The Thirty-Second Republic - Christmas count down - end of term in sight

[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

Anyone else debating investing in a full on hazmat suit for the final week of term, in fear of coming into contact with a case and having to self isolate over the entire holiday?

Selfishly, I feel like I need the distraction of friends right now after a miscarriage and potentially another IVF failure (find out officially tomorrow) that will probably be our last due to DP being late 40s.

A hideous term, then two week isolation, then another hideous term would be a kick in the teeth for any teacher affected I think.

timeturner god you’ve had a shit time of it.

Two weeks isolation over Xmas would be hideous. I’m convinced I’ll catch the damn thing and spend the whole of Xmas ill.

Hope you get some good news regarding IVF

Timeturner I think, hypothetically I might be looking at some GP sanctioned time off for complete recovery from a miscarriage

I am a total lemon at weekends atm. I do a walk of 10,000 steps, then I sit in the same place on the sofa in front of the TV. I have no energy for anything else. Can't wait for the break.

I need to come up with an hour's worth of party activities for my bubble Xmas party. We're not doing food options. I've bought them all a pack of cards (maths games time) and an Xmas pencil. Can't be bothered. Might just take in a disco light and do some dancing.

That maths game, ‘21’? Where you go round the room and add as many from 1 as you can until you get to 21 then you are out? I limit the additions to maximum 5 at a time so no cleverclogs can just zoom up to 20.

The pencils could be the prize. Few games of Musical Statues (less frantic and aerosol dispersing than just dancing) and they’ve worked for their pencils.

Stop The Bus? Sections headed anything, Vegetables, Cities, TV Programmes etc (6 to 8 of them). Go through the alphabet and the first child to fill in every section shouts Stop The Bus! and wins.

Just blubbed my way through Noelle on Disney+, The Snowman and The Snow Dog. All absolutely hunky dory emotionally then. Ha.

Ah, thanks for suggestions. Idea came to me when we were playing dice this last week and they couldn't add up. Eek.

Nice from Teacher Tapp.

That teacher tapp data is not a surprise but also quite scary. The anxiety following a pretty similar pattern across all sectors and responsibility levels is very telling.

Heads will step back after this. Even if just for a bit.

Think I'd better hide away in here for a bit, before I end up getting suspended again.

What a lovely day! Thank you everyone for your messages. Was amazing to see DS again and has lifted DH and I when we really needed it xx

Thank you @WhenSheWasBad and @BreadSaucery. We have a two year old DD who took us nearly six years to conceive, so it feels a bit self indulgent to take time off to process a miscarriage when it was me waiting to get my career established that has led to DP being an older dad and my PCOS getting worse. Plus obviously COVID delays in going for a second. On the positive side, we have five excellent quality frozen embryos to donate to a childless couple, so some good will come out of it.

I am so in awe of any of you secondary teachers right now. Yes we have snotty kids all over us all day but at least only 30 of them!

Glad you had a great day, monkey, hope it will be a regular feature from now on x

Pleased you had a good day Monkey

@noblegiraffe, I'm being very very careful.

Nice to hear good news re: Monkey's lovely day!

Lovely news monkey

DH v stressed. Three members of staff have tested positive and another five now in isolation (all SI seem to be his department). DH doesn't know who the positive cases is but is feeling anxious. One of his dept has been pinged by the app.

Don't tell you know who but it looks like their SD has not been great.

They ahve also had a whole year group just sent home so it seems this started with pupils.

Hope you’re ok, Time.
Glad you had a lovely day monkey.

I don’t finish until 21st. Not sure I can make it that far currently!

Scratch that. Six SI. The one pinged by the app was extra.

Bloody hell piggy that sounds really bad. Schools really can go downhill so quickly. It’s pretty worrying given his condition, can his school buy some tests in?

On the positive side, we have five excellent quality frozen embryos to donate to a childless couple

That is so generous of you, Timeturner if you decide to do that.

I really hope tomorrow is ok

This was something his head believed would happen in those rosy August days of DfE promises noble...