New Direction

Sooo, we've had some change going on lately! On Monday, I was informed by my school corporation that I (along with about 30 other teachers) was being laid off. I expected this, since my name was second from the bottom of the very long seniority list, so I had prepared in advance. I have put in an application with other corporations...but let's face it...Indiana's outlook for educators is not a bright one right now, so I'm not expecting much to come from that. I'm extremely blessed that the fact that I am losing my job will not affect my family financially or our stability very much. Since my husband's work has amazing insurance, I have always been on their insurance plan...so I'm not losing any insurance. Since my dad owns a business, I will be able to return and work a few days here and there for the extra income my paycheck brought it. Also, I have decided to go to graduate school and obtain my masters degree. IUSB (not my favorite school, but my only option around here!) has a really great graduate program in Counseling and Human Services that I'm extremely excited about. This field is something that is still in the School of Education - meaning I can use the credits to renew my teaching license in case I ever get it use it again (ha, I joke! hopefully some day!), keeps me studying in the field of education but also expands what I can do with my degree. After completing the program, I will be able to either do school counseling inside of the schools or mental health counseling in either a hospital or private setting. The program is only part time and will take three years to complete - which doesn't sound TOO terrible, right?! I have already applied and am now waiting to hear if I was accepted into the program....they only accept about 25 students each year into the program, but I'm hoping my previous GPA, degree and work experience in this type of setting will help me be seen as an awesome candidate :) I also had rocking letters of recommendation from three amazing colleagues! So, we will see. ALSO...with me only going to school part time and working only a few days here and there, I'll kind of get to be a "part-time stay-at-home mommy" for a little bit. So, I'm good with the whole thing! Maybe I'll get to have another baby in the mix here as well?!? Guess we'll have to wait and see.... :) I DO feel terrible, though, for the other teachers that lost their jobs in my corporation and corporations all around the state due to this whole funding issue. In my school alone, 5 teachers (including myself) were let go....and these girls were completely devastated. Some of them don't have spouses who bring in additional incomes or who have insurance they can use. Some of them had been there for THREE YEARS and had established their classrooms and themselves as teachers. The morale around school has been pretty depressing for everyone, and it's a shame that Indiana has allowed this to happen in our schools and to our kid's futures. Of course, there is a chance that a lot of the teachers could be recalled back to teaching positions within the corporation....we've all be placed on a recall list (or a holding bin) for two years....meaning any position that becomes available must be offered to us first. So, who knows! I just hope for the best for my fellow teachers at my school who were let go and hope that everything works out for them like I'm hoping it may for me :)

Well, that's all I got right now. I'm hoping to update soon with some good news!