The Principal Gestapo

Today the Superintendent was scheduled to visit from 10:30-11. I figured that left 1 minute per classroom max and it was during my Daily 5/Guided Reading time so as long as I had my objectives posted I was good to go. That isn't quite how it went down...

A few minutes before school starts I hear through the grapevine that the Sup has cancelled BUT now we have 9 principals from other schools coming through and they are here NOW!

5 suits come in as I am transitioning from our Daily Editing Word Problems to my sequencing lesson using a flow map. They stay 10 minutes which feels like FOREVER as they are scribbling on their notepads and scrutinizing my room.  I breathe a sigh of relief as they silently file out the door. My kids have been shockingly good UNTIL....

The mom of my quietest girl comes in, handing me a late slip, (by 40 minutes) explaining that her daughter is outside crying and won't come in. I realize I had heard someone wailing outside but we are close to the preschool special ed so those sounds don't really register anymore.  I step outside (leaving my door open) and see her clinging to a pole.  I have had this before and usually if I can get them in the room and mom leaves they calm down in a few minutes. I try to bring her in but she is physically resisting. Suddenly she starts SCREAMING bloody murder and falls to the ground.  I look over and who is just down the hall, yep the Principal Gestapo.  One of them comes to my rescue since I CLEARLY can't handle her and the other 29 bambinos waiting for me. I have no idea how they got her down to the office but my principal delivered her back over AN HOUR LATER!

I felt pretty inept until my principal told me the angel threw a total tantrum on the floor of her office and refused to cooperate with her either. Apparently she tried to negotiate how long she would have to stay at school.

Turns out the pumpkin was upset because:
a) she was late (mom accidentally took Dad's car keys and had to leave work to come back home)
b) she missed her cousin who had been visiting

This one is absent and tardy quite a bit and maybe now I am getting a glimpse into why.

I SO wish wine didn't give me a migraine because a bottle sounds in order about now. Hey Kristin, got any Math Pills you can share? Do you think they work for Major Meltdowns?? 67 days and counting....