J-O-B

I have a job. A Job-job. Last year I volunteered at the kids' school and helped put on four productions there. At the end of the year, I interviewed for a position and was hired to be the head of the drama department and to help create the drama curriculum there. I accepted. It's a perfect job for me. It's at my children's school. I get to share my passion for theatre with kids every day. I work part time so my hours are 11-4. I get to be in charge of the content I am teaching. I love it.
It's been difficult to adjust. I've had to learn grading and PBL and essential questions and how to use Canvas. I've read the handbook and done PD and chatted and set up my classroom. I've enrolled the kids in after care and juggled afternoon schedules. The week where I had to go to school and the kids stayed home was so stressful for me as I lived in that weird state of overwhelm where you know just exactly how much you DON'T know.
I have a dedicated drama room at the school and over the summer I ordered some risers which will hopefully come on Monday. Last year, the school had two drama classes each semester and this year we have six! We even have a high school section which I am lucky enough to teach. There is another teacher with whom I share my room who teaches the morning drama classes and I teach the afternoon ones. She is very good at decorating and so our room looks great. It is a lot of work to figure out, but we are starting to get in the groove. I give the kids my all every day and I am utterly exhausted every evening.
Now things are settling down and I'm ready to report on it all. The kids started school last Wednesday and seem to be happy. We are doing block schedule this year with "gold" and "blue" days for middle school and high school. Davis is in 7th this year and Samuel is in 5th. Davis got all honors classes this year and his electives are Advanced Music Production, Spanish, Study Hall and Advanced Scientific Methods. He actually sits with five other boys at lunch this year and this is such a huge difference from his self enforced isolation last year. He feels more confident and I am happy for him. Samuel got the two teachers he really wanted and seems to be enjoying his classes. He is taking language arts, social studies (American history), sixth grade math, engineering, science, Chinese, music, PE and Art. He has his usual crew from school and they play and hang out. Samuel does not like his after care program, but I am going to sign him up for after school clubs so that he won't be miserable while I work.
I am so in love with our school the more I learn about it. I am so lucky our kids get to go here. I've heard from so many parents that it took years to get in. The learning model here is very different from traditional schools and it continues to evolve. The staff is innovative and there are some crazy amazing opportunities at the school that the kids can enjoy and explore. It is an AMAZING education that these kids are getting, ya'll. I'm drinking the kool-aid.