Working in Oahu as a school psychologist means no summer vacation.
What do Honolulu School District school psychologists do over summer when classrooms are mostly empty and students are enjoying their time at the beach?
May 2013
The last week of school at any school is always chaotic and for Kaiser High School, it was no different--seniors were getting ready to graduate, teachers were busy preparing and grading exams, and counselors and administrators were frantically wrapping up the school year. In the middle of the end of the year madness, the counselors and I got word that we all had to pack and move our offices....
May 2013
The last week of school at any school is always chaotic and for Kaiser High School, it was no different--seniors were getting ready to graduate, teachers were busy preparing and grading exams, and counselors and administrators were frantically wrapping up the school year. In the middle of the end of the year madness, the counselors and I got word that we all had to pack and move our offices....
(((Ah! Really?!)))
You really don't realize how much stuff you have in an office until you have to pack it all up and move. It really wasn't so bad though considering i was moving one building over. By mid June, I had packed my office and unpacked my files into their new home.
Being a 12-month employee, I don't get summers off like my fellow school psychologists in California (iusd). Summers are typically full of trainings, preschool assessments, long lunches at the beach and cleaning/preparing for the following school year. I was excited to clean my new office and i looked forward to sharing an new office with Jaime Mitsuda, Kaiser's ((incredibly hard working)) Student Services Coordinator; while students frolicked at the beach.
June 2013
It wasn't long after my boxes had been unpacked, when district told me that I was moving from Kaiser complex to Kalani complex...WHAT? moving?? again..? But I just unpacked--last week!
I felt completely caught off guard and unprepared for another move. I had just spent so much time planning my year and putting extra hours in to make sure things ran smoothly and now I had no idea what schools I would be at, how I would move my things, and I felt like I had wasted weeks of cleaning and prepping.
It was initially overwhelming and confusing. It didn't seem like there was good communication or input from administrators/schools and district. The hardest part of the move was saying goodbye to all the amazing people at Kaiser.
As a school psychologist, we are lucky to obtain an office of any size. Mine, I was particularly proud of and extremely grateful for, a courtesy from the school principal, John Sosa, and Vice Principals. Working at Kaiser High School, I always felt welcome. I didn't feel like I was an outsider, which made a huge difference in how hard I worked. There were nights I'd stay up late reviewing last minute behavior goals, private reports, or making notes for upcoming meetings but it was always worth it to me because my job felt meaningful and I felt connected.
There are so many great people at Kaiser who truly made my transition to Hawaii incredible and I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with such genuine people.
As much as I tried to stay positive and be understanding about districts decision to uproot me, it initially gave me a sense of instability and I wondered if I should begin to look for work elsewhere. In retrospect, I know that moving to another district wouldn't have been a good idea and I would have just added to the state's difficulty retaining employees.
Honolulu School District, like many districts, have experienced high turnover rates with district staff and support personnel. Moreover, teacher turnover rates reported in a recent article were alarming. Over half of the teachers hired only five years ago have left. Either way, I am so blessed to have had the time with Kaiser High School staff
It feels like yesterday when Diane and Suzanne Nii were giving me lessons in Pidgin. :) hah.
Being a 12-month employee, I don't get summers off like my fellow school psychologists in California (iusd). Summers are typically full of trainings, preschool assessments, long lunches at the beach and cleaning/preparing for the following school year. I was excited to clean my new office and i looked forward to sharing an new office with Jaime Mitsuda, Kaiser's ((incredibly hard working)) Student Services Coordinator; while students frolicked at the beach.
June 2013
It wasn't long after my boxes had been unpacked, when district told me that I was moving from Kaiser complex to Kalani complex...WHAT? moving?? again..? But I just unpacked--last week!
I felt completely caught off guard and unprepared for another move. I had just spent so much time planning my year and putting extra hours in to make sure things ran smoothly and now I had no idea what schools I would be at, how I would move my things, and I felt like I had wasted weeks of cleaning and prepping.
It was initially overwhelming and confusing. It didn't seem like there was good communication or input from administrators/schools and district. The hardest part of the move was saying goodbye to all the amazing people at Kaiser.
As a school psychologist, we are lucky to obtain an office of any size. Mine, I was particularly proud of and extremely grateful for, a courtesy from the school principal, John Sosa, and Vice Principals. Working at Kaiser High School, I always felt welcome. I didn't feel like I was an outsider, which made a huge difference in how hard I worked. There were nights I'd stay up late reviewing last minute behavior goals, private reports, or making notes for upcoming meetings but it was always worth it to me because my job felt meaningful and I felt connected.
 |
| Working at Kaiser High School was hardly work at all. |
As much as I tried to stay positive and be understanding about districts decision to uproot me, it initially gave me a sense of instability and I wondered if I should begin to look for work elsewhere. In retrospect, I know that moving to another district wouldn't have been a good idea and I would have just added to the state's difficulty retaining employees.
Honolulu School District, like many districts, have experienced high turnover rates with district staff and support personnel. Moreover, teacher turnover rates reported in a recent article were alarming. Over half of the teachers hired only five years ago have left. Either way, I am so blessed to have had the time with Kaiser High School staff
It feels like yesterday when Diane and Suzanne Nii were giving me lessons in Pidgin. :) hah.
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