We started with only 15 teachers last year.  We had to hire several more in the middle of the year due to sudden growth and then this year, they hired 28 MORE teachers for our staff.  Holy cow!  I have never seen so many new people in one place since I was in college in the 80's. 

Many of them are brand spanking new teachers.  One is doing his student teaching as he teaches.  I feel like a stranger in my own school.  It is very exciting to see all the new blood in the school.  We can work together and grow and learn from each other.  I am truly excited.

Our first meeting is this Friday.  The new teachers have been under contract since Tuesday.  The district finally realized that we don't need to be put through the same workshops as the new teachers.  In the past, we have had to go to all the same meetings.  How many times can you sit through school policy, ELL programs, and Special Ed instruction? 

We are going to try to turn our school into a village.  We want to name the halls  with street signs (and there are so many I got lost the first day) and the pods for each grade level.  Then we can really say, it takes a village to raise a child.  Heh, heh.

This is going to be a great year.