Today I had a scare during my 8th
grade exploratory class at the middle school. I started seeing stars,
and my hands went numb. I had my water bottle, so I started drinking
more water. I sat down at the desk while the students were working on
a project. I made it through the class, and then I went to the school
nurse. She checked my blood pressure and she said it was fine. She
said it might be dehydration. I drank some more water, and I felt a
little better. I drove back to the high school. I got myself some
orange juice from the vending machine, and I felt better. I went to
the after school program, and I had some snacks there. However, I
still had a headache.
At the after school program I ran into
my principal, and he told me that my replacement hire backed out. She
declined the offer for a better one. She signed a letter of intent,
but noting that is binding. My principal asked me how I felt about
the second applicant. I said that I didn’t think much of her. I
felt really dejected because we have to start all over. This is the
second applicant to reject the offer. It’s so frustrating that we
are at the bottom of the barrel for candidates.
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| Even with the school district's faults it's always been the students that have made it great. |
Some community members asked me if the
applicants were turned offed because of the school district's
reputation. I had heard this before, but I never really thought that
it was true. Our district doesn’t have that bad of a reputation,
but when it’s compared to other white, affluent school districts in
Iowa I guess it would have a reputation. Someone outside looking in
would notice that this school district has a high Hispanic population
and Native American population. A high percentage of the district has
free and reduced lunches. Our test scores are low throughout the
district. If you had to pick a school to teach in and eventually send
your children to, this district can’t compete with the rest of
Iowa. Even if this district could meet the salary scale that other
schools are at, a teacher that raises a family in the district would
have to have other draws to the community. For example, the spouse
would have to find a job here, and the teacher would have to be
confident in sending their children to the school district. I made
the move here with my husband, and he landed a job in a neighboring
town. I’m hesitant to send my children to this school district,
just because if I had to compare this district to other schools in
Iowa it wouldn’t stand a chance. Statically on paper, this district
doesn’t measure up. I know this because I have compared this
district to others in the great debate of where to send my own
children. However, despite all of it's faults I picked this school
district to teach in because you won't find a school district like
it. Other Ag teachers that I knew in the area told me that if I could
teach at this school and make it a success then I could teach
anywhere. That was also part of the draw to this school. It was a
challenge.
I know I made the right decision
because I won’t have to be embarrassed of how my students act in
front of a substitute ever again.
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