This is what I know: the proposed elementary school budget for next year includes cutting six counselors.
The last six hired.
Seniority decides who stays and who goes.
What I don't know: where I am on that list.
Originally hired in the summer of 2008, I had to quit in January of 2009 after using all my maternity leave during my high-risk pregnancy.
Call me crazy, but I was unwilling to return to work when Olive was only two weeks old.
Luckily, my principal delayed filling my position so he could re-hire me in August of that year. But now the lady from HR tells me 09 is my start year.
That obviously puts me further down the list.
I don't know when I'll find out if I'm one of the many educators given a pink slip during a political year. And I don't know what my family would do without my income.
I do know cutting counselors isn't a long term solution to improving schools. I know my job matters to the children I serve.
I know I'll miss walking to and from school every day if I'm fired.
And I don't know how I'd explain to my kids why I wasn't there...
Oh, that justsucks. I am keeping my fingers crossed that no pink slips will be delivered...and that if any are, you're not among them.
And then as a close-a-door, open-a-window kind of thing I am hoping that if there is a &&%*) pink slip headed your way, you'll write your book for the world to read.
But really...I'm hoping you get to keep your job.
Posted by: danielle in zurich | 01/27/2012 at 02:34 AM
Oh, I am so sorry. I know sorry doesn't cut it and won't be able to put food on the table, but still...
I will fervently hope that you get to stay on. For all the good you do and for the good it does for you, too.
Can you convince HR to add on the time you worked before maternity leave? It wouldn't be as good as your first start date, but better than what you have now.
Posted by: Erin | 01/27/2012 at 03:08 AM
Christy--that really stinks!! I am a public school speech therapist and my husband is a middle school principal in Wisconsin--Public education has taken a HARD HIT in our state this year--due to a new governor who decided to balance our state budget on the backs of public employees. Budgets are tight here as well--but we have held on to our counselors! My husband could NOT run his middle school without them!! --You are needed!! I'll be thinking about you and hoping you at least make the seniority cut!!
Posted by: Deb Jacobson | 01/27/2012 at 07:00 AM
You are needed and the children you serve could never find another counselor like you. Worrying without knowing doesn't help. The anxiety is usually worse than the actual event so try to tuck it away until you have something concrete to work with. ...and TGIF!
Posted by: fleming | 01/27/2012 at 07:42 AM
That's the worst. I am a stay at home mom now but taught for 5 years, and every year there were some cutbacks which were very tense and stressful for the staff. I wish you the best!
Posted by: Kristine | 01/27/2012 at 08:08 AM
I'm sorry for the uncertainty and prospects of losing your job. I hate that we are trying to balance budgets on the backs of our children's education and support systems. :-( Sending you good thoughts and praying that things work out.
Posted by: Niksmom | 01/27/2012 at 11:00 AM
How stressful! I hope all works out and that the wait to know is not too long. I am a teacher and I couldn't do my job without counselors helping our kids! (Nurses, too!)
Posted by: Shelley | 01/27/2012 at 11:12 AM
Oh Christy, so sorry. Hope that you find out soon which way things go for you.
Posted by: nerissa | 01/27/2012 at 11:36 AM
Oh Christy so sorry about this uncertainty right now. Someone posted this quote on FB and I'm a putting a big copy of it someplace where I can see it because of some stuff going on for us right now: Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, but only saps today of its strength. Hang in there and keep us posted. Hope it all works out.
Posted by: Kate | 01/27/2012 at 05:16 PM
Most schools could actually use 2 counselors instead of 1!! I know we keep ours hopping! I'm crossing my fingers for you & hoping ASD comes to their senses!
Posted by: Stacey | 01/28/2012 at 06:40 PM
I needed all your comments over the past couple of days. Thank you! I've been a bit of a wreck but Nick sent me out for a ski today and the physical movement helped my mind.
Kate I think I will post the quote you shared up in my office to remind me to try as i might to let it go. I'm speaking before the school board on Wednesday night in support of school counselors and after that I need to tuck it away as Fleming said b/c I don't think I'll hear if i made the cut or not till spring and I can't stay this stressed out till then.
Thank you all for your love and support.
And Stacey, I hear ya, if they want kids test scores to rise the answer is not to cut counselors-- and I'm hoping that if ASD still cuts some of us that our oil-rich state will decide to put some of their extra billions back into education instead of more resource development when they do their budget this summer. But man that's a long time to wait.
Posted by: Christy | 01/28/2012 at 07:50 PM
Just wondering why you consider yourself an educator? No offense, I'm just trying to make sense of it myself.
Posted by: Lisa | 01/29/2012 at 04:48 PM
No offense Lisa. My degree is a Masters in Education with a focus on school counseling. As an elementary school counselor I teacher lessons in the classroom on everything from conflict resolution to friendship to cultural diversity to test-taking skills. When students come to my office I often teach them coping skills so they can return to class and do their best learning. At recess by playing with the kids I teach them sportsmanship and fair-play. In small groups I teach children communication skills and collaboration and let them know that we all have challenges that we need help with from time to time. Before I became a counselor, I worked as a teacher and chose to get my counseling degree so I could be the "educator" in the building who could take the time to listen to the kids stories, to their sorrow and pain and joy, all the while working to help them return to the classroom to get an education. I refer students and families to outside counselors when they need more in depth counseling or therapy, which is not part of my job as a school counselor. (Though I often end up as the first responder to kids in crisis.) I am more of a teacher of social and emotional learning or social skills than I am a counselor/therapist. That's why I call myself an educator. Does that make sense?
Posted by: Christy | 01/29/2012 at 10:40 PM
Makes sense to me, Christy.
Posted by: Tabatha | 01/30/2012 at 08:22 AM
you are truly amazing. not only do you do all that, but you write about it so beautifully too. miss you! xo
Posted by: elizabeth | 01/30/2012 at 09:14 AM
Christy
I am so sorry. Sometimes it seems as if it is always something, and there is so much difficulty in the world today. I see it in so many lives around me...we know things always work out, they have too...and yet, it is the not knowing HOW part that keeps my mind whirring. Sending sunshine and smiles your way.
Posted by: Sara | 01/30/2012 at 09:48 AM
Christy,
use what you wrote about what you do as a school counselor when you speak to the board on wed. so well put! valerie
Posted by: valerie demming | 01/30/2012 at 05:53 PM
Thanks Valerie, I always value your input. I'm sitting down now to work on my speech. My problem is not what to say but how to fit it into the three minutes of allotted time, trying to harness my old spoken-word self who wrote under that same time clock. But that was a bit different b/c it was just me and for fun and now I just returned form a a meeting of counselors and I have all their ideas of what I should say in my head as well, and this is about our jobs and the children we serve. ugh. And as you can see I decided to come here first. I'd much rather write a blog post than prepare to address the school board. I'm keeping myself to the comment section though...
Thank you all for your words of support and encouragement. It helps, believe me.
And FYI, I haven't even written about the fact that Elias is walking better again so at least one aspect of our life seems more hopeful.
It may be a few days till I can write another post here. Need to focus my energy on preserving my job, at least until I speak on Wednesday night. Sweet dreams all.
Posted by: Christy | 01/30/2012 at 08:42 PM
Thanks, that clears it up for me! I am hoping to become a school counselor one day, but never really considered it "educating." Because I have never had the desire to teach, I'm no longer sure if school counselor is the way to go for me. I wonder if your description is typical of most school counselors?
Again, I just want to thank you for your insight. I do want to help troubled school-aged children, and now I may put more focus into becoming a child therapist.
Posted by: Lisa | 01/31/2012 at 09:17 PM
Editing what I want to say for the Public Hearing tomorrow. I'll share it here when I'm done. I should sleep now.
Posted by: Christy | 02/01/2012 at 12:24 AM
Great, great news about ELias!
Posted by: danielle in zurich | 02/01/2012 at 11:18 AM