Dear Elms Parents,
I
wanted to let you know of two family situations that will affect our classroom
next year. First, I am expecting a
baby at the end of next September.
I will remain a full time teacher and will take about six weeks of
maternity leave. Elizabeth Treat
will be in charge of the classroom while I am away. It is my intention to attend all events such as curriculum
night and conferences.
Secondly,
my husband George is teaching a course in England for the last ten weeks of the
Carleton school year. James, Hal,
the unnamed #3, and I will be joining him for a month of that time. The tentative time for our trip is
April 2010. Again, Elizabeth will
be in charge of the classroom during my absence. I’ll be back in time for Village and April is a very
straight forward month curriculum-wise with personal projects and MCAs.
I
have thought long and hard about my decision to be the lead teacher next year
in the Elms. The integrity and
coherence of the children’s experience in the classroom has always been my
single consideration and concern.
It is extremely difficult to find a “long call” sub who is able to
function effectively at Prairie Creek.
That person needs to be able to design curriculum, develop community,
and keep the momentum of the year moving.
In a typical school you can hand a long-term sub your teacher’s editions
and say “Start on lesson 54.” Not
so at Prairie Creek.
In
fact, for my previous two pregnancies, I resigned my teaching position so that
we could find a teacher to replace me who would be a good fit for the
school. I resigned with the
knowledge that another full time position for me at Prairie Creek might not
open any time soon. Luckily, both
times one did.
This
time around, I feel so confident in Elizabeth’s ability to lead the class that
I believe the experience of the Elms will not be adversely affected by my
absence. She knows these
kids. She has watched me work to
build our community all year. She
has worked beside me and by herself to design strong, emergent curriculum. She knows the rhythms of life at
Prairie Creek. She’s a very
reflective practitioner and whenever I quiz her, “Why did I do that?” she’s
able to explain the rationale behind my actions. While I am gone, we will continue to communicate and collaborate
so that the transition is seamless for the children and, of course, she will be
working closely with Cathy and Sarah.
I
realize you still might be apprehensive.
Please know that I treasure the Elms and the community and learning we
share. It is very hard for me to
spend even a day out of the classroom.
I would not have made the decision to remain their teacher if I wasn’t
fully confident that Elizabeth and I can ensure another great year for the Elms.
Thank you for your understanding and support. I’m happy to answer any questions you
might have about next year.
Yours,
Michelle