Thursday, July 19, 2007

It's official...

We have a destination. After months and months of anxiety, job fairs and interviewing, we have finally come to a conclusion about the fall. In a couple of weeks, Owen and I will be moving to Fayetteville, NC, and will both begin working in the neighboring schools. I will be teaching 5th grade and he will be a teacher assistant in a pre-k room. The tremendous upside to this is that we will both have the same breaks and, hopefully, will be able to come home for summer.

Of course, we are heartbroken to leave home and our families. Even the idea that we will be an hour and a half from the ocean all the time, though fantastic, is not enough to make us happy about going. We will dearly miss all our family and friends.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Classroom wish list

As you may imagine, I have begun to try to figure out what kinds of things I will need this fall as I set up my first classroom. To the best of my inexperienced ability to brainstorm, I have come up with the following list of things. If anybody has any of them lying around the house and would like a good cause upon which to dump them, I'm your gal. I'll even come get them if necessary (and reasonable). You can contact me via email to set that up. Items with an asterisk are more acute needs. Without further ado, here is the list:

Used printer cartridges*
Books of any sort whatsoever (preferably young adult reading level, but ANYTHING goes)*
Storage containers, any size (Rubbermaid, etc.)*
3-ring binders*
File folders*
Regular folders
Post-it notes*
Pens - especially colors other than black or blue
Pencils*
Erasers
Highlighters*
Gift cards (I can figure out how to use one for practically any store)
Paper - any weight and color
Crayons
Markers
Stickers/labels - any size and style
Magazines (home decor, family and/or science magazines are better - not as many risque ads)
Wrapping paper
Used greeting cards
A current desk calendar
Stacking trays (in-box type things)
Magazine organizer boxes
Page protectors
Clip boards
Index cards
Library book pockets
Hanging file folders

Some of you may be experienced teachers, in which case I would love any suggestions you may think of that I have not listed.

Update

Well...as of right now, I am looking at two job prospects. Of course, #1 is the job I have been offered in NC. Owen and I have both verbally accepted positions there. The only thing that could knock us off track now is an offer from a local school where I just applied yesterday. I am almost positive I will get called for an interview due to some family ties, so we'll see what happens.