THE THEME IS: CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN
The school in which I work has been undergoing MAJOR air conditioning/heating renovations this summer. By MAJOR, I mean, tear everything out and start over from scratch, leaving the entire place looking like something imploded ... a very BIG something. The general "middle" of the building was built at the turn of the century, so let's just call it SUPER OLD. The new addition -- and honestly, new is a relative term --, was built later on ... say circa When I Was Born. So, to state this would be an easy job is really lying through your teeth.
In fact, the week after school ended, the reno began (that's how we refer to it in The Biz -- THE RENO) --- right smack dab in the middle of three days of professional development. While searching for a workable restroom on Day 1 (because that has also been a little side project -- and by little, I mean, HOLY CRAP THIS IS HUGE TASK), I witnessed a workman for the MAJOR project, turn a blue print for our building 360 degrees, in each direction, in an attempt to read it. I knew then that this would not go well ... AT. ALL.
Then, on my way back from FINALLY finding a workable restroom, I heard aforementioned workman talking to the project manager ... okay, talking may not exactly be the right descriptor for it. Perhaps squawking and flapping his arms and the blueprints would better describe the scene.
Yes. Let's say squawking.
So, I saw the workman squawking at the project manager, "We can't do that, cuz if we do that, we're going to be into here, and we don't want to be in here, cuz that's going to mess this up, and then we've got to completely undo that ... SQUAWK, SQUAWK, SQUAWK ..."
I walked away because, at that point, I was witnessing a train derailment, the magnitude of which was undeniably going to affect my life later on. And, frankly, I just wanted to enjoy my summer ... as much as one can enjoy a summer FILLED with "fun" graduate school work. Please don't read a lot into the word "fun," by the way.
Fast-forward to yesterday, when I walked into my classroom armed with a bucket, rags, ammonia, soap, face masks, and rubber gloves ready to do battle with the nasty mess that is my room.
The good news is that the GIGANTIC chunks of insulation (among other nasty, nasty items) that the workmen left ALL. OVER. THE. ROOM. are now picked up and thrown away, and I can safely say that 1/4 of my room is sparkling and semi-clean ... barring any men coming in and completely upending the normal balance of cleanliness today at some point.
But man! The work I have left to do!
Yes, I did have my fair share of meltdowns. I even almost cried in front of my principal -- not a confidence builder in your staff, by the way.
But I keep reminding myself that those soon-to-be fourth graders are coming whether my room is sparkling or not. So, best get to it and GET R DONE!
In fact, the week after school ended, the reno began (that's how we refer to it in The Biz -- THE RENO) --- right smack dab in the middle of three days of professional development. While searching for a workable restroom on Day 1 (because that has also been a little side project -- and by little, I mean, HOLY CRAP THIS IS HUGE TASK), I witnessed a workman for the MAJOR project, turn a blue print for our building 360 degrees, in each direction, in an attempt to read it. I knew then that this would not go well ... AT. ALL.
Then, on my way back from FINALLY finding a workable restroom, I heard aforementioned workman talking to the project manager ... okay, talking may not exactly be the right descriptor for it. Perhaps squawking and flapping his arms and the blueprints would better describe the scene.
Yes. Let's say squawking.
So, I saw the workman squawking at the project manager, "We can't do that, cuz if we do that, we're going to be into here, and we don't want to be in here, cuz that's going to mess this up, and then we've got to completely undo that ... SQUAWK, SQUAWK, SQUAWK ..."
I walked away because, at that point, I was witnessing a train derailment, the magnitude of which was undeniably going to affect my life later on. And, frankly, I just wanted to enjoy my summer ... as much as one can enjoy a summer FILLED with "fun" graduate school work. Please don't read a lot into the word "fun," by the way.
Fast-forward to yesterday, when I walked into my classroom armed with a bucket, rags, ammonia, soap, face masks, and rubber gloves ready to do battle with the nasty mess that is my room.
The good news is that the GIGANTIC chunks of insulation (among other nasty, nasty items) that the workmen left ALL. OVER. THE. ROOM. are now picked up and thrown away, and I can safely say that 1/4 of my room is sparkling and semi-clean ... barring any men coming in and completely upending the normal balance of cleanliness today at some point.
But man! The work I have left to do!
Yes, I did have my fair share of meltdowns. I even almost cried in front of my principal -- not a confidence builder in your staff, by the way.
But I keep reminding myself that those soon-to-be fourth graders are coming whether my room is sparkling or not. So, best get to it and GET R DONE!
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