My New Job Title + Office Tour

I’ve “officially” been in my position and office for about three weeks now.

And, I’m exhausted.

But, it’s a good exhausted.

When I was initially hired at my school, it was just as a school counselor to work with their students with learning disabilities. Once I actually started and the learning specialist and I started working together, we really overhauled a lot of what the program offered and were trying to add a lot more academic skill building, helping with social skills, and other things like that. It’s something that parents have wanted for awhile, but extenuating circumstances prevented that for the past couple of years.

In proposing these changes to administration; our administration decided to add a title to each of us as Co-Director’s of our Resource Program. In educator-speak it’s basically Co-Department Chairs. The admins really wanted to make sure that the faculty understood that we are both fully invested in the program and that we are both have equal footing in the programs development. They also wanted to give us full ownership of it and not have to sit under the umbrella of another department (whereas we were grouped in with the rest of the counseling department before; so now we’re our own department).

So, we are re-working everything, planning all sorts of programs, contacting a lot of people that we think would be good resources for our students, going to a lot of meetings; the whole nine yards.

On top of all of that, I’m still trying to adjust to my new commute. It’s about 45 minutes each way, so I’m spending a lot more time in the car than I’m used to.

Let me be clear, I’m not complaining about any of it. It’s just taking some adjusting. I am loving the new school, the new position, the new responsibilities and challenges that come with it. I even really like my Co-Director; which if you remember my life from last year, I’m completely grateful to have someone I get along with now. She even brought me flowers on Monday to celebrate the first day of school, which is very sweet.

I am extremely happy with where I am; tired and happy.

I got most of my office all nicely set up. I like for my office to feel kind of homey; it makes it more appealing for students to want to come in and hang out. I almost never have the overhead fluorescent lights on (mostly because they give me headaches), so I have a couple lamps for some extra lighting when natural lighting isn’t enough.

Since it is mostly finished, I thought I would share a few pictures. My office here is a bit bigger than my old office, but oddly laid out, so it’s a little challenging to fit things in it, but it’s working! I need to get a few more wall pieces, though.

Here is the view as you walk into my office. I love the big window; it gives so much natural light in here. I really love my colorful rug too, it was only $20 at Walmart!

I have a small meeting area/work area that I greatly needed in my old office. It’s even a nice place for me to spread out and work on if I want to get away from my desk.

If you’ve seen my Instagram, you know I have my SKHS wall up with my school print and sign. My new school has been so understanding and supportive of my love of my old school. Even the principal here loves this part of my wall; she thinks it’s a lovely tribute.

While it might not look like I need a bookshelf, I like having the space for books (obviously) and for displaying things. Also having a place for a mini-fridge is life and money saving. Now I can just bring a bunch of stuff for lunch on Monday’s and not be tempted to buy lunch all the time here.

Then there is my desk area. Ignore the fact that I forgot to push in the desk drawers all the way. It’s one of my things; I’m really bad at pushing them in all the way. I kind of hate the overhead part and may eventually have the facilities guys take it off but I’m seeing if I can live with it first.

And don’t be jealous, my desk is never this clean/clear. Basically everything that was littering it before got put in that closet to the left for the purposes of this picture. And yes, my Erin Condren always lives near me at work. And that brain is my stress ball. It’s fun when the girls come in and see me squeezing a brain.