Read Online Confessions from the Principal's Chair by Anna Myers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anna Myers
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"Students and faculty," I said. "It is my pleasure to tell you that I am your new principal. My name is Ms. Miller. By the way, Ms. is spelled m-s, and it means that I might or might not be married, no one knows." I thought about that for a second and realized it didn't sound right. "Well, of course, I know if I am married or not, but it doesn't really matter here at school, does it? Anyway, I am the principal for the rest of this semester. I am sure you all know that the word principal is spelled with a p-a-l at the end when it means the principal of a school and with a p-l-e when it means a standard or something. I am glad my kind of principal is spelled with a pal because I want to be your pal. I think students deserve a real pal in the principal's office, and that is what you have here at Thomas Jefferson Middle School for as long as I am here, which won't be real long." I realized I hadn't written a closing, but now it seemed like I needed one. "Over and out," I said, and I flipped off the all-call button.
For a minute, I just sat at my desk and waited for my heart to stop beating so fast. This acting job was the hardest I'd ever had. The phone rang. It was Mrs. Simpson, and somehow I didn't imagine she was calling to say she loved the announcement.
"I hate to bother you." She was speaking softly, little more than a whisper. "Well, maybe I'd better just come in and talk to you."
"Yes," I said, "do that."
In just a second, the door opened. Mrs. Simpson stepped inside and mostly closed the door after her, but kept looking through the crack. "Like I said, I hate to put this on you so soon, but something has to be done about Serenity Blair."
My heart started to race again. This kid, this Serenity, was obviously sitting in the outer office. According to Mrs. Simpson, something had to be done about the kid, and I was expected to do it. I swallowed hard and straightened myself in the principal's chair. "Give me a little background," I said. "What is Serenity's problem?"
Mrs. Simpson let go a very long sigh. "How do I explain this? First, she was sent down here by her math teacher, Mrs. Street. Serenity is a problem in all of her classes, but she wouldn't stand up and slap another girl except in Mrs. Street's class. The woman has no control, and of course the kids have been taking advantage of the fact that we've had no principal." She stopped and smiled at me. "Serenity did her slapping just before your announcement, so she didn't know you were here. No doubt she'll be sorry now."
I studied her expression. Was she putting me on? Did she think I'd fall on my face, and was she just waiting to see it happen? I was starting not to like this woman. "Well," I said slowly. "I'd like to think I'll be able to help some troubled young people. I don't so much want to punish as to be a guiding hand, firm, but kind."
This time Mrs. Simpson laughed out loud. "That's good. I can tell you Serenity Blair can certainly use a guiding hand. The kids torment her, and I am afraid she brings most of it on herself."
I was proud of myself for not groaning out loud. A Marcy Willis type was about to come into my office. Then suddenly, I changed my mind. Good! Wouldn't I have loved to have a go at Marcy? I certainly knew what her problem was. I'd never get to straighten out Marcy, but here was this Serenity kid just waiting for my guidance.
Mrs. Simpson interrupted my thoughts. "Should I send her in now?"
I leaned back in my principal's chair. "Yes," I said, "I'm ready for Marcy."
"Serenity," Mrs. Simpson corrected. "The child's name is Serenity, but she certainly is not serene."
"Oh, yes," I said. "Send in Serenity."
You won't believe this, but it's true. This girl actually looked like Marcy Willis! Oh, maybe her face didn't look so much like Marcy's. The actual truth is I guess I never really looked real close at Marcy's face, but there was a similarity between the two girls, and it jumped right out at me, the same mousy brown hair with no
For a minute, I just sat at my desk and waited for my heart to stop beating so fast. This acting job was the hardest I'd ever had. The phone rang. It was Mrs. Simpson, and somehow I didn't imagine she was calling to say she loved the announcement.
"I hate to bother you." She was speaking softly, little more than a whisper. "Well, maybe I'd better just come in and talk to you."
"Yes," I said, "do that."
In just a second, the door opened. Mrs. Simpson stepped inside and mostly closed the door after her, but kept looking through the crack. "Like I said, I hate to put this on you so soon, but something has to be done about Serenity Blair."
My heart started to race again. This kid, this Serenity, was obviously sitting in the outer office. According to Mrs. Simpson, something had to be done about the kid, and I was expected to do it. I swallowed hard and straightened myself in the principal's chair. "Give me a little background," I said. "What is Serenity's problem?"
Mrs. Simpson let go a very long sigh. "How do I explain this? First, she was sent down here by her math teacher, Mrs. Street. Serenity is a problem in all of her classes, but she wouldn't stand up and slap another girl except in Mrs. Street's class. The woman has no control, and of course the kids have been taking advantage of the fact that we've had no principal." She stopped and smiled at me. "Serenity did her slapping just before your announcement, so she didn't know you were here. No doubt she'll be sorry now."
I studied her expression. Was she putting me on? Did she think I'd fall on my face, and was she just waiting to see it happen? I was starting not to like this woman. "Well," I said slowly. "I'd like to think I'll be able to help some troubled young people. I don't so much want to punish as to be a guiding hand, firm, but kind."
This time Mrs. Simpson laughed out loud. "That's good. I can tell you Serenity Blair can certainly use a guiding hand. The kids torment her, and I am afraid she brings most of it on herself."
I was proud of myself for not groaning out loud. A Marcy Willis type was about to come into my office. Then suddenly, I changed my mind. Good! Wouldn't I have loved to have a go at Marcy? I certainly knew what her problem was. I'd never get to straighten out Marcy, but here was this Serenity kid just waiting for my guidance.
Mrs. Simpson interrupted my thoughts. "Should I send her in now?"
I leaned back in my principal's chair. "Yes," I said, "I'm ready for Marcy."
"Serenity," Mrs. Simpson corrected. "The child's name is Serenity, but she certainly is not serene."
"Oh, yes," I said. "Send in Serenity."
You won't believe this, but it's true. This girl actually looked like Marcy Willis! Oh, maybe her face didn't look so much like Marcy's. The actual truth is I guess I never really looked real close at Marcy's face, but there was a similarity between the two girls, and it jumped right out at me, the same mousy brown hair with no
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