Wednesday, August 5, 2009

BROWN OUT AVERTED or TOILET PAPER CRISIS WIPED OUT!

WARNING--THIS POST IS RATED PG 13.....

Today was the first day back for all of the wonderful teachers at my school. We started the morning with a 9:00 a.m. meeting to welcome everyone back for the new school year. Each new year brings a new beginning for everyone.

After welcoming everyone back and introducing a few new teachers, we discussed the implications of the austere budget that our district is faced with this school year. Knowing that everyone is anxious to get to their classrooms and get ready for Meet Your Teacher tomorrow night, I try to keep this first meeting very short. Each year, the district administration does a welcome back video. This year's video was played at the end of this meeting. After seeing pictures of all of our schools and the years that they opened, our Governing Board President gave his welcome back speech. However, right in the middle of his speech, the video cut out and became fuzzy. It was obviously over. I had to try and convince the staff that this wasn't due to all of the budget cuts!! When I got back to my office, I let the person at the district know what had happened and a new CD arrived in about one hour--thinking (and hoping) that this would be our only crisis of the day--silly me!!!

It always seems that we do very well in a big crisis,
but it is the one small thing that puts one over the edge. That could not have been more true today!!! Barb, my wonderful secretary, came into my office to let me know that "we had NO toilet paper." Now, Barb constantly worries about our toilet paper supply and reminds me often that all of the people who use our school "consume" toilet paper and hand towels that we have to pay for out of our meager budget. That meager budget has become even meagerier (is that a word?) this year!! It seems that when Barb called our Building Coordinator to ask him to make sure that all of the bathrooms around campus had toilet paper and paper towels, he informed her that we were out of T.P. He had ordered it, but it had not come from the warehouse as yet.

At this point, hysteria would be a word that I might use to describe Barb's reaction to this lack of essential supplies.... With this knowledge, I knew that I needed to act quickly and decisively to solve this problem--a real test of my educational leadership!!!

However, I knew that it was going to requi
re tact as well as "ass"ertiveness to "wipe" this problem out before it reached epidemic proportions. You see, we have a new directive this year that we are no longer allowed to drop in our district warehouse to get any supplies. We must requisition everything in advance and have it delivered to our campus on our designated day.

So I immediately called my boss, our "Ass"istant Superintendent in charge of Administrative Services. He was not available according to his secretary. I filled her in on our dilemma and discussed alternatives that we would have to use in order to get "movement" on this crisis. I had a very difficult time convincing her that we were in dire need as she was laughing hysterically. Only when I threatened to send everyone over to the district office to use their facilities did I get any "movement" from her. She told me that I could reach the "ass"istant superintendent on his cell phone.

I immediately dialed his number and he answered after just two rings. I quickly described our crisis to him. Realizing the possible severity of this problem,
he told me that he would call the person in charge of the warehouse distribution and make an exception to the district rule. Once again I was truly impressed with his willingness to provide significant leadership in times of despair!!!

The warehouse personnel were contacted and an entire box of toilet paper was found deep in the "bowels" of the district warehouse. It was delivered right to my office where I was able to dispense these rolls of TP where they were needed most and
the BROWN OUT WAS AVERTED just in time!!!

I know that this was just one example of the fine leadership that our school and district have in place. I can only hope that all of our crises this year are handled in such a timely manner without tears--just a bit of laughter!!!

WELCOME BACK TO THE 2009/10 SCHOOL YEAR, TIGERS!!!!!

19 remarks:

Anonymous said...

So funny...I am glad we now have T.P......KW

barb said...

first let me say I am still grinning from our episode today - the blog and the song are fantastic! You are such an inspirational leader :) You left out the part where I said my "cheeks" were hurting because I was laughing so hard and you gave me such a look!
I shall keep up my diligence on protecting every cent of our budget!

Anonymous said...

You're baaaack Sheila ~ no more writer's block :) Too funny and well done!
Love & hugs,
Nancy

Anonymous said...

Now I have to comment again because Barb and I wrote at the same time ... you two are so in sync it's amazing ... some things never change. Sorry your cheeks were hurting Barb :) I miss you guys!
Love & hugs,
Nancy

Anonymous said...

Some of the best writing you have done. It is going to be difficult to "wipe" the smile off of my face now. "Butt", I know I can get "behind" a leader like you!

Shelly

Carol Dunton said...

All this time 'movement' meant the pay scale to me butt after this post I have assertained it can be indicative of other things. I've laughed so hard that I'm wiped out!!

Anonymous said...

I am "ass"tonishingly "ass"tounded, "butt" this blog "cracked" me up.
~~Patty Wills

L- said...

You are too clever by far. Bet they didn't discuss in principal training...

Janice Ewbank said...

This entry is a clASSic... well done!! On another positive note... perhaps your shortage of toilet paper is a sign that this school year will be low in sh__. We can always hope. : )

Jane said...

Okay that seriously cracked me up!
Thanks for the laughs Sheila.

Anonymous said...

I'll say it on facebook and I'll say it here. I'm so glad everything "came out" alright!
CD

Dottie said...

Oh my gosh!! Everyone is SO clever with their comments!! I'm laughing my head off!! I think it would have been a nice visual effect to have all of us line up our "GO BUCKETS" down the hallway with tarp dividers in between. I'm sure this situation would have met the "emergency only" criteria to break the permanent seals on the "GO BUCKET" to get at the toilet paper and tarps!! You crack me up, Sheila!!

Anonymous said...

I talked to Shane that night and he was cracking me up. He was going to come by and drop of 4 sheets per teacher and apologize for the shortage and cut backs but let us know how much he appreciated us here. A little ass kissing for only the best!

Anonymous said...

Forgot to sign the post before. I am still a newbee! I ran into him (Shane)at South Valley while he was there for meet the teacher! Shawn and I and him had our own little laughing party over this!
Shannon G

Cheela said...

It is pretty sad when "poop" posts create this many remarks.

Anonymous said...

What a riot!!! You are soooooo funny & clever!! I think you need to write material for David Letterman!
Love ya cousin,
Marion

Anonymous said...

What a riot!!! You are soooooo funny & clever!! I think you need to write material for David Letterman!
Love ya cousin,
Marion

Susie of Arabia said...

Hilarious - Cheela, you've outdone yourself with this one!

Anonymous said...

Loved your getting down to the bare facts!! What an asspiration!!