just a few weeks ago i remember writing an entry about our school surviving, jumping over the hurdle and triumphing over adversity. they told us that there simply weren't enough students that committed to the school and paid their registration, bringing our total number of students to 82 instead of the 110 that we needed to open our doors for next year.
the interim principal and our pastor broke the news to us friday afternoon. the kids and their families received word from a letter in the mail on saturday, and the parish was informed on sunday. i walked into school on tuesday morning, and already, there were tears in their eyes. some needed to ask me for themselves, as if hearing my answer would make it real to them.
the principals from surrounding schools came and visited that afternoon to sign our kids up for what little spaces they had left. because of our students, many of the schools in our area are now maxed out at 40 students per class. when i looked around the hall, i saw parents crying as they thumbed through parent/student handbooks and signed registration. some even approached me and asked where i was going before they made their decision.
when i introduced myself to the other principals, they all held my hand or gave me a hug and expressed their sympathy for what was going on in our community. but, it was the kids that really needed the support. instead of graduating with the peers they've known since kindergarten, they now must get to know an entirely new class and do their best to fit in.
our school's name means "mother of sorrows," and as one parent so eloquently expressed to me, our mother mary is, once again, sacrificing her own school -- her own children -- so that other schools may thrive and flourish. i told my students that they have been blessed with the burden of staying strong and faithful in the midst of all this confusion and chaos. i don't know if they understand now, but i believe one day, they will.
on a brighter note, i did already find a position at another school. praise God for that. i'll be an 8th grade homeroom teacher next year, still handling language arts for junior high. i'm disappointed that i won't be able to try out the duties of vice principal, though. looks like that dream is gonna have to be put on hold...at least for a little while.
i'm reading a new book that i just started today.so far it has been real intruiging, and sometimes scary. i was reading in the living room and had to transfer to where david was because some of the scenes gave me chills.
i'm only into the first quarter of the book so far. already i feel as if the challenges of my community and the problems i face daily are trivial.
