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05/10/2006 08:10:22 PM · #1 |
To some I may come off as a very bitchy person, to some I am a tough person, to others I am a complete wimp. To those that take the time to know me..... I am a very caring and selfless person.
Right now, even though I am very proud.... I am also very hurt and upset.
This year for my birthday.... I didn't exactly have the best birthday. I still had some money in my bank account, and I decided that I would use that money to buy myself something nice. Maybe a few CD's, a nice outfit or two, or whatever else I wanted. But, being the kind hearted person that I am.... I spent all $100 in my account on the teachers of my daughter's school. I bought some cakes for the luncheon yesterday. I bought pastries, little specialty loaves, apples, oranges, and grapes for their breakfast tomorrow. I bought 3 dozen balloons for the teachers to hand out on Friday. Not to mention the money I spent on baskets, and filler for the baskets we handed out on Monday.
Why would I do this? Because I believe in those teachers. I believe that they have done so much for the children of that school and I believe that they are not shown how much they are appreciated. These are people who gave up their own Teacher's Dinner so that the children could have a new play mat out in the play yard so that their knees don't get scuffed from the macadam. They did this because they love our children.
I am appalled that in this "Parent Board" that we put together, that only a small handful of us have busted our asses to make sure that these teachers are shown that we love them! I am so angry that people want to bitch and complain that the tuition rates are going up, yet.... they don't want to help out with fundraising. They want to stand up and say, "I think it's great that we are doing something for the staff. We need to show them how thankful we are!" Yet, when it comes to crunch time, they are nowhere to be found! I don't see how it would break their backs to give $5 to help us twords all we are doing this week. I don't understand how they can sit back and watch the few of us who truly care, pay for all of this and do nothing. Yet, when thanks comes out.... you know darn well, they will take credit!
I wish I could stand up to all of them and tell them how angry I am that they did nothing! Ask them, "Where were you when the few of dished out hundreds of dollars?" "Where were you on Family portrait day, when you were so quick to stand up in meeting and say that you will be there and so will your friends!?" But, I can't. I have to sit back and let it just roll off. I have to maintain a professional status with the school.... those parents may be the ones who make it possible for my children to have Christmas gifts this year. (If I am contracted to do school pics this fall). It is so hard for me to look some of them in the face knowing they didn't do a damn thing! But as usual, I will sit back and continue to get walked on.
At the same time.... even though I am so mad.... it makes me so happy to walk down the halls and have teachers pop their heads out of the doors and say, "Thank You so much for everything this week!" or "You guys are going to spoil us!". It feels really good knowing that I had a hand in making these teachers feel special. I am also very thankful for the wonderful women that I have friended through this whole ordeal. I wish I could do something special for them, just to let them know what they mean to me and how thankful I am. I couldn't have done this without them. They have become very special to me.
So, again I find myself being Lorrie and opening my heart to show people just how special they are. And while I didn't get that outfit or CD I wanted..... I was able to make the 29 members of RCS smile and feel appreciated for at least a week.
Lorrie
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05/10/2006 08:25:58 PM · #2 |
Lorrie...
I know how angry and hurt you must be, putting forth so much effort with little or no help. Raising kids is tough and expensive, and it's not often that moms get a chance to do anything, no matter how cheaply, for themselves. However, to do what you did to make those teachers feel appreciated though, is one of the most selfless and wonderful things you could have done. Teachers work incredibly long hours, on weekends, all summer, and most of the time, for appalling pay and under somewhat ridiculous expectations (thanks to NCLB). Those of us in the profession don't get into it for the money; we know up front it's a sacrifice. We do it for the love of kids.
I can't believe how weepy I am trying to type this! You are to be commended for taking the time to show your appreciation to the people you entrust with your kids every day. Over the course of the past 10 years, I've learned a lot about parents. Overwhelmingly, they want the best for their kids, but at the same time, they don't really put a lot of thought into what goes on in the classroom and behind the scenes in those teachers' lives. Hearing a parent say "thank you" and having a pat on the back every once in a while helps get us through the year. Most school administrations try their best, but fail in the quest to keep their faculty members motivated and encouraged. Schools are under such pressure to perform miracles with kids every day...thankfully we can do it most of the time. ;)
Thanks so much for taking the time and the money to show your school's faculty that you care about their feelings as humans, respect the work they do as professionals, and appreciate the love they show as teachers. :)
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05/10/2006 08:37:15 PM · #3 |
you should be proud of what you did. as far as wanting to stand up I understand. I get yelled and cursed at by people everyday but have to take it because I need my job. because of medical reason's my wife homeschools our daughter but I am not looking forward to her actually going to a real school because of some of the things you mentioned. I really don't want to make an ass out of myself but I know i will.
I say you saved the goverment some money by providing for the teachers I say you download yourslef a new cd. |
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05/10/2006 08:42:22 PM · #4 |
Maybe it's easier to think that the people who don't seem to have the time or desire to put effort into these things have other issues they feel passionate about. We just don't have enough time to address each injustice in the world individually. We need people like you to make our teachers appreciated and we need other people to do other things.
It doesn't fix things, but it does perhaps shed some light of understanding on the world.
As Jerry and Elaine exchanged after Jerry found out Elaine's boyfriend Putty wore a fur coat:
Jerry: Aren't you antifur?
Elaine: Meh, who has the time? |
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05/10/2006 08:53:25 PM · #5 |
Lorrie,
You did a noble thing, and I'm sure the teachers greatly appreciated it. Too often they struggle with insufficient supplies, outdated texts, old equipment, and a host of other things brought on by tight budgets and unfunded mandates. The parent-teacher organizations too often dig into their own pockets to fill some of the unmet needs. I know; my wife has been President of our local organization for nearly 10 years.
I can give you a suggestion that can ease the financial burden on members of the organization: run fundraisers. We have been running two major fundraisers per year for quite some time. A fall Kringle (a Danish pastry) sale and an early spring "fun fair" where kids can play games and win prizes. Each of these fundraisers typically puts $1000 or more into the organization's account, after expenses. The school donates the space to support the events, local businesses contribute prizes and supplies (pop, food, etc.), and items for a silent auction that we run concurrently with the fair, Parents volunteer to staff the events.
This year, the organization also put on a spaghetti dinner, which was a big success.
This was our last year running the events; our youngest child graduates from the middle shcool this spring. I would miss participating, and so I will surely volunteer to staff a spot for the folks taking over :-) |
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05/10/2006 09:10:18 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
I can give you a suggestion that can ease the financial burden on members of the organization: run fundraisers. |
We do have fundraisers. We just had a Wolfgangs candy sale and raised $4000 by doing that. Once a month, we also have some of the local eateries help us out. Monday night was Hoss's Steak House.... they donated 20% of the food sales that night to the school. We do this with a few others also. On saturday they had their Spring Fun Fest, with games, pony rides and a flea market. Some of the families and staff donated their items to be sold with all the money going to the school. And 2 weeks ago, I had done the family portrait event donating all proceeds minus the printing to the school.
It's a small private Christian school, so the only money they make is from tuition and the few fundraisers. But, we have to watch that we don't burn out the parents by having too many fundraisers.
This Teacher Appreciation week was to be given to the teachers by the "parent board".... but as I said, only a few of us actually chipped in and spent all this money.
The teachers are underpaid and as I said... they don't get shown how much they are loved. I am just glad that I could do this. It's a very good feeling. :)
Message edited by author 2006-05-10 21:11:07.
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