The Thirty-First Republic - oh the joy of on-line parents evenings

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

You are most welcome to this school staff support thread to get us through stressful times. It is meant for school staff only – a sort of room of requirement. Baiters, haters, goaders, and bashers can jog on somewhere else.

If you are NOT staff and just have a general education query please start your own thread.

You can play here if you are a member of one the following groups-

-ABBA - anti bashers and baiting association
-SWAB - school workers against bashers
-SWOT - school workers opposing teacherbashers
-STARS - schoolworkers together against ranting + slurs

Do not give the staffroom password just in case it attracts the wrong sort

Other requirements for staff room entry include the ability to find the staff room, the ability to find a clean mug in the staff room, knowledge of the photocopier codes, and the ability to sniff out where the booze is stashed - Thirsty Tuesdays, Fizz Fridays now in operation.

If you come with a stick to goad us then that is not allowed in the staffroom and you will receive a detention

I think we should make a pact that none of us will do any work or open emails tomorrow.

I need to move furniture and sort drawers and closets. Not exactly rock and roll but something other than work and with concrete results for once. Maybe even some job satisfaction.

My school is closed on Monday for what my county calls an Occasional Day.
Great for everyone else, but I don't work Mondays anyway, so don't feel the benefit (same with Bank Holidays).

I won't be doing any work or opening emails tomorrow. I'm going to collect dd1 from uni. There is nothing in the world right now that's more important than that. What I'll do it either of us get symptoms overnight and need to isolate is something I'm desperately trying not to think about. She's coming home tomorrow, no matter what.

@MsAwesomeDragon to you and your DD.

@CallmeAngelina

My school is closed on Monday for what my county calls an Occasional Day. Great for everyone else, but I don't work Mondays anyway, so don't feel the benefit (same with Bank Holidays).

I used to have Mondays and Fridays off. It was lovely for going away for a long weekend, but shite for not getting the Bank Holidays.

Remember there are emergency exceptions to the isolate rule MrsA. And it won't happen, you're overthinking! (Don't suppose you're female and a mum are you? )

@Augustbreeze thanks 😊 Spoke to DS earlier today he was brighter and his carer was telling me about what he'd had for lunch and the activities he had done (the homeschooling etc) earlier in the day and I could hear him singing and bounding around in the background. He seemed most perturbed to be passed the phone to speak to his boring old mum!

@MrsHamlet Sorry you’re feeling down. I am hating being trapped in the box.

@MsAwesomeDragon You go and get your girl.

You're right August I am overthinking. Except, I have had 2 "coughing episodes" today, so I only need one more for it to count as a symptom that prompts isolation. Year 11 have their fingers crossed that I cough some more because they think they'll all have to isolate (I'm sure they won't, even if I do have it)

I rarely drink since I got old but I think I might join some of you tonight.. now what to have that doesn't require ice or cooling?
There's a Scottish schools thread, I hear you say?

All the best collecting your dd tomorrow, MsAwesomeDragon.

@MsAwesomeDragon

I won't be doing any work or opening emails tomorrow. I'm going to collect dd1 from uni. There is nothing in the world right now that's more important than that. What I'll do it either of us get symptoms overnight and need to isolate is something I'm desperately trying not to think about. She's coming home tomorrow, no matter what.

Best of luck for you and your dd, MsAwesomeDragon.

Yep, I'd go and get her too. No question.

My xpen thing has arrived. Why didn't I buy one in the summer? Bonkers. Is going to make any isolation teaching so much easier.

This is the only place I can say what is in my head. You crazy lot are my sanity!

I've got to mark this weekend - I'd like to finish it by Sunday. But I've had lobster Thermidor for dinner (not a normal Friday night), I have wine, and I've got the crown to watch.

Very un mrsh hugs to you all. And thank you for caring

Oh and the new guidance says that meals or food parcels have to be delivered to every self isolating FSM child, even if just awaiting test results. How on earth are schools supposed to achieve this, when they're short staffed anyway??

Have any schools been doing this to date - even if a year group has to isolate

No to school dinners. But the day that we sent a bubble home during the day, I was a waitress running FSM children's lunches up to their isolated classroom.

We've got lots of siblings of isolating FSM children at home because their parents can't be arsed to get them to school can't possibly get their other child to school. We've had requests for remote learning for those children too. I've sent an Oak link.

We are sending food parcels home, they don’t look great compared to our school dinners which are surprisingly edible, but at least it is something

I didn't see that, Augustbreeze!

That would be completely impossible - there are NO spare staff in a school at the best of times and certainly not in the middle of a pandemic with more staff off ill than usual...

And in a secondary school, your children could be coming from up to 20-30 miles away...there is no way we could deliver food to children in this scenario. We did supermarket vouchers during the first lockdown, not food parcels.

@Augustbreeze

Oh and the new guidance says that meals or food parcels have to be delivered to every self isolating FSM child, even if just awaiting test results. How on earth are schools supposed to achieve this, when they're short staffed anyway??

Have any schools been doing this to date - even if a year group has to isolate

Why don't we get all those Mumsnetters who claim they will do whatever it takes to keep schools open to do it? They are presumably willing to pay for their own DBS for the greater good.

@SaltyAF

@monkeytennis97 glad to hear your son is sounding happy and hope you get to see him soon.
@MrsHamlet that's rubbish
@msawesomedragon good luck for today

I'm awake bright and early but loving being snuggled in my cosy bed.

Anyone got any good ideas for Christmas things I can do with my class? Need to be short ish to fit in at the end of the day. Want to try to do a few special things as so much will be cancelled for them this year.

I work in secondary. We currently have more slt with Covid than kids. We have had slt come back into school after exposure to another slt but because they have tested negative they've returned from isolation.

We've also had slt NOT isolating despite living with another member of staff with Covid symptoms waiting for a test.

It's a total shit show and to me, is criminal negligence. Staff are terrified.

Went to bed fairly early last night and I still feel shattered this morning I swear I haven't the energy for another 3 weeks. We always say normal lessons until the last Friday as well so actually have to plan/teach I know that's my job but by the last week, energy reserves will be through the floor

Next week is going to be looooong as I have 2 parents eve plus a faculty meeting to plan and a presentation to SLT.

Am I allowed to hibernate? Do you think the head would mind?

izzy2076 No wonder your terrified

@izzy2076 that's awful!