Happy 84th Birthday to my Mom in Heaven

THE ONE WHERE I LEFT BEHIND TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL 1989-1990: Larned Public Schools K-8 Library, 8th Grade Literature

1989-1990 School Picture (what was I thinking with that hair?)

I knew it was going to be hard to be away from Brad. We decided that every other weekend I would come home to Belle Plaine. On the weekends I did not come home, Brad would come and see me in Larned.

I was assigned to three buildings Pawnee Rock K-8, Phinney Elementary K-2, and Hillside Elementary 3-4.  Pawnee Rock was my base school that I had to travel to every day. I provided K-6 grade Library Classes which allowed for the classroom teachers to have a plan break. I did not have a Library Clerk and had to maintain both the Elementary and Middle School Libraries. I also had to teach an 8th grade Literature class. In the afternoons I would return to Larned and report to  Phinney K-2 or Hillside 3-4. I had a Library Clerk at both buildings that did all the Library book checkouts, shelving and maintenance of the library. All I did was teach a weekly Library class which allowed the classroom teachers to have a planning break. Because I was a plan break for the classroom teachers, it was difficult to get to know the classroom teachers at all of the schools I worked at.

I threw myself into my teaching. What else did I have to do? I was one of those super teachers that stayed late and had over the top lessons. While Teaching the book SONG AND DANCE MAN, I actually taught the children how to tap dance. A lesson about the THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF involved all the students walking over a bridge. I did get mildly scolded for teaching spooky stories at Halloween. Many of our students attended a fundamental church that did not celebrate Halloween. Ooops! At Pawnee Rock I had to run the concession stand at our fall football games. Pawnee Rock was a super small school, even smaller than the Argonia Public Schools I had worked at the previous year.  Made me wonder how a school this small could stay open. It has since closed and it’s students are bused into Larned.

Book Character Dress Up Day 

I loved Pawnee Rock and convinced my Principal that the Library needed computers for student use. I was over the moon when he purchased three new Apple Computers (I can’t remember the model) but they were so new that they used something called a mouse. I remember having to learn about the use of a mouse before I shared with my students the exciting new WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SANDIEGO  program. The kids loved the computers and I used them as a center during my Elementary Library class times. Phinney and Hillside did not have computers for students or teachers. 

I loved (and missed) Brad Johnson too! When he asked me to marry him in late December of 1989 I said YES!  The Larned Public Schools were desperate for a School Psychologist and were recruiting Brad for the job. I loved Larned and Brad did too and considered him moving to join me after our wedding. He was then offered a fantastic opportunity to work at a brand new day school called PROJECT BRIDGE. He accepted the offer, I resigned my Larned job and started looking for a new one in the Wichita area.  

With my K-2 Library Para on Book Character Day

I was pretty excited to get a “level two” interview with the Wichita Public Schools for a Library position in late May. The interview went great until the person conducting it said “Tell me about your issues with your previous Principal from the 1988-89 school year? They think that you SHOULD NOT be a Teacher!” I was shocked and did not know what to say. As I recall I got teary eyed and left the interview. I honestly wondered if I would EVER get another teaching job? Why was my former Administrator out to get me? To this day, I will never understand it.!  A friend of mine had a company address and suggested I apply for a job so he could request my credentials. He did, and he helped me discover that my former Principals letter of recommendation was damaging. I had their letter permanently removed from my credentials and updated my job applications (no small feat in an era before electronic applications). I eventually found and accepted a part time Librarian contract with the Winfield Public Schools. I spent the summer getting ready for our wedding as well as taking my final Elementary Librarian classes at WSU. It was in my Educational Psychology Class that I met Penny Carter-Caporale (more about her in another chapter of my blog). 

Wedding Shower Picture while wearing a classic teacher look of Keds with a jumper

Brad and I got married  on August 4th and while on our Honeymoon, I had a phone message for Natalie Johnson from the Wichita Public Schools. They wanted to interview me for a Library position. Perhaps my name change would allow my past Administrators point of view to not be noticed? Perhaps getting the “bad” reference letter out of my credentials helped me? For the first time in a long time I felt like my former Administrators opinion of me would NOT determine my professional fate.  I declined the interview as I had already signed the contract with the Winfield Public Schools. I could have gotten out of the part time contract had I been offered a contract with USD 259. Brad and I figured his new job, us just getting married, a part time contract for me might be perfect.. I also decided that I could substitute teach on the days I did not go to Winfield. I was excited to start my new job but was not thrilled about the 70 mile round trip commute. Look for my next blog entry on 6/19/21 entitled THE ONE WHERE I CHANGED MY LAST NAME:1990-1991 Part Time Librarian K-6.

My contract. I made just over $20,000 with coaching and other duties