A Stellar Saturday?

Must ... Grab ... It ...

... or there's no escape.

That's how I feel on this "Stellar Saturday" -- wrapped in vines and far from home. The intentions of a SS are good, but the execution is weak. Supposedly we're jointly planning for the upcoming 6 weeks. In reality, we're hearing the same old stuff that we heard in earlier staff development sessions. If I have to "unpack" another student expectation, I may scream -- and my team members' attitudes do not help. One follows the loudest voice, and the other doesn't worry about tomorrow until the crisis is upon us ... Neither has taught in a low-performing school in the inner city, so neither knows that torments that TEA can inflict upon a faculty of a UA school. Been there, done that -- and got the school off the list, but it took everyone doing his or her part, in all departments. Oh, well, my asst. principal (and evaluator) asked me to go since she can't (and the guys didn't volunteer). Once more into the breach, dear friends!

Speaking of Shakespeare. the second performance of Midsummer Night's Dream was more trick than treat. The cast blew lines and entrances while Doc H and Mrs. B watched from the front row. He commented that he couldn't understand what they were saying and, worse, they sounded like a bunch of Mexicans ... Also, Ms. W had prejudiced them against the play; she implied that the blocking was inappropriate and that parents had objected ... Really? I do sympathize with the theatre director -- At FDR I heard the same complaints year after year, except that the kids were using ebonics. Truly, theatre is the red-headed stepchild of the fine arts in high school.

Still, alas, the performance did NOT go well. The crew didn't set all the set pieces -- I spotted that and told someone to put the stool off-stage. (He didn't.) The energy was off -- the audience just sat there -- and too many people shifted this way & that, distracting people trying to watch the play. Worse, someone got into the dressing room & stole money -- THAT destroyed everyone's concentration ... It seems that someone (custodian, construction worker, teacher, student) left the side door open, so anyone could come down the corridor, get into the room, and leave without being seen from my post stage right. Then the clowns blew their scene, which could've saved the show -- and one clown was clowning onstage when he wasn't supposed to!

Again, that's the problem when you have teen actors on stage -- will they remember to do what they're supposed to do? Will the crew remember? We got disqualified last year for running over time -- all because the tech guy wasn't paying attention. He's gotten worse, not better, as the year's progressed -- only into his rap music on his i-pod. I don't know whether he'll find teachers to intercede and keep him at SHS for his senior year ... which might not matter since I think seniors can choose which school they want to attend.

Nest week, the second 6 weeks will be history ... then only 1 week until we're off for Turkey Day! We will survive!