It's the next day at Waters Elementary, and Thomas sits inside his office, as school has started, and Dwight walks inside Thomas' office, and tells him "Did you hear that the Superintendent has resigned?" Thomas responds "I heard Mrs.Judy and Mrs.Louise mentioning that in the lunchroom." Dwight tells Thomas "I also have something else to tell you. I ran into Maura this morning, and she's fuming. She has it out for you after yesterday." Thomas sits back, and responds "She won't win this one, not with me at the helm." Dwight laughs "She's passing a petition around to the staff, but I don't think she's having any luck. Well I'm off to the lounge. Need anything?" Thomas shakes his head, as he pulls out Blake's file, and tells him "I'm going to watch Blake today. And later have a meeting with him." Dwight tells Thomas "This is personal for you. Just be careful. I have a feeling Maura and her friends at The Graveyard's planning something." Thomas looks at Dwight, and boldly responds "That bitch, or her friends don't scare me at all." Dwight heads off, as Thomas heads down to Alice's classroom, as he says to himself "I'm making damn sure this kid has a chance. It's my job."
In Erica's office, Anna walks inside, as Erica asks Anna "How are you?" Anna sits down, as Erica asks "Who's watching your room?" Anna responds "Mrs.Judy at the moment. I want to discuss some things with you. And also tell you something." Erica asks "What's going on?" Anna asks Erica "Tell me about the Bankhead School and their history?" Erica responds "You're not part of what's going on with Blake." Anna looks around, and tells Erica "Dr.Elliott, I'm putting in my resignation today to replace the superintendent's position. I didn't want to, but my Mama talked me into it. My Daddy had the position for many years, so.." Erica tells her "You seem very neutral here, and with all Maura's got planned from what I heard this morning, it may be best." Anna goes "So Ms.Winnie told you too?" Erica nods, and tells Anna "Meet me later today, and I'll give you a history on my experience at The Graveyard." Anna tells Erica "I plan to tell Thomas in person, and I want a recommendation on who should direct the Special Ed program, and it won't be Maura Carson." Erica quips "Wise call, and by the way, congratulations on the promotion." Anna thanks Erica, as she returns to her classroom, and Erica makes a phone call, and tells the person on the other line "The perfect job's opened up for you."
Meanwhile in Maura's classroom, Maura plays a movie for her students, as she answers a text from Ken, ans replies "I've sent out a petition, and nobody's signed it." Maura presses "send", and looks towards her class, as Winnie returns, and Maura tells her "Sign this or I'll tell the board about you and Pat in the parking lot smoking on school property." Winnie looks at the petition, and puts a line through Thomas' name, and writes "Maura", and smiles "Now if you pass that around, maybe some people will sign it." Winnie walks over to her desk, as Maura glares at her, and walks over and asks "Have you considered retiring yet?" Winnie looks at Maura, and quips "No I haven't Ms.Carson, and somebody has to keep a check on you. How I wish I got that teaching certificate renewed." Meanwhile, in Alice's classroom, Blake sits at a desk in front of Alice's desk, as Thomas quietly walks inside, and watches on, as he sees Blake drawing, and Alice teaches the class, as Thomas watches Blake intently, and writes notes, and has a flashback, as Alice motions Thomas to the filing cabinet in her classroom, as Thomas quietly opens it, and pulls out Blake's file, and Blake notices Thomas and yells with joy "Good morning Mr.Duncan!" Thomas smiles, and points at Alice, and nods at Blake to pay attention to Alice, as Thomas checks out Blake's work, and looks at Alice, and Blake, as he sneaks out, and returns to his office, as Blake keeps drawing, as Alice allows him to, and looks at him and smiles at him, as Blake smiles back.
As lunchtime has arrived, and Mrs.Judy and Mrs.Louise, along with Dwight monitors the students, inside Thomas' office, Thomas has all of Blake's files on his desk, as Winnie walks inside and tells Thomas "Maura snuck down to the Wing Shack for lunch. Here's Blake's records." Winnie looks around, as Alice, Effie, Anna, Erica, and Marian Tibbs, 2nd Grade teacher of Waters Elementary sits inside, as Winnie quips "Looks like a pow-wow in here. I'm joining Pat outside." Thomas tells everyone in the room, as he looks at Marian, Anna, and Effie "Since each of you have taught Blake, give me your opinions on him." Effie tells Thomas "He had issues in my classroom, but very intelligent, and he's very observant of his surroundings." Thomas turns to Marian, and she responds "I had some trouble with him, and he seemed scared of me. I really didn't know how to react with him, which I recommended he have classes with Maura Carson. My Assistant when I had one was more successful with him than I was." Anna sighs "Well I had success with him in my room, and Alice and Mama helped me out with him, but Maura was always wanting to know his progress, and anything I told her, she changed it around." Erica sighs with disgust "Typical of that bitch. He's done great in my speech class, and I've checked the teacher that taught before I came here, and he's made a ton of progress, so..." Alice tells them "I think if he stays in a normal environment, he will be fine. He has many people here watching over what's really best for him." Thomas agrees, as he reminds Marian "I was always kinda scared of you too." Marian responds "Thomas, you know I maintain a strict doctrine in my classroom, and when I think of it, you and Blake are similar." Anna tells everyone, as she changes subjects "I think it's safe to say in here since everyone besides Pat's here." Alice quips "We know where she is right now." Anna tells everyone "Mr.Myers has resigned from the Superintendent position and I'm taking the spot." Thomas congratulates Anna, and asks "Superintendent, what's your opinion?" Anna tells Thomas "I've consulted Erica on a director for the Special Ed division, and it will be official tonight at board meeting, and I'll be stepping down from my position here sadly." Effie tells her friend "At least you will do a great job for Caswell County." Everyone agrees, as the bell rings, and the teachers heads out, except Thomas, as he continues to read Blake's files, and Mary tells Thomas "You have a call, from The Graveyard." Thomas tells Mary "Tell whoever it is I said to go to hell."
