Any teachers out there...returning to work?

[alycopp78 33]

Hi fellow teachers! I don't have sleeve surgery scheduled yet, but am hoping to try and do it close to a school vacation week, with the intention of taking sick time if I need to. Two things: I am not yet tenured so I feel like taking the time off in advance isn't a wise decision and I should just call out. I just feel like until I have more time in this district, I'm always on the chopping block, and taking planned time off would be a black mark against me. Secondly, I'm not planning on telling anyone other than close family, and I wonder what people will say as they notice me starting to lose after possibly being out for a week.

My advice would be to do planned time off. Just get a note from your doctor and speak with your principal. Extending a vacation with sick days is generally not a good idea unless it is for medical reasons. I think they are less likely to be upset if you are upfront and have a valid medical note. Otherwise they are going to assume you extended your vacation. People are going to notice the weight loss. Just say you are in a high Protein low carb diet and using Portion Control. People are going to assume you had surgery anyway. I was upfront with people, but that's me. If your not comfortable letting people know let them talk and who cares.

[akreese02 174]

Um, yes! I had my surgery in March and when I came back in August, people noticed. The biggest reaction I got was from our librarian who returned from maternity leave yesterday. She screamed ( yes screamed in a library but it was before school), "You have disappeared!"