First Day of School: Well, that was a let down and then some.

Today, the first day of school, was more of the same as far as unpacking, organizing the classroom, I added in a little of organizing the caseload but not a lot.  More of that tomorrow. 

I forgot that I don't have a hammer at work (I used to!) so I couldn't assemble my new shelf.   Will take a hammer with me tomorrow. 

What was really hard today was not starting a classroom of children and being with them all day.  I missed the classroom and the children more than I can say.   I felt lonely and lost most of the day.   I don't start picking up kids for group until next week which is fine but I sure didn't know what to do with myself.  It was a good thing that there is so much to organize and unpack.  I did my best to keep busy and did pretty well. 

I found and made copies of IEPs in four more files.  I need to go over to the SS Office and make copies of the ones I took over on Friday so I can have my files back.    I brought my two hampers in for toy storage and opened up both boxes of stuffed animals.  I chose a nice assortment for the main office/classroom and need to do the same for the preschool office area.   There will be leftover animals to store somewhere.  

At the beginning of the day I was able to help straighten out an unexpected snafu.   None of the kids who left my classroom were correctly assigned to their K classes.   They were all assigned to the special day class!   I talked to support services and my principal.   The secretary re-assigned all of them.  It was their files that I located and made copies of for the support service office.   Parents are all happy and I felt useful.

The lists are making me crazy so I'm making a fresh one.

• Finish putting up bulletin boards including moving assistants over a few inches.
• Set up speech therapy shelf/area.   
• Talk with admin about list of screenings.
• Start arranging K screenings from summer referrals. 
• Discuss set up of groups, re: timing, avoiding core teaching times
• Organize groups for next week.  I've been procrastinating because it's going to take a huge chunk of time.   Must be done
• Organize my speech area in main classroom/office
• Have duplicate keys made on way home for all locking file cabinets.  I'd like a set for each SLP (2), my assistant, and the principal.  The last for back up.  There were 4 locking file cabinets in the room I've inherited and only one had a key.
• Set up my speech area.
• Continue decluttering main classroom/office.
• Once I know my schedule I need to start scheduling my non-intensive and intervention preschoolers.  

Hopefully tomorrow I'll finally get to take some "after" photos.    The soft area looks nice, my "Miss Bee" collection looks nice, the speech area is finally moving in the right direction.  Much of the room has been decluttered.  I have two bulletin boards areas yet to do.   Progress.