In my daily life I am fortunate to
have many supports. My day begins by
checking my phone for any staff that may be out for the day. I call substitutes to cover for the classrooms. If all of the subs are being used or are
unavailable, I contact a colleague to see if one of her staff can cover in the
classroom. I work with a staff of
teachers, aides, foster grandparents and volunteers who do a wonderful job
supporting our children in the classroom.
Teachers and aides offer suggestions when problems arise that need a
solution. They also offer suggestions
when reports have been written to make ensure that all we do is
documented. I also work with three other
coordinators. Often our responsibilities
overlap so we need to consult each other before moving forward on decisions
that need to be made. We share a secretary
who is invaluable in researching prices for products, making phone calls to
parents or partners to set up appointments, arranging for room reservations in
our building for meetings, and composing letters of thanks to our 48 different
partners. I coordinate schedules with various
community partners. The assisted living
facilities in turn, provide Christmas for a number of our families and provide
funding for supplies we may need.
Because we are part of the Virginia Quality Rating Improvement System,
we are given a mentor that works with me and our teachers to ensure the highest
quality of care for our children. We
compare our CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) observation scores also
to keep ourselves reliable using the tool.
William and Mary students help with projects throughout the year as
well. Right now an intern is inputting
data for analysis of our curriculum. I
also work very closely with the school division who provide services for our
children with disabilities.
At home
I count on our daughter and my husband to cook dinner two nights a week so that
I can work on graduate school work. My
husband is retired so he makes phone calls that need to be made, takes our pets
to the vet for their yearly checkups, takes recycling to the dump, does
laundry, and fixes things that need repair.
My extended family also provides support for me as I work to attain my
Master’s Degree. They are so excited for
me!!! They call to see how things are
going and help me to relax when I am feeling stressed. My church family also provides support to
me. My husband has a number of health
issues. They offer to take him to the
doctor so that I don’t have to take off in order to do so. All of these supports help me to be able to
do what I do.
The
issue that I have chosen to address is one that may become very relevant to
me. I live in Richmond, Virginia but
travel to Williamsburg every day for work.
It is about a 45-50 minute drive.
If gas prices continue to rise above four dollars a gallon, I will have
to think about relocating closer to home or working longer hours and not going
in as many days a week. If I stay at my
current job, which I love, I would need the support of my boss and the Human
Resources Department who would allow me to work longer days or perhaps do some
work from home. I would also need the
support of my husband if I have to look for a job in education when many schools
are trimming their budgets. I would also
want the support of my children and extended family. Networking would be important. My husband has a cousin who has been in the
local school division for many years. My
church family could also help with networking.
I am on the Linked In website which could also offer some
opportunities. Partners that I work with
in Williamsburg may know of job availability in Richmond. I know some preschool directors of private
preschools that might offer help as well.
This is an issue that
will require a great deal of thought, planning and strategizing with
others. The task would be overwhelming
without the support of others. Knowing
that I have the support of so many, aides in any difficult situations I face. Just knowing that I can count on these family,
friends, and co-workers and partners makes any decision I have to make easier
to bear. I know I am not in it by
myself. I am truly grateful for all of
the wonderful people in my life.
References
