An Update from Florida
Oh my God! Everything has been moving so fast, this is the first opportunity I've had to sit down and do anything but nod off. I've been running on about 4 hours of sleep a night, and have been so busy it is ridiculous.
Everything started on the night of Tuesday, October 3. I got a phone call at about 7:00 that night from the principal of a K-8 school in St. Lucie County, Florida. She had received my information from a lady in the certification office of St. Lucie County Schools, and gave me a phone interview that lasted about 15 minutes. After those 15 minutes, she offered me the job, and I accepted. It's outside of my field (I'm teaching elementary/middle school resource science), but with a little bit of help, I think I will be able to be very good at it. The next term for students started on Monday, October 9, and the principal wanted to know if I could be here by then to get everything in order, so that I could finish all of the miscellaneous odds and ends that go along with starting a new job, so of course I said yes. Big mistake. I immediately entered a state of panic, and everything was quickly packed and sent to storage or crammed into my little car. There were a lot of people that I didn't get to see before I left, and a lot I never got to finish. I left for Florida at noon on Sunday, which put me in town at about 10 a.m. on Monday morning. After a quick shower and change of clothes, I went to the St. Lucie County Schools Personnel office, where I met with a personnel officer who copied some of my forms, fingerprinted me, and sent me for a drug test. I spent the rest of the day with Harold, and he showed me around town a bit. I'm going to be staying with Harold for about a month, but I was so tired that first night that I decided to get a hotel room. I rented a (tiny) room at Motel 6, and David and I got a restless night's sleep. It was cramped and uncomfortable, and the air conditioning didn't work that well, so it was muggy and hot as well.
Harold picked us up at 6:00 a.m., and we went to the Waffle House for breakfast, because I wanted to try it. Harold made fun of me, because I was chilly when I woke up and put on a sweatshirt. He said that I was a true Floridian at heart, because it was 70 degrees and I was wearing a hooded sweatshirt. I didn't think it was funny...I'm a Michigander.
I had to take my drug test after breakfast. Of couse, I had gone to the bathroom about 20 minutes before breakfast, so I couldn't go for the life of me. I had to sit in the waiting room and drink a gallon of water over an hour's time just to be able to have enough to go. After the test, I drove to my new school (St. Lucie West K-8 School), which is in the rich part of town. It was crazy. All of the schools are brand new, and the furniture is ridiculously nice. I got to meet a bunch of the teachers and my principal and assistant principal, and got a lot of reading materials to study before Monday. After that meeting, I had to go back to personnel to complete some more information, and then Harold and Sue (Harold's wife) took me out for lunch at Applebee's. The afternoon was filled with errands with Harold, and then we went back to his house.
David wanted to take me out in the evening, and it was a really nice time. He took me to Outback for dinner, and then we went and saw "School for Scoundrels" at the big megaplex. I didn't think it would happen this quick, but I am starting to feel at home a little bit. I am learning my way around town, and I'm hardly miserable at all. I really miss my friends, but I am having a good time here.
There were more meetings yesterday, and I got up and ran errands with Harold again. I had an orientation at the Personnel office, and even more forms to fill out and information to read (insurance, retirement, etc.). After that, we picked David up from work and went out for dinner. We then dropped Harold off at the house, and David and I headed for the hotel that the school district is paying for since I don't have housing yet. It is awesome. They are putting me up in a business-class suite at the Marriott, and it is quite posh. I could get used to this. We brought the bags up from the car, and then we hit the pool. We stayed up a little too late, and slept through the alarm, and I got David to work late. I'm hoping he doesn't get in trouble. The alarm clock didn't work, and we couldn't get the phone to work, but I've gotten everything fixed now, so we shouldn't have this problem tomorrow.
Today I don't have any official meetings, but I am going to go over to my school and see if I can get some more resources to plan lessons for Monday, to meet the other assistant principal, and to unload some of my boxes into my classroom. I'd also like to go to the teacher's supply store in town, as well as get some clothes for school on Monday. I only have two short-sleeved shirts, and I'm sure I'll need a few more.
I also need to work on my lesson plans for Monday. David is taking me to Daytona Beach for the weekend, and I don't imagine I'll be getting that much done. Everything is moving so quick, my head is spinning.
The hotel has free wireless internet, and I'll be here for two more nights, so I'll try to update again later today or tomorrow or something.
