Followed advise of emailing principals of schools? Strategy didn’t

[Nyfinestbxtf]

Originally Posted by ameliefrnch

My content area is Language Arts/English, high school level. I am not going to be teaching though, and that scares me.
My first call for an interview came in May. Honestly, in 23 years of teaching, that is one of the earliest interviews that I have ever had. Most schools seem to wait until the last minute to hire. We were prepared for that to happen, and were ready to just roll with it. The interview was just a phone interview. It was what you would typically expect. Research the school, first. I was offered the job a few days later, and had no problems resigning from my current job.
We picked Puna because we like how it is more agricultural, and affordable. We want at least an acre, so that we can have chickens, and our daughter can have a goat. It is more laid back. Puna is also cheaper than the place we are fleeing.
I managed to talk someone into renting a little, tiny house to me. Getting a place, without flying over, is hard, due to all of the Mainlanders who have flaked out, or got there, then said, "Ew, no!" Two things helped me convince someone to rent to me: 1) my age (high forties), 2) That my car is currently on a ship to Hawaii. The benefit of me going first, is that I can secure a place for our dogs to go straight to. The place I am currently going to rent is NOT going to be that place. I am going to be a great tenant! Still hoping to buy a certain house, though.
Speaking of dogs... make sure that you sort all of that out 120 days before you go. If you call Hawaii directly with your questions, they are very helpful. Give yourself extra time.
Oh, and someone said that you can just switch schools. The DOE told me that, to get 'permanency' I had to stay at the same site for three years. If I switched before three years, I would start again. At first I was sort of 'tripping'. Then I realized, 'So?' So I start over? So what? I most likely will switch, as I want to be in a classroom, and not an administrator. At least I will be on the right island, for me.
Being on the 'right' island, I think is rather important. I did not want to move my daughter (age 8) more than one time. For example I could afford Oahu, but deep down, it is too busy for me. So, we decided not to take anything that wasn't on the Big Island. One move.
Lastly, I am not calm inside at ALL! I seem calm, but every time I think about it, my stomach falls. Change is good, but scary! I will let you know how it goes.

What do you mean your not going to be teaching? You’re going to move there with your family and not teach? Never mind. Looks like you will be doing something else at the school. Lol. My bad.

And thank you for the reply. That was very helpful. That was one of my wife’s concerns. Finding out last minute and having to move our entire family. But yeah, keep me posted how things go and your comparisons to schools abs teaching on the mainland.

She was contacted July 5th by a principal in Honokaa for an interview to be on July 18th. She shouldn’t of been contacted yet because she is not suppose to be in the pool. It seems possible they hired someone for that position and that teacher got cold feet and rescinded. My wife found it odd why they would wait two weeks later to do an interview when they are scrambling to fill the position. Wouldn’t you want to do the interviews right away and fill that spot? Thought it was just strange.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Nyfinestbxtf

My wife found it odd why they would wait two weeks later to do an interview when they are scrambling to fill the position. Wouldn’t you want to do the interviews right away and fill that spot? Thought it was just strange.

It isn't odd or strange - you are thinking like someone on the mainland.

It is how things are done in Hawaii.

[hotzcatz]

Yup, Vipe's nailed that one.

On the matter of advice and comments, it may not be efficient, but for whatever reason (maybe someone's cousin thought it was the best way) it's how it's done in Hawaii and they really don't want to hear about how to do it better until you've lived here at least for a few years.

[Nyfinestbxtf]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

It isn't odd or strange - you are thinking like someone on the mainland.

It is how things are done in Hawaii.

Fair enough.

[Nyfinestbxtf]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Yup, Vipe's nailed that one.

On the matter of advice and comments, it may not be efficient, but for whatever reason (maybe someone's cousin thought it was the best way) it's how it's done in Hawaii and they really don't want to hear about how to do it better until you've lived here at least for a few years.

I hear ya. I was just curious. Some things just have to adjust to.

[hotzcatz]

Adjusting is good! It's a bit different in Hawaii from most of the mainland and it seems to get more different when compared to places further East.


Too bad your wife didn't want the Honokaa high school job, it would be a nice town to move to, IMHO, (although that's a very biased opinion when it comes to Honokaa.)

[Nyfinestbxtf]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Adjusting is good! It's a bit different in Hawaii from most of the mainland and it seems to get more different when compared to places further East.


Too bad your wife didn't want the Honokaa high school job, it would be a nice town to move to, IMHO, (although that's a very biased opinion when it comes to Honokaa.)

She would jump on Honokaa in a heartbeat. We can’t move yet. For some reason her name was put in the pool when it shouldn’t. Something happened. I think when she emailed schools on the BI had something to with them asking for an interview. Not really sure.

The east has its large pockets of strange. I think many have a misconception about the east. Many think fast and city. I’ve been in towns where it’s like “the hills have eyes” on the east coast which includes NY. The mainland is a big place. Lot of weirdness there. Maybe more so than the desert west.

[hotzcatz]

The mainland is a big place with room for a bit of everything, I'd expect? Although when you mentioned the "east has it's large pockets of strange" I was trying to figure out if Puna is east or not.


We visited the East Coast - mostly the northern end of it from Connecticut up to Maine. It seemed built up with lots of small areas to me, but the areas were smaller than most areas in the islands, especially the ones on Oahu, so dunno why I was surprised. Vermont had more spaces and interesting yard sales, too.


So, when is she looking for work? Not next school year?