Job update

I turned down the offer from challenger and Levine. I really liked Levine, but the 40 hour commute and a brand new school could mean no life for me. I'll need time to establish a social life and find balance in a new town. When I decided to turn it down, I felt better.

I still want to work at Gilbert district. I was so impressed with them, and felt good about it. The hr director emailed me and said the principal at Patterson elementary would call me. The principal was a connection through Beth's mother, so I already heard good things. A few years ago, they were rated the best place to work in Gilbert, and it was the first time an elementary school had won. They are one of 17 a+ schools in az. Impressive, huh?

I had a 40 minute phone interview with the principal. The next day, we attempted a FaceTime interview, but ended up having a 30 minute phone interview.

It's for a 2nd grade position. There are 3 teachers, and they are adding another class because they need it. It's a mile or two from where I want to live. It's a good, good school. I have such a good feeling about it. It sounds like just what I want. I've decided of they offer me the job, I'll take it. There were 120 applicants for his 2 positions. He said he would talk to the hr director and see what to do next, and to call him if I need anything, and that he wanted to get it set up quickly. It sounds like I got the job, but it wasn't an official offer, so I'm hoping it turns into an offer!

My Free Hawaii Trip

Okay, it wasn't completely free. I got hooked up with tickets a hundred bucks each way though. I went with my friend Brian who works for Delta and wanted to go anyway, so invited me. I made lots of cool friends and did some cool stuff.-We hiked to Waimea Falls. It was an easy 1 mile hike through the jungle to a gorgeous waterfall. We jumped off some small ledges, and watched people cliffjump for the first and last time.-Swap Meet! Free samples, postcards and jewelry for my students, and an awesome Yukelele.-Sightseeing: Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, the Poli Lookout-Waimea Bay: We buried each other in the sand, jumped off the big rock, went bouldering, swam, climbed trees, and boogeyboarded.-I was able to go through the Laie Temple. It was so beautiful! -The Polynesian Cultural Center was amazing! I loved the evening show, "The Breath of Life". I loved the Tongan and Samoan shows the best. I love the Tahitian dancing best. The boat show with all of the countries was impressive. -Snorkeling with giant sea turtles, Brian, and tons of exotic fish-

Wrapping Up Spring Break

This has been what, 4 days in a row of blogging? This could be the beginning of something beautiful!

Last night we got back in time for me to go to the end of Steak Night at Austin's. This is a favorite pasttime of mine, where I get to chat with some of my favorites.

Today I slept in, visited some friends in my ward, and went climbing with my friend Brian. I was productive in many other ways today, including spending 4 hours or so working in my classroom.



Job update: I decided to act on the prompting I felt in the temple that I could choose. I called up Challenger Basic to tell them I would accept the job. This is the charter school in Gilbert with some downsides, but really great people. You know the feeling you sometimes get that you did the right thing, and you just feel peace... Well, I felt the exact opposite. I felt like I made a hug mistake. I felt sick, and wrong, and that I was going to miss out on so many things. I can only think of one other time I felt this negative feeling so strongly. So, 15 minutes later I called back the Director and told him I would not be able to sign the contract, and I could not accept the offer. I felt bad that they held those two positions for Sheredith and I, but at least she signed up. I felt bad to go back on my word, and to be sooooo unprofessional. I burned that bridge, but I feel so much better that now I turned down the offer.



Of course I still feel great about moving to Arizona though! I just think that I'll be happier teaching somewhere else. I trust that with my job search, if I'm about to do the wrong thing, the Lord with stop me. Like, he did today. I hope the rest of my search isn't trial-and-error style.

I should decide by Monday if I'll work at Levine. I really, really like the school. If they asked me to design my perfect school and classroom, I would design this school. The Director gave me 40 minutes of his morning. The Principal attended the meeting, and gave me a total of two hours of her morning showing me around operating schools and the school under construction. I like that it's a small district, and that there are so many great resources available. All of the teachers I saw working, seemed so happy! I'm worried about the 40 minute commute, because I think I would like the singles scene in Gilbert/Mesa better, and I don't want to commute to work or to my singles scene. That would take a lot of time. It would also take a lot of time to start from scratch and plan a whole year with a new team. It's doable, but I want a life? It's not like my first year teaching where I had just been dumped so it was convenient to work 12 hour days. I want to go climb, make friends, and date!



