mary, don't let my mom read this post...

Well, LCA made local news last night! (Unfortunately, I missed it.)
Yesterday afternoon, I was getting ready to go downstairs during my prep period to meet with our school administrator to have my gradebook reviewed. I decided to use the bathroom first, but our upstairs staff bathroom had no toilet paper, so I ran downstairs. While I was in the downstairs bathroom, I started hearing a lot of scuffling upstairs, then a lot of yelling, then running feet... and before I knew it, the whole school was erupting.
Apparently, one of our students was robbed at gunpoint by a man from the neighborhood, and other students found out quickly, parents started calling, etc. Then, at the same time, in one of the classroom upstairs, a girl and boy got in a fight, and the boy threw a chair at the girl, her friends jumped him, his friends joined in... thus, the eruption.
Our security guards were doing their best to contain the masses, but it was chaos. I was in the office making copies when someone said that the cops had arrived... I looked out the window shortly after and there were at least 30 police cars surrounding the school - the whole street was shut down.
The police sent all the students home around 1:30, and the teachers convened afterwards for about 2 hours.
Today was very quiet. Attendance was lower than normal, even for Thursdays. There was minimal conversation about what happened yesterday, which was pleasing. I think most of the instigators were either apprehended or didn't bother returning today. I'm just glad that next week we only have 2 days of school!! Well, 3, but I took Wednesday off. :)

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A couple days ago, my journal question was, "What qualities make a good friend?" I had at least a dozen students tell me they couldn't answer the question because they don't have "friends," just "associates." Rather depressing. The number one answer was "TRUST," followed closely by "HONESTY," and coming in third, "someone who sticks with you through THICK AND THIN." One, however, said this: "When you first meet a person they want to fight with you to see if you can fight before you become cool or best friends." The first time I read it, I laughed out loud. Then I re-read it a few times and was brought to tears.

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Marci Stanley and John Williams stopped by the school on Tuesday with BOOKS!! I now have 2 classroom sets of real, brand new novels. Very exciting!

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I received a call earlier this week to interview at a high school in Clawson, MI, but I am turning it down tomorrow. I just feel like God has really altered my attitude toward the school and the students, especially in the past week and a half. Every day is still a struggle, and I still get frustrated, but I've noticed a difference in my attitude overall. I know that there are a lot of people praying for me and my students and our school, and I know I have been called to this school and these students. Plus, I do experiencing tiny moments of success. Like in 8th period today, when for about 2 minutes, while I was explaining some questions about our reading, not one single student was talking and they were ALL looking at me, paying attention. Baby steps... baby steps.