Job Change?

I LOVE my job. I really, really LOVE it.

I don't make a whole lot of money doing it, though. I'm an hourly employee. I wouldn't even fuss about that because I really do LOVE my job, but the truth is, it doesn't work out to much money. I bring home an "OK" amount during the school year and about 1/3 of that amount during the summer. It helps, but we're certainly not rolling in the dough.

Every year, Larry asks me to look at the school district's website again & see if there are any new openings I'd consider. {Remember, before I got this job, I applied for a few jobs w/ the school but didn't get any of them.} Most of the time, there are openings for bus drivers (I'm not certified for that & would rather lick the belly of a frog or be raped by an elephant....) or lunch ladies (perhaps slightly less aversion to this one than driving a bus). Of course if we were in a position where it meant doing those jobs or losing our home/not feeding the kids, etc. I'd do it. I'm not above serving lunches or driving a bus, but honestly, I'd rather do just about anything else.

Anyway, I go back & look every summer and talk to my girlfriend who is the district's personnel director. Almost every year I send in my application for one job or another and the last 2 years I have heard afterward that the jobs I've looked at were filled by someone already on the school's payroll. (a sub the school folks were already familiar with or an aide already working at another campus, etc) I've taken that 'rejection' without blinking because realistically, I LOVE my job and I figure if it's not where God wants me or what He has for me right now, then it didn't work out for a reason. No biggie.

It would not amount to much of a raise each paycheck, but having a paycheck all year-round would sure be nice. And since trusting God for our finances is an area that is really hard for Larry, when I mention the possibility of a job with a year-round salary, he sees the dollar signs flashing before his eyes immediately and starts shrieking with joy!

So anyway, a couple of nights ago I was looking at the website again & found that there are 4 aide positions open. I emailed my friend (the personnel lady) and asked her about them. Two of them were something I wanted more info about.

One is the attendance clerk at the junior high (I'd LOVE that...I am sooo detail-oriented & love paperwork, so it would be right up my alley). The other is a part-time aide position at the AIM Center. That is our district's alternative education campus for the seriously delinquent kids.

I'm not 100% sure what the aide at the AIM campus would do, but the lady who is the principal of that campus was my 9th grade English teacher and she went to the church where I grew up, so we have a little bit of a connection. I haven't seen her in probably 5 or 6 years, but when I have run into her, we always have a sweet reunion, so it wouldn't be hard to work for her. I emailed her this morning to ask about what that aide position entailed. I suspect that they don't exactly have people running & begging for positions at that campus so it may make it easier to get hired there.

As far as the attendance clerk job goes, as a general rule clerical positions get snatched up by current school employees. However, my personnel friend said that she didn't know who...or if anyone...had applied for that one. So maybe there is a little hope? I emailed the 2 principals who are over the attendance clerk position today & let them know I'm interested. Because they're off for the summer, they may not see my email til they go back to the campus at the beginning of August. Same for the AIM campus principal.

Honestly, I would be COMPLETELY fine with staying at my current job. I LOVE it. I would have a very hard time walking away from being in the classroom. It's in my blood. I love hanging out with the little ones! But then again, I'd also enjoy a quiet, peaceful desk job. I think I could really get into it with time, too. Remember my post in January about how I love paperwork & details? It was no joke.

God's always provided every single penny we need, so I'm sincerely NOT worried about finances if I continue teaching. But at the same time, if this is what God has for us this Fall, I'm willing to go & do it. I've turned this one over to God and will follow His lead. I'm curious to see which way He will go with this!