Headmistress Powell
March 29, 2010 10:42 AM
Fourth years to my office, please by Headmistress Powell
The Council and Cabinet usually left Sadi alone, especially since Henry had been absent due to illness for the majority of the term; Sadi didn't expect him to return after the summer break. Sometimes, however, when they had argued all they could about this law and that, they decided to poke their noses into education and give her more paperwork. This paperwork was more often than not accompanied by a headache.Only two weeks before the end of term, Sadi Powell had received an official note, explaining that funding for the school was provided based on a satisfactory number of students attending. The minimum requirement was not stipulated directly, but it was plain that unless the Headmistress could find more students for her fourth year, the government would pull their funding.
After frantic floo'ing and portkeys, as well as several non-plussed owls sent, there could only be three outcomes. The first was that she was unable to fill the extra places, and the school would have to rely on private funders. Considering several parents of the students already paid huge amounts towards their education, Sadi couldn't hope for a great deal more. The second outcome was that she had to move students from third and fifth years up or down to satisfy number requirements. Although this was potentially plausible, it seemed to involve a great deal of unnecessary fuss, not to mention splitting the students' peer groups in a way that Sadi thought could be damaging to social development.
Therefore the third outcome seemed to be her only real option. This was to close the yeargroup altogether (an option which had seemed to satisfy those wolves on her tail), providing alternative arrangements for the three students this would affect. As the year was rapidly approching its close, Sadi sent immediately for the three students in question to discuss with them what would happen on their return next term.
The Headmistress had left the door open, allowing the students to enter her office freely, and had placed three seats facing her desk: one each for Miss Amelia Smythe and Mr Seamus McFarlan, and one for her own daughter, Jera. "Thank you for coming so promptly," she greeted the fourth years. "You're not in trouble, so don't worry." It always seemed preferable to put students' minds at rest; she couldn't possibly know what they were thinking. "I just wanted to discuss for you your options for next year. Now, seeing as there are just three of you in your yeargroup, I'm going to merge you into another yeargroup. What this means is that either you sit your exams the day before we return to school, and begin with the sixth year students," Sadi was comfortable that at least two of those sitting before her would have no trouble in passing their exams several months early, "or you can repeat your fourth year, if this would make you more comfortable. The decision is entirely up to you."
Having dropped the situation on her young students, the Headmistress now had to wait for their responses, or answer any questions they would have.
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Headmistress Powell
Fourth years to my office, please
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Headmistress Powell
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