The Job Hunt - Substitution
After graduation I immediately began searching for a classroom to call my own! It was certainly not the best time to be looking for a teaching position due to the economic downturn, proration, and financial shortfalls facing school districts. Aesops, a web based substitute placement and absence management service, became my best friend. Aesops also became the home page on my computer and I was continuously "refreshing" the page to hopefully catch the open jobs as soon as they were posted.
My perseverance paid off many days and I landed a number of substitution positions at University Place, Whitesburg, Jones Valley, Hampton Cove, Weatherly, Ridgecrest, and Lakewood Elementary Schools, as well as a day at Johnson High School. Almost immediately I began receiving calls directly from teachers and principals checking my availability. I took this as a positive sign and a result of my skill and dedication. I was soon rewarded with a steady position to complete the school year.
Hampton Cove Elementary
My good fortune was a call I received from the principal of Hampton Cove Elementary School offering me a long-term substitution position for a third grade class. This was a dream coming true as this was the school where I had performed my student teaching. I knew the school and many of the excellent teachers they have there. An added bonus was that Hampton Cove was only minutes from my home!
Ridgecrest Elementary
Ridgecrest Elementary School was searching for a certified teacher to hire into a contract position for the 2010-2011 school year. The school's principal was familiar with me as I had substituted at Ridgecrest on several occasions in the past. I was called and offered the position as a full time Intervention Specialist.
The following school year (2011/12) I was offered a fulltime position with Huntsville City Schools as a second grade teacher at Ridgecrest. I gladfully accepted and remain at Ridgecrest, teaching 3rd grade since the 2012/13 school year.