On Nov 14th I interviewed for a job with Uintah School District to become the director of the CEP Program. Basically I would run a business within the the school district. This business employes the disabled students who need to get out of the mainstream school for one reason or another and I would put them to work. Anyway, I got the job. I can honestly say that I wasn't 100% thrilled, mostly because I didn't know everything about it. Now that I have been here almost 2 1/2 months I can say that it is overwhelming, but enjoyable. In any given day I will scrub a toilet, shovel a sidewalk, mop a theater, and print out invoices or receiving payments. I get to attend all of the Vernal Chamber of Commerce meetings, I am on the Conservation Issues committee and I am a teacher. It is a unique position, mostly because I am not the usual teacher you would think of, I do on the job training and life skills training.
The requirements for this job include:
1. A teachers certificate (which I have) and a Special Ed endorsement (which I don't have, I have a History endorsement, and now I have to go back to school!
2. I have to be able to get a CDL (with bus endorsement) since I am not only a teacher, director but also backup bus driver.
3. I also have to go to a week long Employment Specialist seminar in Salt Lake... my first OFFICIAL business trip. Even though its in SLC where I have spent a lot of time working and traveling through, I am excited to stay in a hotel and explore downtown at night and maybe even see a Jazz game... if the season is still going in April.
4. I have to all of a sudden pretend I know the first thing about running a business. Not only a business, but I juggle the state and income funding I get. I have to spend wisely.
5. I have to make sure that my employees have everything they need to meet the standards that the DSPD (Department of services for people with disabilities) has set forth for half of my crew and I also have to meet requirements of the school district for the other half of my crew. There are a lot of laws when it comes to the disabled and I am learning them very quickly. I have to fill out progress reports for both sides and I have to keep immaculate records. This on top of recruiting the outgoing seniors from the high school. When a student with disabilities reaches the age of a senior (18) they have the choice to stay at the school until they are 22, or anytime they can transfer to me. After the age of 22 the state agencies fund them so they can stay with me in what they call 'vocational training.'
WHEEEW! I am writing this while taking a break from being overwhelmed. I would post pictures, but I haven't taken any recent ones of my crew or them at work. Besides, even though they sign wavers that allow us to use their pictures, I am sensitive to publishing their faces on a private blog.
Thats my job, and so far so good.
4 comments:
1st of all: I'm allowed to brag about you Brian!!
Alright, I have the hardest working husband in the world and he always makes sure he spends time with Ryanna and I every day too. In fact, one of my favorite parts of his job as CEPP director is we can visit him, have lunch, and spend time with him while at work. We even have Ryanna's pack-n-play set up at his office and she takes her nap there several times a week. Not to mention how welcoming the students and Brian't coworkers have been. We are just part of the gang!
And one more thing. When Brian gets done with work as the CEPP director he runs errands, comes home for a few hours usually and then goes to work at the radio station. He is there from about 5 to 7:30 or 8. Most nights he is home in time to read to Ryanna and give her a kiss before bed.
We are two lucky girls!
All I can say is that Baldwin has an immeasurable amount of energy. I would be tired all the time if I had that many jobs. I just go to work for 9 hours a day and go home and watch the tube. That's it, no kids, no nothing. And I'm still tired!
CONGRATULATIONS on your new opportunity!! we are so happy and excited for you. Good luck with your new learning curve. Learning the ways of the business world is always helpful. Sounds like (from Kristin) that you get some great family bonding time, too. You are so lucky and blessed in so many ways!
Enjoy it while you've got the energy
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