Wednesday, December 13, 2006

To be absent or not to be absent

Here's the unofficial timeline from my experiences in order to fill (or not fill) one absence among the many that were called in this morning:

8:15am - Message from Teacher left on our Voicemail: "I need a substitute for today. I am sick. Thanks."
8:32am - Absence filled with Substitute (school starts at 9:10am)
8:50am - I leave work to pick up Deidra and take her to school
8:55am - Message from Teacher left on our Voicemail (I checked voicemail when I got home to pick up Deidra): "I don't know if you have found a substitute for me yet, but I am feeling better and can come to school, so I do not need a substitute anymore."
9:20am - I enter my office and pick up the ringing phone. It is Teacher: "Did you find me a substitute?"
Me: "Yes. We have Substitute probably already at the school. I just got your message. Are you at the school now? Do you still need the substitute or not?"
Teacher: "Well, if you already have a substitute coming in, then I will go ahead and stay home. Thanks!"
9:30am - I pick up another call. It is Substitute: "I just went the job you called me about this morning and they sent me home saying they didn't need me."
Me: "The school sent you home?"
Substitute: "Yes"
Me: "OK, let me call them and find out what is going on, because I just talked to the teacher and she said that she was going to be absent. So now I am confused."
9:35am - I call the school and inquire about the situation:
Secretary: "We sent Substitute home because Teacher called us and told us she was coming in."
Me: "I just talked to her about fifteen minutes ago and she told us she was staying home."
Secretary: "Let me transfer you to her Supervising Teacher and you can work it out." (note: Teacher is an aide in a classroom, so I was transferred to the teacher she works under)
Me: (I explain the situation to Supervising Teacher)
Supervising Teacher: "When did you talk to Teacher?"
Me: "About 15-20 minutes ago."
Supervising Teacher: "Okay, she called here about a half hour ago and said she was coming in, but she must have changed her mind. Go ahead and send Substitute back, if she is still available."
9:45am - I contact Substitute and she agrees to return to the school.
10:00am - I receive another call. It is Secretary: "Now both Teacher and Substitute have shown up and I am confused."
Me: "You're not the only one."

After all was said and done, we came to the conclusion that Teacher had talked to Supervising Teacher after she had talked to Me, so she had made the final decision to come in to work instead of being absent that day. But of course she doesn't let me know. Talk about frustrating! I talked to Substitute and explained the situation and offered her a half-day pay for showing up (twice). Luckily, she was understanding about the situation. Sometimes this job makes me want to scream profanities . . . and, unfortunately, there are days like today when I give in to the urge.

1 comment:

Jesse Harris said...

I can almost hear Yakety Sax playing in the background as you all run in circles Benny Hill-style.