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Take Two...

I cannot believe how nearly impossible it has been to find 10 minutes. An entire month of school has come and gone and I haven't come up for air. There has been loss after loss after loss in my family, my grandmother most importantly,  that has completely taken the wind out of my sails. Yet, when I come to work one would never know. I have a new appreciation for the need to be resilient. There have been times when I have wanted to shut my office door and have a good cry but my grade 9s are so needy and emotional this year and I need to spend my time with them. It's been difficult trying to find time to process my own feelings so that I don't bring my personal baggage to school. My kids need me at 100% and the few days I haven't been quite there, I have left work feeling so guilty...

Life at work has been further complicated by the work-to-rule job action taken by our CUPE members. It has been difficult to keep my own emotions and anti-union sentiments at bay when engaging in conversation with staff members about what IS or IS NOT part of their job description. I have been digging really deep to maintain composure when reminding staff that the safety of our students is paramount, not politics. Admittedly, I was afraid of how I would be around staff because of my own political leanings but I am happy to say that I have been able to keep my biases in check by sticking to the facts: what needs to get done, what is and is not negotiable but most important, keeping our kids safe and happy.

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