Some Not-So-Fun News

I'm trying to be positive. I probably still have a job, which is WAY more than some people can say. I am trying to be thankful...but....

Today I found out that I am on a list of 18 people in my building (200 in the district) who are on something called an "Involuntary Transfer List."

As some of you may know, my district is in a sort of restructuring stage for next year. We are closing elementary buildings and retooling our two middle schools (one will be a 5-6 building, the other a 7-8 building). Because of this, we are going to be losing jobs in the district.

What the district and our union do in times like these, is put everyone whose position could possibly be affected onto an Involuntary Transfer List. The people who are on the list are then informed they are on the list--which is what happened today. I am on this list.

The next step is that the administration then distributes another list that gives all those who are on the list, what subjects they are CERTIFIED to teach (they could be currently teaching these or not. For instance, I am certified to teach both English and Spanish, but last year I only taught English. This year I teach both) and what positions will be available after the retooling. As of now, that means I am on the list as well as my position (which I am not sure if for next year it is English Teacher or English/Spanish Teacher). This list will be given out on Monday.

After that, we have another meeting where everyone basically sits down and they start with the person with the highest seniority and that person chooses the available position in the district that he/she is certified to teach. It may be the very position he/she has taught for years, or--if he/she is certified in something else--he/she may choose that. And we keep going down the list. The people at the end of the list who don't have any positions to choose from that they are certified to teach get pink slips. Any positions that haven't been chosen because there aren't any certified staff to teach them get posted and we hire new people for those. This meeting is in the afternoon on May 28 (last student day of school).

Like I said, I have a pretty darn good chance of still HAVING a job when all is said and done, I am just not sure what that will look like or what building I could be in. I am certified to teach English and Spanish for grades 7-12, so I could be at a middle school if things don't go my way!

Anyway, I really am thankful to HAVE a job, but I am not going to lie...I'm nervous about what these meetings will bring.