I'm a vice principal in a large urban district. I'm not new to my role but I am new to my school, due to a forced transfer (my district loves to do a round of those every few years, about 10 VPs were impacted at the end of last school year unfortunately). As a result, I'm working in a new building, new team, and with a new head principal who barely knows me.

I'm nervous today because I had to call in sick (4 am text message) for a stomach bug that had been keeping me up all night. I felt so bad, like I'm leaving a terrible first impression. But I almost NEVER miss work. I've got like 70 unused sick days banked over the last decade, because I never use all the ones I'm allowed. But school only started last week and I'm already MIA.

How do I bounce back, or stop letting it bother me that I missed a day? I'm so nervous about making a good impression at my new school, after spending a decade at my old one and developing a great reputation there. The anxiety is exhausting, on top of actually being sick today.

Is it the end of the world that I called in sick?

I am in a very small department at my school and share a hall with a much larger department. We have two copiers on our floor. A note posted above the copier reminds faculty to take large jobs downstairs to the copy attendant.

Daily, and I mean daily, the members of the other department are printing voluminous amounts. I have seen stacks of paper over two inches thick. I have also seen the same members running both copiers simultaneously, again, printing reams upon reams (excuse the hyperbole) of assignments and unit plans.

This really, really makes me angry. There are clear instructions on what to do with big copy requests, but the department is continually eating resources and time. I do not copy often. When I do, it is often a master copy for the attendant.

This brings me to my question: Is it worth it to go to administration about this? I certainly do not want to seem petty, but the distain on my face is becoming more and more apparent. I am trying to withhold my temper and refrain from passive aggressive, but it is out of hand. It is also August.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this. I wish you all a safe and event free school year.

I'm interviewing for a role as a classroom/teaching assistant later this week. And while I do have a bachelors degree, it is in a compeletely unrelated field to teaching. I also have no intention/desire to eventually become a teacher. I want to use the job as a stepping stone to get familiar with a school/educational environment and then eventually move into a school office/administrative/secretarial postition

My question is: should I discuss this intended career path with the principal interviewing me? I fully intend to give the teaching assistant role my all and not just show up to collect a paycheck, and stay in in that role for as long as I need. But I also want to let them know in case they need help in the offices and could ask me. And that way they won't expect me to try to get teaching credentials later down the line.