New Job Excitement!

I have officially been hired by the Everett Public School District!

I completed my applications and everything on January 7th. The next day, I was contacted by the assistant Principal of Lowell Elementary and asked if I was still interested in one of the jobs I applied for as a paraeducator in life skills. Of course, I said I was. We scheduled an interview for that next Friday, the 19th. A week later, I was called by the same school and asked for an interview on the 18th for an ECEAP preschool position. A few days after those interviews, I had another call and interview with Emerson Elementary. Then, around the same time, I was offered a tour of the Life Skills classroom and I met several of the students in that room. I fell in love instantly, and my heart knew that even if I was offered all three jobs, I would choose Life Skills. Annette, the VP, and I have been staying in contact but a couple weeks went by with no word.

A couple days ago I was offered the preschool position. Then, just last night (2/7), a lady named Linda from the Everett School District HR gave me a call. She said that I was in the unique position that Lowell Elementary was offering me two separate positions - the assistant preschool teacher position, and the Life Skills position. She asked if I wanted either of them or one more than the other. I was so excited and took the Life Skills position! Linda asked why I chose this position. I said that I had a heart for kids with disabilities and I had met the students and fell in love. She seemed really excited for me, too. She said that Annette would be in contact with me soon and give me more information.

Annette emailed me that night and welcomed me to the team. Then she asked me when I wanted to start! I had no idea that this new job would get started so quickly and suddenly. I had to call my boss Teal and discuss this with her before I could make additional plans with Annette and the school district. Today (2/15), I'm at HR to fill out paperwork and get more information about how much I'll be paid, and what benefits are like. I'm meeting with a lady named Debra Wisniewski! Wisniew is derived from Wisniewski, so technically we have the same last name, how funny is that?!

Anyway, it looks like they want me to start on Monday! That means that I will potentially not work at all next week at Dutch Bros. I would've worked on Saturday but I took that day off for Lakeside Bible Camp's high school weekend. So my last day at DB (for the season), is Saturday the 24th!

Since paras don't work during the summer, I will be needing to get a summer job in just a few short months (about mid June). Thankfully, Teal said that I may be able to work again at Dutch Bros through the summer! This would be the best case scenario, because I wouldn't have to get accustomed to new management or the training of a short summer position. Because we're SO MUCH busier through the summer, Teal likes the idea as well because it means she doesn't have to train a new person and I already know all our regular customers and am comfortable with the job.

So I'm not leaving Dutch Bros completely. But for the next several months, I'll be on a new adventure. I am so excited to see what its in store at Lowell Elementary. In another post, I'll go into more detail about the specifics of the job itself. Not everyone can work well with children with special needs. But I am very comfortable with them. We connect well. I understanding that children with special needs are sometimes considered harder to love, and I want to be someone to tells them they are loved. They are worth it. They are special because they are who they are, not because they have "special" needs.

I'm super excited to see what the future has in store. I had my first day today and I'll talk more about it in another post!

Have a great week!

Holls B Jolls