How I Got my Job

I received my New York State Teacher's License in the spring of 2004. I immediately began the job search process. My college (Buffalo State) held an annual job search convention for teachers in downtown Buffalo. Districts from all over the country came in, interviewed, and made job offers. I stuck mostly with districts from New York and Texas, where I had family. I made some great progress with Syracuse City Schools as far as receiving a job offer. This was in the spring. Throughout the summer I applied to all the school districts in upstate New York, Texas, and Clark County School District. I checked the employment pages of the local newspaper and called back regarding positions at the districts I had applied to. I got very close to having a job in Syracuse at the beginning of the fall, but it fell through at the last minute. So then I scrambled to figure out how I could make a living and further my career.
I ended up living at home that year and running an after school program in a suburban daycare center where I had worked part-time during college. The pay was enough to keep me out of my parents' hair and they gave me a scholarship to begin my Master's degree at Buffalo State College. I was miserable, but making due.
That spring I had a terrible infection from the little ones and decided I had had enough of the daycare buisness. I would rely on subbing the next year if I had to. That summer I continued taking courses at Buffalo State College and resubmitted all of my applications. I had three interviews that summer. The first two didn't work out, the last one was a part time long term sub position at Alden Central Schools in their middle school. I got it, and I loved it! I was finally an art teacher! The only bad part was that in 13 weeks it would be over. When that stress began, Clark County School District sent out a hiring rep to Buffalo. I set up an interview. It took 10 minutes, and at the end the rep told me to pack my bags and say goodbye to my family. I crossed my fingers.
Two weeks later I was driving from the middle school to Buff State and my mom called me saying a vice principal from Clark County was calling about a position. I immediately called the hiring rep to get more details. It was a brand new school in Las Vegas, had a large population due to growth in Northern Las Vegas, and needed an itinerant art teacher full time. That evening the vice principal offered me the job, and that I began looking for an apartment.
I still teach at that school, I am no longer the itinerant. I have my own classroom and a great group of kids who I have grown with.