'cause you just might get it. Whether you remember this saying from a Pussycat Dolls song a few years back or maybe your parents or grandparents used it, it is quite true. Just like any other school district in our lovely state, we are going through some financial troubles (levy failures). All of us have known for the past couple of years what was looming ahead if the levy kept failing, and now the official ax has fallen. Some people are losing their jobs regardless or not if the May levy passes, and there are many more who will lose their jobs if the May levy doesn't pass.
Which brings us to my situation. I have had a Master's degree in school counseling for almost 4 years now and have tried 3 times to obtain a school counselor position in my own district. The first time I didn't expect to get the position, but I did get the experience of interviewing. The other two times I was passed over for two people who were hired from out-of-district but we won't get into that right now. That would be possibly two other posts. So...when you are in a situation like our district is (a RIF, or Reduction In Force, for those of you not familiar with the educational terminology), if there are people who have certificates or licenses in disciplines that they are not currently working in or teaching in, you can move to other positions without the threat of other outside competition. This is the deal in my situation. I have been teaching French in the same school district since December of 2001, but as mentioned before, have been trying to get that elusive counselor position for almost 4 years. I found out this morning that I do have a counselor position...but it is not in the same building that I have taught at for all these years, nor is it for the same grade level. It is in the same district, so I will still be able to readily communicate with my "family" at the school where I currently work.
I am happy that I finally got a counselor position (although this is not the way I would have wanted to obtain said position-BTW the counselor at this other school is retiring at the end of this school year) but I am also sad to know that I will not be returning to my same building this coming August. It is also sad that there are some people who are totally out of a job for next school year and equally as sad that so many other jobs are dependent on the passage or failure of our next levy in May. I am looking forward to the new challenge, working with new students and colleagues, and learning how to do something different outside of the classroom. I also dread this change in a way because I will have to leave the colleagues that I have been working with for the past 10+ years (some of these people have become like family to me). I will miss the relationships that I have built with my students, having been pretty much the only/primary French teacher in the building. I also dread it because this means that I will actually have to clean out my classroom before the end of the school year. :)
So, be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. Hopefully I will be successful at this career change this coming August. Wish me luck! :)
Until next time, I remain,
Jenuinely Yours
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