I think I felt the Spirit the most at the Gilbert District Office. It wasn't even at a school... at the office. Crazy, huh? It's the location I want, and one of the best districts in the state. Similarly, I was extremely impressed with administration. Based on my referral, the Superintendent promised he would do everything he could to get me a good job. When the principals release their first round of job openings, if it's one of the grades I want then he'll email them and tell them they should consider interviewing me. I'm so impressed that he would do that for me! It's tricky because it's not an offer TODAY. But even if I can't find a job there, maybe I could get one in another nearby district? Or maybe I can buy time with Levine and see if I get an offer from Gilbert District?



I'm so grateful for my home teachers giving me a Priesthood blessing today shortly after my panic attack. I'm so grateful for the promptings of the spirit that lead me into situations that are so good for me. I'm so grateful for supportive friends.

I'm also glad about these friends in or soon-to-be in Arizona:
Jessica & Miles
Meagan
Sheredith
Tyler
Bobby
Ben
Brian
Amy L.
Lindsay
-I'm bummed Ashley and Carrie won't be there... but at least I saw them this week!

the end/beginning

I got another offer today. This school is really nice, but far away from where I want to live. It's brand new, opening this year. The director and principle interviewed me, and then the principal took the time to drive me to a similar school school that's open, and then show off the school that's being constructed. It's focus is science, math, engineering, and technology. Each student will have an iPad. I would have so many resources at my disposal! Everyone there was so nice, and the teachers I met at the open school seemed to love teaching. It would be a lot of work planning the year and starting many things from scratch, and really time consuming.

Districts appeal to me, because of the support that is offered. For gifted, special ed, and technology wise.

I haven't decided which job to accept. I need to let challenger know by tomorrow. I need to let Levine know by Monday night. The hr superintendent promised to do what he could to get me a job, and I might get some phone interviews by next week. So I'm definitely feeling anxiety... When I go to the temple I feel like I should choose the one I want. Which one do I want? There are so many unknown factors, especially with Gilbert. Gilbert is the best district, but would I be happy at any of the schools?

It makes me reevaluate my goals. I could teach in a district and specialize and move up or around, at either district. If I work at challenger basic, I'll make more $. And because I know all the curriculum and everything is already planned and organized, I would have more time to socially explore, work on my talents, give back to the community in other ways. Maybe I'll make more of a difference teaching at Levine, where it's title 1, extremely diverse, and out of my comfort zone? Maybe it's okay to take a job in my comfort zone, because I'll be challenging myself in other ways? Maybe if I turn down the offers and count on Gilbert, I'll find the best school for me that both challenges me and lets me have a balanced life?

I have no idea what to do! But I'm in good hands, so I know I'll be okay.

the day i joined the trader joe's cult

Today I had 2 interviews. One was a charter school that made offer #1 look really good. This school offered less, is strict about unimportant things, and archaic even in their discipline. It's been around a while, and apparently inspired many spin-off charter school. My second interview I loved. I love Gilbert district, and they were so nice to me.

I stopped by challenger again and learned more good and bad. I'm still tempted to take their offer.

I think challenger is the best charter I've seen here, but I'm deciding between charter and public. I think my public interview tomorrow might help. I'll need to decide by tomorrow before I leave about challenger anyways.

Sheredith will teach 5th at challenger. We went to Trader Joe's for our first time. I think I'll like it. I got some peanut butter, granola bars, and dried fruit. Any recommendations for future visits?

Then Ashley, Sheredith and I went crazy at h&m. Or at least, I did. I loved it! It was a great way to enjoy Arizona and take my mind off of my big life decisions.

interview #1

Interview #1 went great! Pros: good kids, great teachers, nice administration. Cons: small school, no technology at all, no room to specialize that I can imagine. Those pros are the most important to me, so I'm thinking of accepting. There offering more than I was expecting. It would be an easy transition into a new school, with nearly the same curriculum, definitely in my comfort zone. do I need more of a challenge? Or will teaching naturally provide it's own challenges?

