My Journey to 2017-2018

MY BAKER'S DOZEN

August 2017

The Woodlands, TX

I'm going to file this under "no one cares" but people have been asking so...

I have had some friends (good, church friends) ask me recently why I have gained weight and why I look so sad and tired. Geez, thanks y'all. But to answer their questions... I am stressed, anxious and just straight up depressed. There is no other way to say it! And it is all based around my job. I am not where I want to be in my career, I'm bored in my current situation, I am burnt (burning) out and feel as if I could do SO MUCH more! I am not making a difference (or so I feel) like I did when I was teaching band! 

This past year, 2016-2017, was my 12th year of teaching overall and my 6th year teaching in the great state of Texas. While teaching in Oklahoma, I taught band and elementary music. When Chris and I moved to Texas in 2011 I was unable to find a band job... close by or one that I was "advised" to take. In fact, during the summer of 2011 I interviewed for 8 band jobs in and around the Houston metro area. I was offered and turned down 4 of those jobs due to commute from Conroe, desirable district or economic status of the school and other various reasons. On June 30, 2011 I was offered an elementary music teacher position in Spring ISD and I accepted. Since then I have been trying EVERY summer to get back into band with NO LUCK! This summer was the worst.

Luke was born the summer after my 1st year teaching in Texas and even though I looked for a band job every summer since he was born without any luck, I knew that the year HE went into Kindergarten would be the best year to transition back so even though I would get rejections in the past I kept telling myself that "my time will come" and "Luke needs to stay in Sharpen's class". Well... Luke starts Kindergarten in 15 days and I still don't have a band job!

This past school year was THE HARDEST year of my career and I was put into several very difficult situations. I knew that the time had come and it was lining up perfectly for MY plan so even in February I started the whole application process as it is lengthy. By mid-April I was interviewing and dreaming of the perfect relaxed summer with no worries and planning for my new band job. Ha... God saw it another way.

My road and journey to 2017-2018. (district and campus names have been abbreviated)

April

MISD- KES Elementary Music

This is a very prestigious district and voted THE best in the entire Houston metro area. It is very difficult to get into so even getting an interview is a HUGE deal. This was for a brand new elemtnary school. I was coached by a past admin of mine who lives in and has taught in the district. I spent hours being coached by her and took advice from other MISD teacher I knew getting ready for this interview. While it was not band, it would have been an ideal situation for my kids. Even though I felt the interview went really well, and I even left the interview saying "that was the best interview ever", I did not get offered the position.

CISD- B. Intermediate Band 

In April I began talking to a colleague of mine that I know from church who mentioned that this might be the year for me to get a band job in the very prestigious and hard to get into CISD. I waited patiently for positions to open and then applied. Within weeks I was interviewing for my friend's positon. In fact, he even coached me on what to say and how to act in the interview. I prayed and prayed over this specific job and lost so much sleep. I just knew, in fact we all felt this was THE job. I impressed everyone on this committee except the Fine Arts Director who even called me out on a few things happening in my own district. I got a call a few days later that despite my friend going to bat for me and pulling lots of strings, I just couldn't land this DREAM job!

The same day I had this interview I had a separate elementary music interview within NCISD.

NCISD- PES Elementary Music

The elementary music interview went well but I didn't want it so I was very loose and not nervous at all. In fact, when I arrived at the interview the assistant principal told me that the interview was supposed to be the day before. This was in a school that was very old and run down (the admin told me the AC and heater don't work well) and the budget was limited. I asked NCISD friends who said it was not a good school and not a great situation to step into. The economic status was the same as my current school and it was going to be a complete lateral move. Of course, the principal called and offered me the job the following day and then sent me a very encouraging text the 2nd day. After almost a week of praying and debating the pros and cons, I turned down that job. (Still may be the biggest mistake of the summer and this journey). 

May

CISD- DK-6ES Elementary Music AND Band

This was a weird position that I am HIGHLY qualified for as it is a K-6 music AND band position in The Woodlands on the very nice side of CISD. I also felt in this interview that I impressed the committee but once again the CISD Fine Arts Director was on the interview committee. I waited to hear back from this job for almost 3 weeks only to find out via email that the FA director chose someone else.

WISD- BMS Band (my current district)

I found out about this job opening DURING a previous interview. I called our head band director and asked him about it and then applied. The interview was VERY casual, almost to a fault, and I just knew and felt it was a "courtesy" interview. I have tried to get a band job within my own district for the past 5 summers with no luck. In fact, I took my current position because this same band director told me he would "consider" me in the future. Well that is all he ever did... consider! That ship has sailed and while I am upset about it, it is what it is.

