First Day of Work - virtually exhausting

Well that was certainly a different day of work.

I tried to keep it normal. Up. shower. breakie. all that stuff.

The commute to work was rough. Traffic just about knocked me over on my way to the office.

(read, cats raced me down the stairs, between my feet)

I tried to set up the office to make it feel as real as possible. I have a whole house to work with but making the office work -central makes me feel more focused.

We started with a virtual staff meeting. They gave us a list of things to do for the week

• contact each family through email, phone or text and get a yes or no on whether the family wishes to continue with online learning. 
•  fill in the responses we get on a shared document
• for those who wish to, do they have wifi and devices to do this
• decide on our platform for work and class meetings.
• a full staff meeting each work day at 10
•  a grade level team meeting
• decide on how you will communicate regularly with parents.

The troubles became apparent

• missing contact info for parents. we have been trying to update this all year but some families sure do avoid filling it in. I have many bounce back emails. 
• I am not terribly comfortable using my own phone number for contact but there was no choice. Lots of calls and texts unanswered
• students in gr 7 really don't know how to log into their email online. or check it if they do know how to log in.
• my basement is really cold. socks and a small space heater helped
• my head was spinning with email alerts, text messages and calls and meeting reminders. too many coming from too many different sources.

I pulled out a coil notebook, put down the date and started keeping track of what I was doing. Why  a notebook? I am sure at some point the powers that be will want to know what we are doing each day. A notebook shows that step by step progression while an online document can be altered. We have been cautioned before about being able to prove documentation happened authentically and things weren't 'added later'. kind of like a numbered police officer's notepad

Things I learned

• I am glad I had my class set up on google classroom and we used it during the year. for those who hadn't it was a nightmare
•  sticky notes are my saviour. I have notes everywhere for passwords and reminders etc
•  I don't know how ppl sit at a computer all day. My ass was so sore. 
• my head was spinning from staring at  a screen all day
• parents (the ones who were actively wanting to learn anyways) are hungry for information. I have used a class facebook page for years that parents 'like' and follow. My post on there got more responses than my emails. I plan to write on it each day even if it is just to touch base. 

RRSP ups and downs

The market continues its ups and downs. Seems like a lot more downs than ups.

Despite my addition late last fall it is still wavering.  The account stands at $16 940

This is down $3400 from December 31, 2019

$3400!!!

I know lots of  you have much much bigger RRSP and have likely lost more, but this hurts!

I don't even want to think about what it will look like with all the Covid crisis coming up.

The Night before school starts

We are all full of questions on how this will proceed for us. Staff meeting tomorrow online. They plan to have them everyday at 10 AM. I kind of like the routine that establishes.

I have gone out twice this week for groceries and such. I have been sorting and rearranging things here. This house has lots of storage, but the cupboards are deep. Anytime you go to look for things you are rummaging around trying to find stuff. It's annoying.

I started with the spices and sorted them by category. BBQ spices. Canning spices. Baking spices. Regular ones. I found the perfect baskets at the dollar store that will fit two baskets per shelf, one behind the other.

I am definitely addicted to baskets and bins.

Mid week

It feels like forever since we started this and really it was only a few days ago. I have started to make mental lists of things I might be able to convert into online learning. I definitely feel like I am neglecting the students.

I did some baking today and dropped two tins of it off at friend's houses on their doorstep. I am not used to being at home and feel like I should be out and doing something.

Watching the toll in Italy grow and the new cases developing in the US is a bit frightening. Lockdowns have begun. Not just self isolation but stay inside.

I have started keeping a list of new cases here in SK and will continue to add as they days go on. We are much more spread out here than probably where many of you are, but it will come.

My routine is still getting up as early as I did for work. Up and coffee and watch the news. Check social media. Then I try to do something productive, but its hard.

DS1 is surviving. He gave me a list of things he was wanting and I dropped them off in the garage. Our buffer zone we call it.

As long as it stays cold  and snowy here, people will be more inclined to stay home. But as soon as it warms up.... yikes.

First Day of Pause

ok well the second since Friday was the first day. Close enough

It only took til noon until I started to feel guilty not connecting with my kids' and their families. We were told to take the week and try to think of ways to keep interest in learning online, but mostly the week is for us.

So I unpacked some books, put a few more things away and started to make a list of things I could do so I wouldn't go crazy.

I am still trying to keep the bills straight between the houses, and the dates they are due.

I spent some time adjusting my budget to reflect 2 power bills, 2 water bills etc.  At some point we will get the boys to kick in but let's wait and see.  It shouldn't be so hard to keep it organized but it feels like a mess for me. Hopefully it will get better.


