Three Weeks At Zeeks

The past month has been a whirlwind of excitement and stress. After 5 days in Seattle, I was completing my plan of subbing and working a part time job for consistency by accepting a host position at a yummy local pizza chain called Zeek's Pizza. The atmosphere is fun, the co-workers are funny and extremely interesting to talk to, and the employee discount isn't so bad either. However, today is my last day. WHAT? I am not someone who quits after working for a few weeks, even if it is the easiest job ever. However...

I AM GOING TO BE A THIRD GRADE TEACHER! Yeah. After a week of working at Zeek's, I started getting calls for interviews for real teaching jobs. I thought that dream was going to have to wait a year because I hadn't heard anything since I had started applying in April. Anyway, I started the interviews, and got offered a 5th grade position last Tuesday in one school district, and then a 3rd grade position last Thursday in another. It was crazy and I still can't believe had I two career job offers in a span of 32 hours. Eventually for various reasons, I chose the 3rd grade position at Newcastle Elementary (go lions) in Issaquah School District. It is east of Seattle, about a 30 minute drive, but I get great views of the city and the beautiful "Issaquah Alps" every day. I love it. I have three other teachers on the 3rd grade team I get to work with, and I couldn't be more excited!!

front doors!

school from the back

If you think this blog post can't contain any more exciting news, think again. The teacher whose classroom I am taking is going to be a dean of students (similar to a vice principal) at another school in the district, and she found out I was a first year teacher and decided to LEAVE ME EVERYTHING. Yeah. Books, paper, all supplies, the bulletin boards on the wall, you name it, she gave it to me. I felt so blessed and lucky. I can't even begin to explain how stressful stocking my own classroom in two weeks was, and she wiped it all away. I hope someday I will be able to pay it forward to someone who is in my shoes now.

the classroom prior any changes

new rug I love!

So, with all that said, I have spent this past week juggling getting my classroom ready and finishing out my third and last week at Zeek's. It has been a handful, but it's fine. Next week training and in service actually starts and I am very much looking forward to sitting down with my 3rd grade team and planning things out and getting hopefully a third of all my questions answered. School starts September 4th, which is almost too close for comfort, but I'm excited to get the year started and meet my first class of 3rd graders!