It Was An Interesting Day in Lawton

For the first time this season, one of the seven districts (and only one of them) in which I substitute took a snow day today, due to ice. As Murphy's Law would dictate, it was the nice middle school math job. I am informed of this by phone shortly after 5:30 a.m.

I turn on the computer to see what else is available....nothing, at first. But a half hour later my wife checks it and informs me that "Alternative Education" at Lawton Elementary has come up. I think about it, decide to take no risks of missing another one, and accept this assignment.

Oddly enough, it doesn't start until 9:00, so I go back to bed for a time.

Although "Adult and Alternative Education" meets at the elementary school in Lawton, these are not little kids: They are teens and adults who for various reasons are working on high school credits outside of the "mainstream" schedule. They had a 60-year-old complete the program to get a GED not too long ago. One young man today told me that he could either be here...or in jail. He was a pleasant person, by the way.

The program goes until 8:00 p.m. on M-Th, and until 4:00 on Fridays. Kids come and go on various schedules during the day; adults frequently come in after work but can come in anytime during those hours. One 21-year-old girl was working hard for several hours today; she is almost finished and will get her GED soon. She hopes to go to community college in January. I never had more than seven people at any single time...and I got to leave at 4:00.