Time

So the new regime has begun. I've been back at work four days and already I'm dragging my heels and sulking. It's not a good sign. It's my eighth year in this job and I've never been less keen to get up in the morning.

I said I'd try and be positive and everyone says I have to give it time, but I'm not crazy about the new boss and I'm even less crazy about some of her ideas and the accompanying workload. We had our first meeting today. One member of staff was crying almost hysterically so I think that should give you some idea about how we're feeling. Her tears were met with a somewhat aggressive response and impenetrable glare.
I for one am already very tired of the constant 'Really?' to everything I say and accompanying sneer. It's a good job I am not a violent person. I don't like being talked to as if I were on the end of her toilet brush.

The nice things have gone already too. First day back and we didn't even get a 'Hello team, how are you all, it's good to see you' etc... We had ...... a marking policy given to us that resembled the magna carta in length.
Play times are now so short that staff have to drink tea/coffee at volcanic temperatures. And if any of us thinks about staying out a couple of minutes longer to give the others a break, and the children some more freedom, she comes out to glare.

We have also been told that the three after school meetings next week are all to be attended and that , yes, there will be a staff meeting because the after school things fall into 'directed time' anyway. Seriously, if she wants to start getting pedantic about times, I will be raising the fact I get nothing like my 10% non contact time.Negotiation and discussion seem to be alien concepts. We are not used to this, we don't like it.
I wonder why new bosses come in like some Tom cat, peeing all over their territory and stamping authority. It's rarely met with enthusiasm. How much nicer, and more sensible to have let things run a while and see what needed a tweak, rather than bulldoze all the many things we love and make our school what it is.

I hear rumours that she plans to issue late slips to parents arriving after 9am. This will go down like a cup of cold sick with our parents. People have complex lives. Many of our parents do. You don't get them on side by issuing late slips. 

With luck, I hope she has gone home this evening feeling a little bit shit about today. It can't have been the sort of first meeting you hope for when it's clear you have pissed off ALL your key players in a very small team. Even though she looked like she couldn't care less that it was all falling apart round her, it must have smarted a little.

Only time will tell whether things will improve or whether the three of us jump ship or at least attempt mutiny.