Boom! I'm a teacher!

Just this afternoon, as I was browsing around my favorite store on the planet (aka Barnes & Noble, aka The Mothership, aka My Place of Former Employment), I thought to myself, "Well, if all else fails and no one wants to hire me as a teacher for the coming school year, I guess I can always come back and work here for minimum wage... only if someone were to hide all the knives, scissors and other sharp objects in the house first."

I returned home, showed my purchases to my invalid mother, and as we were discussing dinner (pepperoni or hawaiian?), my phone rang.  I didn't recognize the number, but answered anyway.  

"This is Katie."

"Ummm, Catherine Rooomneee?"

"Yes, Romney.  Katie Romney."

"Okay, this is so-and-so from Northwest ISD..."

At this point I literally could not understand what the man was saying.  As my brain tried to decipher the meaning of his words, this is what I heard:

"Steele Accelerated High School.... Spanish certification.... a year to complete... first year teacher, right?.... starting salary... would you like to accept the position?"

"Ummm, yes..."

"Okay.... orientation... contact... next week... goodbye."

I stared at my phone as the call disconnected.  Was I just offered a job?  I think I was just offered a job.  Did I say yes?  I think I said yes.  I have a job?  I think I have a job.  I HAVE A JOB!!!

Let me back-up.  Three weeks ago I received an email from a principal in response to an application I had submitted for an English/Spanish teaching position.  I am currently only certified to teach English, but I do have a background in Spanish, so I thought, why not apply?  The principal and I traded emails back and forth and set up a time for an interview.  The following week I interviewed with both the principal and the counselor.  I thought it went really well - I was there for an hour and a half, and they seemed to like me.

I played the waiting game for the next two and a half weeks.  KH, my wonderful cooperating teacher from student teaching, told me she was contacted for a reference. The principal and I traded emails again, making sure I had my transcripts from both BYU and UT submitted.  More waiting.  And then... today's phone call.  And then...

BOOM!  I'M A TEACHER.

So, friends and family, starting in the 2011-2012 school year, I will be teaching at Steele Accelerated High School as both an English and Spanish teacher.  Steele has a really unique program.  Only a year old, the school is just grades 10 - 12, and students must apply and be accepted.  Last year they had about 80 students, this coming year they expect around 100.  The school's curriculum is designed for students who want to get in and get out of their secondary education, so their only focus is academics - no athletics or extracurriculars/clubs.  Their are only five teachers at Steele, each of which teaches at least two subjects.  Which means that I will be the only English teacher for all three grade levels, plus a Spanish teacher (I have a year to complete my Spanish certification).  Oy vey.  That's a lot of preps....

To say that I'm excited is a bit of understatement.  More like ecstatic.  Jubilant.  Over the moon.

And grateful.  So grateful.  To my Heavenly Father.  To my professors, especially GP and JS, my facilitator MF, my cooperating teacher KH: THANK YOU.  Thank you for teaching me and preparing me for this first year.  Thank you for your advice, guidance and encouragement.  And thank you, in advance, for helping me survive my first year of teaching... I have a feeling I'm gonna need all the help I can get!

Y para todos que vivan en Dallas y que hablen español… necesitaré un poquito de ayudo con el recordar y el practicar el idioma español.  ¡Ay!  ¿Qué he hecho….?  Que loca que soy...