A New Job

Well, in my last blog I mentioned that I had become a bonafide Auburn School District employee, although the hiring process left me feeling not so sure about that status. Yesterday I got my confirmation - I was called in to work!

At just a few minutes before 8AM my phone woke me up with an assignment to go to Chinook Elementary on Muckleshoot hill ASAP. So just about an hour later I arrived and informed the school Office Manager, Lisa, that it was my first time to sub in an office. Fortunately for me, she has been on her job just over a year and did sub work before that so she was sympathetic to my situation.

I had to figure out where to park, remember to hang my parking permit tag on my mirror, then once I was inside find the correct sheet to sign in on. Then Lisa showed me the absence and tardy list that she had begun to compile, as well as entering them all on the computer in the special software the district uses. It was all fairly easy and I picked it up quickly. The one thing I have to get used to is deciphering what people are saying when they're calling in on the phone, telling me that their child will be absent. Names aren't what they used to be. No more "Billy Jones" or "Suzie Smith". This school is located on the Muckleshoot reservation so there were some Indian names. There are also just about everywhere now Mexicans, then the sporadic Samoan, Vietnamese and whatever else. One name I remember was Tuilata. The first names were just as confusing as Tuilata so when a parent called in and spouted "so-and-so and what's-his-name Tuilata" were home sick from school I could figure out what they were saying. But the majority of them just dump the name on you and it's up to you to decipher what they just said. I began to just write down what it sounded like, then go over the student list until I found it. Like one kid name "Ford" I wrote down as "Forbes".

So I mastered the attendance aspect of the job. I had to answer the phone also and that wasn't difficult either. Nearing the end of the day I found myself sitting in the health room with a cute little 2nd grade boy that reminded me of Denny, being small and very talkative. There were about 4 other kids that came and went while I was there with Joseph. One had a sore finger and put ice on it, one bumped her head so put ice on it also, another just felt nauseated so he sat and rested while I took his temp. There was one girl in 3rd grade who came in to give herself her insulin shot. She was so cavalier about the whole thing, it was impressive.

Some of the other interesting albeit very typical events that happened throughout the day:

- a girl pulled out her loose tooth while her class was walking to recess

- a kindergartner was sharing how she lived with her Grandma because her mom and dad    were in jail for shoplifting

- my little health room buddy, Joseph, was in there because he was not allowed to go to the   bathroom in time and ended up "having an accident" and needing clean clothes

- a group of 3 siblings missed the bus and had no other way to school, hmmm, how did that happen?

All in all a great first day at work. I know it'll be about as different as can be when I go to a middle or high school, that's why I check-marked elementary schools as my schools of choice.

Hey!  I just got a call to go to another school tomorrow and Friday!  This job may just work out after all!

2 cats hacked up hairballs:

Melinda February 26, 2011 at 8:35 AM  

Yaaay!! it sounds like it will never be dull. I agree, elementary school kids are the easiest. It's probably the parents of some that will be the biggest problem. Speaking of odd names, our granddaughter Gabrielle, that name is no big deal, but her middle name is Xandra. Uhhhh, helllooo....isn't that a stripper name? What ever happened to middle names like Ann. sigh...

Judy March 1, 2011 at 8:15 PM  

well, congrats girly. didn't know you were wanting to go back to work.

About Me

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After 2 unsuccessful marriages I spent 12 years as a divorcee, only to fall prey to another man's wiles. We had a fun 5 years together and then he decided he wanted more freedom so once again I'm single.

So I'm freshly divorced at 57 and have 5 great kids and now 7 grandkids. My kids are still a major part of my life but I'm busy helping my aging parents on Kauai.

I've lived in California, Hawaii and Oklahoma before finally settling here in Washington. I love Washington and come back to visit family, friends and take care of my garden often but will be temporarily a resident of Kauai.

I've moved 30 times in my life (no, my parents weren't in the service, at least not since I was about 2) and finally planted roots when I got my little house that I've owned since '91.

My family are Jehovah's Witnesses, I've been one since '72.