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| The Thankful Project |
If you haven't noticed, I am participating in something called the Thankful Project. It was started by Chasing Happy. I love her blog. Always such deep post that make you think about life.
Today's prompt: An Experience. Fair warning, this is quite a long post.
Being a "Budget Cut" from my first job. I have a vivid memory of this experience. Sitting in my car in the school parking lot just crying. Uncontrollably crying. This was my first "real job" I had put my heart and soul into this job. I loved the kids, my coaches, everything.
My coworker and I had been told on a Monday that we needed to meet with the Superintended that Wednesday regarding our jobs. Schools in the state of Texas were about to have some major budget cuts, and our jobs apparently were on the chopping block. Wednesday came around, and my Athletic Director came in my office. I remember the conversation like it was yesterday
AD: Is Josh* here? * Name has been changed**
Me: Not yet
AD: Okay, well I need you to come to my office at 1030 this morning.
Me: Its me isn't it. I am going to be a budget cut
AD: (looked down at the ground) Just please come see me and the Assistant Superintendent at 1030.
I had to go to a staff meeting prior to the meeting. I remember sitting in the meeting next to a coaching friend of mine and we were passing a note book about questions I needed to ask. I had never been let go before, I didn't know to ask about health insurance, severance pay etc. All the while, our principle was standing there talking about how the budget cuts were not going to affect any of our teachers. "We will not be losing any teachers." He kept saying. I am not technically a teacher. I am an Athletic Trainer. I do not have a teaching certification, hence how he could stand there and say that. He stood there and wouldn't look at me either, he knew what was about to happen. I left the meeting early to go to my other meeting.
I just cried the whole time. I know that isn't the professional thing. But I just cried. I was so unhappy. I was truly heart broken. As I write this, I am tearing up.
After all was said and done, I went to my car and just cried. I called my mom, my dad and my best friend. I was lost and had no idea what to do. After I semi composed myself, I went back to the Athletic Training room where I had a room full of athletes and my students waiting on me. Another Athletic Trainer who happens to be a close family friend of mine happened to be at the school. Him, my head AT and I sat in our office and just talked. I was mad, sad, and just not okay. I left school early that day.
After school we had scheduled a meeting with our students because my coworker would be gone starting that Thursday (the very next day) for a month for shoulder surgery (Yes, school district let me know on a Wednesday that my job wasn't important enough to keep for the next year... the day before my coworker was about to take a month off. So hey, you don't have a job next year, but please stay for the next month and do the job of two people by yourself... Thanks a whole lot). Well I left before the meeting, and to just make the whole situation even worse.. my coworker told all our kids a that meeting.
"hey, I am just going to say this now... Ms.Oney won't be back next year"
So I got to go to school the next morning, putting out fires with that. It was like living it over. I had parents calling me, kids crying in my office, I was stopped in the hallway and everything. It sucked.
BUT, the reason that I am thankful for that experience is because I never would have met my fiance, I never would have been able to work with one of my best friends for the last 2 years, and I wouldn't have gone through such an event that has shaped me and helped me as a professional. I can now take the good things from it.
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