It's been two weeks since my last post and a lot has happened in those two weeks, so this post is a little longer. I think you'll see, after reading this post, why I wasn't in the mood to write last week.
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After getting back late from San Diego two Sundays ago, I went to my new school to get the classroom set up and things in place for the beginning of the school year. I'm so happy with it and so is the principal.
The walls and bulletin boards are blank right now, but will be filled with student work soon.
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A few weeks ago, I got an email from the principal, Nicole, that said she had been asked not to come back to the school as principal. Shocking news, and upsetting because she was a large part of the reason I could walk away from an amazing school like Morris Grove. There wasn't any communication to the staff as to why she was asked not to come back. I'm still not really sure. This came just a month before school started, so the anxiety about the beginning of the year was already creeping up.
I met the new principal, Jessica, on Tuesday and she is awesome. Really awesome. She's young, has a lot of energy and faith in her staff, and wants the best for students. I'm really happy about that.
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Setting up the classroom and meeting the new principal was the easiest part of the last two weeks. As you've read on the blog or know from talking to me, I applied to the NYC school system as well as the NY State department of education way back in April. I did lots of reading and asking around to see what needed to happen and what I needed to do. With my NC certification, 6 years of full-time teaching experience, and my master's I qualified for interstate reciprocity and could get a conditional certificate with two years leeway to complete the testing requirements. That seemed straightforward enough. I submitted my certificate, fingerprints, the application, teaching videos, transcripts and I thought I had done what I needed to do, but I kept asking my principal just to make sure. I even asked people in the HR department; it all seemed to check out. So, this summer I kept checking my status and thought everything was fine. My (old) principal had told me that the state was only issuing certificates in May and September. I waited patiently until September got closer to inquire more.
Well...I called the state two Wednesdays ago to just make sure (again) that I had done what I needed to do. I hadn't received any information about my certification status, so I was beginning to worry. The man I discussed my file with at the state DOE delivered the news that I was no where near close to getting certified because I hadn't taken the state required tests or the mandated workshops. What??!?? The tests are similar to the Praxis and SAT and cost just as much. Honestly, I feel a little demeaned to have to prove that I can read and write after all the work I've done in the past 3 years to learn and grow as a teacher, but I just have to get over that. And of course, these tests and workshops weren't offered soon, so I couldn't just knock it out in a weekend. I thought I had time to complete these tests and could still teach with a conditional certification. Nope, no go. I went into freak out mode.
I went to Jessica for our first real conversation with tears streaming down my face and bad news to discuss. She was very reassuring that we would work this out and that I would get paid. She gave me the name of another HR person to get in touch with. I won't go through all the rigmarole that has been involved, but to make the story shorter, plan B was for me to become a substitute while I completed the requirements to receive my full-time certification. This would allow me to be in the classroom teaching even though the pay would be half of what I should be making and I would receive no health benefits or sick leave, etc. So, we went forward with that plan, only to find out that the state wouldn't activate my sub. position until October 1st. I don't know why that late, it's just NYC's policy. More tears, more despair. Jessica reassured me that she wanted me on staff, she wanted me in the classroom from the beginning, she would do what needed to be done to help make that happen.
So, we've activated Plan C at this point, which is for there to be a substitute in the classroom who is technically in charge while I "volunteer" each day. By volunteer, I mean I'm still planning, running the show, everything, just not getting any pay right now. While this is a huge stress, I wanted more than anything to be in the classroom on the first day to meet students and their parents, to set expectations and procedures in the classroom. If someone else was doing all of that, it would make things a lot more difficult when I take over later in the fall.
The real kicker is that if I had my results for my National Boards work, all of this could have been avoided - no tests to take, no delay in certification. But, I don't get those results until at least Dec. 31st. So, that's not really helpful right now. But, I'm still glad that I have gotten that done because it will result in a higher pay scale.
I've learned that my experience with the state and NYC DOE is not unique. It has happened/is happening to lots of teachers. The state changes its mind frequently and arbitrarily, it seems, and NYC is such a huge system (over 1 million students) that it can't keep up and inform everyone adequately. What I had researched and done in April/May was correct at that point, but I wasn't aware or notified of the changes over the summer that made a huge impact in how this all played out in the fall. It sucks, but what else can I do but keep going? So far, I've completed two of the big tests and two workshops. I will take the last test in late Sept. and the last workshop in the beginning of October. Hopefully it won't be long after that when I can get into the system as a full-time, well-qualified teacher. So, say some prayers and keep your fingers crossed that nothing else pops up or changes.
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On a happier note, the first two days of school have been great! I really like the class, they are fun, friendly and kind. There are 18 students - 5 girls and 13 boys (oh wow). It is a very diverse group - Armenian, Israeli, Chinese, Japanese, Hispanic, American, and more that I'm not even sure about right now. I have the substitute with me right now (who is phenomenal and a huge help at the beginning of the year), but once I become a sub. myself I won't have anyone else helping out, except for some parents perhaps.
There are some differences in school up here than in NC:
- We are on the third floor of the school and there are places we need to get to on the first and sixth floor. So, I will have thighs of steel by the end of the year from all the stair climbing I'll have to do with students.
- There are no school mascots or colors to encourage school pride. We are just "The River School." I might have to infiltrate the system though and push the idea of having some kind of mascot. I like "The River School Otters" or something.
- I am just Anna, not Mrs. Sink or Miss Anna. The kids call the principal Jessica. I've been slipping up and calling myself Mrs. Sink or Miss Anna both days of school so far. Oh well.
- There was no "Meet the Teacher" before the first day, so I didn't have a clue who was going to step into the room on Thursday.
- There's no librarian, even though we have an awesome library.
- It's a little disorienting, too, to look out the window and see the cityscape - taxis up and down 1st Avenue, the Empire State building standing right outside.
- I will learn a lot about Jewish culture and beliefs over the next few years because it seems that I am one of the only Christians on the staff.
- Walking to work has been good and biking home has been even nicer. Ask me a few months from now when it's snowy and I may have a different answer, though.
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Matt and I knew that there would be difficulties in moving to a new state and that we'd have to take the good with the bad. I've come to terms with what's happened and I know that soon this will just be a blip in the past. For now, I'm happy to be doing what I love to do.
We are taking advantage of a free weekend and just relaxing. An exciting week is coming up: the first full week of school and Mom's wedding next Saturday! It's amazing that it's already here! I hope everyone has a relaxing weekend and a great week next week.
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