4th decade - new phase and era (goodbye LPS)

So here I sit in the start of my 4th decade ready to check it out.

It was yesterday I realized that it was the last day of school, meaning I never got my 5.0 days of supply work in, thus my days at the Lakehead Public Schools as a supply teacher are over.  In previous years that would have scared me.  This year.  Not so much

In 2002 I graduated with my bachelor of Education, and that fall I had made it on to the occasional teaching list.  Almost instantly I was working away and had my first long term in a few months.  From that LTO I was whisked into another, and then another and for the first few years I was heavily busy. working full time.

In 2006 I even quit working at Sears (that's another story entirely).

In 2007 I had an opportunity to manage an adult education centre for a year, and I thought I was doing the right thing for my career and would be expanding my skillset to be a fully equipped teacher.

That ended up being the wrong thing to do, as after the year it was very hard to get any days as in most cases I was viewed as a 'new entrant' again.  It was rough, and something I never really was able to recover from and re-establish myself in the system.

It was then then that I had to watch that I was able to maintain 5.0 days of teaching per year to keep my name on the list.  I also had to work elsewhere, so that made getting those days very tricky indeed.  Several times I came close and a couple times I had to request for a review to be allowed to stay on.

So this year, when I hadn't made the requisite number of days, it came to me as a realization at the last day.  Sure, I kinda knew all along, and I thought I'd make time, but to be honest: in 14 years with the board it really has been a one way relationship.  I gave and gave, and I loved teaching.  I did everything I could to make my way in that board, and there was very little given in return.  It made me somewhat cynical about the system.  Which is a shame.  I love teaching, I have the utmost respect for those in the profession.

But for me, this is the end of my connection with LPS.  I'll be probably getting my letter shortly to say I didn't meet the requisite number of days and will be removed from the list.

Should I want to get on the list again, I'll have to re-apply.  I'm saddened in someway to say good by e to that time of my life.

In others, I'm absolutely energized and charged daily in my role at the CEDC.  It is a fantastic organization that has rewarded me appropriately and I'm proud of the part I play.

I look forward to many many more years where I am, so missing out on LPS is a moot point.  But I can't but have a twinge of longing as I close that door.