To Turn on a Dime

Just when we get it all set up, we get thrown a curve. Yesterday, after school we had an unexpected staff meeting called. We all met in the library. That's when I found out that the meeting was about a big change in second grade. Our neighboring elementary school was underenrolled, and stood to loose a teacher. We're overenrolled -we have too many students. The suggested solution: move a teacher to El Verano to reduce our class size and save the position. This means for us moving six students out of each of our classrooms so that each of us could have a class of eighteen.
Sounds good, and it will mean an easier year but it does represent a lot of work for us, never mind the stress for the poor teacher who would join us. Of course the six we each move need to be carefully selected and it should be kept confidential.
After I got over the surprise, and mouthed off about my feelings, I got to work. Luckily, I had the key information on my class: I have spent my last two weeks gathering information on my students' reading ability and math ability.
I created a quick graph to see where my group stood in reading fluency and math. Then, I figured out which students could potentially move, and chose based on keeping a balance in all the classes. Sadly, I had to give up my better students because I have a strong class.
I am giving up three girls, and three boys. Four are fantastic students, one medium and one below grade level. We met after school today and sorted out the new class list, I am still broken hearted because I already know and love these students. The good news: We now know who the new teacher will be: she's a friend, a talented teacher with a positive attitude. I'll enjoy working with her. She'll arrive next week. We'll keep our gang until she has time to set up her classroom.
I stayed at work way too late sorting out the homework for next week, trying to scrounge up enough flashcards, and organizing my sight word program. I just about know everyone's level and I have passed out the sight word sets to my class. There was a buzz of excitement as the kiddos shared their cards. There's something about the rings that make them very enticing.
Classroom highlights: Omar wrote his numbers to 1,000 already! Also very cool, most of my students are truly readers and know their sight words pretty well.