TISD- CSPJH Band

I had a very late interview at TISD with a fellow OU graduate who was the head director at this very wealthy and brand new junior high. I really wanted this job and this district in particular has always been on my radar to work for. I felt the interview went well and I felt that I impressed this Fine Arts Director. I knew not to hold my breath but I felt with connections and my solid interview, that I would get a call about that job. About a week after the interview the FA director emailed me saying I was still in the running which gave me hope but shortly after they contacted me explaining they chose someone else. For whatever reason, this one hit hard and was the beginning of my full on depression.

CISD- SES Elementary MusicThis was a very wealthy and "high economic status" elementary school in Conroe. I had little knowledge about the campus going into the interview but fell in love with the admin and campus. It was a campus I felt I could retire at if need be. Once again, I felt like it was a good interview and I felt like I knew the answers to all of their questions thanks to more coaching from past admins. It took 3 weeks to hear back from them but it was then I learned that I did not get this job either.

HISD- MPJH Band

I got a phone call from a band director in this district one Sunday afternoon out of the blue. I talked to him for nearly an hour and was very open and honest about my past situation (unable to land a band job) and my goals moving forward. This was a very large program and the staff had 6 other directors each from a major university. I had a face-to-face interview with 5 of the band directors a week later. I felt the interview went well but the district was smaller than my current one and the pay was not as much but I wanted a band job so it didn't matter. I got an actual call from the Head Band Director the last week of May that they chose someone else. "You were great and we all really enjoyed your but I just feel this is not the job for you". I had mixed emotions about this one but there it was... rejection #7 and it was only May.

CFISD- HES Elementary Music

This was an inner city urban elementary school in one of the largest districts in the Houston metro. I liked the principal but not the campus. The admin called and told me she chose someone else within a day.

June

KISD- NES Elementary Music

This was another large district in the North Houston metro area. The school was newer and nicer than my present campus but the students and clientele was much worse. I would have a lot like my first 2 years in Texas when I taught at Spring. They chose someone else and even though it was an elementary job, rejection #8 hit hard yet again.

AISD- Engineering Magnet Elementary Music

This was in a very familiar district as Chris has taught in this district for the past 6 years. I knew it was not a district I truly wanted to be in but I took the interview anyway. The principal liked me so much so told me she was going to pass my name along to HR for them to offer it to me. I also had an interview with the "Director of Music Education" who is VERY well known in the elementary music teaching world and I liked her a lot but I was reminded that I do not want to be a hard core elementary music teacher. This district also had TERRIBLE insurance (as we now know FOR SURE as we have to pay an arm AND A LEG for Chris's foot surgery) and the cost of the insurance would have eaten up the $3K pay raise. They offered me the job but I declined due to the insurance costs and overall dislike of the district ( I would NOT have put my kids in this district... YIKES).

MISD- MES/LES Elementary Art

This was an interview was for a position teaching ART but this district is very well known and a great district to work for and the fine arts department is amazing so I applied anyway. I took the interview not knowing it was a split teaching job between two of the furthest elementary from my house. The committee had the Fine Arts director and an admin from each of the 2 schools. I did not feel as confident in this interview as others because it was for ART. But oddly enough, they called and offered me the job within 10 minutes of leaving the interview. I turned this down knowing that I could NEVER get back in band if I took this route.

The Fine Arts director liked me a lot and within a week called me and asked me to interview for a different elementary music positon within the district. I talked with him for a long time explaining my desire to be a band director not elementary music teacher but he told me I was a leader and he wanted a leader. I took the interview. 

MISD- SES Elementary Music
I went on the interview the Fine Arts director got for me and was very honest with the interviewing admin. I like the admin and the campus as well as the district and obviously, this was THE best Fine Arts director I have come into contact with. I had a great conversation with the admin and explained my "mid-life career crisis" and she too said I was a leader. I explained I was working on my admin certificate and she said that is the route I should take. She called explaining she chose someone else but the message she left me was my only saving grace from the entire summer.

I AM a born leader and I could do so much more and she saw that within the hour interview we had. I appreciate her encouragement to me and may have to listen to her voicemail frequently to get through this year.

I have no idea why I was not able to get/take any of these 13 jobs but GOD KNOWS. I do not know why I am at CCH but GOD KNOWS. I have no idea how I will get through this year with a good attitude or contentment but GOD KNOWS. I do not know how I will lose the weight I gained through this journey but GOD KNOWS. 

I have to report back in less than a week to start a brand new year. My Natalie will be in 3rd grade and my BABY Luke starts kindergarten. This will be my 13th year of teaching and you know what they say... A BAKERS DOZEN is always better!

Cheers to 2017-2018! 

God is good... All the time!