End of Summer

I was offered a Summer School position this year, but declined, instead deciding to teach "Summer Enrichment" Reading and Writing at my school. It would give me a chance to hopefully work with higher-level skills than what is required by summer school, plus let me meet some of the kids in my classes.

I'm happy I made the choice, except that BCPSS has not paid me for it yet. It's been a month, and no word. It's so disheartening to work a summer school and not be paid for it in the summer, when teachers need the money. This summer, I budgeted with my Summer Enrichment pay in mind in order to get through August, which is the toughest month to endure.

I'm so thankful that BCPSS is finally offering 12-month pay starting next year, for the first time. I signed up for it the first day I could, and am looking forward to next summer very much for that reason.

The lack of money has made me revert to waiting tables a bit this past week or so. It's Baltimore Restaurant Week, so the restaurant was anticipating some big crowds -- which haven't come, so I haven't made much money at all. I'm feeling a bit bitter about it all, because, if I had my druthers, I'd be back in Michigan, helping out with the new nephew. But the lack of $$, as well as back pain that has vacillated from really acute pain that prevents me from doing much, to a dull achy pain that is just annoying, brought me back to Maryland. Here, I've been working mostly non-stop, or going to doctor appointments, as I struggle to find some respite from the pain before the school year starts. I'm seeing a chiropractor I really, really like, and I think it might be getting better. My social life is on hold while my funds are refilled and my back is hurting.

The new school year looms in the horizon. I'm vaguely excited because, as anyone who reads this blog knows, I genuinely love my job, but this is going to be a hard year. Most of my class sizes are near capacity and my class load is up near 160 -- both look to be the most in several years -- and seeing my stressed self three weeks from now is enough to make me happy it's still the summer even though I'm a bit broke and bitter now. I'm hoping for another trip to Michigan before the school year starts to assuage the guilt I'm feeling about leaving back for Baltimore earlier than I wanted to, and that will make me feel a bit better, I'm sure. So will more regular gym trips, which I've been unable to do for a bit because of the bad back.