An Abundance of Employment

After my last entry, which was rather mopey (I do admit), I feel the need to explain the happenings of the past 36 hours:

I got to school yesterday morning and before I could even set my bag down, I was called to the office over the intercom to take a phone call. It was the Director of Special Education for the district, offering me the job I had interviewed for a week ago. Because I had two interviews scheduled for yesterday afternoon, I asked if I could have a day to go on the interviews, speak to my husband, and get back to her.

As I drove to a middle school in my home district yesterday, I was thinking to myself, "This is stupid, why am I even going to this interview? I don't want to teach middle school! I should cancel these interviews and just call and accept the first job." It was once I walked into the school that I remembered what a neat school it is. The students are friendly and respectful; there is a real sense of community in the school and among the staff. The interview went really well. It was one of those warm, fuzzy interviews with a smattering of jokes and laughter; one that left me feeling qualified and even (I cringe as I say it) validated. By the time I left that school all I could think was, "I really want that job!".

Two hours later I sat through the most bizarre interview I think I've ever experienced. Not bad, just...different. I left that interview feeling confident that there had been some sort of test, and I had failed it. I got into my car and checked my cell phone to find a voice mail from the principal of the middle school, offering me a job. Now, I had hoped at the outset of this job hunt that I would receive a job offer, but I didn't expect at any point to be weighing my choices. In the end, I chose the middle school job. While I do feel a real sense of loyalty for the district where I'm subbing, where I was offered the first job, the middle school job is a better fit for me in so many ways: it's in a district where I'll have room to grow and opportunities for professional development; it's closer to where Gavin will be in daycare next fall; and it's a better fit with my experience, most of which is in working with kiddos with mild to moderate disabilities (i.e. learning disabilities). The first job I was offered was working with students with severe disabilities, a job that I think I would have enjoyed, but which would have had a much greater learning curve.

This afternoon I was completely shocked to receive a call from the principal of the elementary school where I interviewed yesterday. She too was offering me a job! She was very gracious when I told her that I had already accepted another job in the district. Whew!!! I guess when it rains, it pours!

Now...I'm going to get through the last six days of school and begin a nice summer with my family. I see the zoo, running through the sprinklers, snow cones, bike rides, and maybe even the park (okay, let's not get too carried away!) in our near future.