Read Online Confessions from the Principal's Chair by Anna Myers - Free Book Online
Authors: Anna Myers
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his face. Button three, green, Mr. Law son, high school. Button four, orange, Mrs. Newton, elementary school. To call any of those people you only have to push their button. Just keep the note handy until you learn." She put down the pad, then picked it up again. Beside elementary school, she wrote, "Deaf." "The woman is almost deaf, can't hear well at all on the phone, but let me tell you she is sharp. Those kids don't get by with a thing nor anyone else either. Mrs. Newton doesn't miss a trick."
Pray Mrs. Newton doesn't call or show up, I said to myself, but it wasn't the elementary principal who I had to worry about. Of all things it was Angie from the City Café, but I am getting things out of order again. Angie didn't come until lunchtime. Well, not long after I had the phone explained to me, it rang, and a light started to flash. I grabbed Mrs. Simpson's note. The red light meant a phone call from the superintendent. I picked up the phone. "Good morning, sir," I said in the most adult-sounding voice I could come up with.
Mr. Morris laughed. "Now don't start calling me sir. I'm feeling ancient enough already. You call me Kenneth, like I told you. Almost everyone does, you know. I'm sorry to say it doesn't look as if I am going to make it over to visit with you today or even tomorrow. Things are stacking up around here, you know, and I am about to leave for a two-day conference on school finance in the city. I'm glad we got to have lunch together last week, gave us a chance to get acquainted, you know. Well, how's it going? Didn't you tell me you couldn't come until Wednesday? I was surprised when I heard from Nancy Simpson that you were here, you know."
The man liked to say, "you know," but I didn't have time to think about that. He was questioning why I had shown up today. An answer came to me. "I found I was able to make it a couple of days early, anxious to get on the job. That's all right, isn't it?"
"More than all right, it's good. A school can't get along well without a principal, you know. Lawrence has been out two weeks already. Discipline problems are stacking up, you know. I'm afraid we've got us a couple of teachers over there who can't control the kids very well. No, the truth is there are three. You'll find out right away who they are. They've no doubt been saving up their discipline problems to send to you. I'm certainly glad you've had so much training in the area of discipline, you know."
He paused, and I knew I was supposed to say something. "Well, troubled kids have always interested me a good deal," I said with all the maturity I could muster in my voice. "Actually, I've been closely involved with some."
"When I met you, I said to myself, this lady is young, but she has something special, you know. I feel certain you can handle the job."
"Thank you, Kenneth," I said. "I feel certain I'll never forget my first time as a principal even though it may be brief."
"Well, good. There's one more thing. It's Nancy Simpson, fine woman, mighty fine. She's efficient too, practically runs the school. Well, that's the problem. She can sometimes forget who's in charge around there. She'll help you, but don't let her get the idea you work for her. She'd take over if you let her, you know. Well, mighty glad to have you, you know, and I'll be over to visit with you on Wednesday."
I told him thank you and said good-bye after he did. Then I sat in my chair smiling. It appeared no one but the superintendent had actually met this substitute principal, this other Robin Miller. I might actually last longer than lunchtime.
This could be the most fun I've had in a long time. I wished there was someone to tell. There was the computer, but I didn't want to e-mail. I wanted to talk to someone now. I looked at the clock. Nine thirty. That would be eight thirty in Denver, and Katie would be almost to school. She'd have her cell with her, and I could call her on this school phone. I reached for the phone and dialed the
Pray Mrs. Newton doesn't call or show up, I said to myself, but it wasn't the elementary principal who I had to worry about. Of all things it was Angie from the City Café, but I am getting things out of order again. Angie didn't come until lunchtime. Well, not long after I had the phone explained to me, it rang, and a light started to flash. I grabbed Mrs. Simpson's note. The red light meant a phone call from the superintendent. I picked up the phone. "Good morning, sir," I said in the most adult-sounding voice I could come up with.
Mr. Morris laughed. "Now don't start calling me sir. I'm feeling ancient enough already. You call me Kenneth, like I told you. Almost everyone does, you know. I'm sorry to say it doesn't look as if I am going to make it over to visit with you today or even tomorrow. Things are stacking up around here, you know, and I am about to leave for a two-day conference on school finance in the city. I'm glad we got to have lunch together last week, gave us a chance to get acquainted, you know. Well, how's it going? Didn't you tell me you couldn't come until Wednesday? I was surprised when I heard from Nancy Simpson that you were here, you know."
The man liked to say, "you know," but I didn't have time to think about that. He was questioning why I had shown up today. An answer came to me. "I found I was able to make it a couple of days early, anxious to get on the job. That's all right, isn't it?"
"More than all right, it's good. A school can't get along well without a principal, you know. Lawrence has been out two weeks already. Discipline problems are stacking up, you know. I'm afraid we've got us a couple of teachers over there who can't control the kids very well. No, the truth is there are three. You'll find out right away who they are. They've no doubt been saving up their discipline problems to send to you. I'm certainly glad you've had so much training in the area of discipline, you know."
He paused, and I knew I was supposed to say something. "Well, troubled kids have always interested me a good deal," I said with all the maturity I could muster in my voice. "Actually, I've been closely involved with some."
"When I met you, I said to myself, this lady is young, but she has something special, you know. I feel certain you can handle the job."
"Thank you, Kenneth," I said. "I feel certain I'll never forget my first time as a principal even though it may be brief."
"Well, good. There's one more thing. It's Nancy Simpson, fine woman, mighty fine. She's efficient too, practically runs the school. Well, that's the problem. She can sometimes forget who's in charge around there. She'll help you, but don't let her get the idea you work for her. She'd take over if you let her, you know. Well, mighty glad to have you, you know, and I'll be over to visit with you on Wednesday."
I told him thank you and said good-bye after he did. Then I sat in my chair smiling. It appeared no one but the superintendent had actually met this substitute principal, this other Robin Miller. I might actually last longer than lunchtime.
This could be the most fun I've had in a long time. I wished there was someone to tell. There was the computer, but I didn't want to e-mail. I wanted to talk to someone now. I looked at the clock. Nine thirty. That would be eight thirty in Denver, and Katie would be almost to school. She'd have her cell with her, and I could call her on this school phone. I reached for the phone and dialed the
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