Alone in school

[OverWorked]

Recently made full-time, I'm now working the holidays in the school. As it's a small school I'm the only one here.

It's a weird feeling. I've given myself a list of jobs to do and am steadily working through them. This is great - total freedom and no interruptions for "can you show me how to print four photos on one sheet of paper?"

But... Not having anyone to talk to is getting a bit depressing. I'm the kind of person who doesn't talk much to colleagues whilst at work. I just want to concentrate on my work. Now they're not here I'm missing them.

Anyone else got the whole school to themselves?

[leco]

Just me and the caretaker - it's lovely. But keep getting interrupted by visitors, or the decorators (finished now).

Like the song . . . "Don't it allways seem to go, that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone"

Still there's always Edugeek

[Sylv3r]

Working from home today as sitting at my desk at school doing paper work / policies etc was too quiet.

I have been working alone at school for the last couple of works apart from two days when the technician was in. He will be coming in the final week so we can put computers into newly refurbished areas of the school.

The school isn't completely empty with a couple of people working in the main office / builders / decorators / electricians on site as well as the caretaker but it is very quiet.

[richard.thomas]

Theres 6 of us in ICT in the school and theres a few admin staff, site team a few teachers dotted about and some builders but no one else.
We had teachers and kids in last week and i suspect again next week. and a quick look on the student tracker shows theres 7 kids currently logged in at the other end of the school!
This school is only closed 2 weeks of the year, it's quite normal for there to be lessons going on during the holidays!

At the moment i'm on my own in a room that needs re-imaging waiting for SP3 to finish downloading and installing on one of the machines. Then all the machines need fogging and i'll come back later on to make sure everything worked

[OverWorked]

It's not just me then.

There was the caretaker here, but his leave began two days ago. There's two decorator painting the outside of the school.

I've just stuck a sign on the main entrance telling visitors to come to my window round the corner.

It's amazing how many contractors turn up unnanounced. They all ask for the caretaker and are surprised he's not here, then expect me to sort them out. I don't mind really.

At the moment I'm getting my head around wireless network security - trying to decide on the best solution for us. Lots of reading which I can't do in term time.

[OverWorked]

Then all the machines need fogging and i'll come back later on to make sure everything worked

What's fogging?

[tonyd]

What's fogging?

I'd guess it's a bit like ghosting...

if (fog = free opensource ghost) then fogging ~= ghosting

[IrritableTech]

Overworked.

Have your school got a lone worker policy??

[srochford]

I'd quite like it to be quiet here but it isn't :-)

We have courses that run through the summer so there are students in but we've also got endless builders, electricians and other odd bods doing things (putting in a new lift is quite exciting!)

There's also a new building going up outside my window - amongst other things, buses will be serviced in there so there's some fairly heavy duty kit being shifted in to it :-)

[OverWorked]

Overworked.

Have your school got a lone worker policy??

You mean for H&S and security? I doubt it. I have thought about it. ie I'm not going to do any work up ladders. The security is a worry, though.

[ahuxham]

Three of us in IT, 2 in at the moment.

Administration, Marketting, Bursary, Foundation accounts for another 16 people.

Maintainance and Groundstaff account for 11 people + 6 Gap Students for general help.

Add General staff in, your looking at around 38 people still in school. I doubt there will be a point where anyone is alone in the school.

Well that being christmas, I had to work the 3 days while everyone was off as I drew the short straw, but saying that I never came in. Remote Access and forwarded calls to my mobile phone incase anyone really needed me.

Must be nice with all that peace and quiet.

ADD Summerschools as well, Latin has just finished, Choristers in now.

[Sylv3r]

You mean for H&S and security? I doubt it. I have thought about it. ie I'm not going to do any work up ladders. The security is a worry, though.

On a similar note - where teachers turn up unannouced and go straight to their classroom how many make sure staff sign in?

We have only recently started doing this here but it does help the caretaker when locking up / if they is a fire etc.

[TechMonkey]

Sounds like time to turnt eh music up to 11 and enjoy the freedom

[tmcd35]

Sounds like time to turnt eh music up to 11 and enjoy the freedom

One step ahead of you there mate

I'm all alone in my office, the other IT guy is a couple of rooms down doing an inventory check, the other 2 are on hols. In this building there is also a DT tech wandering around (I think he's lost?). Thats 3!

Everyone else, all 5 of them (2 finance, 2 caretakers, receptionist) are on the south site. There maybe a couple of contractors down there with them.

God I'll miss quietness of the summer when the little blighters (staff) return after the hols!

[russdev]

On a similar note - where teachers turn up unannouced and go straight to their classroom how many make sure staff sign in?

We have only recently started doing this here but it does help the caretaker when locking up / if they is a fire etc.

Done it for number of years here everyone must sign in through hols.

Russ