Son number two started school today -- at a new school -- and on a new schedule. The schedule is what in California (or at least our school district) is called a "Modified A Track" schedule. Which is a change from what had gone on in the years prior (before $ cuts from the state.... let's not even get into THAT fiasco).
Previously, the elementary school near us had three "tracks" which meant that they could shove more kids into each school per year since our district was bloated with kids and rather lean on extra classrooms and teachers ($$ looms again) plus there was a bonus for the schools that had a limit of 20 students per class for grades K - 3(?). At any rate, now that the budgets have all been cut students are shoved in any which way to fit the building (36 students per class is now not unusual -- at least that's what I've heard from some of the teachers in the area ), so the schedule didn't have to go all wonky -- BUT -- it wasn't going to go back to a "Traditional" school year.... why, I don't know.
Son number two is used to a traditional schedule -- and for that matter, he's been going to a private school since Kindergarten. This year (4th grade) the economic situation meant that a school change was necessary.
So far, things seem ok. He did say that the stuff he's starting with is stuff he learned way back at the beginning of 3rd grade, but that might be just review. We'll see where things fall as the months go on.
For me, it means one less family member home during business hours -- which is change from summer vacation. The rest will be going about their business / school by the end of August & I'll be back to WORK with out too many interruptions! (what an awful Mom I am.... :) )
And if that wasn't good enough, this afternoon, in a fit of efficiency, I'm actually starting to tackle March's monthly totals / taxes.
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Monday, August 3, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
What a day....
Yesterday was a regular school day for sons number one and two, but arriving at school, we found a fire engine, two sheriff's patrol cars and some municipal trucks -- along with a very long Semi tractor trailer truck looking awfully suspicious.
The school itself is quite organized & had folk out to help parents park & get the the actual school grounds, as the road was closed off. So we parked & hiked. There wasn't much to see -- the parked Semi had officers swarming around it, but no guns drawn. Getting to the classrooms, we noticed that the lights were NOT on in the building.
So -- here's the story.
Semi truck (probably got lost as the road the school is on is a dead-end that stops at a just plowed field....
Somehow the truck got down to the end of the road ... how it managed to turn around, we'll probably never know (there's literally NO room for a large truck to turn), in turning, it managed to snag one or more high voltage live wires overhead ... didn't NOTICE and barreled on down the road, pulling the live wire (one or more) with it.
Now, from what I can piece together, this happened about 7:45AM (school starts at 8:15, so there were children playing outside on the blacktop).
Transformers blew -- one or more, depending on which person you talk to, but the children thought it was COOL.
There was fireball eruption from the top of at least one pole and then the school went dark.
The sheriffs' patrol got there right quick & blocked the road, but DID not send children home instantly.
The teachers were told that school would go on it's normal schedule, just in dark rooms. (and the consensus was that the power would be out for an hour or so... no big deal). Luckily, there is a fence by the road, so no students were given the opportunity to go check out the dancing live wires (and of course, by the time WE got there... being just a bit too late for the dramatic portion of this story... the wire was dark and blended with the road, invisible unless you were right by it).
I admit it -- I LEFT MY SONS THERE -- yup. Bad parent, you're thinking -- well, there was no actual threat to the school & the power was only supposed to be off for an hour or so... I had a full schedule planned for the day, so merrily I went (and I have to say that in my defense, 90% of the parents did the same).
BUT --- (and there's ALWAYS a but to this sort of story)
The power company decided that no way was it going to take an hour. Four hours (promise!)
So the Sheriffs, being good cops, informed the school that it was illegal to keep children in a place that had no electricity...
Which meant that all the teachers had to CALL all the parents back and evacuate the school. I was merrily (remember, merrily off to do a full schedule...) driving home after my second errand when I got the call.
Turn around, pick up the kids, forget the schedule (and oh, by the way, add boy number three to the mix because his mom wasn't able to get off work for the day and since I'm working for myself, I can do that).
That part of the day was exciting.
The rest of the day was just a big mess.
Hopefully today is going to be less exciting.
The school itself is quite organized & had folk out to help parents park & get the the actual school grounds, as the road was closed off. So we parked & hiked. There wasn't much to see -- the parked Semi had officers swarming around it, but no guns drawn. Getting to the classrooms, we noticed that the lights were NOT on in the building.
So -- here's the story.
Semi truck (probably got lost as the road the school is on is a dead-end that stops at a just plowed field....
Somehow the truck got down to the end of the road ... how it managed to turn around, we'll probably never know (there's literally NO room for a large truck to turn), in turning, it managed to snag one or more high voltage live wires overhead ... didn't NOTICE and barreled on down the road, pulling the live wire (one or more) with it.
Now, from what I can piece together, this happened about 7:45AM (school starts at 8:15, so there were children playing outside on the blacktop).
Transformers blew -- one or more, depending on which person you talk to, but the children thought it was COOL.
There was fireball eruption from the top of at least one pole and then the school went dark.
The sheriffs' patrol got there right quick & blocked the road, but DID not send children home instantly.
The teachers were told that school would go on it's normal schedule, just in dark rooms. (and the consensus was that the power would be out for an hour or so... no big deal). Luckily, there is a fence by the road, so no students were given the opportunity to go check out the dancing live wires (and of course, by the time WE got there... being just a bit too late for the dramatic portion of this story... the wire was dark and blended with the road, invisible unless you were right by it).
I admit it -- I LEFT MY SONS THERE -- yup. Bad parent, you're thinking -- well, there was no actual threat to the school & the power was only supposed to be off for an hour or so... I had a full schedule planned for the day, so merrily I went (and I have to say that in my defense, 90% of the parents did the same).
BUT --- (and there's ALWAYS a but to this sort of story)
The power company decided that no way was it going to take an hour. Four hours (promise!)
So the Sheriffs, being good cops, informed the school that it was illegal to keep children in a place that had no electricity...
Which meant that all the teachers had to CALL all the parents back and evacuate the school. I was merrily (remember, merrily off to do a full schedule...) driving home after my second errand when I got the call.
Turn around, pick up the kids, forget the schedule (and oh, by the way, add boy number three to the mix because his mom wasn't able to get off work for the day and since I'm working for myself, I can do that).
That part of the day was exciting.
The rest of the day was just a big mess.
Hopefully today is going to be less exciting.
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