Classroom Prep Time Management Tool

This is a bit of a rant: We have one 40 minute prep a day, and one 30 minute lunch. Both of these are actually a little shorter because we have to bring the kids to the other location (gym, caf, etc) and then be back there by the end of that period to pick up. Sometimes I get to drop off at the library, say, and the librarian says *Ooh, I’m just gonna run to the restroom I’ll be right back!* and I lose another three minutes. And sometimes the specials are IN my classroom: the gym teacher showed up with *playground balls* last week because the gym had a music assembly and it was raining outside. And we have had *three* or even *FOUR* times a week with MEETINGS for IEP or 504 or RTI or admin which take up most or all of the prep. And what’s put me over the ragged edge here is that the Spanish teacher has started allowing the kids to come back to my room mid-class (my prep) to get their snacks from their lunchboxes. So sudden chaos and mess and the several who do not have a snack are Do-you-have-pretzels and Can-we-swap … **ARGHHH** while Spanish teacher has ten minutes of lull during what’s supposed to be Spanish. Last week during Spanish I was in my room but I had the lights out and the door locked and pretended I wasn’t there when they came. Okay, admittedly a full-fledged rant.