Since I was offered a teaching position in the Village of Marshall Alaska I have been very busy with paper work, packing, and helping my family deal with the fact that I will be thousands of miles away. Before I continue I'd better start at the beginning.
After graduating from Washington State University Vancouver with my K-8 teaching certificate, I was ready to pursue a teaching job. I knew that it would be tough and that there were not a lot of jobs available, however I hoped that there would be a teaching position for me. Unfortunately after four interviews during the summer that wasn't the case. So I prepared myself for a year of subbing. The worst part was Shelly would have to go back to work for another year.
It turns out that subbing wasn't all that bad. For the first few months I worked mainly at the school where I did my student teaching in the Battle Ground School District. Then in January I received a call from the school where I worked as an interpreter in the Evergreen School District. Between the two districts I was able to stay pretty busy.
Throughout the year it had become clear to me that finding a full time job for the 2011-2012 school year locally wasn't going to happen. It was then that I started to widen my search for a teaching position. I looked at all the districts in the state of Washington (no leads) I then broadened my search. I searched states that Shelly had relatives in. No luck. During all this searching I kept coming back to Alaska. I knew from previous research that Alaska typically has several job openings so I filled out an application for the Anchorage school District. I didn't hear much from them, I passed their initial interview screening and that was it. While looking at the Alaska Teacher Placement website I noticed that there was going to be a job fair in Seattle for all of the Alaska school districts. Shelly and I talked about it and we decided that we should go. After interviewing with two different school districts, we went home feeling good.
Later the following week I received a call from the human resources person from the Lower Yukon School District. He offered me a job teaching a 5/6 grade split in the village of Marshall Alaska. I of course said yes! So that is where I am preparing to move to a remote Alaskan village. I will be moving there myself in August. Then when private housing is complete the rest of the family will join me. Well I'd better get back to it.
That red star is where I am going!
