Mom goes back to school, too!

In the spring semester last school year, I kept having these thoughts about finding something different than substitute teaching.  I'd been doing it for almost 6 years, at Richmond Elementary.  I enjoyed it, I liked being with the students, but after Wade moved on to middle school and both he and Rhiannon's school schedule finished up before 3 pm, I'd taken on some new schools that year that ended by 2:15.  It was okay, but I felt stressed out and anxious after a particularly bad day at one of the new schools.  The thought coming to me often was this:  "Wouldn't it be nice to find something more consistent and predictable, that was during the morning and allowed me to be home when our kids were home?"

A few months rolled by, and then a friend posted the need for a new part-time projects teacher at a school I'd never subbed at.  The person in that position had been doing it for a long time and was retiring.  My friend said the principal wasn't sure anyone would want it, because it was just during the morning and had been cut to a 45%-of-the-time position with no benefits, to give the school the funds to hire two additional paraprofessionals.  I felt really good about that--it was what I was looking for and an opportunity that doesn't come open often!

So, I was hired as the Pierce projects teacher, with the stipulation that I had 5 years to complete the requirements needed to be a fully certified teacher in California (another step that I'd been avoiding ever since we moved from Texas!)

The best way I can describe this "projects" position is a jack-of-all-trades kind of job.  I'm new and clueless, so many of the things the former projects teacher did have been taken on by the resource teacher (a wonderful, helpful person named Judy), the librarian, and the art teacher.  These first few weeks of school I've just been trying to look busy, helping with crosswalk duty before school, attending some training, preparing to lead the student council group, and slowly trying to wrap my head around working with small groups of students--their GATE (gifted and talented) class, English-language learners, and kids struggling with math.  None of those groups have started yet, but they will soon.  A couple days ago the principal Pam Barnes also said I'd be the acting "principal" in her absence if she's ever gone during the morning hours that I'm there, called the "Teacher in Charge."  Which is why I gladly signed up to join her and other employees for a 12-hour Crisis Prevention and Intervention class on Labor Day weekend!  I may need it!

Did I make the right decision?  I wondered when I had to attend 4 different meetings/training and juggle family schedules around the LAST WEEK of SUMMER VACATION, haha!  But if my first 11 official days on the job are any indication, I wake up happy and excited to go every morning.  I don't have near the anxiety I had when I was subbing, which is interesting.  Maybe not surprising since substitute teaching is often unpredictable and like that Forrest Gump quote, "like a box of chocolates, you never know WHAT you're gonna get!"  The Pierce staff is welcoming, patient, and kind.

The kids are fun, too, the little I've been around them so far.  I posted this "first day" experience on Facebook and thought I'd share it here, too:

"I think I'm gonna like this new part-time job. This morning I got to the school early and then went outside to do crosswalk duty. There was this cute little girl walking up, young, maybe 1st or 2nd grade. I said, 'Good morning! I'm going to walk out into the street--please don't come across until I tell you to, okay? I want to keep you safe.' She gave me this HUGE smile, giggled and said, 'You must be new here!' I smiled and told her that yes, it was my first day there. She crossed over and then turned to me, laughing again. She waved and yelled, 'Don't work too hard!'

Oh my gosh. It was all I could do not to run after her and ask her to be my buddy the rest of the morning. What a sweetheart, and what a great sense of humor!"

Back to school (already!)

This was taken very early on August 9th, the first day of 11th grade for Rhiannon and 7th for Wade!  We were all out the door by 6:15!

Jason takes Wade most days to zero period PE (which starts at 6:25), and Rhiannon has symphonic band early, too, which starts at 6:30.  She started a 5:25 am seminary class last week. 

Both kids are doing well and we are very proud of them!

Rhiannon's class schedule:

(early morning seminary, followed by:)

Symphonic Band

AP Biology

Honors English 11th grade

Spanish II

Anatomy/Zoology

Pre-Calculus

US History

Wade's class schedule:

zero period PE

World History

Honors Math

Life Science

Concert Band

Gateway to Technology class (ask him about this one!  challenging, but he loves it!)

English

Can't forget Band Camp and freshman orientation!

 This is my blog fail for the summer--I didn't take any pictures of Rhiannon's two-week band camp experience before school started, or her freshman orientation the day before school.  All I can say is that she absolutely

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED

band camp! :)  She went for 9 days, from 7:00am to 12:00pm and really enjoyed it, mostly because it was for ALL band students, not just freshman, and she got to make friends with band kids in all grades.  She's playing the mallets again and says the percussion section is the biggest, craziest group--she loves it.  We are proud of her for having a good attitude about ending her sleeping-in-summer a little early!

She said the freshman orientation was great, too--a little fast and a lot of information, but she got her schedule and locker early and was able to walk around campus and get acquainted with it.  I carpooled 2 or 3 of her friends during this whole band camp/orientation thing, and that was fun, too.

First Day of School! First Day of School!

So last Tuesday we all woke up and had to get the kids back to school.  WHERE DID THE SUMMER GO?  It never ceases to shock me!

Rhiannon is in high school, 9th grade, and Wade is starting his last year of elementary school.  They both had pretty good first days--Wade is riding the "Big Men On Campus" wave, while Rhiannon had some panic attacks over the homework load that started right away.  Thank goodness for priesthood father's blessings from their dad and a patient mom, haha!

We are so proud of these kids--they are going to have a great year!

Here's Rhiannon's schedule, for posterity:

And Wade has Mrs. Kyte!  We will need to get a picture of Wade and Mrs Kyte together--the Welcome Back Night the night before school was just too crazy. :)

Final Saturday Before Reality Hits

We've had a good weekend!  Yesterday Jason treated us to a movie (Secret Life of Walter Mitty--GOOD) and dinner at Ale's (pronounced Allie's?) Steakhouse which had some tasty shoestring fries, burgers, chicken, and steak.  Yum!

Then this morning Jason took Wade with him to the China Lake golf course where they joined up with a friend, Zach Bell, for a round of golf.  Wish I could have seen Wade "driving" the golf cart.  He said he "took corners a little too fast."  Ha-ha!  :)

Rhiannon and I enjoyed some "girl time" and made a shopping trip or two around town.  She found 2 gorgeous dresses.  We had a great time--she is so patient with me and a lot of fun to be with!

We've been watching a TON of football, lots of college bowl games and then NFL tonight.  I usually can't make it to the end of games, but I've had fun watching a good chunk of it with Jason.  :)

Pretty much the only unhappy thing this weekend has been catching Samson, our little black dog, getting into Jason's Christmas stash of CHOCOLATE goodies upstairs TWICE.  Both bags were ON HIS DESK in the office, meaning the little stinker figured out how to jump into a chair and then onto the desk to get the treats.  To say I gave him the cold shoulder most of last night and today is a MAJOR understatement.  I was ready to take him back to the animal shelter, dang dog!!!!

We're sad to start the afternoon schedule of church tomorrow for....a....whole....year.  We share our building with another church congregation and switch off schedules every year.  I know, I know, cry me a river.  I'm sure we'll find a silver lining eventually, but we prefer morning church!  I'm going to really miss my Sunday afternoon naps. :)

After that, Monday hits and it's back to reality!  We've had such an amazing 2-week vacation, full of fun and relaxation!