As recess has arrived, and the kids play on the playground, from a distance, Thomas watches Blake, as Pat sees him, and motions for him to sit next to her, as Effie also sits outside as they monitor the students, and Thomas asks Pat "So decided not to sneak off for a smoke?" Pat laughs, as she tells Thomas "I thought I'd watch Blake. Alice would have been here, but something came up." Effie also watches Blake, as he plays with the other students, and tells Thomas "He's interacting just fine to me." Pat agrees, as she adds "He loves recess according to Judy. I haven't sat out here in years. But it's worth it." Thomas looks at a climbing board, as he reminiscences "I used to sit at the very top, and watch over the playground. It looks like it needs a paint job." Pat, Thomas, and Effie watch Blake climb the board, and Thomas smiles, as he laughs "He reminds me so much of me. In Kansas City, I put one of these up where Valerie worked, and..." Thomas stops, as Pat asks Thomas "And what happened?" Effie also wonders the same thing, as Thomas tells them "He seems just normal to me, and I'm going back to my office." Thomas walks away, as Effie asks Pat "Something was completely off with him." Pat agrees, and tells Effie "That's the most we've gotten out of him about Valerie. All any of us knows is she died and he moved back home, but that's it." Effie asks Pat "He is really fighting for Blake to stay here." Pat tells Effie "That child deserves a chance, and Thomas is doing exactly what any Principal should do."
Meanwhile as school's out at Waters Elementary, in Maura's classroom, Maura fumes as she looks at Winnie, and snarls "I'm not happy Caswell County chose Anna Waters to be the Superintendent!" Winnie quips "Spoiling your plans Maura?" Winnie walks out, as Maura gets on her phone, as the classroom's empty, and calls Missy, as she asks her Daughter "Did you know about Anna Waters?" Missy responds "Yes Mother I did. I'm not teaching Pre-K. 3rd Grade." Maura snaps "You disappoint me Melissa!" Missy, in her car quips "So sorry to say this also, but I walked out of the Bankhead School today." Maura hangs up the phone, as Ken and Trish walks inside Maura's classroom, as Ken tells Maura "So the plan didn't work?" Maura snaps "Thomas is set for life here, and Missy's about to start work here and she won't join forces with me!" Trish pulls out a checkbook, and tells Maura "It's really too bad you are failing us. I know you could use this extra money." Maura is silent, as she tells Ken and Trish "I don't know what to do. We will have to sell the idea to Blake's parents, and the entire school's on Blake's side, and Thomas' as well." Ken pulls out his phone, and says "Maura, you have never failed us, and you need the money." Outside, unknown to them, Dwight stands, as he overhears the conversation, and fumes, as he storms to Thomas' office, as he shakes his head with disgust, as Erica bumps into him, and asks "What's wrong?" Dwight tells Erica "If you heard what I just heard out of Maura's classroom, between her, and Dr.Walton and Mrs.Marsh..." Erica asks "Payday to send the kid away to hell?" Dwight asks "You knew about this?" Erica reminds him "I worked there, and that's why I quit!" Dwight tells Erica "I wonder if Thomas knows?" Erica shakes her head, and tells Dwight "The meeting's tomorrow, and we should expose her then. I just called an old colleague and she has accepted the position of Special Ed Director for Caswell County, and I'm going to let Anna know." Dwight asks Erica "So we expose this in the IEP?" Erica boldly responds "Damn right!" Dwight and Erica shake hands, as Dwight heads to his office, as he shakes his head with disgust, and walks next door to Thomas' office, and finds him gone, as Thomas has arrived home at his Farm, and has flashbacks, and takes deep breaths, as he heads upstairs, and says "I don't know if I can handle this." Meanwhile on Bill's Bus, Blake, with Peanut sitting on his lap, tells Bill "Mr.Bill you missed my house." Mr.Bill hands Blake a letter, as he smiles, and tells Blake "Your Mama and Daddy told me that I could take you over to my house. I got a present for you." Blake smiles, as Bill turns into his driveway, and tells Blake "I heard you like building things." Blake nods, and Bill hands Blake a box of building blocks, and tells Blake "Now it's time I take you home. I wanted to give them to my best passenger." Meanwhile back at Waters Elementary, Effie and Pat walks into Alice's classroom, as Effie asks her Sister "So what's the deal with Thomas. He acted strange today watching Blake." Pat adds with sympathy "He started getting emotional." Alice tells them "This is taking a toll on him, and I think after tomorrow's IEP, I'm calling Eliza and find out what happened with Valerie, there's more to this." Pat tells Alice "Thomas is really taking this personal, and he needs to open up." Alice sighs "Well Bill is silent, and I can't make any promises I'll get anything out of Eliza, but I plan to try." Pat quips "I hope you call collect honey." Dwight walks inside, as he tells Alice what he's learned, as Alice, Effie, and Pat are shocked, and in Anna's classroom, Anna looks at Erica, after hearing Erica's revelation, and they head to Maura's classroom, as it's empty, and Anna tells Erica "Tomorrow, there will be an awakening Maura won't ever, EVER forget!" At Thomas's Farm, Thomas sits in his bedroom, as he looks at Valerie's urn, and another urn, and starts to cry uncontrollably.
To Be Continued
A Comedy-Drama revolving around Principal T.James Duncan, and the faculty and staff at Waters Elementary School, and the goings on in the small Southeastern town of Caswellton.
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