GRADUATION

What a crazy week it has been.  Last Thursday my parents drove to Arizona for my cohort’s celebration party and recognition at the Paradise Valley School District School Board Meeting.  Then Friday we headed to California for a few days before turning around and coming back to Arizona for GRADUATION!!! 

Thursday's Party
I will forever remember these last 18 months and am blessed to have had the BEST mentor teachers in the program! 

Monday, I OFFICIALLY accepted an offer and announced it to my friends and family members using the theme “Ropin’ the Dream.”

We got into town Tuesday evening and meet my grandparents at my apartment where we talked about what the plan was for GRADUATION DAY.  The first thing on the list for Wednesday was to pick my brother and grandma up from the airport, both of whom were flying for the first time and Phoenix Sky Harbor is no small airport.  After getting them we had an early lunch then got ready for the BIG evening ahead.  

After arriving at Arizona State University, I checked in and waited for the rest of my cohort for our group pictures.  Then it was show time and we walked into the Wells Fargo Arena (our Basketball arena) where graduation would take place.  A few different individuals spoke then it was time! I was personally a nervous wreck thinking about falling and honestly an emotional basket case thinking of the trials I overcame during the last couple of years.  

GRADUATION MEMORIES

Thank you to everyone who has believed in me and supported me through my SEVEN years of college.  It is hard to believe now that I even entered college as a Law Major, but I know it has only prepared me for my future degrees.... yes, I am already thinking of my masters and doctorate.  Without those who have surrounded me with love and prayer I wouldn’t be sitting here typing this as a GRADUATE with a JOB!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! 

And I’ll leave you with this Throw Back Thursday.... Four years ago come memorial weekend, my parents and I visited ASU for an information session and took a few pictures around campus.  Today, we took some pictures in the locations to close out my chapter at ASU.  Couldn’t be more proud to be ASU Alumni, a Sun Devil forever, and a graduate of the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education! 

Here is to the next adventure.....

Colorado

April 29, 2013

** Few things repeat just because I am THAT excited about them!!! 

I am down to single digits now until graduation and starting to feel a little overwhelmed with life decisions.  After a week of Colorado skype interviews I flew out to meet with principals AND teach a lesson! Here is how it all fell into place...

Thursday I wrapped up my interviews and about a hour after my last interview, I got a phone call OFFERING me a position AND asking if I can come teach a lesson.  I asked for time to process the offer AND started looking at flights so I could get out there and teach.  By Thursday night the flight was booked and the lesson time was set up.  Saturday morning I took off way to early and as I landed in Denver I learned I needed to prepare a lesson on mammals. After a quick lunch at my cousin’s food truck, we went home so I could map out my thinking, then headed to the library.  Well, Grandma and I were out and about we drove past the schools in town that I had interviews at on Thursday.  One of the schools was even down the street from Enstroms (the BEST fudge EVER)!!  Teaching with in walking distance could be deathly or rather fattening!  Since we had an early morning we also called it an early night after the Supercross race ( I am addicted to sports).  

The school that had an offer on the table...

Sunday we had a nice brunch in downtown at a cute little cafe and then headed up to Rifle to see the schools up in that area that I got the offer from and the one I would be teaching the lesson at.  After our quick drive byes of both schools we adventured over to say hi to my aunt Becky and uncle Chris only to be greeted by almost the entire clan.  Since my cousin Jenny and her family were over we didn’t drive into Glenwood Springs to see them and decided to just hang out with everyone most of the afternoon.  It was a BEAUTIFUL weekend with perfect weather!  After a few hours with the clan we headed to my final stop of the evening at my aunt Cristy and uncle Carl’s place.  My grandparents hung out there with me and waited until my aunt and uncle got home from moving my cousin to the new town she would call home to start her next adventure.  It was another early night but of course I was anxious and unable to fall asleep until the clock showed 11pm.  

