Part 7
Rachel stood at the front of the hall and as the pupils respected her, the mummers faded rather quickly which for a moment left silence in the hall particularly as both Eddie and Rachel were exchanging glances remembering their previous conversation. It really doesn't help having Eddie sitting there as I'm struggling to act professional. I guess I better get back into Head teacher mode; although that may fall apart whenever Eddie is near, as I have a belief that my self-control is weak around him although I'm determined to prove that I have more self-control then him.
"Welcome back after your Christmas holidays I hope that you had a good rest and then you have come back refreshed. There have been a couple of staffing changes since last term as we have filled the P.E position and the teacher is somebody called Mr. Cleaver and he will be arriving with us later today. We have recently been able to offer German as a GCSE language so this will be taught by Miss Haydock.
Mr Clarkson resigned as Head of Pastoral Care last term so I have employed someone to fill the position". When Rachel announced this it was met with various gasps and groans as the students had taken to Tom and they actually felt as though he had the interests of the students in mind.
There was one person who heard the groans but didn't join in because she wasn't in the room with all the rest of them. The worst thing was that barring the people who she had walked to school with, she was convinced that nobody else would be aware that she wasn't in the room. The tears ran down her cheeks as she looked at the small scar that she had as a result of the incident with Earl Kelly. How could I be so stupid; why didn't I listen to the advice that anyone told me; they told me that he was trouble and I was better off without him but I thought I knew best; why?
I should have realised when he stole the money and Steph's bracelet but I gave him another chance, if I could repeat the recent events again I would never have got involved with him, but then I suppose it's easy to say with hindsight.
Maxine had cried so many tears recently it almost seemed natural to have them dripping from her face and onto her hand which was rubbing almost as if it was tainted with the guilt that she felt at the belief that she had caused nothing but trouble for Steph and here she was continuing to do so.
It was the first time during Rachel's assembly that the mummers started again as the pupils wondered who would be able to do the job as many of the teachers already had too many commitments to enable them to do the job properly. Rachel looked around the room and was pleasantly surprised at the disapproval that the pupils were showing to the information that Tom was no longer head of Pastoral Care. At least it showed that he must have been doing something right to make the pupils feel this strongly but I had better inform them as to who is taking over the position because unless I intervene soon I doubt that I will ever regain silence during the assembly and I would quite like to see the pupils reactions when they realise who it is. Because every decision that I make in this school is for the pupils therefore if I leave the school at the end of the day knowing that the majority of the pupils; or even staff for that matter, don't approve of a decision that I have made then I have failed them.
Rachel stood in silence at the front of the stage and within half a minute the hall was restored to the silence which it had previously been held in. "I can tell you're disappointed about the decision but Mr. Clarkson felt he was able to devote enough time to it therefore the decision was taken which lead to the new appointment". Rachel stopped talking almost as if she was enjoying the power which the anticipation in the room brought. Particularly as it's only me and Eddie who know who the appointment is, if I'm honest, if I was braver then I wouldn't have had to consult him particularly but after the extended services; aah yes that's another thing I have to talk to them about, and the incident with Earl Kelly. I have lost the confidence in my decisions therefore I thought if I ran through them with Eddie he would be able to help me make a decision which is more likely to be successful because I trust Eddie with my life.
Rachel assemblies weren't typical of other schools that she had been in; where the pupils have to sit in silence while the adult stands at the front talking about a topic which the pupils don't care about and furthermore has no really impact upon their life. Rachel used to sit in on these assemblies and vowed that if she was ever to become a head teacher; then she would be a stickler for discipline but at the same time there had to be that level of mutual respect.
Therefore Rachel was pleased when the pupil that she and everyone thought she had made the biggest impact on; Bolton, asked her a direct question, "So who is the person who has replaced Mr. Clarkson" Rachel smiled at the way there was a time when Bolton was all for giving up school as he didn't consider the relevance of it but here he was asking about the staffing arrangements. I guess that just shows that no-body is a lost cause and given a bit of encouragement and respect they can achieve anything after all the moral of Waterloo Road is 'Everything from nothing' I guess this sums up the pupils fairly accurately.
