these are the people in my neighborhood

We had a department meeting on Thursday, and I think that is part of what re-energized me. I really like to be around people who are passionate about my content area but in such varying ways. I also wanted to write a quick post, inspired by last night's staff party, to honor some of the people I am the very most grateful for--

RK, who is my closest friend there. We see each other every day, commiserate, complain, respolve, and celebrate together. I seriously don't know what I would do without her as she listens to me venting when no one else can quite understand. She's another new teacher and a great friend.

DO, who, as you all know, teaches the 10th grade version of my Comm-11 and has been so incredibly supportive of me in my first month of teaching that I don't know how I would spiritually be able to make it. (No, not in a religious sense, sillies.) He's just given me so many encouraging words and he's been so patient that I can only hope to have some of that patience and good heart come into my own teaching.

TD, the funniest mentor a girl could ever want.

And the rest of the department--George and Kathy and Paula and Lisa and Emily have all been so warm and supportive when I've talked to them about my days and what's been going on in my classroom. Jay and Mike and Paul, who I have yet to get to know better (though Jay I have some). Everyone is really nice and friendly, and I know that wasn't the case in other schools that I have been in (as a whole--there have always been some fabulous people individually). Maybe this is because I am now a fellow English teacher and before I was a student teacher or a person observing...

For instance, Amy and Krista and JoAnne from RAHS have all been in contact with me, and I miss them so much (!!!).

And at Preble, Ms Kraszewski, Ms Sylvester, and Ms Miller were great in helping me figure out how it is that I will fit into teaching as I began the program. (Of course, three are my former teachers and friends of my mother, so this also helped!) I still email them occasionally, and I'm glad to have that connection.

And one group I definitely miss a great deal--my cohort. We have a yahoo emailing list, but we're all so busy (drowing, may be more like it), so we don't have the chances we used to have to keep up with one another's busy lives. I hope that they are doing well and have moved beyond that end-of-September wall (if there even was one for them).

(Oh, and after the staff party last night, I'm back to worrying about whether or not I'm going to be at LSHS next year due to being a first year and that whole people-out-with-kids thing. Yuck.)