Help me think through this...

[Dmmetler]

I've wanted to get closer to my dad geographically since my mom died. I've also been considering finding a job that would put me on a more compatible schedule with basically every other adult without kids at home, including DH. Since most people want music lessons after school, that means I can't do community band or choir, or, often, see DH for more than maybe an hour or two before I go to bed. 

 

My home town is opening a new high school. One of my friends forwarded me a job listing-they need a piano lab/general music teacher  (IE, something other than band, choir and orchestra for kids who need a fine arts credif, so basically teaching beginners/hobbyists). It's a new program-they didn't have space for it until they split the school. Three of my friends will be teaching there as well, moving over from the other high school, and the one who teaches drama says the guy who heads up fine arts is awesome to work with and it's a great department. It's a HARD district to get a job in-there are three local universities that all produce teachers, so most positions are filled from folks who student taught. But this is a new program. And it's one I'm very well qualified for as far as actual experience (although the fact that I haven't taught in a public school for about 20 years and my license says TN vs VA might make me less so). 

 

But...it would require moving. I'm already committed to teach here this summer. My students expect me to be here in the fall. L needs me to moderate Athena's classes, and I agreed to co-teach one with L, so I'd either need the department to arrange my schedule so I could do that, or I'd be taking L's part time job away. It's a difficult area to find a house in at all, and if you can find one, they're expensive. There are so many college kids who need housing that almost everything is rentals and expensive rentals, because each bedroom gets rented as a unit. And while I'm sure my dad would welcome us, moving two adults and four cats and our stuff in would be a stretch. C has a couple more years of high school, and there's no way he'd be allowed to move with me.  M is going to college in MO, so I would be farther from them, too. 

The school year also would make it hard to be there for some of L's senior in college stuff...and since L graduated in 2021, senior year of high school basically was an empty set. I really want to be there for at least some of it, and it's FARTHER from L's school than we are now. 

 

Everything logical in my brain says "you can't do this next year, maybe the year after".  But there's also a part of me which is terrified that if I miss this chance and something goes wrong, I'll never forgive myself. 

 

Oh, and I also feel kind of too old to apply for jobs, since a good number of the people the application asks for aren't alive anymore....like, say, my cooperating teacher for my ESL student teaching in 1995, who retired the next year, or the last principal I worked for, who was 76 when i left to have L. The university music school  I used to teach music Ed classes at has had three college deans since I left.  I don't remember my high school or undergrad GPA, or how many credits I took as an undergrad. I might have a still sealed transcript somewhere, maybe. No clue where. If they wanted a CV and cover letter, I'd feel much more confident, but the online form seems designed for people just graduating college. And that's not me. 

 

 

 

 

[Katy]

Apply and decide when you get an offer. The job won’t be open next year. 

[Faith-manor]

I have no good words of advice. For me, I found that the atypical hours of music studio and performances just became to hard to manage with college kids, aging parents, etc. Mark and I were only in the same room half the time to sleep. But I also would not have tried to move in the middle of all of it too. It is hard. Very hard. Hugs from me to you!

[prairiewindmomma]

Apply and go from there. There are tradeoffs to whatever you choose, but your statement that you regret not seeing more of your dad seems like a gut check one.

Would you want to be in that town even after your dad passed?

Even if you dont get the job, can you rearrange life so that you have more time to travel—like a four day weekend? 

[Innisfree]

5 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Would you want to be in that town even after your dad passed?

This seems like an important question. Also, how would your dh feel about the move?

In general, I agree with applying now and seeing what happens. There aren’t any guarantees that a job will be open in another year.

[footballmom]

Something about this job is pulling at your heartstrings. I firmly believe things that are meant for us come together. There is no downside to applying.

[City Mouse]

I agree that you should apply and then decide later. 
 

I can see positives and negatives from either choice. I know the frustration of having an opposite schedule from DH, but I also know the frustration of trying to take care of elderly parents while working as a public school teacher. 

[Laura Corin]

I would be wary of applying with a high likelihood of turning the job down if I might want to apply to that school/district again in the future. You don't want to look as if you are messing them around. 

[Halftime Hope]

Any idea what are the chances that there is funding for this now, but the program will be cut in the future? Budget cuts tend to target the new or experimental programs vs crowd-pleasing favorites like band, choir, orchestra, and established sports. If the district has a well-established pipepline from middle or intermediate school starter band programs up through high school, so kids do have an option for learning an instrument, when budget cuts come, they could get first priority. 

I like the idea for you, but were you to take it, you might also develop clientele on the side if you need the income.

[Lecka]

I would go if you really want to go back there.  I think the housing issue is a huge issue.  
 

I think it sounds like two issues are:  spending more time with your Dad, and having a job with regular business hours. 
 

I am not sure this is the solution to that problem.

 

I would say to look for other ways to see your Dad more, and also ways to change your hours.  Maybe you could visit more and quit offering lessons two nights a week, without all the upheaval.

 

Can you tell I am a risk-averse person?  I am.  
 

If it is more you really want this job, then I also think “go for it.”  I don’t think it’s the best/only way to solve these issues though, and I think it can be better to start small.  I think it would also be worth looking at other job options in your local area.  
 

It sounds really disruptive, to be honest.  It is disruptive to some current commitments you have.  I think that is okay, but — they sound like commitments that are positives for you.  
 

As far as the application seeming aimed at a college student — I doubt that’s purposeful.  It’s probably just some template they used or something.