malvasia bianca

Thursday, a week and a half ago, we had our monthly classroom meeting (for Miranda’s kindergarten class). And we learned that Miranda’s school is probably going to be closed next year. It was public knowledge that one school was going to be closed, but I had kind of been in denial over the issue – even if Slater were the school chosen for closure PACT (the parent participation program that we’re in) would move to another school, and I can’t imagine that very many people want their kid’s school to be closed, and what reason do I have to think that Slater deserves to stay open more than any other school?

Confronted with the likelihood that Slater actually will close, however, I quickly realized that I didn’t think Slater should close; besides PACT, the principal is great, and Liping Ma is working with the teachers to improve their math teaching, which really excited me when I heard about it.

Anyways, Thursday night’s sleep was interrupted by Miranda puking. Then, on Sunday, it was my turn to get the stomach bug. Then, that evening, I heard some dripping in the fireplace; at first I assumed that it was raining outside, but when I walked the dogs, it was dry out. So then, the question is “what is above the fireplace that could cause dripping?”, to which the answer is “the water heater!”. Fortunately, I was staying home on Monday anyways (both because of illness and because of MLK day); it took a little longer than expected, but we now have a new water heater. Actually, it’s just as well that it was replaced now: it turned the old one had its pipes hooked up backwards, which was why the hot water only lasted about one shower’s worth, so I’m glad that’s fixed. (And I’m also glad that it failed with a slow drip while I was at home instead of in a more catastrophic fashion.)

On Tuesday, I went to a school closure task force meeting and had my say in the public comment period. (The actual deliberations were closed to the public, which rather bothers me – I thought California had a law forbidding that?) On Friday, it was Liesl’s turn to get the stomach bug – I devoutly hope that it’s the same bug instead of an exciting new one that Miranda and I will get to go through ourselves…

Still, we’re all on the mend now. We’ll learn on Tuesday what the school closure task force recommends; no matter what, I expect that I’ll be going to school board meetings the next two Thursdays. (I’ve already sent a long e-mail to the school board; I’ve also been pleased at the attention the press is paying to the matter.) And, if Slater is closed, we’ll survive; PACT will probably have a somewhat bumpy year next year, but I far prefer a bumpy year of PACT to a normal year in a normal classroom…