Groundskeeper-Willy

The Blog of a Groundskeeper-Willy who is employed in a state high school in NSW. I like my job but can't live on the money $412.50 per week. {Now $428.56!} {Now $436.99!} {Now $455.27!}To live I will have to return to my trade so I have started looking, but so that my experiences in the education system are not consigned to the rubbish bin of posterity I am going to record them here.

Sunday, August 29, 2004


Horst Wessel


Horst at Skool

Friday, August 27, 2004

The Sign

I have had a sign made for the side gate of the school, there has been a bit of trouble with parents driving onto the school grounds to drop of their children, is it really going to hurt the little darlings to WALK?

Anyway back to the sign, it says NO ENTRY STAFF ONLY in big letters we also use this gate for deliveries to the canteen but I had the sign made this way because
If I put AND DELIVERIES on it the parent would say " I am just delivering my child".

No kidding that's the way the parent mind works.

The sign is 400mm X 700mm and permanently wired to the fence.

So a brown car driven by an Asian woman comes racing in to the playground at speed without any thought for other peoples children who were using the playground and entering via the gates pulls up near the big rubbish bin and disgorges and Asian Boy as the woman turns the car around I Indicate to her to stop and she does so.

Willy " Excuse me Madam, but you are not permitted to enter the school grounds, there is a sign on the fence that prohibits entry."

Asian Woman "I am so sorry I do not speak English" this with a BBC accent! {she must be ex Hong Kong}

and then drives off this is the typical parent mentality.

Willy has out foxed them, I have got them bluffed now by letting their children know that I take down the Vehicle registration and pass the details onto the Police so that they may be fined. The only thing Parents understand is MONEY sad isnt it.

The fact that other peoples children might have been injured by their driving and that it is also an offence to enter enclosed lands without permission is beneath them it does not enter their minds.

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism

The school as a mix of nationalities it breaks down like this 85% Asian 10% Arabic 5% Anglo Celtic (if your parents were born in Italy, Hungary, Russia et el you are classified as Anglo Celtic)

I was here during the January school holidays when I was approached by an Asian parent

Parent “scuse me scuse me”

Willy stopping ride on mower “Certainly what did you do?”

Parent looks confused

Parent “Ah you enrol my son”

Willy “I beg your pardon?”

Parent “You work here you enrol my son”

Willy “ The office is closed for the Holidays”

Parent “ Not matter YOU ENROLL MY SON” getting agitated

Willy “ I am sorry sir but if you have not enrolled you child prior to the school term ending in December, then you would have little or no chance in enrolling them this term”

Parent smiling evilly “ Ah I give you 30000 dollars you enrol my son”

Willy “ I am sorry sir but I am unable to help you” starts up ride on mower

Parent “Noh Noh noh” in disbelief that there are something’s in this world that money can’t buy

Willy “ goodbye” and drives off



Scene Admin office

Willy is there unpacking boxes when this charming vignette takes place

Asian Indian woman enters with teenage daughter aged about 19 in tow

Daughter “ We would like to enrol my younger sister, but as my mum doesn’t speak very good English she has some questions to ask and I will translate”

Office Lady “ Ok”

Mother “ werrhhdhhdxbdhfhdehdcbnxbcdhfgejsjc nsbdshhbsdmh d”

Daughter “ Are there separate classes for the Indian Children?” trying to hide her embarrassment

Office Lady “ No all the children are in classes together”

Daughter translates mum looks inscrutable

Mother “ssshhdgtteuuudhhfgf”

Daughter “ Are there separate playground facilities for the Indian children?” Looking very embarrassed to be asking this, as by this time the whole office has stopped work and is hanging on every word.


Office Lady “No all the children are have the same playground”

Daughter translates mum looks inscrutable

Mother “lljggddrrkyt”


Daughter “ Are there separate bathroom facilities for the Indian Children?” turning a delightful shade of brownish pink


Office lady “ No Just separate facilities for boys and girls”

Daughter translates mum looks inscrutable

Mother “zzmmbnbffreriihddbnjjj,jyyg”


Daughter “ Are there separate eating areas for the Indian children?” hiding behind her hand as she asks this. Her eyes speak volumes as they apologise for her mother’s racist overtones

Office Lady “ No everyone eats together”

Daughter translates mum looks inscrutable

Mother “ weuuggrsffehhettdgguferfvv” to daughter

Daughter “ Ok thank you” with great relief on her face, they leave.


Ah Multiculturalism stay tuned for the next instalment

The Blind.

Today an interesting vignette on a blind

Teacher "Hey Willy I have a small problem in my room that even an idiot can solve"

Note teachers contempt for Willie also the inference that as he has been exposed to higher education that the solving of such a problem was beneath him.

Willy "What’s that?" Thinks penicillin might solve it

Teacher " My Blind doesn’t work"

The blind in question was a roll blind with the chain like cord that operated the blind from the side, this cord was knotted together and the blind was in the half way up position with the knot was hard up against the pulley.

Teacher “There’s something wrong, it won’t roll up” demonstrates by tugging on the cord. Blind refuses to budge because of knot binding on the pulley “See”

Willy just looks at the teacher, grasps the other side of the cord and pulls so the blind unrolls and having reached the end of its travel proceeds to roll its self up in the other direction.

Willy “There you go” as the blind reaches the top of its travel.

Teacher “ Oh thanks very much”

Teacher is on $46000

Willy is on $28000

Perhaps they should pay according to intelligence!

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

The hook behind the door

I have put a hook and eye on the back door to the admin block, the hook is attached to tthe skirting board and the eye is on the door its about 6 inches off the ground.

Why was this put on you ask it was because the teachers were putting a chair to hold the door open thus blocking the pasageway. It's an OH&S issue, the hook and eye have been there for 12 months now and guess what the teachers are still using the chair to hold the door open!

And then complaining that the chair is restricting their access through the door.

apparently the starting rate for a high school teacher in NSW straight out of unversity is $44000, commonsense is obviously not a pre requesite

Be afraid be very afraid these ppl are teaching your children.

Saturday, August 21, 2004

Frantic Friday

2 1/2 tonnes of Photocopy paper arrived in boxes today, hand unload of the truck but to get the truck into the play ground was a production, could not go through the front gate as cement trucks were going down the drive so took it through the side gate but it would not fit under the trees so had to trim the branches off so the truck could get underneath!
I don't have a chainsaw as it was stolen /mislaid before I arrived there and the principal doesn't like them, all the branches were hand sawn off.

after the hand unload the paper had to go up two flights of stairs to be put in the storeroom near the print room, If you have seen the Mickey Mouse film the sorcerers apprentice with the broom carrying the pails you can visualize what I looked like.
Took 5 hours in between other duties.
one of which was to "Get under "E" block and look for a gas leak" derr how am I supposed to see gas? Its a vapour and cannot been seen, teachers just have no idea and no I didn't take a match with me.

Then as I was half way through that a load of toilet paper and hand towels arrived! I am meant to finish at 3.30 after putting them all away I finished at 5.45 oh and I don't get paid overtime!

Friday, August 20, 2004

Why This?

I found that my other Blog was having skool mentioned on it a lot so all skool items will be HERE

Groundskeeper Willy is what I do.

There is only onething more stupid than a teacher, a parent!