As I prepare to upload teaching resources to the site this weekend, I just want to be sure I blog more about my experiences as a Catholic teacher in a Catholic high school this year.
Tomorrow, the freshmen arrive for a few hours of orientation so this is the last day the building is unoccupied by students. Of course, teachers scrambled around all day trying to clean, organize, and find their stuff from last year. I am blessed to have a brand new floor so this week required putting felt tips on the legs of every piece of furniture to avoid scratching the tile!
On Friday, the upperclassmen will come in to get their books, schedules, and lockers. It's a relatively light day, no teaching, but still busy. Our first full day is Monday.
Thankfully, I have until Monday to get myself together. Today was spent helping my partner in the department get settled with a couple of new handouts. I also had my first meeting with a new teacher that I will be mentoring this year. I worked on a calendar for the faculty and administration that encompasses every school activity for the year and made a new wall display. Of course, the day is far from over, but it was productive and exciting. I even met with the soccer coaches... now that I'm the Assistant Athletic Director. Fall sports practices begin tomorrow!
I take great pride in my wall displays. Today I made a brand new one that features the twelve apostles, the first priests. This is my first display highlighting the Year for Priests. It came out almost exactly how I envisioned it (which is rare). Of course, this is my medium-sized wall... the new display for the huge one isn't even begun yet! I'll post a picture of the apostle wall once I've tweaked it tomorrow and brought my camera to school. I've already finished the "Random Catholic Terms" display and the liturgical calendar one (both small, both new this year). I'm not even halfway done, which means a long few nights ahead along with some serious weekend work!
So I'm still here at school trying to continue my work. I'm the only one here at this point, so it's quiet and I'm able to get more done without a constant stream of interruptions. I'm running out for a haircut in a few minutes, then it's back to the desk!
As I begin a new year, I realize how blessed I am to do what I do! My feelings on this particular point will be the subject of another post this week... my reflections and thoughts on the beginning of another year (my fourth here). But suffice it to say, the last few days of preparation and scrambling to finish and get ahead for the year have been exciting and rewarding.
How blessed indeed.
