Last week was quiet, real quiet. How quiet was it? So quiet that I thought about not posting this blog because there wasn't much to talk about. I thought about it for a minute and then decided, what the heck. So here we go.
I hate false alarms but not as much as Gnu. The initial alarm notification came early in the morning but I missed it as I accidentally left my cell phone on vibrate. While setting up the classroom for the day I received the second alarm notification. This one came directly from Gnu as she was calling me on my cell phone. "Schultz, I'm having a lot of pain. Mr. Gnu is going to take me to the doctor. I'll be at school in a couple minutes to get you the lesson plan and work sheets for the day." "No, stay home, I'll be fine," I responded. Knowing that there was a real likelihood that I would have to move to the front of the room, I went to the main office to let the powers that be know what was going on. "Do you have a substitute coming in," asked the LittleBigB. "No," I responded. "Then I'll see if I can get one." "Ok," I said.
I'm now back in the classroom and Gnu walks in and immediately starts gathering the materials for the day. "This is for our reading block, this is for our afternoon math block, and if you need to fill any additional time, read this book," she told me. "Fine, I've got it, now get back home." Out the door she goes and I'm texting my colleagues to let them know that Gnu will be out for the day. FBG and MJ both responded back to let me know that they will be available throughout the day and that put me a little at ease.
One by one the scholars arrived. One by one they asked me the same question. "Mr. Schultz, why are you sitting in the front of the classroom." One by one I told them that Gnu has a doctor's appointment and will not be in today. The morning went by smoothly. It was just a few minutes before noon when my cell phone vibrated. It was Gnu, "the doctor said it was false labor pains. He told me that I could not have this baby for at least two more weeks. I'm tired and I'm going home. How is your day going?" I responded that my day was going smoothly and told her that I would see her in the morning.
The doctor said, "you cannot have this baby for at least two more weeks." That would change the arrival of baby Gnu from around June 1st to maybe as early as May 18th. Gnu had told our school leadership that she would start her maternity leave on May 25th. Given the statement from the doctor, there is the potential that Gnu could be gone as early as May 18th. If she leaves that early, that means that for the last thirteen days of the school year I may be occupying the front of the classroom. That is a long stretch and it's making me nervous. By the way, no substitute teacher showed up. The person that was going to look into finding a substitute never even bothered to tell me that no substitute was available. The person that told me that she was going to look for a substitute never even stepped into the classroom to see how I was doing and at no point was I told thank you for keeping the classroom on track.
My favorite gas station, BP, and again another interesting observation. Two adults, one male and one female, I'd say mid-twenties, were standing in front of the hot chocolate machine. "How do you work this thing," the female asked the male. The male walks over and now both of them are looking at the front of the machine. "What does that say?" the male asks the female. "I'm not sure," was her response. For the record, this hot chocolate machine had several options. Two of the options were expresso and latte so it's possible that all these selections can cause some confusion especially for two adults in their mid-twenties who apparently can't read.
The WLNutt saga is now going into overtime. As of this date, he has missed sixteen consecutive school days. Our school social worker paid me a visit at the front of the classroom the day Gnu was at the doctor and informed me that on Monday, May 8th, WLNutt will arrive in the classroom. I thanked our social worker for the information and told her that I would let Gnu know when she returned to the classroom. I chose not to ask our social worker about the delay but did ask what would happen if WLNutt did not show up on May 8th. "If he doesn't, then Child Protective Services will be paying a visit to his residence and will talk extensively with his parental unit.
The fourth grade scholars are at the front of the room with Gnu. I have everyone else with me at the back of the room. Gnu stands up from her chair and says to the fourth grade scholars, "I have to go pee. Keep working until I get back and then I can check your work." A couple minutes later Gnu returned to the classroom and looked at the fourth grade scholars who were talking and not working. "If I can't trust you to keep working when I have to go pee then maybe I should start wearing a diaper to school."
Last one. Huey is at his desk and he is drawing some type of dinosaur character with a pencil. When he finished the drawing he asked Gnu for some crayons. "Huey, where is that big bag a crayons that you brought from home yesterday? They looked like they were all brand new," Gnu responded. "Oh, those," Huey responded. "My parental unit took them to the pawn shop." "Why would your parental unit do that Huey?" Gnu asked. "Well, she does that a lot when I get something new."
There are twenty-two days left in the school year according to my short timer calendar. The end is rapidly approaching. Will next week bring us a baby Gnu? I'll let you know next Sunday evening.
Bye!
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