I can't even begin to explain how crazy the last 4 weeks have been! It's a new kind of crazy; one that I haven't experienced before, but am curiously comfortable with. Let me flash back to mid-June 2011. I had taken a long-term summer school sub position in the same program that I had just finished student teaching in. I had student taught a group of adult students with moderate cognitive impairments. This classroom that I was a summer teacher for was a group of adult students as well, but with autism. I hadn't had much experience with individuals with autism prior to this job. In fact, the only experience I had was in high school (8 years prior) when I had worked at a summer camp for students with special needs. Luckily, I had observed in this classroom before I had finished student teaching, so I knew a little bit about the schedule and routine. Summer school was in session for two weeks in June and July and one week in August only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. We would have two weeks of school and two weeks off school during the summer. The first two weeks were fabulous. I was ecstatic to be back in the classroom teaching (and making a little money), as I had originally decided to take the summer off. Thursdays were always difficult when teaching summer school because we'd have either 4 days off in a row or 16 days off (depending on the week).
Come mid-July, I had become used to the schedule and comfortable with the students. I was lucky to have 2 fabulous staff (ETS - employment training specialists; like paraprofessionals, but more qualified) assisting me and my 8 (but usually 6 or less) students on a daily basis. That first Tuesday back to summer school in July, the school had announced its new principal (or "building administrator" as they had eliminated the principal position for this program and the sister school's principal would be overseeing this program as well). The new building administrator was the old transition coordinator; thus, creating another job opening. Consequently, the person who filled the open transition coordinator position was the teacher who taught the students in the classroom I had been subbing in. This created an open teacher position! Initially, I thought that it was out of my reach since I didn't have an endorsement for autism and I thought that in order to get an autism endorsement, I would need to start on my masters - which I didn't want to do yet. I was approached by the new transition coordinator (old teacher in the classroom I was subbing in) who asked if I was going to apply for the job. I explained the circumstances, and he said that he started out the same way. He told me that through Grand Valley State University (the school I had just graduated from not even 3 months prior) I could apply to the ACE program: an Autism Collaborative Endorsement brought together by four Michigan universities and held online. On July 28, 2011, I jumped at this opportunity and applied to both the ACE program and GRPS, without any certainty that I would land the job in the end. The first class cost an arm and a leg - $1,750 - much more than I had paid for a single class as an undergraduate. I learned that the classes I take towards this endorsement can eventually go towards a masters in autism at a qualifying university. This was good news, but expensive.
During the last week of summer school, I finally received an e-mail requesting an interview with GRPS. I set it up for Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 2:00pm, about an hour after school had let out. I wasn't anxious all day. If anything I was very excited and confident because I wanted this job so bad. I got a phone call that day from the new transition coordinator when I was in the middle of teaching a fabulous lesson on time. He said that I had gotten the job. I was ecstatic, but I couldn't take him seriously because I still had to be interviewed that afternoon. Nevertheless, I had such high hopes that I had landed that job that nothing could prepare me for the worst. After school, I changed into my brand new suit, flipped through my portfolio one last time, made sure I had a few questions prepared, and set off to Franklin Campus for my interview. I was 15 minutes early. I waited until two people approached me, offered their hands, and introduced themselves. I was led into a room, and the dreaded interview began. Actually, it wasn't that bad. Grand Valley had me so worked up about the whole process when in reality, it was just a get to know you conversation. I thought I nailed it and I left happy.
I had finished up my summer school sub job with no further word from GRPS, or any other school district for that matter (I had applied to 11 local school districts). I had kept in close contact with the building administrator and the new transition coordinator in hopes of getting some insider news. They had told me that they would get back to me by the end of the week or Monday by the latest. I was on pins and needles anxiously awaiting the glorious phone call all week. Wednesday and Thursday passed and summer school was over. Friday passed with no word either. That weekend was the slowest weekend of my life! I was so anxious for Saturday and Sunday to pass that I couldn't even enjoy myself. Monday came and went as well. I called the transition coordinator who said that I shouldn't inquire about the position until later in the week. He also suggested that I be patient, good news will come. Tuesday was the first day I hadn't been glued to my phone. In the late afternoon, I was indulging in a rerun of MTV's Cribs when I thought I'd check my phone. Low and behold, I had a missed call. My heart was pounding and I was seeing double. I haphazardly pressed buttons until a phone number and time was revealed. The time read 3:56pm following the number I recognized as GRPS Franklin Campus. They had left a voicemail offering me my dream job!!! It was the most unbelievable moment of my life. I called human resources back around 4:01pm and accepted! After I got off the phone with HR, I called the new transition coordinator, Nick, my grandpa, my mom, my sister, the classroom staff, and a laundry list of others that needed to know. It took me about 2 hours to wrap-up all the celebratory phone calls (and celebratory laps I had run between the office and kitchen in our condo). I signed the paperwork at 11am on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 and was preparing my classroom on Thursday, August 25, 2011.
The first month as a new teacher was chaotic. I attended staff professional development days the following week after being hired on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:45am - 2:45pm. School started the following Tuesday, after Labor Day and I hit the ground running. In the past month, I have finished over 10 hours of mandatory online modules regarding harassment, fire regulations, blood-borne pathogens, and other necessary precautionary information. I attended a new teacher orientation requiring another 10+ hours of online learning, in addition to trainings to take attendance, a new system for doing IEPs, and administering medication. I have attended a bridal show, kept up with my GVSU classes, and maintained a personal life. It's all busy, but worth every second. Every day is a new adventure and I love every second of it. This is not only my job, but my passion as well.
