Last Day at Liberty

After about 5 weeks of thinking it was my last week, today was actually my last day on the long term sub job at Liberty.

It was bitter sweet.  I will miss the kids terribly.  I am so happy to be relieved of preparing all those lessons and documenting all that material.  It's an enormous amount of work each week.

I had 12 lessons (1,2,3,and 4th grade reading, 1,3,4 math, 1,2,3,4 writing, and social skills, plus 2 collab classes) to prepare each week.

I also had tons of work that had to be documented.  5 reading goals per kid (4 4th graders, 3 third graders, 1 2nd grader and 1 1st grader), 3 writing goals (3 4th graders, 5 third graders, 2 second graders and 1 1st grader), 10 math goals (3 4th graders, 2 second graders, 1 1st grader).  Plus 7 students on point sheets for social/vocational goals.

I will really miss the kids but it is nice to be free of all that work.

More Bad News

Well, one week ago Mark called me with the bad news that he was going to be losing his job at the end of the month (2/24).  Today I had to call him to let him know the school will not be allowed to keep me on full time after this Friday.

The principal was very complimentary, and said they would like to hire me as a sub as much as possible, but that the State law requires a "Highly Qualified Special Ed" teacher with a Master's degree to teach that class.  Wonderful!  I have 15 years experience but I don't have the degree!  Oh how I wish I had that degree, but I didn't want to be a teacher until after I started substitute teaching 4-5 years ago.  Now, I'd love to be teaching but I don't have the official credentials.

We were counting on my income to supplement the loss of Mark's - even though it wouldn't be 100% of what we need, it would help tremendously, making it so that we would only have to withdrawal $1000 from savings per month to survive.  Now, it is more like $3500 per month - and that is without medical insurance.

Medical insurance - that's a huge one.  Mark found received confirmation from the HR department that medical insurance will be $1500 per month to insure our family.  With our track record - we need insurance, but how can we (or anyone for that matter) afford medical insurance.  I don't know what we are going to do.

Subbing Starts Again

It's always the same with my job ... the beginning of the school year is slow; that is that most teachers do not need nor want to take time off, but as the days turn to weeks and weeks turn to months the reality to need to take time off for appointments, sickness, workshops, etc. kicks in.  That's where I come in. 

I enjoy subbing at the middle and high school level (probably because that is the age and maturity level of the children I am around most of the time).  The need for subs have increased and my time is now being filled at the schools.

It was great to not be needed while I was taking Jessica to college, getting Oliver settled in, but now it's time to get back to work.  :)