Drumroll please...

Most people who will read this blog probably already know this by now, but I figured I should share the news since some big changes in my life are quickly approaching.

I'll just start by saying I applied for A TON of teaching jobs here in SC and had several interviews, but I was never offered a position. I was getting so frustrated and felt like I would never find a job. I felt like principals liked me, but weren't really giving me a chance. I am creative and I truly try to keep students engaged in what they are learning. I felt that I was interviewing well, but I guess I was never what they were really looking for in the end.

The last weekend in April I went out to Arizona to visit Holly and attend a huge teacher job fair. I believe I mentioned that I was going in a previous blog post. I brought about 50 resumes and I handed almost all of them out to different districts in the Phoenix area. On my resume I stated that I am certified in both English and Theatre, but in general I was telling folks at the fair that I was certified in English because more schools are looking for English teachers than Drama teachers.

I made my way through rows and rows of tables and then I came to the Tolleson Union High School District table. I gave them my resume and told them I was looking for an English position, but the man saw that I am an instructor at the South Carolina Children's Theatre and asked if I was Theatre certified as well. I told him I was and then he told me to come back to the table a little later because they had a principal in their district that was looking for a FULL TIME drama teacher.

I went back and met the principal and she asked me to come take a look at the school and the performing arts center the following Monday. I told her I was a little bit at the mercy of my sister since I didn't have my car out there and that she had a dentist appointment that afternoon. The principal told me she would wait for me, even until 5:00 if she had to. They finish school at 2:30, so I felt like that was really saying something!

I arrived at the school that Monday afternoon and had a mini-interview with the principal and a second administrator. Then, the principal showed me the performing arts center (PAC) and classrooms, yes, classroomS. The drama program has a regular classroom fit for giving lectures and book work, then also a classroom for getting up and moving around. Then, there is the PAC. The building and all of the technology is less than two years old, plus there is a shop!

At the end of our tour, we went back to her office and the principal told me that if I'd like to join them, they'd love to have me as their Drama teacher, full-time, meaning that's all I'd be teaching. I told her that I really needed to think and pray about it and asked if there was a certain time I needed to get back to her. She told me that there was no pressure and I could take as much time as I felt necessary to make my decision. That was such a blessing. I took about a week really thinking about everything and then emailed her letting her know I'd like to take the job!

I was a little timid to announce this to the world via blog or Facebook because I was afraid something would go wrong with my application for reciprocity, but I got my Arizona certificate in the mail on Saturday, so I felt like it was safe to let everyone know about my exciting news! I'm so nervous about it having to design AND direct AND teach, but I know that I have excellent resources available and that the Lord will help me to keep my life under control as I embark on this new adventure!