Post 7 Cliffy story 2

 I think back at times when I worked with this interesting man.  He had a huge family 

with lots of Drama.  His first child  was an adopted Metis boy, then he and his wife had two or three

more and then they divorced.  She went on to have two children with a First Nations man who had

already two or three of his own.  Sadly her second husband died in a car crash.  So Cliffy

married her again. That I think is when things crumbled around him.  I know when I worked with him

he had at least ten children. He owned two homes and the older kids mostly stayed at the other house.

They had an intercom between the two houses. His oldest child had issues with police and they always

 went to the wrong house. Poor guy always had money problems and the staff had sympathy for him.

We used to go through the school mail as he had a tendency to throw the mail unopened behind his

desk. We couldn't get milk orders or medal engraving done without paying a prior bill.  We always 

found a big pile of them on the floor.  One warm day, he made an announcement on the intercom with 

no  prior discussion with staff.  He declared  a "fun morning". He said " All classes to the outside

ball diamond to watch a baseball challenge of the Grade six class against the staff."  We did have the 

game but mostly without him. He wanted to be pitcher and he was throwing grounders. After one

 inning, he had another teacher take over as he left the field to lay down in the grass for a nap. We

enjoyed the morning while he snored.  The kids never complained nor told their parents.

His paper work never got done and nothing ever happened.  At the end of the first year, he had

not done the registration and attendance book, the secretary created one, guessing absences.

No one could find his report cards and he said "the secretary has them in her trunk".

Of course it was a lie, and when she returned from her trip to Scotland, everybody was asking her

 where they were.  Cliffy told her to say her husband had cleaned out trunk and threw away all the

stuff in the trunk.  "So sorry, but it was an accident."   

We did force Cliffy to do some of his duties. Two teachers were really having a big issue and they

 would slam doors in each others' face and say insulting things to each other. It was all over a book

order.  They would not stay in the same room unless it was a meeting or an assembly.  Their behavior

was affecting every staff member and kids were asking questions.  Cliffy had two separate doors to 

his office and so we managed to get both teachers in his office at the same time and locked the doors.

We told them we weren't letting anyone out until this issue was resolved.  Cliffy started to yell on the

 intercom to let him out. He panicked.  He really didn't  help much, but the women did agree to be

more civil and act more professional towards one another. The next year one of them transferred to

another school.  Eventually,  things got to be too much to cover for him.. 

I admired him and felt sorry for him. The staff made decisions with out him and the students loved

him.  The board office gave him time to deal with his alcoholism but he resigned and moved to

Alberta.  Last I heard, he was working as a clinical psychologist .   He had so many friends trying

to help him. Ultimately, nothing would change unless he did it himself.

It was a huge learning experience for me and it was a great staff.  We laughed  a lot.  We had many fun

days that weren't planned. I learned to roll with change and make the best of things.  I learned to try and

 get along with any unusual staff.  It takes all kinds of personalities in teachers to teach well rounded

 kids.  Thanks. Cliffy.

Wherever you are,  I hope you got your life together and  I wish you well.   :)     

Faith always !!!