Chapter 8. New Decision Right before Eyes

Saturday, April 9, 2005, 4 days after Dinda's birthday and only less than two weeks away from the Final School Examination Training agenda for all 6th graders, Mrs Ratih's condition has recovered fully and can attend Rawa Laut 2 Elementary School.

Today, she gave material about traditional musical instruments in the first lesson in class 6B, Adil and Novan's classes.

After class 6B students entered the classroom, the class leader led all students to pray before starting the lesson.

Two minutes later, the prayer was over and the lesson began. Ratih began to explain the subject matter carefully, in preparation for the Final School Examination.

While she enjoyed explaining the material, Darno, a highly respected counselling teacher at this school, stopped in front of class 6B while walking around the school to monitor teaching and learning activities.

"Assalamu'alaikum, Mrs. Ratih. Are you feeling well now?"

"Hmm. Uh, Mr Darno. Wa'alaikumsalam. Yes, I am," Mrs Ratih answered, approaching Darno at the door.

"How was the teaching activity this morning? Is it okay?"

"Well, Sir. After this, I need to give the children some practice questions," Ratih said.

"Good. Oh yes, after the first lesson ends, please meet me in the counselling teacher's room, "

"Sure, sir. I'll be there later," Ratih said swiftly.

" I'm waiting for you. Well, I'll continue to go around first," Darno said.

Mrs Ratih returned to her seat and ordered the students of class 6B to work on some of the questions in the Student Worksheet.

Adil, who had seen Mr Darno and Mrs Ratih's unusual expressions, whispered in Novan's ear.

"Novan, don't you feel that there's something different between Mrs Ratih and Mr Darno?"

"Hmm. Mrs Ratih is not as cheerful as usual. Well, she's been sick for a few days."

"I feel bad for Mrs Ratih. But, Mr Darno is like an emperor here," Adil complained.

"Adil, it's natural, I guess. The counselling teacher is responsible for supervising the discipline of the students in this school, right?"

"Well. But, you know what, Mr Udin wants to give additional assignments for counselling teachers, you know!" Adil said. made Novan even more curious.

"Hah? How come you know that?" Novan said, in surprise.

"Shh. You are so loud!" Adil said to Novan.

Adil brought his mouth closer to Novan's ear. Novan just nodded his head at Adil's words.

Shortly after, Novan responded.

"I see, so that's the story. No wonder Mr Darno is a bit busy these days."

After the conversation, the two returned to completing the practice questions according to Mrs Ratih's orders to completion.

30 minutes later, the bell for the first break rang.

"Kids, the task is submitted to the class president! Later, the class president Please submit all the assignments to my room!" Ratih ordered, then left the 6B classroom to go to the counselling Teacher's Room.

Darno has been waiting for Ratih by sitting nicely in her room. He invited Mrs Ratih to sit in front of him.

"Don't need to be so tense, ma'am, " Darno said while serving warm tea to Ratih.

Darno sat back in his chair.

"Please have some drink, ma'am," Darno said.

"thank you, sir," Ratih said briefly before she drank the tea.

After Ratih get a few sips of tea, Darno resumed the conversation.

"Mrs Ratih, you have taught here for 1 year. You should be more active in obeying school rules, one of which is sending a letter to the school if you can't teach as you are sick," Darno said.

"Yes, Mr Darno. I'm sorry for not telling you when I was sick before," Ratih said as she looked down.

"When it comes to forgiveness, I'll forgive you, ma'am. I feel sorry for the children in 6C as they didn't study at that time, so Mrs Diah replaced you,"

"Yes, Sir. Once again, I am sorry. I promise not to repeat the same mistake."

"Yes ma'am. Please cooperate with the rules at this school. Soon, the Principal will give the counselling teachers a task to oversee the discipline of all teachers and staff working in this school. I don't want Mrs Ratih to be labelled as undisciplined by other teachers," explained Darno.

At the same time in another room, Syaifudin had finished writing a draft decision to assign a new task to the Counseling Teacher Team on a piece of paper.

Syaifudin or familiarly called Mr Udin also met Dewi, the School Secretary.

"Mrs Dewi, could you help me to print this?"

"Yes, sir. I'll do it right away," Dewi answered.

"The typewriter in our room is working, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir. it was once out of order, gladly it has been repaired,"

" thank God. I will get back to work, "

"Okay, sir. I'll see you when I'm done, "

Mrs Dewi began to type the principal's draft decision carefully and unhurriedly. Understandably, if she typed wrongly, he had to start again from the beginning of the paragraph.

It took her 40 minutes to type it out, although it wasn't quite as smooth as her initial prediction that there would be no mistakes.

She has gone back and forth to the headmaster twice due to mistakes in spelling words.

"Mr Udin, this is the typing result that I have corrected," Dewi said.

"Okay. Have a seat, please," Udin asked.

Udin paid attention to every word on the draft paper he made. Seeing that there were no more spelling mistakes, Udin immediately followed up on Dewi's typing results.

"Mrs. dewi, this is good. Can you get our school stamp please!"

"Sure, Sir,"

Mr Udin signed the Decree smoothly above the column of his name.

Not long after, he put a stamp on his autograph.

He will announce the Decree number 56 / XVII / Rawa Laut 2 / Principle / 2005 when he becomes the head of a ceremony on Monday the day after tomorrow, April 11, 2005.

"Thank you for helping, Mrs Dewi. Finally, the time has come for me to immediately convey this to the counselling teachers," Udin said.

"Hopefully what you wish for will come true and this school can return to being a school that is great in terms of discipline,"

"That's right. Like its nickname, the model school," Mr Udin said, to which Mrs Dewi responded with a smile.

After the call to prayer signalling the entry of the midday prayer reverberated at the Al Islam Mosque, the only mosque in Rawa Laut 2 Elementary School, all Muslim students began to attend the prayer room.

Adil and Novan, who were walking together from their class to the prayer room, suddenly met Dinda who had just come out of the Teacher's Room.

"Uh, Dinda. How come you out of the Teacher's Room. What do you do? Adil asked.

"I just met the homeroom teacher for Class 6C, discussing preparation for the Final School Examination," Dinda answered.

"Oh yeah, you're now the president of Class 6C right?" Novan said.

"Wow. Congratulations, Dind," Adil said.

"Well. Thank you, Novan, Adil," Dinda said.

"You're welcome, Dind. Tomorrow we will go to for pilgrimage, right?"

"Sure, Adil. My mother said we are leaving at 10 am from my house. Do you want to go to my house first or what? My mother and I are going to take the car tomorrow,"

"Okay, Dinda. Me and Mr Cipto will go to your house tomorrow," Adil said.

"Well, by the way, can I join the pilgrimage too?" Novan asked.

"Very well. Anyway, I'm waiting for you tomorrow," Dinda answered.