Happy New Year

Is it going to be?

The new year has started. I’m still stepping in really slowly. The last time I was excited about a new year, it was 2020. 2019 was a stellar year for my family and the excitement I had coming in to 2020 was really something. Maybe 2020 went well for many of you, but for us, it really didn’t. We sold our house that year and it was a good thing. We ended up living on some of the proceeds for a while.

2021 brought us Jackson Farms and Calista Farms, and my entry into local politics. We managed to get the previous mayor to step down and got ourselves a new board in 2022. No new homes were approved until 2024. Only 30 were approved, and those are tucked in behind the commercial property on the corner of Raymond Hirsch and 31W. Linda Silver didn’t run for office again, and Jeremy Sisk will take her place on the board later this month. Michael Wall was re-elected. The planning board is now chaired by Daniel Whited who was pushing for responsible growth right along side me and many others.

We fought three developers on Calista Road at the county level and have so far won. I keep watching the county’s page to see what is coming up this month. We aren’t done there.

The last five years have gone quickly, but rather painfully. I haven’t had much to say over this break, because I have been working on going back to work. I have been home for 20 years, and this is the first time we need me to go back. The trucking industry has changed DRASTICALLY in the last five years. (we fix trucks) The newer trucks are so computerized there is very little you can fix on the side of the road. The drivers that knew what they were doing and spoke English, have retired. One of our big customers has changed how they find help, and their app favors large companies. It’s changing.

In 2001 I got my teaching license in the state of WA. In 2006 I got my teaching license in the state of Iowa. I have a BA in Psychology (waste of money), a minor in English, went back for a teaching certificate (K-8), and finished a Master’s degree in 2005. All of my documentation is together, but it’s old. If you have read this far, stay with me because here is where it gets fun. It’s fun if you like government red tape.

My licenses are expired. I cannot renew my IA license without two college classes. Not sure how much they cost these days, but best guess is over $100/credit. I need six. The screen shot above is for the three tests I need to take in order to obtain my Tennessee teaching license. Those three tests are to teach K-5. I’ve already ordered the books, each is around $30.

The only reason I know which tests I need to take is because I had to put all of my information into a website manned by the state. Of course, everything is expired and I’ve been home schooling my own for years, so I have had questions. You can only email the people at the state office. They send you emails without names attached so you have no idea who you are talking to. They told me that even though I attended a program to teach K-8, the state of TN will not accept that. Even though I have endorsements in English and Psychology, the state will not accept that. I will only be licensed to teach K-5 unless I get another BA. That seemed silly to me, so I continued to email the state. I was told they do NOT do transcript reviews or in person meetings. I could schedule a phone call, but that was it. That is less than helpful. The out of state paperwork that I needed filled out from the school where I got my teaching degree was filled out incorrectly. The correct one is now in my account, so I wait for them to tell me I’m missing tests.

What I really want to do is teach in the building where I have been coaching for seven years. The nameless emailer has said that I can only be licensed for K-5 because the state has changed the rules and my K-8 program doesn’t count. They gave me a list of all of the schools where I can go back and get a 6-12 or 6-8 endorsement. WHAT???? Another degree to teach one or two grade levels up???

The county put me in touch with Austin Peay. The gentleman there told me I just need to add the right tests to the K-5 tests and I could get an endorsement in ELA.

I can’t actually add five tests to the cart. The cart now reflects the three I need for K-5 and one of the tests for an ELA endorsement. I think I need the one at the bottom of the photo as well. So it’s either $648 or $804 to teach at the school where I’ve been coaching for seven years. However, I’m not yet sure this is correct. The information between the state and Austin Peay is conflicting.

To say that I’m frustrated would be an understatement. I keep hearing that there is a teacher shortage, and now I think I understand why. The next hurdle will be whether or not I’m toxic. The last few years I’ve been a little outspoken about things going on in the county. Never thought I would be here looking for work in the county. Life changes, that’s as certain as death and taxes.

Over the next few months, I will still be bringing you news from our city and county meetings. I may be buying gauze for my tongue as I bite it to keep from saying anything overly controversial, but I will still be at the meetings.

Thank you for continuing to read. It’s actually nice when I don’t have anything to report. That means the government isn’t spending your money, and the developers aren’t trying to build 100’s of homes on your street.

Here’s to 2025, may you have hope in this year…..(that will make one of us)