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SagaFamily Commons => OOC/OT => Topic started by: Alirrin on June 08, 2011, 10:00:28 PM

Title: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Alirrin on June 08, 2011, 10:00:28 PM
Just a quick hello before I head to bed. I flew in today, got checked in to our temporary housing, got dinner, and went grocery shopping. Tomorrow is the big day, interview at 10:30.

I'll check in afterward to say how it went. For now, it's time for my beauty sleep!
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Jasyn on June 08, 2011, 11:10:29 PM
Good luck!
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Lyrima on June 09, 2011, 02:42:43 AM
YAY!! I'll be sending you luck and light allll day! You'll be fantastic.
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Alirrin on June 09, 2011, 05:08:30 PM
Well, the interview went well. I think the math chair likes me, but it was hard to tell what the upper school head and school head thought. I am the third of five interviews for this job, but the chair seemed to indicate I was the strongest candidate on paper. It won't be a long wait though: they intend to make an offer by the end of next week.

Meanwhile, I spent the afternoon in downtown Redmond and LOVE it. Dorothy and Alex landed about an hour ago, so I'm just waiting for them to get up to the apartment from the airport. Tomorrow and Saturday are for home hunting.

More news as it hits the presses!
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Lyrima on June 09, 2011, 07:23:45 PM
Keep us posted!

It's the job of the administration to keep an open mind and a cipher face.  I've had call backs from interviews and lessons.  Are they talking about that at all?

Has wife and daughter moved there yet? Is this the move time? Or are they visiting?
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Alirrin on June 09, 2011, 07:52:22 PM
No callbacks, they are going to make an offer based on the one interview set.

The ladies have arrived, and they are here for good. I will be going back to Texas on Sunday night to finish getting the house ready to sell. I dread returning to the heat ... It is SO NICE up here.
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Corsair on June 09, 2011, 09:36:22 PM
Yeah, the NW is really nice...just have to be able to embrace the gray months as well. It will be so cool if you get a good offer right off for this....toes crossed as previously noted.


Alex...such a good name. And I am totally not biased at all...no sir. No chance I have a kid with the same name. Nuh-uh.
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Lyrima on June 21, 2011, 04:56:01 AM
QuoteNo callbacks, they are going to make an offer based on the one interview set.

News?
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Alirrin on June 21, 2011, 06:58:30 AM
Sadly I was not offers the position. They decided to use one hire to fill two holes (math and middle school science). Since my background included neither science nor middle school, they went with someone less qualified for the math in favor or someone with a broader background.

On the plus side, my current job has guaranteed me work through the end of July (I'm a telecommuting software developer, so can work from anywhere, really), and my boss hopes to extend that further. We are hoping that we can demonstrate to his boss that distance isn't a factor, and eventually just resume normal operation. If not, I have a promise of two weeks notice before being let go.

Meanwhile we have found an apartment in Redmond we like and will be moving in on July 2.
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Corsair on June 21, 2011, 05:49:34 PM
Just in time for good fireworks, and a 4th BBQ!

Washington state allows for personal purchase of good fireworks BTW...one of the best states for that kind of fun.  O0
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Jezerai on June 21, 2011, 11:06:19 PM
AND!! It was a lovely and delightful Pacific Northwest summer day in Grays Harbor!  74 and blue skies!  Heaven!
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Lyrima on June 22, 2011, 11:13:41 AM
I'm glad you are figuring it out with your job.  Probably easier to stick with a known (job) as you enter unknown (living in Seattle) :)

First year teaching can be hell and hours of extra work.

YAY for the apartment!
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Alirrin on June 22, 2011, 12:51:31 PM
Yeah, I've taught every math class that can be taught in high school before, but there's always new stuff related to being at a new school that takes extra time.

Another thing that makes me think it's just as well I didn't get the job is that the math chair, during our interview, mentioned that she doesn't believe in test anxiety or math anxiety, and does not allow alternative assessment methods (unless the student is identified as 504 or LD, of course). This didn't sit well with me, as I am a big believer in giving verbal or project based assessments for students I can tell know the material but don't test well. I also prefer observational assessment to be the majority of the grade, and try to keep homework to a minimum, where she expects a significant portion of the grade to be from homework.  I'm thinking now that despite the school overall being really good, it might not have been the best fit for me as a teacher.

So, I'll IT for a while longer and see how things go.

Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Lyrima on June 22, 2011, 07:44:25 PM
You and I have extraordinarily similar approaches to assessment and teaching  :smitten:

You would have been MISERABLE there.
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Jezerai on June 23, 2011, 12:10:50 AM
I wish my highschool math teachers had shared your philosophy!
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Lilica on June 25, 2011, 08:20:14 AM
Quote from: Boudeccai on June 23, 2011, 12:10:50 AM
I wish my highschool math teachers had shared your philosophy!

Me too!  I hated math with a passion.  Made it as far as geometry before I gave up.  Blech.

Anyways, welcome to Washington State!
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: PinkRose on June 25, 2011, 10:54:49 AM
1. Congrats on the official move.
2. I'll have to swing by and meet up sometime.
3. Corsair, you sound like a man who has made the trip over the border before. My previous Father-In-Law made a yearly trip of it. And set his yard on fire once.
4. Vancouver, WA, (about 2 1/2 hours south of Seattle) has the biggest fireworks display west of the Mississippi, they say (http://www.vancwa.com/4th_of_july.htm).

Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Corsair on June 25, 2011, 03:24:50 PM
I have indeed made the trip...and I shall do so again this year.

Never set the yard on fire though. Well, not since I was a kid anyhow, and that was very minor....not on the 4th either. Ahem.

We have a pretty large and growing NW presence again eh? We really ought to do something about that.
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Lyrima on June 25, 2011, 08:14:40 PM
QuoteWe have a pretty large and growing NW presence again eh? We really ought to do something about that.

<SIGH>
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Lyrima on June 25, 2011, 08:15:40 PM
How's about 'we do something about that' NEXT YEAR IN VEGAS?

That's a good idea.

Weekend of June 16th.

Just sayin'
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Jezerai on June 25, 2011, 11:57:31 PM
Since June 16 happens to be my birthday as well, I totally concur!
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Jasyn on June 26, 2011, 12:32:58 AM
omg.  It's fate.  (oh, and happy belated Bouday, Birtheccai.)  :)
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Alirrin on June 26, 2011, 05:46:32 AM
It is officially on my calendar.  I can't promise I will be able to make it from this far out, but I won't forget it! ;)
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: PinkRose on June 26, 2011, 09:01:57 AM
Keep reminding us.
We'll be there.
And according to some people Las Vegas is in the NW so that's good.
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Alirrin on July 05, 2011, 08:02:29 AM
I am now sitting in my new apartment. There are boxes everywhere, our clothes are hung pretty much randomly, and the kitchen is only about 50% useful ... but WE'RE HERE!

The settling-in is going to take some time, especially as we both have to get back to work now at the paying jobs, but a couple hours a night and a good push on the weekend, and in a couple of weeks we should be done. Meanwhile my PC should arrive via UPS tomorrow, and once my desk is uncovered, I'll try to get in to game occasionally.

As soon as I find my sync cable, I'll download the pics I took off my balcony to share.
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Jezerai on July 05, 2011, 12:55:05 PM
Whooooo HOO!
Title: Re: Greetings from Seattle
Post by: Jasyn on July 05, 2011, 01:19:48 PM
Congratulations on surviving the escape.  I hear Chuck Norris has been looking for you.  ;D