The 69th Staff Republic

[TheHoneyBadger]

Just in time for the Christmas break. As it's the holidays we're allowed chairs and everything. I believe even buffets are permitted currently? No going to see Bond films though obviously.

Stolen from previous threads…
'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 for school staff to let off steam.

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.

Do not give the staffroom password to non-staff as it attracts the wrong sort of crowd.

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.'

Long time lurker here…
When I tested positive over the Christmas break my symptoms were snotty nose, sneezing, sore throat and headache. The snotty nose and sneezing were the main ones.
These now seem to be the most common symptoms for the Omicron variant. If a child comes into school snotty and sneezing (primary age) are we allowed to send them home to be tested or do we let them stay in school potentially spreading? 🤷🏼‍♀️

I am feeling really anxious too. We’re already down two.

Sending you all 💐,🍫 and🍷. I'm feeling really guilty not to be in the classroom while the rest of you are facing the germy hoardes, but at the same time so relieved.

Least my anxiety is making me productive. Have tidied our spare room and tidied the bedroom.

As a TA I'm looking forward to being expected to cover next term.... assume all support staff will be paid appropriately for cover ....

We get an extra £3.00 per hour for covering. 😮

Hi I'm new here, just found you all! I'm the sole teacher of my subject and pregnant. Dreading going back already. Other members of staff who were pregnant were advised to limit contact with students in third trimester, yet I suspect that I will be told to suck it up as I am the sole teacher for my subject and will be difficult to cover. Can't social distance enough with my larger classes and my CO2 monitor is continuously hitting the red zone even with wi down and doors open.

I love my job, I love my job, I love my job......

Welcome @Justgamboling
Biscuits in the tin, posh tea by the kettle, help yourself.
You should have a specific risk assessment, but our pregnant staff are all in.

@YouthClub

We get an extra £3.00 per hour for covering. 😮

Oooh! What will you do with your inevitable potential windfall?

Have you spoken to your union, just? Maybe they can move your classroom to support you?

Hello @Justgamboling, fellow preggers teacher here. Due to other health concerns I am lucky enough to be wfh in my 3rd trimester (with a little bit of a battle first!). Definitely think about getting your union rep to sit in on your 28w risk assessment meeting - that's what tipped the balance for me (not that he really did anything, his presence just gave me confidence and meant I was listened to!) How far along are you?

@HobnobbingAboutHobnobs

Hello *@Justgamboling, fellow preggers teacher here. Due to other health concerns I am lucky enough to be wfh in my 3rd trimester (with a little bit of a battle first!). Definitely think about getting your union rep to sit in on your 28w risk assessment meeting - that's what tipped the balance for me (not that he really did* anything, his presence just gave me confidence and meant I was listened to!) How far along are you?

Arghhh just replied and then deleted it!

I am more than happy to be in school, I am too undisciplined for WFH!! I am more than happy to teach my smaller sixth form classes which tbf are the majority of my timetable anyway, it's just the larger classes that make me a bit wobbly about it all. I think the main thing is the lack of consistency in regards to what is being offered.

I just want to be as healthy as I can. I have had a risk assessment...... all around heavy lifting etc, but nothing at all related to Covid. I will have a chat with my union rep and see what they advise.

Not in 3rd trimester yet, so have time to find the answers still.

@MrsHamlet

Welcome *@Justgamboling* Biscuits in the tin, posh tea by the kettle, help yourself. You should have a specific risk assessment, but our pregnant staff are all in.

Thanks Hamlet!

@YouthClub

We get an extra £3.00 per hour for covering. 😮

You lucky thing, I get nothing extra, well apart from the privilege of doing the marking etc in my own time!

Welcome Justgamboling - help yourself to tea and biscuits as MrsH said, but do NOT sit on a chair (even though you're pregnant - sorry)

I see you choc - you're trying to recruit more staffroom dancers, aren't you?

What can I say, it's Friday night and the lights are low

🤣

Looking out for a place to go...

You'll have the non teachers in here in a minute, berating us...

My email suggestion that our whole school inset be virtual has been met with deafening silence.

As the highest rate is now in primary kids, particularly ks2, I do wonder why primary teachers are still not advised to wear masks. Our slt have mailed us a jolly 'all dig in together' message but if that means teaching another class as well while I STILL have performance management based on sats results they can fuck off.

I'm getting grumpy now and watching Vigil with gin. I would rather be on a submarine with a muderer than in INSET tomorrow!

@MrsHamlet

You'll have the non teachers in here in a minute, berating us...

If The Visitors do arrive, will we be Under Attack?

@MrsHamlet

You'll have the non teachers in here in a minute, berating us...

Hey. Anybody could be that guy...

This is not a place for your frivolity, you two!
🤣

We have been told we have to wear masks in communal areas including corridors where I do most of my intervention work. That's primary so I am surprised other schools haven't said that. We have an slt that can be a bit dismissive of covid fears so it surprises me that they are perhaps doing more than I realised.

@MrsHamlet

This is not a place for your frivolity, you two! 🤣

No need to go On and On and On about it

That's my job, being a nag!