I then went to the temple with my amazing coworker Sheredith, and my old roommate Ashley. I love the mesa temple, it was my first time doing an endowment sessions outside of Utah. The temple is beautiful, and I felt like I would make the right choice about where to work. I think I would be happy working at challenger basic, and I just want to be sure I'm making the right choice.

After the temple, I went to eat authentic Mexican food at Rosa's with Ashley and Carrie, both old roommates. We are all growing up so much, and I loved seeing these girls. They are rockin' PT school internships.

Last, I visited my dear friend Meagan sloop in phoenix. I saw her husband Reid, little Colton, and met baby Ana. Cute kids! I wish they had been feeling better. We ate panda express (my favorite american-chinese), Hung out around their awesome house, put the kids to bed, talked about life, and looked at top secret pictures of the Gilbert temple (Reid is the architect). I'm glad I'll live close to Meagan, the important things haven't changed. She and Reid are so great together. She's so talented, and fun to talk to. Reid's dad is a climber/mountaineer, and in a singles ward bishopric, so I'm sure I'll have lots to talk to him about at my interview!

The Next Chapter

II want to be better at recording in my journal, but forgot it at home. My next best option is blogging from my phone, which could be an ideal way to update those people who matter the most to me.

I have seven job interviews this week. That's right, SEVEN. Rewind: every week I've been to the temple since at least December, I have felt like I need to move to Arizona. It came on gradually, at first feeling like I need to research places to live (like Oregon or Az), followed by my decision to stay where I love, and then the strong prompting, "are you SURE you don't want to move to Arizona?" So, I worked on renewing my soon-to-expire Utah teaching license, getting my Arizona fingerprint clearance card ordeal, told my job I love that I won't be coming back next year, applied for jobs, and kept trying to act in my faith.

I was finally able to apply for my Arizona teaching license on march 16, and was warned about the two months of waiting to get it. I called last week to make sure the state office received my application. They confirmed it and told me it would take another 4 weeks to process (making it 7 weeks total, which isn't so bad.) MIRACULOUSLY, I received my Arizona teaching license and Arizona fingerprint card in the mail Thursday!!! I can tell my Heavenly Father is helping things fall into place for me. 3 weeks is unheard of to get it done! And, days before I go out to interview!

Here are the schools I'm interviewing at:

-Challenger Basic in Gilbert. My assistant director at my current school used to teach there and loved it. It's really small, hiring 4th or 5th grade. They already did a phone interview with me, and might have me do a demo-teach hut were vague. They wanted me to come out in February, but I didn't feel good about flying out, so maybe this school isn't a good fit for me?

-Don Mensendick in glendale. I have friends moving to glendale, and I heard it called "Glen-date" in reference to the men, so I applied for a couple schools there. The principal called me and loved that I went to Byu, already taught, and know the common core. It's a 98% Hispanic, title 1, gr 4-8 school, which intimidates me.

-Benjamin Franklin- this is a group of 4 charter schools that are supposed to really good. I know their curriculum, and they sound really friendly via phone or email. The campuses are in Gilbert, mesa, and queen creek.

-Gilbert District- one of my favorite Byu math teachers is named Beth, and her kids currently go to my school. I taught her son last year and I adore the whole fam. She wrote me a great letter of recommendation and called all her teaching contacts for Gilbert district. the former superintendent gave me his cell phone number, then hooked me up with an interview with on of his doctorate students, the hr superintendent. We'll see how that goes. I hear Gilbert is the best district...

-Laveen District- my dear friend Meagan sloop was the other Mormon in my high school. She's amazing, more than bridesmaid material. I'm visiting her, her husband, and 2 kids tomorrow. While planning, I find out her danger-in-law is superintendent at a district. I emailed him, and will meet with him and maybe some of his principals.

-Noah Webster Basic- part of the reason I applied, is bc of the location. The other part is, how cool would that be, if I kept working at a Noah Webster school? That would simplify things...

-Mesa District- my friend/coworker lives in mesa, and I could live with her if I want. It's a screening interview with a principal.

If needed, I might cancel one or both or the last two schools. Why keep setting up first dates if I found one I want to spend more time at? So I'm laying in sheredith's basement, pondering my three days of interviews, and how much heavenly father gas been guiding me and blessing me. Arizona will be so great for me!