On the Road

I’m thinking “On The Road” might still be a good name for this column. You see I still hit the road to travel to the different school sites a couple three times a week. The good part is I usually don’t have to travel very far. The furthest I’ve had to go in the last couple of weeks is about five miles east to North Layton Junior High.
It has the distinction of being just north of Layton Hills Mall and Lowe’s. It is an old school so I’m sure it has been there for decades — long before Lowe’s or the mall.
It is one of the schools that channels students to Northridge High School.
The kids are pretty good at North Layton, but something happens to them over the summer and they turn into bad kids all of the sudden.
Northridge is one of those schools that I really don’t wish to go back to. If we have a school shooting up here that will be the place where it happens. They come dressed like it was Halloween every day, or so it seems. And they are mouthy too. So I try and stick with Syracuse schools or West Point.
The last time I was at West Point Junior High I subbed for Mrs. Marshall. She is one of those teachers who trains her students well. You tell them to quiet down and they do. On the sub finder computer system it said she taught social science. However in the special instruction, which you have to call in for, she added that there were a couple of periods of foreign language. I never considered this much of a problem because it is usually Spanish and I grew up in California, and picked a little of it up. However when I got to the classroom I discovered it was French instead. I am not particularly fond of the country nor do I speak the language. But then neither did the seventh-graders, yet. So with a few Qui’s I got through it.
That’s kind of the beauty of being a sub teacher, you get variety.
However the variety I didn’t expect was to arrive at Syracuse Junior High one morning to find the teacher, Mrs. Allred, still in the room. It seemed she was involved in some sort of testing for the day in the school library just a few doors down. I felt very awkward as the students filed into the classroom — like who is in charge here and what do I do next. However, the moment passed as I picked up the seating chart and took role. Allred left in a few minutes and things settled down for a few periods.
This was an English class and we were going to listen to a CD of a book reading by the late John Ritter. It was called “Stargirl” and is actually a good book. It reminded me a lot of “Wonder Years” on TV.
In seventh period who shows up but my granddaughter’s cousin on her dad’s side. He thinks I’m his uncle or cousin or something so I let him go on to the other kids about it. He’s a nice kid, funny and gets along well with the other students. However, this is the second class I’ve had him in and he does like to milk the opportunity a bit.

David Newton can be reached at amypooski@yahoo.com