Wisps of Wisdom

CHAPTER 2-1

CHAPTER 2It was silly really but Karla felt more nervous about the upcoming board of trustees meeting than meeting everyone and getting Joseph Ward Junior High School through the first month of the year. March arrived and the first Tuesday was when the board met. This was the second formal meeting with them but the February one was largely ceremonial and a welcoming one. This month, she had to report back on her first month and also put forward the changes she would like to bring in.

Most noticeable at the first meeting was that all except three of the nine members were women, including Skylar Foster, the teacher's representative and Gunjan Sarin, a graceful Year 10 girl of Indian ancestry who represented the students. All the parent representatives were professional people including Jon Wong, the Chinese chairperson of the board.

"So why are you so stressed out?" Ryan said as she stood before the dressing table mirror at home and brushed her hair. "From what I hear, the local community have a far higher opinion of you than your predecessor."

"It's just the few things I want to change, such as making the syndicates more cooperative than competitive and having an overall school philosophy rather than almost four different schools going their own way." She grimaced. "There's the other things, too such as asking for those free breakfasts. Also, I see no reason why we have such a strict dress code for staff. Why should the women have to wear skirts and the men longs and ties? It's so hot and muggy up here in Auckland, summer dresses for the women, shorts without a tie for men and sandals for anyone who wants to wear them are far more logical."

Ryan grinned. "Better restrict those low cut dresses though. Teaching teenage boys with high adrenalin rates might be a distraction the younger women teachers don't need."

"Oh Ryan!" Karla said and slapped him on the shoulder. "I know we still need to be professionally dressed and some code is necessary. It should be relaxed, that's all I'm saying."

"I'm convinced but Jon is pretty conservative, you know."

"That's what I'm concerned about." She laughed. "Oh well. I'll tell you how I get on when I get back. Poor little Alexis still has those sniffles. If she wakes up, give her some of that medicine."

Alexis was Karla and Ryan's three-year-old daughter.

"Sure. Now relax." Ryan gave her a hug and kissed her goodbye.

*

The board of trustees meeting began in a similar way to many she had attended during her years as a principal, with Vivian giving the usual financial reports and p*****t of accounts. Afterwards it was Karla's turn to give her report. She had made a precise summary of everything she had done since her arrival and what she wanted to do in the immediate future. Her ideas about the syndicates was well received and now came her comment about liberalising the staff dress code and also the idea of sponsored breakfasts for the needy students. She was about give the reasons she had talked about with Ryan when Jon caught her eyes.

"You're our professional leader, Karla," he said in his slow voice. "You were selected as our principal for as well as your other abilities, your initiative and empathy with our teachers and students. If you want to make changes such as these, just provide us with your recommendations." He glanced around the table. "Do you all agree?"

Skylar gave her a grin but everyone else just nodded and that was it as they moved onto the next main topic. This was a request from the Ministry of Education to consider reducing their zone size due to overcrowding, with a predicted roll increase of over two hundred within three years.

Skylar came across to her during the supper after the formal meeting was over. "So you mean I'll be able to wear a summer frock instead of a business suit, if I wished?"

"Yes, I'll bring it in as soon as possible. Even in March, it's far too hot for suits."

"And later female staff can wear trouser suits if they wish?"

"Why not? We still need a code for we can't have unshaven men wandering around bare feet with unbuttoned shirts and hairy chests can we?" She also mentioned Ryan's comment about the women's tops.

Skylar laughed. "This will be popular with the staff. Old Owen Fessey was more concerned about looking as snobby as the local private schools than being practical."

"So if the parents don't like us, they can pay twenty thousand a year for private education," Karla replied. "We're going to be overcrowded anyway. You heard that request to reduce our zone size."

"I also like your idea of more co-operation between syndicates. Michael White is always bragging about how much better his syndicate is at practically everything." Skylar pouted. "Mind you he seems to have calmed down a little this year."

"We had words," Karla replied.

Skylar smiled. "We all know about you stopping him from selecting the best sports kids for his syndicate. Even those in Petrel Syndicate reckon it has improved everything.

Jon came up and Skylar drifted away. "I'm thinking that we should push for a new classroom block rather than contracting our zone boundaries. Perhaps you could think about the idea before our next meeting." He sipped his coffee. "And thank you for everything you're doing here at Joseph Ward. You have even exceeded our expectations."

"Thank you," Karla replied and found her cheeks warm in a flush. "It works both ways, too. This board is one of the best I've worked with."

Jon gave a slight smile. "Give my regards to Ryan and I hope your little girl is getting over her bout of flu. Oh yes, that dress code; I always thought it was too restrictive but it was what your predecessor wanted. Have a good evening."

Karla grinned and wondered why she had been so apprehensive about the meeting. In many ways large schools were easier to run than tiny ones.