DS2 is up with his gf and experiencing that same pause. Except for her, she's only been teaching less than 3 months so she doesn't have that wealth of experiences and materials to draw upon.

DS1 is surviving and finding himself sneezing a lot from the cat hair. We've cleaned a lot but it's still there. I suspect the furnace vents all need cleaning.

I definitely need to figure out a rhythm for the days ahead.

Home and Safe

It was a good Sunday.

Baking

cleaning

Some netflix

DS2 made it up north where his gf lives/teaches as he will stay up there for the next few weeks.

DS1 made it home safely after dropping his buddy off

We visited through the open front door briefly...safely spaced apart. He is still grumpy about the 14 days and I am hoping he will make it. This is the first time he's been there since we moved out. He said it doesn't feel like we are gone. Makes sense since we left the furniture and most of the things on the wall. He's definitely missing his cats.

and now I can relax

Weekends

DS phoned close to midnight. They had safely crossed the border. There was actually minimal fuss there with border patrol just handing them pamphlets about Covid and saying they should be doing a 14 day self isolation.

At this point they were exhausted. They wanted to push on. "It's only 7 more hours to home".

I told him to stop. Get a hotel room in the city just across the border. Eat. Shower. Rest.

The boys were complaining about the snow and temps. Poor little beach bums had forgotten what Sask weather in like.  They agreed to stop for the night.

The old house is ready to go. Everything's clean for him and I have stocked it with things he might like. I hope he gets how serious the 14 day self isolation is. And the law. but he's a social butterfly and hasn't seen his gf since early December.

a Lull Day

If I didn't think too hard, it could almost be Easter Break . Friday off, long weekend. No work duties.

I wandered for a good hour this morning, in my own home. I needed to shake it off. Do something. Do anything.

I baked a few batches of cookies and muffins, definitely appreciating my kitchen aid. The smell of baking was calming in a weird way. And I didn't eat a ton of cookie dough. Score!

I looked at my school pile and had to put it in a room to try to forget it for awhile. We weren't sure exactly what we were supposed to do, so give it a few days. A response team was meeting provincially and then would trickle the information down.

DS would call every few hours and update us. He and his buddy took turns driving four hour shifts while the other slept. Their grandiose ideas of stopping and enjoying the drive were out the window. They only stopped for fuel, snacks and a pee break, but each stop things felt a little more like 'this shit is real' as signs started appearing with guidelines for safety.

They are slowly making their way through the 33 hour drive.

And Boom... it starts

There was more of a spring in my step heading to work today, than yesterday. Not sure why. Perhaps the nerf gun war
I finished doing some room tidying and filling in documents for the district.

At 9:20 there is a page for another staff meeting. This time we aren't all gathering in the library. Three groups of staff, three admin, three different rooms. Same message.

We are all instructed to download an app and test it. Then we are told to finalize our paperwork, get our stuff together, and go. Preferably within the hour.

Pause would begin early. No nerf gun war. No last visits. Just get whatever you think you are going to need for online learning. Get your laptop and cord. And get out.

We were forbidden from entering the school - until at least May 1.

I threw a few resources I thought I would need in a box, got my marks binder (yes I do it old fashioned first before putting in online), a few books and I left.

It was really bizarre driving away from the school. Disconnected. Unreal. Confusing.

I drove home and just sat. For over an hour. It was a real 'what the hell just happened?"

DS called about  PM. He and the other boy did their check outs and left by noon. It is starting to become real to him. All this time he was of the 'it's no big deal' mindset. Now, with borders closing it's becoming real. All Canadians lose their healthcare (if something happens to them while down there) if they are not back in the country by Friday Midnight. A caravan of boys started together and will split around Nashville, some heading towards NY, NJ and Ontario others heading up to the west to Michigan, Minnesota and Canada.

I let DS2 know he needed to clear out of the house tomorrow so it's safe for the 14 day self isolation required by law.

Hump Day Happenings

The halls are hauntingly empty.

At our staff meeting this morning they said we are a go until Thursday 3:30. Then, according to the province, we will have Friday, and next week as Pause, as they are calling it. Time to be at home and figure out this new world for our family as well as for teaching.

The govt stated in that initial announcement that online learning is optional and everyone passes.

NOT well thought out to say the least. So many what ifs and our hands are tied. Really wish they would include us in conversations.

I finished my marks and updated my report cards for Term 3. My EA and I began cleaning around the classroom. Wiping desks and computers. Finding library books and returning them. Making lists of students to contact that they had belongings in my room.

We as a staff have planned a nerf gun war for our noon tomorrow. Tensions are high and everyone is shell shocked. We need a bit of levity and togetherness before we say goodbye to each other and the building.

