Wow, it’s been quite some time since I have written any blog entries. You would think that being unemployed would allow me a lot of time for things like this, and I guess it does, but for some reason I just have not been in the mood for writing. Now I am 6 ½ months into my unemployment and while things have been difficult, we have been managing to get bye. I have sent out many resumes and have gotten a nice amount of calls from that. Three times I have reached the second round of interviews, being one of two or three finalists for a job, but in all of those cases, I have not gotten the job. Although this is upsetting, I do feel that it does mean that I am marketable, and I do know I will get a job in the near future.
This week I had an interview at a nice size law firm in NYC, and even better, I had a phone interview for a charter school system in Newark where I would absolutely love to work. The schools are called TEAM Charter Schools and they are a part of a nationwide system called KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program). These schools are being built in large urban areas across the country. In their words KIPP is “a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life.” I highly recommend checking out their websites and supporting them if possible. I will keep everyone informed about my interview process there!
The kids are all doing very well. Shayna loves Kindergarten at Solomon Schechter. She is thriving there and comes home daily with new Hebrew words and singing songs she has learned. She has lots of friends in her class and she loves her teachers. Noam continues to do very well in 3rd grade. He was very lucky to have the same teachers as he did in 2nd grade. He really likes them and he is doing amazing work. He also gets pulled out of class a few times a week for enrichment so he can still be challenged at a higher level at times.
Avi is in his second year at Newmark school. He really likes it there and he is doing well with their social behavior and social thinking programs. Of course he really likes the school store! He earns up to 100 points a day and he uses them to buy great stuff in the store. He has started to make more friends there as well. Most of the kids from his class last year are in a different class from him this year. The 4th and 5th grades have been combined a bit. Most of the 4th graders are in one class with a few 5th graders. Avi is in a class of mostly 5th graders with one 6th grader. At a small school like Avi’s it is possible to cater to each student and his or her own needs and Avi was better suited for this class. His birthday is coming up and unlike last year (when he did not invite anyone from his class) he invited his whole class plus a few from the other class. Avi is going to be 10 years old! It’s quite hard to believe that is has been almost 10 years since he was born.
Today is Thanksgiving and I am very thankful for my family. It can be rough sometimes, but I know that I could not have done it without Marsha. We have been married for 15 years and I look forward to the next 15 years!
In honor of Thanksgiving, here is a great video of Arlo Guthrie, Judy Collins and Pete Seeger singing This Land is Your Land.
Enjoy!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-aeweP-BFU]