Can I still refer to my job as "new"? In my opinion...it will feel new until year one is in the books. The crazy thing is that the end of the school year is actually sort of in sight. We're more than halfway through the year...testing is rolling around, and well...you know how that goes once it gets underway! If you don't know....take my word for it....it goes FAST!
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| The cowboy art came with the office....very calming. |
For six years I worked as a school counselor at a middle school...and now I'm an elementary counselor at a charter school. Total life change! Here are some random facts about the new J.O.B...
1. It is ridiculously close to home. I'm talking TWO miles away, five minutes if lights are timed right! I'm still excited by how quickly I can go from my house to my office. Excited and grateful!
2. I work with little kids now. They are so tiny and adorable...2nd and 3rd graders! I still say a little "awwwww" when I see the tops of their heads bopping by the Guidance office window! This is an adjustment from the middle school kids I used to work with. I'm enjoying working with the littles, although I miss the connections and conversations I used to have with the older ones. This isn't necessarily a good or bad thing...just different. I'm enjoying it a lot so far.
3. I actually started off in a different building with the 4th and 5th graders for about a month before things shifted around and I packed up my entire office and moved over to 2nd and 3rd. I joke around and refer to my position NOW as my "new, new job".
4. It's different being part of a team, but on my own. The setup is not a traditional K-5 elementary school although we are considered ONE (side note - the entire school is really K-12, but I'm talking about the elementary part). Because we're so large there are actually three different buildings that make up just elementary, each with a school counselor. We are a team and do work very closely together...however....the typical day to day is obviously spent at our own buildings.
5. I literally get emotional every time I think about the fact that Ella will be able to attend such a phenomenal school. I'll just leave it at that. Wait...did I mention the school is phenomenal. Oh boy, here come the tears....
6. In a way, Ella goes to my school already too! There's a building up the road with a one and two year old program. Can you say perfect?
7. I love it. It's new, exciting, challenging, rewarding and fun all at the same time. The people have been wonderful, welcoming and patient as I learn all there is to know about my new role!
Whenever people ask me about it, it seems as though they really want me to make the comparison between this job and my last job. Here's the deal....there's absolutely no way to really compare. It's like comparing apples to oranges, each job has it's own unique set of pros and cons. Different county, different grade levels, different everything! In certain ways it's too soon to really tell which is better, and I don't want to even go there. Does it matter? I loved my experience at Inverness Middle and now I'm on to the next chapter of my life. I'm all about elementary and excited to really get to know these kids. There's still much to learn. Mrs. Skoblicki is ALL IN! Go Buffalo!