*

The relaxed dress code for staff was an instant success with nearly every staff member switching to more casual clothes. Women mainly wore summer dresses while the men except for the woodwork teacher who remained in his usual bodysuit that mechanics wear and Michael White, made the switched to shorts and sandals. Comments that filtered back to Karla were positive as they were for another new rule about mobile phones she had brought in.

The old rule of a total ban was obsolete and largely ignored with half the students having a mobile phone hidden in a pocket or bag. The new rule permitted their use by students with several codes of behaviour such as no video or photograph uploads or downloads, no cyber bullying and no use without the teacher's permission in classroom time and a silent mode had to be switched on inside school buildings. At a school assembly, Karla stressed that the new code was for a trial period only and if students abused their new right, it would be withdrawn and a total ban reinstated. The new rules worked well with the threat of going back to a total ban, an incentive for the students to obey the new procedures.

*

The free breakfasts for needy students was up and running by April with all the participants reaching agreement in an amazingly short time. Joseph Ward Junior High Board of Trustees' profit in the cafeteria contract paid forty percent of the costs, a similar amount came as a discount agreed to by Farm Life & Soul and the final twenty percent came from the local Lions Club who never hesitated in providing financial help. Many members, Karla found out actually had children attending Joseph Ward Junior High so the idea of helping a local school was well received.

Thirty-seven of the original forty-eight students selected for the sponsored breakfasts had their identity cards programmed to have them paid for. There were restrictions on the food and drink they could buy so it wasn't wasted on junk food. Of the eleven students who didn't join the offer, all but two came from parents who said they would provide their children with breakfast and two just ignored all approaches made to them. Karla felt for the children involved but it was Ryan who said that she could no more.

Probably the most satisfying outcome was when a thin woman about her own age knocked on her office door one morning just after classes commenced. This was a little unusual for Vivian or one of the office assistants always intercepted anyone walking up the stairs to the mezzanine floor leading to her office and told an appointment was necessary to see the principal.

Karla glanced up at the somewhat nervous woman. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"You're Mrs Spicer, our new principal?"

"Yes."

"I just came to thank you for your help. Trevor thinks you are just so cool."

Karla smiled, stood and held out her hand to the visitor "You're Mrs Williams, Trevor's mother?"

"Yes, I am Layla Williams."

"And I'm Karla."

"It's been so hard," Layla said. "I try but get no support from Trevor's father. Actually, there's a restraining order out against him. I do leave food for Trevor and his older sister but… oh I don't know, I think she eats it all. I don't normally accept charity but Mrs Moffet explained everything to me. I hear there are others who also get help."

"A few," Karla said. "As I said in that special newsletter you received, the Board of Trustees, the cafeteria contractors and the Lion's Club are all helping. Who the participating students are is entirely confidential and overall, the cost is quite minimal."

"But appreciated," Layla replied. "Trevor doesn't know I'm here so can we keep it that way, please?"

"Of course," Karla replied. "Boys have their pride, don't they?"

Layla smiled. "They do." She chatted for moment and left.

Seconds later Vivian arrived. "I saw her come in but decided not to intercept her. Hope you didn't mind."

"Not at all," Karla replied. "It's nice when our efforts are appreciated."

*

The biggest sporting event in April for the school was the cross-country. For this, the students were divided into age and gender races with the eleven and twelve-year-olds running three kilometres through a track that left the school playing fields and wandered up through a bush reserve behind the school, followed a stream for a short distance before looping back through suburban streets to the school. The thirteen years or older students ran a longer route in the reserve to add an extra kilometre to the distance. Each syndicate had held their own races earlier and the fastest runners went on to these inter-syndicate finals.

The grounds had a carnival atmosphere with each syndicate having their own tents and flying their colours with flags and balloons, Green for Gannet, Red for Petrel, Blue for Tern and Orange for Shearwater. As well, the runners all had t-shirts of their syndicate's colour and with the yellow tops for the school uniform, there was a rainbow of colours across the grounds. There were other tents for officials, first aid and several commercial tents including a local car dealer who sponsored the event. With the whole school watching as well as hundreds of parents and visitors, there were people everywhere.

Karla was at the finishing line to greet all those coming in. The eleven-year-old girls race was first and muddy tired girls came in accompanied by clapping, screams and shouts from spectators. Every girl was wet and splattered in mud from the muddy track and a stream crossing. After a week of wet weather this was not unexpected and added to the charm of the event. Afterwards, the girls joined their friends or parents to watch the other races or went into the school gymnasium to have showers. The younger boys' race was next and Karla watched as they disappeared from sight out the far end of the grounds.

"Mrs Spicer," said a voice behind her. She spun around and noticed the boy standing behind her. It was Trevor Williams who like the other students in Petrel syndicate had a bright red rosette pinned to his uniform to show he was in that syndicate.