60 is the new 40!!

Yesterday (Saturday actually - I wrote this post Sunday but didn't upload my photos til now) I was feeling very blessed.  I come from a wee village of about 1800 souls and had occasion to visit. This year my high school friends and I are all turning 60. Wow. Although we are all far flung these days many of us have remained close. A small few still live in the village. Not me.

Truly BFF''s 

We are all turning 60 this year!

We decided (having already lost one of our number to cancer) that we should get together and celebrate our joint landmark birthday. Over the years we have had various get-togethers - you might remember me organizing a weekend here in London for everyone in 2015. I'm not sure why we are so close, but we are. And we treasure the friendship.

My friend Sharon and her grandson Cameron. Sharon and I
go back 55 years!

It was quite remarkable yesterday that two old friends came who have never attended any of our past events so I hadn't seen them for over 40 years! They've been invited but just couldn't make it until yesterday. Another of my nearest and dearest I hadn't seen since my father's memorial service. She hasn't changed a bit!

Lots of catching up, lots of reminiscing.

Of the two newbies one remembered my name right off and the other needed a clue. So I told her "we used to play together when we were in elementary school - we'd take a bunch of blankets and clothes pins and make tents underneath a tree..."..."JANE", she yelled and gave me a big hug.

Tall Cornelius joined us for the first time. And "cool" kid, Arlene,
front row far left.

She didn't remember me at first because once we reached the age of 11 or 12 we didn't hang out anymore as she joined the "cool kids" group and I didn't. Didn't want to even though I was "vetted" in Gr. 8.  No, I stayed with my less-cool but more fun and wholesome friends and have never regretted it. While the cool kids smoked and drank and all had long straight hair, wore makeup and had constant tans my less cool friends and I went to hockey games, went roller skating, played road hockey and softball, got together to make cookies and homemade pizza, had great school spirit and supported each other through thick and thin.

Perhaps the best moment was when she stared at me and said "you look fantastic!" I thought, but didn't say "that's what good living will do for you!"

The Love of my Life

 You'all know who this is...right? Well, I betcha didn't know that Bart is THE most excellent teaching aide a spec ed teacher could have. Confused? No doubt, but in my shoes we have to think outside the box once in a while pretty much all day every day.

In September I met a new student named Amanda. Amanda had come for several transition visits in the previous April, May and June which seemed to go well. But mom was really nervous about the transition from elementary to secondary school. I am well used to that - most parents are more anxious than their kids. Especially when those kids have special needs.

Well, the first day of highschool arrived and we began to understand why mom was anxious. Amanda refused to eat, refused to engage, refused to NOT SCREAM BLOODY MURDER, refused to do just about anything. Hmmmmm  We tried all of our usual strategies - no go.  The educational assistant, new to my school tried every trick in the book and I mean everything. I could find NO fault with anything she was doing.

 So, we enlisted the help of Bart. I found Bart, years ago, stuffed in a box in the school basement. I had a student with autism who liked the Simpsons so I brought Bart to my classroom but the student wasn't interested, in fact, he didn't even want to look at Bart so he sat untouched in my office for several years. I brought Bart out and soon Amanda was carrying him everywhere. She still screamed, she was still stubborn and she still wouldn't eat. BUT, she had found something she liked and she dragged Bart with her everywhere.

I thought let's set Bart up doing the things we want Amanda to do - like sit at the table and eat her food, sit in her rocking chair and listen to a story on tape....

 sort "eggs" into an egg carton...

 spell her name...

 play games on her iPad...

deliver mail to the teachers' mailboxes....

Oh look!! Bart's in my mailbox :) I love his sheepish grin!

Bart became indispensable, working with Amanda on all of her tasks. Whatever Bart would do, Amanda would do.

 Here's Bart using Amanda's specially adapted computer - he looks like a real pro!

Fit dominoes through a small slot? No problem - Bart makes it look easy!

Oh no.....not the pennies again! BORING!! Don't they know we don't even use the penny anymore in Canada...DUH!!

