Professional Development

Every year the administration holds a retirement brunch for the entire school district. This year was the first one I’ve been to because I have always been at FFA Contests. The food was pretty good. I sat in the back with my teacher friends, so I could correct my middle schoolers final test. I had to make them take the final exam on paper because they turned in their iPADs before I expected them to. Grades are due tomorrow, so I thought I was being efficient instead of rude. After everyone finished eating they called up all the service awards. It was so hard to believe that one of the maintenance guys has been with the school district for 35 years. He started right after high school. 

The program then showed a video of all the people retiring in the district. This year we have principals, secretaries, guidance counselors, bus drivers, and teachers retiring. The videos were really sweet because it went through their years service, and what everyone will really miss. 

Above: My teacher friends left me this note
 around the Superintendent's certificate.
Below: ISEA Excellence in Education
Runner-up Award press release picture. 

Then our superintendent comes on the microphone and starts talking. I wasn't paying attention because I was correcting papers. My friend turns to me and says she's talking about you. I stop and listen to her, and all I hear is my name being called and that I was the Superintendent's Excellence in Education Award winner. I stand up thinking she's just pointing me out, and then she waves me forward. I go up there to get my certificate. I go to shake her hand and she pulls me forward like for a hug, but not quite. Then it was really weird because she ushered me off the stage. It was awkward. I'm still shocked that the superintendent gave me an award. This is the same superintendent that I couldn't have a conversation with unless it was through my union rep. The same superintendent that tried to get me to work this summer when my extended contract is up. The same superintendent that took out crop insurance on the FFA field, and didn't think to tell me or anyone else. She used field profits to pay for the crop insurance though. She also didn't understand why I fought her for a portion of those field profits to go back to my program. I really feel that the superintendent was pressured into giving me this award. Back in November, I was awarded the Excellence in Education runner-up for Iowa. At the awards banquet I sat next to the president of the association that served on a committee with my superintendent. I'm guessing the association president congratulated my superintendent, which gave her the idea for this award. This is the first year our school district has had an Excellence in Education award. Either way, it was nice to get an award to finish out my year.