blinds up now and if need be, I’ll get mini blinds – OR the ever durable, nailed up single sheet!