After work, DH and I went for a big grocery shop. Unsure of how this is going to go, we are just making sure we have what we need for at least  couple weeks. The stores were crazy. Jammed. Panicy. Like right before Christmas but more stressful.

Carts are piled high. Shelves are bare. Almost no canned goods. No milk or bread. Surprisingly, the ice-cream bins are empty. This, in addition to the now usual - no cleaning products, flour, TP etc.

We didn't hoard but just made sure we had a few of each item we would want. It was one of the biggest bills I have had grocery shopping. Took forever to put away.

DS phoned tonight. Their league is suspended. He is doing his close out interview tomorrow (Thursday), taking care of his banking, and cleaning their condo.  One of the boys on the team is from SK. He had planned to fly home but was more than a little nervous about it. That, and last minute flights were exorbitantly expensive. DS decided they would come home together. How they will get 2 sets of equipment (the buddy is a goalie), and all their belongings in DS's Jeep Compass, is beyond me.

so much for their big plan of "many of the boys are going to caravan together, stop in Nashville for the night, etc)

DS2 is cleaning up our old house and getting his things ready to clear out before DS1 gets home.

so what do we do from here?

Our big  - hey we are doing sanctions is quite meaningless now.

no students in my room so no need to arrive early. There are still kids in other rooms, especially in 10-12 and technically they can be here til Thursday.


Today I am mostly marking assignments that have come in and getting my marks book up to date.

In other news, DS1 hears tomorrow what is happening with his team.

NHL, AHL and all our Canadian leagues are suspended. It's only a matter of time until DS's league is too.

Apocalypse now

9 AM - 13 students in the room

We carried on and did a new lesson in math for those who were here.

9:50 - break

9:57 - started period 2

10:00 - student tells me they got a text from their parent saying school is done.

I head to Social Media - Yup . Announcement from the government. 

Really bugs me they didn't share with school districts first and then on to schools and us.

They want us to be a partnership and they blindside us with info.

How can we support kids and their families when they don't give us info.

I go in the hall and see three of my colleagues with the same stunned look on their face.

It's just surreal.

By 11 AM all my kids were gone. Some cleaned out their lockers and took their stuff. Some did not.

Staff are sitting around stunned. unsure what to do.

I mean I have read a ton of Young adult books with that post apocalyptic theme, but now I seem to be living it.

Friday the 13th

Let's face it. Friday the 13th often brings chaos in schools. It's like a full moon.

I should have known things were up when there were so few kids in the hallways.

I ended up with 17 of 29 students. It was weird.

We pushed ahead and taught new things as we can't stay in a holding pattern forever.

The other gr 7 classrooms were the same. 

The news is full of Covid struggles.

Ontario, Quebec, BC and Manitoba have announced school closures.

And so it begins

Infusion day in Stoon

Hearing rumors that stores are running out of items - flour, yeast, cleaning products, toilet paper.

None of any of the above here in town.


So off I go to Stoon and the first thing I usually do is head to Costco. It's always busy there. I mean do people work??? I know why I am not at work but everyone else???

Busier than normal.

I head to the back where I always do. No Kirkland TP. I see a few people with it in their carts so there was some. Was.

I grab the permitted 2 of Purex TP. Not my favourite but...well. As a girl with colitis, I go to the bathroom a LOT. I need it. Running out would be all kinds of awkward.

There is also no cleaning products, no flour or yeast, and very low amounts of pasta, pasta sauce. It's eerie. I have to say.

At my appointment the nurses seem unconcerned. Our conversation was more of the 'why are people stockpiling' focus.

It was an odd day for sure. Only took 3 tries to get my IV in this time.

It was supposed to be a PD Day

Some of our professional development is great. It makes sense. It's realistic. It is do-able.

Some of it is definitely less so. Usually this PD is planned by the district office as something they think is very important. And usually it has no practical applicability to the every day life of teachers.  Those grandiose ideas envisioned by people who haven't been in a working classroom in years, if ever.

So today we headed in wondering which category it would be.

It was kind of ….neither.

Our teaching federation decided they were going to impose sanctions - work to rule - as our contract negotiations were going nowhere. Again, the government is another body who has no idea what life is like in the teaching world day in and day out. Or the health care system. Or farming life. or... well you get the idea.

Sanctions would start Thursday. We are not allowed to arrive until 15 minutes before the bell and must leave immediately at the end of the day. No noon hour support. No clubs or teams. It's never something we enjoy.

So our PD topic of the day was mostly  blur for everyone as we tried to figure out how to teach effectively without being able to prep effectively.

It's upsetting for students. parents. staff. everyone