Goodbye Calamity College

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An image across the secondary school playground in early morning fog

It’s possible that no one remembers the codename ‘Calamity College’ which I used to post about the misadventures of my workplace but I do, and this is more for me to get my thoughts down as after 10 full years employed there as yesterday I walked in for the last time.

After years of talk I finally left the secondary school science department where for 10 years I have supported the teachers, run the labs and done much more besides. I’ve adapted to everything from teaching multiple subjects, including Science and IT, to being the Site Team performing the maintenance and unlocking and locking of the school every morning and night.

Leaving was more emotional than I expected. The staff got me a leavers hoody with my name and 2023 printed on the back and all the staff, extending far beyond my department, signed it and wrote messages to me. A lot of people also bought me gifts which totalled so much I needed to call for a lift home as there was no way I’d carry everything on foot.

A screenshot from mastodon reading: "This is it. My last morning getting up and walking to work for my current employer. Today is my last day at the place I've worked for a little over 10 years. Scary and exciting times start with bigger and bolder things next Monday after a long weekend of getting ready for my future. Right now though I suppose I'm about to see what everyone has in store to celebrate my last day. I know they have been up to something."
Screenshot taken from a Mastodon post made before walking in to work on the 25th Jan 2023.

I’m moving into IT, into a big business, so I doubt I will ever feel that kind of ‘family’ a school environment creates ever again, though I’d happily be wrong. In 10 years I built myself up to be a go-to person for all the staff, from the cleaning team to management, always ready with a sense of humour or a shoulder to cry on. I don’t know if those kinds of connections can exist in the massive corporate world or if I can ever build that kind of rapport again.

Blunt and real moment; I’m saying I’d gotten myself to into a position where people above me looked up to me – I’d gotten to a place where even at the bottom of the ladder I was respected and I felt crucial to more than my role. I know the place is going to really fall down without me for a good while after I’ve left and, as emotionally torn apart as I am for the people that will struggle and I will miss, I do wish I could watch the world burn for the people I essentially masked their poor performance.
I felt important and I felt needed and I am really scared that in the future I’m not going to feel relevant or have that pride in what I do.

Despite the emotion I am excited to start paving the way for my future and it feels good to have my life moving forwards but I will miss my strange and quirky family at the school. It’s tough to leave somewhere when everyone is so sad to see you go.

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