One typical school day turned lucky for Just.
by Christina Danek & Sinjin Jones
After winning big in last week’s Powerball, TJ’s beloved principal is moving on to greener pastures.
On an easygoing Tuesday afternoon, after a hard day’s work, TJ Principal Sandra Just returned home and sat in front of her television, not knowing that her life had been changed. That would forever be the day that Mr. TJ won her millions.
Just recalled the day she bought that winning ticket. It had been a long day of preparation for Mr. TJ, which involved teaching 20 bulky senior boys the delicate basics of ballet, for the dance part of the competition. “I was deeply disturbed, as well as mentally exhausted by 7th hour, and I decided taking a break to buy a lottery ticket would be a welcome diversion," Just recalls. "It was just an average Tuesday–nothing special like Christmas, or New Years’, or April Fools’ Day."
Just has big plans for the record $115 million she was awarded. "I’ve always really wanted to go to Tibet and live with the monks," she said. "It’s a life of peace and serenity that you just cannot find in the city, and I want to experience it, especially after three years of harrowing experiences working in a school." Just has already planned a massive six-year excursion along the countryside of Tibet, including a tour of the Siberian hills. "Before I dedicate my life to monk-hood, I really think it’s important to get an idea of what the area is like. I have always wanted to explore the frozen deserts of Asia and now, thanks to Powerball, I will finally have that opportunity." Just, after her stint with the monk brotherhood, plans on using her remaining funds to scale Everest and K-2 (Africa’s largest mountain). "I want to take everything one step at a time," she said, "but I have a lot that I want to do."
"The thing that I will miss most of all," reflects Just, "is the tardies. The joy of my life is the short time I’ve spent in the halls corralling students to their classes so as to avoid hall sweeps." Just will do her best to remain in touch with the new principal of TJ, sending monthly messages via carrier pigeon. "I want to stay in touch and see how the new principal likes the hall sweeps," she said. "After all, there won’t be any hall sweeps at the monastery."
While selecting a new principal is usually a lengthy and complicated task for school administrators, TJ is very fortunate this year to have the Democratic National Convention coming to Denver in August. We will have millions of candidates practically at our doorstep. After all, anyone crazy enough to face the perils of a mob of 50 thousand political fanatics is well on their way to being crazy enough to handle a thousand high schoolers.
The frozen tundra is greener on the other side for TJ’s favorite principal, and winning the lottery may just be the best thing that has never happened to Sandra Just.
