Wow....just wow. It really is all I can say to sum up the last two weeks of roller coaster rides. So it has probably not been a secret that my job at the CDC was not what I was told it would be nor did I enjoy it...at all. A full time position did open up however and I applied for it. Not only was I the only one who had a degree and was actually full capable of performing the job, I was the only one under 60 that applied for the position. If I was running a daycare/learning facility, I think I would look for some longevity in the people I was hiring. i was not thrilled with the position I would have gotten either, Infant room lead teacher...ummm. Ugh. Yes my degree is birth to third grade but come on! Well...after a strenuous week of waiting on the interview, after being tested in the interview about everything under the sun ( I mean literally a paper and pencil test) and after waiting to find out the results....I did NOT get the job. I was furious. In the government military spouses get preference over all else. So apparently education counts for nothing. They get bonus points on the test for being a spouse. Because of this, I did not get the position....a 60 something year old did. Yep....color me ANGRY. So that night...I lay in bed. Near tears, couldn't sleep...convinced I should not have left Child time. Convinced I would be stuck in a day care forever. Convinced all my work at these degrees was for naught. So at 4 am I just couldn't stand laying in bed any longer and I got up and started looking online. Lo and behold...the hiring freeze was lifted in Duval County and there was not ONE but THREE Pre-K/Kindergarten teaching positions available in self contained settings...meaning you not only need an early childhood degree...but you needed the SPED degree too. BINGO! I called the first one on the list at 8 am sharp. Left a message and within 45 minutes had a call back. The autism site coach interviewed me on the phone and declared she needed me in to meet her principal THAT DAY. Sounds so familiar to my interview with Child time. I arrived at noon as decided but unfortunately the principal was not available until 1245 so Patty showed me around the school. The kids were not in the room...but already Patty talked about the room like it was mine! "You can do this...you should do that...Look at your smart board...we got you three computers." So I decided to pop the question..."why haven't you filled this job since October?" I then found out it is an F school and that the man in this room was fired for not understanding the needs of children with autism. They have interviewed over 25 people and no one fit just right. Patty was super adorable and friendly and funny and shared so many ideas back and forth. She seemed like a wonderful woman to work with. I met some of the other teachers in the self contained building and they were all amazing. The pre k teacher is a man my age. First grade a woman my age and the 2nd third grade room is a girl fresh out of college but she had a handle on that class! I watched her teach a lesson on the smart board through the door. She had the kids doing mock pull ups singing and counting....it was super clever. She had them all engaged. I think it will be a good fit... So we go up to the front for the interview portion and I see my principle. She is new to the school and is known for taking F schools and raising their scores tremendously. She reminds me a lot of the Director from Child time and looks slightly like Wonder woman. Her smile and personality made me feel so at ease and she was very down to earth. There were also two reading specialist in that she asked if I minded joining so she had some team members to bounce questions off of. I did not mind. One was in black knee high boots, leopard print skirt and red jacket. She was AWESOME! A theater major originally. So they asked me to tell them about myself, I did. They asked me some questions...I answered. I mean seriously I don't recall what happened. It was so strange. They handed me the job on a platter. Patty kept saying, "SEE this is why I need her!" My heart was racing...was I really going to get a classroom all my own? I was asked to step outside so they could debrief. As I was leaving the room the principal asked, "I need to know, if I offer you this job will you take it?" I just stared at her..."well YEAH!" So out I went. I sat sweating...waiting. They opened the door up as quickly as they closed it. "Come on in. We knew the second we closed the door it was a yes but we let you sweat it out!" Ok so they all found this amusing. I could have choked someone! What a roller coaster ride this journey to FL has been. This was everything I could have dreamed of and more. It is the exact job I wanted. And now I get to be a part of something even bigger...building a broken schools morale, spirits, scores and overall appeal back up to and perhaps surpassing, standards. I can not wait to see what the next few weeks bring. I start Feb 6th but was told if I wanted to come visit the class and start bringing things in this week I am more than welcome to do so! Now off to raid my closets and the kids things to clean out my house. I am so happy to finally have a home for all of my supplies and teaching materials. My next post should be interesting as it will include my first week of teaching!
Here are some pictures from the past two weeks. The kids went swimming last weekend it was warm enough! Water was frigid but the air kept them happily cozy!
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| The amazing lobster dinner delivered via FedEx by my parents! |
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| My new school Highland Elementary |
