I made a quick phone call to the office for emergency. No answer. I quickly moved into Mr. Forest's room and gathered the girl and tried to head towards the office. She wouldn't budge. I found one girl in the shop class I was familiar with and together we talked the student into another part of the room where she wouldn't be observed by the other children. She's crying so hard she's hiccuping and shaking. I tried to calm her down and when I thought it was possible, I made another phone call to the office. No answer again. I checked my class. All was going okay. Another phone call and FINALLY the office answered. The secretary said she would send someone. "Someone didn't come." Mr. Forest is teaching his class to keep everyone away from us. I moved the student to an empty room nearby (she still wouldn't go to the office) and we all sit down on the floor and try to talk with each other. We talk until it's clean-up time and she seems now to be under control and under the wing of her friend. Still no one shows from the office. I returned to my wonderful class with many thank-you's.
To insure that the office is more responsive in this type of situation:
Demand an immediate meeting of the principal, vice-principal, counselor, secretary and teacher-on-special-assignment (TSA) to decide on a priority "tree" so if someone can't come, the next one down the "tree" is responsible. (By the way, each one of these people were in the office at the time.) Make them put it in writing, if you can.
Most importantly, cover yourself. Immediately that day put in writing exactly what transpired and who you contacted and what, if any, response you had. C-copy to all involved. If, God forbid, anything happens, you've told your experience while it is still fresh in your mind and you've put the administration on their toes.
Little girl seems fine now but it was touch and go for a couple of days.
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