This is where I taught my lesson

My lesson was scheduled for 10:30 in the town west of my aunt and uncle but it was a nice 20 minute drive rather than a hour east from my grandparents.  The lesson went great, but as any good teacher I was able to pick out different parts that I could have done better.  I was evaluated by 4 individuals during my lesson and they all said I did a great job with the kids and quickly picked up on the two boys that would be a handful.  After my lesson, I was given a tour and told that they will let me know in a week.  As 2 o’clock appeared on the clock I was walking into meet with another principal.  This is a different opportunity working with students who have behavior problems and are at a school away from their peers.  I did a placement at a school like this and throughly enjoyed it, so I was beyond excited for this opportunity.  After speaking with part of the team who interviewed me Thursday, I was given a tour, and told that they have recommend me to HR for hire! Like usual though, nothing can be official until HR makes the call!! 

Now, here I sit at the Denver airport... waiting for my flight to Phoenix to finish my last 3 days of student teaching!!!!!!! Graduation in 9 days.... then it is back to finish out the school year with my first graders and my AMAZING first grade team.  Couldn’t be more blessed. 

Interviews, Offers, Oh MY!

ALL of my interview notes... Better to be prepared! 

Today was the day I had been excited for ALL week!  My morning started with a 7am (my time) interview which went wonderfully and I am in phase two of their interview process now.  This job is for an ED self contained alternative placement teaching position.  I really enjoyed learning the information from the interviewers.  After interning in an ED program last year, I wanted to student teach with the teacher; however, ASU wouldn't approve it because of the unique program.

Then I had a 11:30am interview for a general education position- my first and ONLY general education interview.  Again it was a great interview, I got to chat with the principal and one of the kindergarten teachers.  At the conclusion of my interview they told me that for round two they would have the candidates come in and teach a lesson to a class.  I was pretty nervous yet excited when they said that and decided to not over think it and move onto thinking about my third and FINAL interview for the day.

After my second interview I had about a hour before my last interview of the day, this one was for another special education position.  I SERIOUSLY felt so stupid second question into the interview when they asked what I knew about their school.... ummm..... I know NOTHING!!! Note to self: When HR calls ask what position AND school they want to set up an interview for.  But the ladies were great and at the end of my interview they told me it sounded like I had observed their school because all of my talking points lined up with all their curriculum.  What a relief!

Not long after these interviews I received a phone call OFFERING me the position I interviewed for on Monday! I asked for time to reflect and decide AND as I was talking to the principal, I received a phone call from the principal I interviewed with at 11:30 asking me to come in and teach a lesson!

All of that to say....... Saturday I am hoping on a plane to go teach a lesson to the Kindergardeners at the school that maybe MY future first graders!!!

Excited, anxious, overwhelmed, nervous.....

Always BELIEVE something WONDERFUL is about to HAPPEN

Unknown

Interviews, Interviews, and more Interviews

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the lord with all your heart

My life is all about interviews right now and counting down the days until GRADUATION! 

Tuesday of last week as my students were doing the state test and I was just hanging out I decided to apply for a few more jobs that had popped open in Colorado.  On those applications, I also decided to add another reference- a friend who is also a superintendent.  Within a couple of hours I had a phone call from them wanting to interview me.  And by the end of the day I had three interviews lined up all for schools in Colorado.

Thursday, April 18th, I had a WONDERFUL interview in Phoenix for a resource position.  I spent 40 minutes sharing my love for children and teaching with a panel of interviewers.  The ladies and I laughed the entire time and I felt stress free.  Friday, I also got a call to interview for a position in Phoenix but turned it down because I already had an interview via Skype for a position in Colorado and the Principal was admit with the time and day- oh well.

As the excitement grew for the opportunities that awaited me, I got a phone call from a position in Phoenix saying they were recommending me for the job.  I was full of mixed emotions after this phone call.  Excited for the first unofficial offer but still wanting to give the interviews a shot for the positions in Colorado.

This morning I received another email from a principal in Grand Junction asking me if I would interview for a special education position she has open- of course I told her YES! So I now have THREE interviews on Thursday ALL for positions in Colorado!!

Today was my first Skype interview for a special education position in Rifle and it went great.  It was strange to do it all over Skype but I feel that I showed them that I have a heart and soul for the education field.  Should know about that position by the end of the week to beginning of next week.

Thursday my interviews go like this:
Special Education Self Contained Classroom
General Elementary Education Classroom
Special Education Self Contained Classroom

Excited and energized to see what comes from all of this!