Send me an e-mail! I miss everyone! mailto:supermatty1982@gmail.com
Everything started on the night of Tuesday, October 3. I got a phone call at about 7:00 that night from the principal of a K-8 school in St. Lucie County, Florida. She had received my information from a lady in the certification office of St. Lucie County Schools, and gave me a phone interview that lasted about 15 minutes. After those 15 minutes, she offered me the job, and I accepted. It's outside of my field (I'm teaching elementary/middle school resource science), but with a little bit of help, I think I will be able to be very good at it. The next term for students started on Monday, October 9, and the principal wanted to know if I could be here by then to get everything in order, so that I could finish all of the miscellaneous odds and ends that go along with starting a new job, so of course I said yes. Big mistake. I immediately entered a state of panic, and everything was quickly packed and sent to storage or crammed into my little car. There were a lot of people that I didn't get to see before I left, and a lot I never got to finish. I left for Florida at noon on Sunday, which put me in town at about 10 a.m. on Monday morning. After a quick shower and change of clothes, I went to the St. Lucie County Schools Personnel office, where I met with a personnel officer who copied some of my forms, fingerprinted me, and sent me for a drug test. I spent the rest of the day with Harold, and he showed me around town a bit. I'm going to be staying with Harold for about a month, but I was so tired that first night that I decided to get a hotel room. I rented a (tiny) room at Motel 6, and David and I got a restless night's sleep. It was cramped and uncomfortable, and the air conditioning didn't work that well, so it was muggy and hot as well.
Harold picked us up at 6:00 a.m., and we went to the Waffle House for breakfast, because I wanted to try it. Harold made fun of me, because I was chilly when I woke up and put on a sweatshirt. He said that I was a true Floridian at heart, because it was 70 degrees and I was wearing a hooded sweatshirt. I didn't think it was funny...I'm a Michigander.
I had to take my drug test after breakfast. Of couse, I had gone to the bathroom about 20 minutes before breakfast, so I couldn't go for the life of me. I had to sit in the waiting room and drink a gallon of water over an hour's time just to be able to have enough to go. After the test, I drove to my new school (St. Lucie West K-8 School), which is in the rich part of town. It was crazy. All of the schools are brand new, and the furniture is ridiculously nice. I got to meet a bunch of the teachers and my principal and assistant principal, and got a lot of reading materials to study before Monday. After that meeting, I had to go back to personnel to complete some more information, and then Harold and Sue (Harold's wife) took me out for lunch at Applebee's. The afternoon was filled with errands with Harold, and then we went back to his house.
David wanted to take me out in the evening, and it was a really nice time. He took me to Outback for dinner, and then we went and saw "School for Scoundrels" at the big megaplex. I didn't think it would happen this quick, but I am starting to feel at home a little bit. I am learning my way around town, and I'm hardly miserable at all. I really miss my friends, but I am having a good time here.
There were more meetings yesterday, and I got up and ran errands with Harold again. I had an orientation at the Personnel office, and even more forms to fill out and information to read (insurance, retirement, etc.). After that, we picked David up from work and went out for dinner. We then dropped Harold off at the house, and David and I headed for the hotel that the school district is paying for since I don't have housing yet. It is awesome. They are putting me up in a business-class suite at the Marriott, and it is quite posh. I could get used to this. We brought the bags up from the car, and then we hit the pool. We stayed up a little too late, and slept through the alarm, and I got David to work late. I'm hoping he doesn't get in trouble. The alarm clock didn't work, and we couldn't get the phone to work, but I've gotten everything fixed now, so we shouldn't have this problem tomorrow.
Today I don't have any official meetings, but I am going to go over to my school and see if I can get some more resources to plan lessons for Monday, to meet the other assistant principal, and to unload some of my boxes into my classroom. I'd also like to go to the teacher's supply store in town, as well as get some clothes for school on Monday. I only have two short-sleeved shirts, and I'm sure I'll need a few more.
I also need to work on my lesson plans for Monday. David is taking me to Daytona Beach for the weekend, and I don't imagine I'll be getting that much done. Everything is moving so quick, my head is spinning.
The hotel has free wireless internet, and I'll be here for two more nights, so I'll try to update again later today or tomorrow or something.
Send me an e-mail! I miss everyone! mailto:supermatty1982@gmail.com
posted by Matty at 9:41 AM
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