When Ladders Traumatize – Intro–2

The back story to this experience began on the last post. All the links to all the chapters in this story will be listed at the end of each blog post. The original plan was to have the story live in the portfolio section of the blog. After much agonizing and nervous considerations, decided to let the story unfold on the blog. Any surprise new twists and details will be added after the fact to the portfolio “behind the scenes” section. Without any more ramblings, let’s dive into the next part of the story.

Transitioning to the full story

The summer vacation had been amazing. The fun in the sun, the pool parties, the projects done, all made for wonderful amazing memories. Now the school year was ramping up quickly. There was a lot of work to cover.

The school board was aggressively trying all kinds of programs to improve the standing of the school. The uniform policy had been dropped to allow everyone to express themselves as they so desired. This would keep the kids happy, allow the staff to ease up on their complaints about being too stuffily dressed, and get the parents focused on something else.

The announcing of who took the top seat of the test the prior year was worrying the principal. He had a lot of donors eager to see who was going to network with the mayor this year. While other schools usually got that luxury, no one else had come close in score to his two star students.

Only four had risen to the grueling challenge and each had made the perfect score of 100. Three had cleared it with bonus material. By law, he had to notify the parents, in writing, how their child had performed. The word would soon be out of the final choice.

His eyes rested on the photo on his desk and his spine stiffened a bit. He remembered his first trip, and only trip, to represent the school at this special curriculum development seminar on a farm. His school was awarded a lot of funding for his contribution to the event.

There was one memory he preferred to forget however. This one made the choice all the more difficult for him. The politics of his agenda was trying enough as it was. Now, to have one of his students represent the school there, but which one?

There were five programs that the top performers of the state got to attend. All of these kids were excellent high achievers. Would sending the wrong child to the farm derail their academic career? Not that there was such a thing as a wrong child for that program. But he knew something that most did not.

Worse, his star teacher knew also. And they both had agreed to not talk about this secret that they weren’t supposed to have uncovered. Teens being as they are, they were bound to snoop about and it was only a matter of time before they uncovered this dark secret.

Wringing his hands and closing his eyes, the principal shuttered at the memory of his visit. His tummy flipped a bit. Pulling his drawer, he found his antacid and popped two as he washed it down with a gulp of coffee.

Looking once more at the photo, he shook his head. There was no way anyone would uncover that secret. The pond had been drained. The case had been closed. He was just an unlucky witness. A poor unfortunate guy who had been sucked into a crazy moment in time.

His eyes moved over to the letters from power donors who wanted to know if Zoe was going to be the student meeting the mayor later in the school year. His heart was a bit heavy. The mayor had wanted to take Zoe to the farm and show off her academic abilities.

There was no real way for him to let the mayor know that this was a bad idea. It was the mayor’s program, his ambassador’s scholarship, his choice. It was also the mayor who had helped clear the issues surrounding that first visit to the farm. He owed the mayor.

His tummy grumbled yet again. Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths.