From Lion to Cougar. Today I’m going to talk a bit about my experience of moving from The King’s Academy (TKA) to Somerset Academy Canyons (SC).
Broken
I didn’t leave TKA voluntarily. If I hadn’t been given my walking papers I would probably still be there. I saw myself having a long career at the school.
That vision came to an abrupt halt in 2016 and I found myself searching for a job for the first time in 16 years.
I was broken and I didn’t know what I was going to do.
Dad and Al
The first person I talked to was my Dad. I called him and told him what was going on. He suggested that I talk to my brother, Al. He had been through similar experiences and could give me advice.
I hung up the phone, called Al and explained what happened. He asked me if the school had offered me a severance package. I told him that TKA had agreed to cover my pay and benefits through the end of July. And, they would pay for my daughter’s final year at the school.
I wouldn’t need to work for the next 3 months, but I’d have the same pay and benefits.
Al told me that I should hang up and go to the beach.
I understood what he meant. The severance was excellent. Take a step back, be grateful and relax. Things would be ok. (He was spot on!)
James
James is a great friend who is also a band director. He helped me to see that there would be a career on the other side of this event. He suggested taking a staff position with his band.
I took him up on the offer and spent the next 4 summers on staff at his school. I ran around the field fixing music and visual issues with his marching band members.
It helped me to heal. James helped me to see that I had a lot to offer to kids.
The staff position was great, but I needed a full-time job.
Interview
A Facebook friend suggested that I interview at SC. I wasn’t interested in working for a public school. I had 26 years invested in private christian education and I wanted to continue in that direction.
He convinced me to go to SC and talk to the administration. I agreed to talk to them, but I didn’t consider it a job interview nor did I take the position seriously.
We talked. I told them what kind of person they should hire and what they should do with the program. And, then they offered me the job.
I told them that I’d think about it.
I left the interview, drove across the street and tried to calm down. My body was shaking from anxiety. I didn’t know if I could drive, let alone be a band director again!
I didn’t want to say yes, but it was a job. And I needed a job.
Working at SC
I accepted the position at SC and then found out I would also be the chorus teacher. That surprise was sprung on me about 2 weeks before the school year started.
How was I supposed to be a chorus teacher!
I was a zombie for my first few years at SC. So, imagine my surprise when the principal, Mr. G, told me that I had been selected as the 2017-2018 middle school teacher of the year!
Me, “Teacher of the year? Seriously?”
Mr. G, “You’ve done a great job!”
I squinted at him and shook my head because I had worked a lot harder at TKA. TKA Bands had performed on some big stages and won the respect of many in the band community.
The SC band had played on the sidelines for some football games, given some concerts and received a “C” at concert assessment.
It didn’t make sense.
But, that vote of confidence was another step out of the funk that I was in.
Wrap-up
I believe in God and I believe that He has plans. He knew that I would need time to heal after TKA. And, apparently, He didn’t want me to spend 30+ years at TKA.
I was sitting in church in the summer of 2016 (the epicenter of self doubts and anxiety) when this thought came to mind:
“Somewhere, someone needs a shepherd.”
I wrote that all over my notes.
And, as I sit here on the verge of yet another school and a new set of kids I believe…
“Somewhere, someone needs a shepherd.”
Thank you, God for walking me through that dark valley. Thank you for giving me great people to help me to heal and to grow.
And, God bless the work ahead.
Click here for more posts from my SC years.