Chapter 603: The Return of the Acclaimed Audrey
In the school office building's large conference room, Oliver and several vice principals sat on the stage, while below were the school's faculty, numbering over a hundred people.
On the wall hung a long red banner, with the words "Welcome back to our school the honored teachers who participated in the Starfall Town Young Outstanding Female Teachers Training Program."
Oliver looked at Audrey and Vanessa sitting in the front row, feeling extremely pleased. This time, he went against the majority opinion and sent the two to attend the training, causing dissatisfaction among many senior teachers. Many approached him, saying it was unfair to let the two young teachers represent the school at the training. Even the Education Bureau called to inquire about the situation.
However, Oliver remained unfazed. In his view, although there were outstanding senior teachers like Alissa among the older teachers, most of them were just coasting along. They had high salaries, poor teaching quality, and improper work attitudes, far less motivated than the young teachers.
Several vice principals also advised Oliver to balance things out and not stir up resentment. But Oliver's original intention was to stimulate these senior teachers, not to let them think that just because of their seniority, they should have priority for all honors and opportunities, as that would only dampen the enthusiasm of the young teachers.
To his surprise, Audrey and Vanessa did not disappoint him. They both received outstanding student certificates from the training program, one ranking first and the other fifth. This achievement was unprecedented in Starfall Town's high schools, silencing all those who doubted Oliver's intentions. It was the first time such results had been achieved in the school, shutting down any criticism of Oliver's autocratic ways.
Seeing that everyone was present, Oliver cleared his throat and said, "Alright, let's begin the meeting. The purpose of today's meeting is to welcome and commend Audrey and Vanessa, who have achieved outstanding results in this training program. They have brought honor to our school and even to the entire town. Out of over three hundred training teachers, only five were outstanding students, and our school has two of them. What does this show? It shows that the quality of our teachers is top-notch. It's just a matter of providing them with a stage to showcase their talents."
The teachers below started buzzing with excitement, whispering among themselves. Most of these teachers were seniors who had always thought that Audrey and Vanessa were only given the training opportunity because they were young and pleasing to the principal, Oliver. But now, with the outstanding student certificates in hand, many began to change their attitudes towards Audrey and Vanessa. After all, teachers in the school admired those with real capabilities, without any hidden agendas.
Oliver scanned the room, satisfied with the teachers' reactions, and continued, "We have four high schools, with one always overshadowing our school. But in this training, that school didn't perform well, while our school excelled. What does this mean? It means our school has the ability to claim the title of the county's best. After discussing with several school leaders, we have decided to reward Audrey and Vanessa generously. Audrey will receive a cash prize of ten thousand dollars, and Vanessa will receive five thousand dollars."
The room erupted in astonishment. Ten thousand dollars was more than two months' salary for many. Oliver was indeed generous.
Audrey was surprised. She never expected the school to reward them with so much money. In the past, such training programs only reimbursed travel and accommodation expenses, at most providing meal allowances. This time, they were given such a substantial amount. She felt a bit uneasy, wondering if Oliver had specifically rewarded them because of her. Fortunately, Vanessa was also there; otherwise, she would have been worried about becoming a target of envy.
Vanessa was also excited. She didn't care much about the five thousand dollars; it was the first time she had received such an honor at the school. Seeing the envious and surprised looks from the crowd, she felt a sense of pride. She felt even wiser for obtaining the outstanding student certificate. Who would dare to underestimate her now? Oliver would have enough reason to promote her to a higher position.
Of course, there were also many teachers who felt dissatisfied, believing that Oliver was still unfair in his decisions. If they had been sent to the training, they were sure they could have also become outstanding students.
As expected, a female teacher at the back stood up and said, "Mr. Jones, I hope the school can treat all subjects equally. Our English teaching research group is also important but has never been valued. We have too few training opportunities."
Everyone turned to look at the teacher, and Oliver was momentarily surprised. After recognizing her as Kimberly, the English teacher for the freshman class, who had a rather bold demeanor, he smiled and nodded, saying, "Kimberly, that's a good suggestion. I accept it. Our school needs to develop comprehensively, giving importance to every subject and not neglecting any. Just remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. Trust me to handle everything else as long as you focus on teaching. Also, I have good news to share. The staff apartment project for our school has been approved and will soon be open for bidding. The first phase of construction should be completed by the end of the year."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
