Rural Sunnybrook School faces losing one teacher at the end of the year unless staff can fundraise enough to cover that salary. At the same time, the teachers have individual crises to deal with: Daphne's newly retired husband is driving her up the wall, Derek has to learn to cope once his mother dies, Miranda's marriage is in trouble, and Libby juggles teaching, sole responsibility for her four children, housework and sleep. They all have trouble with the new, power-crazed principal.
(While the school itself should stay fictional, localising details can be changed)