Expect the Unexpected

You would think I should know by now to never become too comfortable at school. Last night I left everything (including my computer) in my classroom because for once I felt slightly on top of things. I decided I was going to enjoy a work-free evening. I just made sure I got to school 45 minutes early so I could have time to get things set up for today.

Everything seemed to be going great until I began to pull out my keys to get into my classroom. Just as I went to open the door I noticed something a little out of place. There seemed to be a large screw by the doorframe. I thought it odd that I would have never paid attention to it before. As I turned the doorknob to enter, I found it was already unlocked, and the door was refusing to open. I quickly pieced these observations together and realized that someone had jammed two large screws in the doorframe making it absolutely impossible to even budge the door.

I went and had another teacher come and investigate, just to make sure I wasn't going crazy. We both stood looking at this scene in disbelief. I, of course, am imagining what I'm going to find (or not find) on the inside if we ever do find a way to get in. I also couldn't figure out why my room would have been targeted. I realize it's an outdoor school, but there are 30 other rooms that could have been hit. Why mine?

Our amazing custodian manages to pry the bolts out of the door with a lot of banging (and some permanent damage to the frame). I was then even more confused to find inside of my classroom exactly as I had left it. Burglary seemed like the obvious conclusion to this ordeal, but nothing was touched.

I found out later that morning that the night custodians couldn't get my door to lock last night, so the district's after-hours maintenance people came out to "secure" my room. While their method proved to be effective, I still can't help to wonder if there could possibly be a better way. However, I have worked in this district for almost 2 and 1/2 years now. I guess it shouldn't surprise me at all.