In early August, in fact, the Friday and Monday flanking the engagement news sprung on me by Daughts, I had interviews.
The hard work on my two applications for the local Christian Academies had paid off…
Praise the Lord!
The first school was Cornerstone Christian Academy,
a University Model School especially tailored to homeschooling families. Two days with Mum or Dad, three days in a more traditional school setting with faculty support in every subject.
Right up my street, I thought, with my wealth of experience.
My interviewer was a new hire himself and had come straight from the public school system where he had been an administrator.
Needless to say I knew much, much more about homeschooling than he did (never having homeschooled himself).
My questions about discipline, curriculum (I was surprised to learn that the only Christian material they used was for science and silently tried to imagine some of my fundamental Christian friends considering using secular materials with their children), study hall and how the teachers worked in collaboration with the parents, threw him somewhat since he had had no hands on experience … yet! But he soon would as school started up again in a couple of weeks. Where had the summer gone?
We chatted for almost an hour and at the end he assured me that they would be adding me to their substitute list for the new academic year.
The following Monday I went along to McKinney Christian Academy.
The campus is in a neighborhood and sprawls over 60 acres. There are only 500 students ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade and the atmosphere was very relaxing. Teachers were preparing to start school the following week and everyone went out of their way to be friendly and welcoming.
They were all over me making me feel as though they could use me right away! This was quite a confidence booster since I haven’t been a paid employee since Daughts was eight months old and a toddler; now she’s 296 months old and a fiancee!
I interviewed with a huge bear of a man who was head of the Middle school and we had a fine time talking about education, our lives, our families and the upcoming wedding that was looming on my horizon.
I filled out employment forms and took my paperwork back a few days later. The head of HR told me,
“We’ll be calling you next week.”
I panicked! I couldn’t start a whole new job right in the middle of planning Daughts’ wedding. I owed it to myself to spread the changes taking place in my life out a bit. I called to say that due to my daughter’s surprise announcement over the weekend my availability had gone from ‘Immediate’ to September 1st.
I was told I would be put on hold until after Labour Day and to enjoy the next few weeks.
Despite that I’ve had two calls from them, one at 620 in the morning for a TA in Kindergarten that day, which would have been a brilliant segue into the work force. I had to decline. The other was for a week in September, which I accepted.
Cornerstone Christian Academy informed me that my name and contact information has been distributed to their staff.
Everything looks promising.
As a friend of mine said,
“Retirement means doing only what you want to…”
Very much like volunteering only now I’ll be paid!
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
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