Chalk-up Another "Win"

Had the first concert of the year on Tuesday. It went over well... very well. The first concerts are fun, because the families who are just getting to know me realize for the first time that I'm one guy trying to run a three-teacher program. They come up to me afterwords and say "My Gosh.. I had NO idea you had all of those groups under your belt." So yeah, it was chaos (as the first concert always is) but it came off.

And... surprise, surprise.... Principal Palpatine was there. Standing beside her was Assistant Principal Bob. I'm not sure what their reaction was... neither one so much as sent me an e-mail ... but I know a few parents and students got a chance to talk to her.

My department chair says Palpatine has been acting a little funny... she's been visiting the art classes and going out her way to be nice to the art teachers. Dept. Chair thinks Palpatine was given order from mount-high to make amends wiuth her arts department "Which... if it's true... would lead one to think that the nasty-gram she e-mailed to me and cc'd to district brass may have worked against her, not for her. (I'd like to think that's how it went down.)

There was also a school board member in the audience.... surprisingly enough, it wasn't Mark (the former band teacher who helped me with my last crisis with Palpatine.) It was Dan, the retired police opfficer who has been on the board for... well before my time. Dan isn't even the representative for our side of the district: I met him six years ago at random while reporting to the county courthouse for jury duty (he was there for the same reason). He's made it a point to say hi to me when he sees me, and attends my concerts once in a blue moon. It was good to have him there.

I don't know what was going through Palpatine's mind while watching my concert.... but I'm guessing it was frustration. What she saw was a packed house of happy parents, and a stage full of happy students who were making music. Here's all this evidence that I'm doing a great job... and yet I'm still NOT doing the job that SHE wants me to do.

What's a tyrant to do?