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Diary of an Afterschool Director
They said it would be the hardest job I’d ever love. They were right…and now I can’t turn back!
Diary entry #2
8/16/09
9:12pm
Surviving any outlandish week of work for most is a great triumph, but for me, surviving last week was a “miracle.” I honestly cannot remember a more stressful set of workdays since becoming a permanent fixture of the workforce in the mid-nineties. First, let me set the scene by reminding you that our school year started last Thursday and along w/ launching a major “shift in structure” for our middle school sites, we also were setting sail on three new high school programs.
Let’s start with Monday. While never a spunky day in my work week, add budget concerns and MOU amendments, and you’ve got a start to a rough week. However, it wasn’t until Tuesday that I began feeling it. Literally! I’d have to say it was 45 minutes in to my first Site Director meeting of the year at a nearby pizza grill that dizziness and chest pain overshadowed my regular heartburn. Shifting my speech down from 5th gear to 4th did help a bit but didn’t make it any less alarming. Now, in all my visits to a doctor’s office I’ve never had a high blood pressure read, but this might have been my first if I’d had the arm wrap and pump. The fact that my first of three days of parent orientations lasted an hour longer than planned didn’t make matters better either. Home by 7:30pm.
Wednesday started off better but ended up pretty much the same. With meetings planned with high school SD’s and lots and lots of last minute prep work, Wednesday’s lock out of the cafeteria where I was holding my second parent orientation almost sent me through the roof. Home by 7:45pm.
Thursday. Game day. Actually a bit slower in the AM, but then “all heck broke loose” when school let out. From one site to the next I went, fire after fire attempting to put out, and all w/ my cell phone attached to one ear fielding calls of parent and staff panic. Finally, day one in the books, and still one last parent orientation to go. Home by 8:00pm.
TGIF (Thank God’s it’s Friday)!! A great start to the morning with a meeting with one of my program leads regarding her new role as our middle school dance club coordinator. Things were looking up! Then it hit. “Frank, we’ve got to talk.” The four words you least like to hear from your boss. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say it didn’t lighten my load any and Friday was not going to be as “cheery” as I’d once hoped 35 minutes before. The day sped, and so did I, literally everywhere I went. Home by 7:20pm. Ending with a dire email plea from my secretary for help on Monday morning, my wonderful week of $#%@ was over. TGIAS (Thank God it’s Almost Saturday)!! So to all of you Afterschool Director’s whom have “felt the pain I’ve felt,” I say lots of sleep, morning exercise, and maybe some spousal therapy.
Despite all, I’m truly blessed to have the opportunity to help and serve the youth and families of my community. But sometimes, just sometimes, I get a little worried that I may not be able to help and serve myself (in the future that is) if I continue going at the rate I am. Should you ever have similar thoughts/feelings feel free to shoot me an email just so I know you’re out there too. Until next time good friends, be strong, be blessed, and remember, work smarter…not harder! I think I should anyway!
Frank Escobar
Program Manager
Visalia Unified School District
Activate. Educate. Elevate.
Diary entry #2
8/16/09
9:12pm
Surviving any outlandish week of work for most is a great triumph, but for me, surviving last week was a “miracle.” I honestly cannot remember a more stressful set of workdays since becoming a permanent fixture of the workforce in the mid-nineties. First, let me set the scene by reminding you that our school year started last Thursday and along w/ launching a major “shift in structure” for our middle school sites, we also were setting sail on three new high school programs.
Let’s start with Monday. While never a spunky day in my work week, add budget concerns and MOU amendments, and you’ve got a start to a rough week. However, it wasn’t until Tuesday that I began feeling it. Literally! I’d have to say it was 45 minutes in to my first Site Director meeting of the year at a nearby pizza grill that dizziness and chest pain overshadowed my regular heartburn. Shifting my speech down from 5th gear to 4th did help a bit but didn’t make it any less alarming. Now, in all my visits to a doctor’s office I’ve never had a high blood pressure read, but this might have been my first if I’d had the arm wrap and pump. The fact that my first of three days of parent orientations lasted an hour longer than planned didn’t make matters better either. Home by 7:30pm.
Wednesday started off better but ended up pretty much the same. With meetings planned with high school SD’s and lots and lots of last minute prep work, Wednesday’s lock out of the cafeteria where I was holding my second parent orientation almost sent me through the roof. Home by 7:45pm.
Thursday. Game day. Actually a bit slower in the AM, but then “all heck broke loose” when school let out. From one site to the next I went, fire after fire attempting to put out, and all w/ my cell phone attached to one ear fielding calls of parent and staff panic. Finally, day one in the books, and still one last parent orientation to go. Home by 8:00pm.
TGIF (Thank God’s it’s Friday)!! A great start to the morning with a meeting with one of my program leads regarding her new role as our middle school dance club coordinator. Things were looking up! Then it hit. “Frank, we’ve got to talk.” The four words you least like to hear from your boss. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say it didn’t lighten my load any and Friday was not going to be as “cheery” as I’d once hoped 35 minutes before. The day sped, and so did I, literally everywhere I went. Home by 7:20pm. Ending with a dire email plea from my secretary for help on Monday morning, my wonderful week of $#%@ was over. TGIAS (Thank God it’s Almost Saturday)!! So to all of you Afterschool Director’s whom have “felt the pain I’ve felt,” I say lots of sleep, morning exercise, and maybe some spousal therapy.
Despite all, I’m truly blessed to have the opportunity to help and serve the youth and families of my community. But sometimes, just sometimes, I get a little worried that I may not be able to help and serve myself (in the future that is) if I continue going at the rate I am. Should you ever have similar thoughts/feelings feel free to shoot me an email just so I know you’re out there too. Until next time good friends, be strong, be blessed, and remember, work smarter…not harder! I think I should anyway!
Frank Escobar
Program Manager
Visalia Unified School District
Activate. Educate. Elevate.
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