eighth grade trip

[Dunkel]

This school year is almost over. The last few days are brutal and this year has been rough.  Ceremonies, awards banquet, and end of the year trip all make for a long week. Yesterday was the trip and talk about a scheduling error.

Since the reopening of the states only amusement park we have been going to Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville.  Not bad but usually a three hour trip on a school bus each way.  Yesterday was a little longer. It took over an hour to get to the park once it was in sight. Rest room emergencies started immediately    Traffic as far as the eye could see and none of it moving.  Police cars in pods of 10 and 12 as well as groups of officers on horseback.  No less than 2 helicopters hovering and snipers on the buildings.  I kidded with my boys that they were expecting them, they were legendary

Apparently the exhibition center that shares the same parking lot, was hosting the National NRA Convention, and Trump was scheduled to give a speech in a few hours.  Three hours and three inches of rain later we fought the traffic across town to crash the senior citizens special hour at a Golden Corral.  One hundred and fifty, wet 14 year olds at an all you can eat buffet made the ride home something I'd rather not experience again at least until next year. Been on the couch like Perry's dogs all day

[Perry]

I can only imagine!    Sounds like............................fun?

[Dunkel]

Definitely different from a small town with two stop lights and 40 miles from Wal-Mart.   Kinda of a strange feeling being in the middle of that much excitement. Found myself hoping nothing went down till I got the kids out of there.  

[Les]

Oh boy, you do deserve some couch time!  What a nightmare.

[riverbee]

..........

dunkel, you have some great stories!!! hmmm, wait ADVENTURES!!!..........

[lazy shooter]

Dunkel:

My wife is a school superintendent, so I know a bit about public school bus drivers.  My heart felt thanks to you for driving a bus and CARING about children.  It is so hard to find good, caring, qualified bus drivers in our small school.  Driving is a part time job.  The bus drivers run their morning routes, go home and farm a bit, come back for the evening run and back to the farm until dark.  The real advantage for our drivers is that they get school insurance.  We have good drivers, but they are hard come by, so thanks for being one of them.

lazy

[Dunkel]

Lazy you are completely right about bus drivers.  They are the unsung heroes of the school system. 

No matter what the weather they are on the spot. Getting students to and from school no matter what the weather and conditions. Forty children who are not your own in the back seat. My wife could handle only two with a fly swat or a flip flop   They are the first person they see for the day and that sets the tone for their experience for the rest of the day.  I am just a science teacher along for the ride to get my time in

[lazy shooter]

Dunkel:

My wife has been in public education 40 plus years.  I don't know how many.  Educators, firemen and LEO's are all special people.  I've had teachers to educate my sons, firemen to look after my property, and law officers to keep me and my property safe.  These public servants, working on near starvation wages, have allowed me to prosper beyond my childhood dreams.  We have a local fireman whose wife is really suffering from MS.  I cut him a nice three digit check and told him it was the least I could do, and I meant it.  God bless you and the other teachers and bus drivers that took such good care of my children.  It was a good example for my boys, as one of them teaches advanced anatomy and physiology at Waller ISD near Houston, TX. 

Thank you for your service, and it is good to see that you are a SCIENCE teacher.

lazy