 Oh, alright - if it makes you happy I'll do it - keep your shirt on!

Ohhhhh, that's the way you do it...easy peasy!

Shredding?? - it's a no-brainer!!

Bart is now a full-fledged member of our classroom. He goes everywhere with Amanda. There is no more screaming, she eats her snacks and her lunch with no issues and has pushed beyond all previous skill levels. Amanda doesn't speak except for a few sounds, signs and gestures but her eyes speak volumes and her laughter fills the room with joy. We are giggle buddies. She'll come over to my desk, lean in and whisper "ho ho" at which point I give my heartiest Santa laugh which sends her into fits of laughter. Yes, she has learned how to "prompt" the prompter!

Leaning in close for a barely audible "ho ho" - Amanda - we love you so much!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to a Meeting I Go!

Well, in a few minutes I'm off to a "Return to Work" meeting to see if any of the recommendations brought forward at the previous meeting have been implemented.  Thankfully I am accompanied by my union reps who are some pretty tough women, let me tell you. They want to make sure that when I return in September it will be to a "safer" environment. No one can guarantee 100% safety though, I know that.

It's a nerve wracking process.  However, I do feel like I am turning a corner with regard to my emotions. In the first couple of weeks I was anxious, depressed and felt like a failure. Now I'm angry. Angry that I had to go through most of the school year unsupported even though I sought help for my classroom innumerable times. Angry that when I had to intervene with a student because his primary EAs FROZE, I was injured and NO ONE came to my assistance. Angry that only when a parent complained did the administration listen. Within hours I had another male EA to help out. Angry that when the EAs had to restrain a student to prevent him from biting them the parent called it physical assault. Angry that aggressive students are placed in classrooms which are not suited to their particular needs. Angry that I don't have the resources, equipment and staff to adequately serve these students. Angry that I had to take what I consider desperate measures in order to make something happen.

So I'll see what this meeting brings. I have applied for another teaching position but with so many teachers declared surplus this year it will likely go to someone who has NO job right now.

Wish me luck!

Highschool Reunion

People say about the past "you can't go back", but you know, sometimes you can! The last time I got together with my highschool friends was at the sad closing of our small village highschool in June, 2010. We gathered together for a walk down memory lane at the school then in the evening scarfed down a huge buffet dinner and boogied down to some retro music.

When I'm with my highschool friends we just pick up where we left off, even if it was 10 years or more since we last saw each other. We know each other's foibles, we remember each other's most embarrassing moments and we shared the best and worst times of our lives together. There's no point pretending you're someone you're not because you'll get called on it in a New York second. I love it because I get to be ME! There's something very honest and humbling about being with people who knew you when you were a rotten whiny kid with no redeeming qualities!! Thankfully, it works both ways!

Today we met up again in a restaurant in Burlington. We gathered from all points north, east, south and west and caught up with each other over a very long lunch:

Don't we look like such good boys and girls?!? HAH! That's a laugh - we got up to a lot of high jinx over our 5 year highschool career - even I got sent to the principal's office on more than one occasion. One of my many pranks involved getting up on the window ledge behind the curtains at the back of the french classroom. The windows were the kind that wind open and closed - no screens. Back then I could slip UNDER a door I was so thin so getting out the window was no problem at all. The Dairy Bar was a short 5 minute walk so I would stroll on over, enjoy a maple walnut icecream cone, stroll back, climb through the window, peek through the curtains and slip back into my desk unbeknownst to the teacher. I NEVER got caught at that prank. Ahhhh, the good ol' days :)

After our great visit today we've decided to reserve this weekend every year as OUR weekend and instead of just gathering for lunch we're going to spend the weekend together. I'm going to get started right away planning a few pranks for my friends. If I didn't they'd be very disappointed!!

Scenes from the deck of the restaurant which is on Lake Ontario - it was a bit hazy today:

Mother Goose had just laid an egg and was VERY protective of it - you wouldn't want to say BOO to this goose!