View from the chair

National School Choice Week…

This week is National School Choice Week!  

“NSCW recognizes all K-12 options, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online academies, and homeschooling.

Started in 2011, NSCW is now the world’s largest annual celebration of opportunity in education. Over the past seven years, there have been more than 58,000 NSCW events planned across the country and around the world.

NSCW is a nonpartisan, nonpolitical, independent public awareness effort. We are not associated with any legislative lobbying or advocacy.”  https://schoolchoiceweek.com/about/

I am a teacher at a “choice” school.  I teach 4th grade at a good sized Christian school.  I have taught here for 15 years.  It is a school that my husband and I also send our foster (soon to be adopted) daughter to.  She stared here in PreK.  We decided having her here would be better for her in regards to having her close by.  She was very needy when she first came into foster care.  She also had a lot of appointments and being able to grab her right from her school/my work just made sense.  Plus when she was off so was I.  We continued to pay for her tuition.  She is now in 1st grade.  We will continue having her here even after we adopt her.  I am not against public school.  I thought for sure that was where I was heading out of college.  I sent out hundreds of resumes with not one single hit.  I ran into 3 different people on the same day that told me that CCA was hiring and I should apply.  Message heard!  I applied and was hired to teach 1st grade.  I spent 12 years in 1st grade then moved to 4th grade.  I have a tremendous class this year.  Full of supportive parents.  Smart kids!  I have had classes with as little as 7 kids and then this year is actually the largest I have had in a while and it tops out at 19.  For me and my beliefs, this school works for me and my family.

I work with some amazing women.  From Sam who runs the front desk to Nan who heads our sports program to Glen who keeps this building running cool in the warm months to warm in the cold months.  I also work with some amazing teachers.  I will brag about them for a moment.  These women make much less than public school teachers yet they constantly give.  They give supplies bought with their own money.  They give time to meet before and after school.  They volunteer to coach.  They tutor.  They are the first ones to step forward when there is a need for other staff or kids.   These amazing women are not only my co-workers they are my friends.  One in particular.  Karen is my best friend.  We have been friends for over 30 years.  Shortly after I was hired there was a position open mid-year and my friend was able to slip into 3rd grade and has been there ever since.

We have seen many students come through our class.  Some stay until graduation.  Some leave for various reasons.   Regardless of who comes and goes, year after year we are here doing our best to make a better tomorrow.  I hope that wherever you have your child for schooling that you appreciate the teachers and staff behind the scenes doing their best as well.  #SchoolChoiceWeek2018

About National School Choice Week

2 Comments

  1. Zvonimir

    This is waay different then in my country . Public schools compromise 99.9999% of educational schools , i think there is maybe 1 or 2 schools that are private .

  2. Pero

    Nice , thanks for the info

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