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Updates.

I have some updates on various fronts, so here you go:

  • The gecko is doing fine, but appears to be bored. Or maybe just not neurotic. I'm not sure.
  • I'm going to visit my kids next Friday. With gecko in hand. They are all in the same class and that teacher told me that they are far ahead of the other class, especially in math. Yay!!
  • You can still vote for my blog. You have to register with them and get one email message but they don't send you junk after that.
  • The administrator for the 4th & 5th grade school (did I mention that the school was divided into three schools?) is apparently really good and reasonable. Awesome. My evaluator from last year was supposed to have that school but I believe she left the district because she was (obviously) not happy.
  • Stephanie has received $400 so far toward her trip, with another few people promising money for her. You can still help this wonderful girl go to the leadership conference in Europe. This experience will not be wasted on her. Any little bit helps!
  • The district continues to mess up the payroll. Remember that paycheck I couldn't figure out? Now they want part of it back. I don't have the energy to explain it all again, so I'll just copy and paste the email I wrote to the union about it. Which, by the way, has not contacted me. I emailed 4 union officers and left a phone message and they haven't gotten back to me. I HAVE PAID ALMOST $8000 IN DUES TO THE UNION DURING MY TIME IN THIS DISTRICT. Shouldn't they be willing to, you know, do their job?? I have never had great feelings toward them. Maybe because I've never seen them actually help anyone. Maybe there's a big conspiracy to ignore all emails from me. Anyway. Here's the email:
I was a teacher last year, and we had an issue with overage hours. We got an email in July saying that we would receive a $600 check in mid-July and a $400 check in late July for the time.

I received $1200 in mid-July - the note was "OSTP." I received no additional money at the end of July. I called payroll to find out 1) what the $1200 was for, and 2) where the $400 was. After calling twice and going in once, no one could tell me anything other than "If you don't know what kind of time sheet you submitted it on, we can't help you." Obviously I don't know what kind of time sheet it was, because I don't know why I got the $1200 and the union submitted the time sheet for overage hours.

Now I've just received a notice from the district saying that they overpaid me by $600. They say (in not a very nice letter) that I need to immediately send them $600 or request a hearing. I requested a hearing, and can bring a union representative. I'd like them to explain to me why they paid me $1200 in the first place, and - especially now that they're taking $600 away - where my other $400 from overage hours is!

I hope all of this makes sense. Please let me know what I should do and how I can bring a union rep to the hearing. This district tends to make me feel like I did something wrong even when the mistake was theirs!

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Either I'm living in the Twilight Zone or educational entities - public and private, rich and poor, central district personnel, administration, and union officers - are SERIOUSLY MESSED UP. I'd use stronger language, but this is a family-friendly blog.
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