Where's the library?

While chatting with a resident of the county about the new computerized GED, adult literacy programs, and computer literacy programs, it occurred to me that the library would be an awesome location for adult education programs. In many places the public library offers such programs for little to no charge for county residents. It then occurred to me that I had never set foot in the public library here in the county, so I asked where it's located.

Where indeed. It turns out that this county institution is closely tied to another upstanding county institution. The library is none other than the the former jailhouse. To sweeten the deal, it still has a hangman's noose and prison cells to boot.

Moderation and economy. Thrift and innovation.

Maybe the library/jailhouse combo is a thing like KFC/Taco Bell or Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin-Robbins.

The struggle is real.

Kool-aid pickles?

Kool-Aid pickles (kool-aid +sugar + pickles) are quite the thing in the county as well as in many other places.

Kool-Aid pickle

During break time (snack time) the school sells things like sports drinks, chips, nachos, fruit snacks, and of course Kool-aid pickles. 

On one fine afternoon several young female scholars proceeded to do "unspeakable things" with said Kool-aid pickles in the bathroom, so the school no longer sells this southern delicacy during break time.

Our fearless leader was deeply moved by these events, so she decided to make a public service announcement at the start of classes the following day. She kindly informed the student body that "we are aspiring to acquire greatness, not sucking to acquire greatness." 

The struggle is real.

 

Layaway...at a pharmacy

I went to the local pharmacy to pick up some candy and some personal hygiene items the other day. As I stood in line waiting to check out, I noticed that the lady in front of me was filling out a lengthy form.  I was thinking, "maybe she's old school and wants a rain check for an item that's out of stock." Upon closer inspection, I saw that the paper was titled "Layaway Request Form".

Maybe it's just me, but I don't walk into the pharmacy looking to buy something that I can't afford.

Maybe I need to get with the program and put my toothpaste and gummy bears on layaway the next time I go to CVS or Walgreen's.

The struggle is real.

No sub, no problem

Here in the county many certified staff use all of their sick time and then some. The problem is that nobody likes calling out sick ahead of time, so the school is always scrambling to find a substitute at the last minute.

If we are especially fortunate, one of the bus drivers will stay on as a sub, but when lady luck is not on our side we push for more innovative methods.

Option 1: send the students to the gym so that 20+ kids can disrupt the gym class that already has 40ish students.

Option 2: send the students to the library so that the librarian can babysit 20+ kids with nothing to do.

On one such occasion when we resorted to option 1 (sending the kids to the gym), students used this opportunity to engage in "inappropriate activities" in the bathroom.

Such innovation, such preparation, such flexibility.

The struggle is real.

A typical day in the lunch line

Student: Ms. Smith, you take food stamps in between paychecks?
Teacher: No.
Student: How you survive without food stamps?
Teacher: I use my money.
Student: So you don't get food stamps?
Teacher: No, I don't get food stamps.
Student: Ms. Smith, I never knew no black folk that don't get food stamps.

Here in the county 100% of our students receive free lunch and most if not all of them receive food stamps.

The struggle is real.

Enrichment?

The department chair decided that enrichment would be more effective if we allowed a few select students to run each classroom. These chosen elite would be the teachers delivering instruction and clearing up confusion in each classroom. Sounds awesome, but that's not how it worked out.

The students didn't respect their "peer teachers", so no "enrichment" took place. But no worries, we have a flawless plan in place. We will continue to run enrichment the same way for the rest of the year.

Here in the county we believe in continuing to beat the dead horse even when there are several signs telling us that there is no life remaining in the poor beast.

Well, I guess its easier to leave something broken instead of using precious resources to fix it.

The struggle is real.