Hi friends.
I have an interesting opportunity and I would like to ask your opinion about it.
More below the fold:
As many of you know, I am fortunate enough to hold 3 degrees including a master's degree in mathematics. I am also a certified teacher (math 4-12, bilingual generalist 4-8, ESL Generalist EC-8, and other certs). I was fortunate to win the academic excellence award from the Math Department at Texas State University San Marcos.
As most of you know, unfortunately, my wife left me. She left me deserted in a tiny hick town with no car, no way of getting to jobs,... . However, there was a tiny local school district which hired me to tutor for them and to teach an Algebra II class for them. My tutoring and teaching has now expired. I have also been working for minimum wage at McDonalds. One income, McDonalds, is not working out so great for me right now. I expect to sign a contract as a teacher's aide at my school, but have not yet done so. They would offer me a teaching position if they had the money (superintendent told me this himself).
I have been applying for teaching positions and other retail positions in this area as well as in other parts of the state. Unfortunately, I have not yet received any job offers.
Moving would be expensive.
I love diverse populations of students. I applied for teaching positions and for a tutoring position with Houston ISD. They have a program called Apollo20 and they will be paying tutors $2,000 / month for 10 months and provide good health benefits for their tutors. This program is in conjunction with Ed Labs with Harvard University. It is a full time position.
It's not much money considering my credentials, but it is better than anything I have now. I have interviews scheduled for tomorrow with them. If offered should I take the position ?
I will need to locate a residence in the Houston area where I can live inexpensively. Are there any Kossacks who live in Houston who could help me locate a place ?
This is the email I received :
Dear Apollo 20 Math Fellow Applicant,
Thank you for your expressed interest in becoming an Apollo 20 Math Fellow for the Houston Independent School District. Based on the caliber of your application to the Apollo 20 Tutoring Fellowship Program, we would like to invite you to proceed through the selection process.
We will be conducting three final on-site interview days for Apollo 20 Math Fellows from which you may choose to participate in one. During these sessions, Apollo 20 school leaders will be making on-the-spot job offers to candidates they select to join their team. Please note that though we are holding three sessions, we highly encourage you to participate in a session at your earliest convenience. Please RSVP to apollo20tutor@houstonisd.org to tell us which session you will be attending. RSVP-ing is not a requirement for participation in an event. However, your confirmation will ensure that we appropriately staff the sessions appropriately to expedite the process.
WHEN ( please choose 1):
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 9:00am
Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 9:00 am
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 9:00 am
WHERE: Sharpstown High School
7504 Bissonnet Street
Houston, TX 77074
WHAT: A brief information session on the Apollo 20 Tutoring Program followed by a short, individual screening session with an Apollo 20 team representative.
MAKE SURE TO BRING:
- A pen and pencil.
- Your cover letter and resume.
- Something to read or occupy your time. Since other applicants will be attending this session, expect to wait at times for the next available representative.
If selected to move on to the next phase, we will ask you to return for the afternoon session which will begin at 12:30 PM.
In the meantime, please familiarize yourself with our program by reading our FAQ at: http://media.houstonisd.org/...
If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail us at apollo20tutor@houstonisd.org.
We are eager to meet you and are excited about the possibility of you becoming a member of the first "corps" of the Apollo 20 Fellowship in HISD and being a part of a cutting edge initiative that has never been accomplished by any other urban district in America,
Sincerely,
Here are answers to the FAQS about the program:
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will be my employer?
Apollo 20 Math Fellows will be employed by the Houston Independent School District in Houston, Texas.
What is the Apollo 20 Project?
Apollo 20 is an urban education initiative of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), in collaboration with EdLabs at Harvard University, to significantly turn around chronically low-performing schools. The Apollo 20 project is unique in that it will bring best practices from successful public and charter schools across the nation—including successful HISD schools—to a large urban public school district. You can read more about the Apollo 20 project here.
As an Apollo 20 Math Fellow, you will have the opportunity to be a part of this bold initiative, which has the potential to significantly alter the world of education reform. Your 10-month commitment to HISD and Apollo 20 will be a vital component in transforming public education as we know it.
In which schools are Apollo 20 Math Fellows placed?
The Apollo 20 Math Fellows will be placed in one of nine schools that are part of the Apollo 20 school turn-around effort. These are schools that are struggling to reach their academic goals, and the Fellows will play an important role in improving the academic skills of their students. Fellows will be placed in large cohorts to serve an entire grade—either sixth grade or ninth grade—with focused, intensive math support.
When does training begin for the program, and what does training look like?
Training for the Apollo 20 Math Fellows Program lasts two weeks, beginning on August 2, 2010, and includes everything from how to plan and structure your tutorial sessions, to how to maintain a strong culture of learning, to building relationships with students and families. Training culminates with integration into the Fellows' specific school site.
What is the compensation for an Apollo 20 Math Fellow?
Fellows receive an annual salary of $20,000, plus a generous benefits package including health-care coverage, as well as training. Apollo 20 Fellows will be eligible to receive a bonus of up to $5,000 based on attendance and student-performance measures upon successful completion of the 10-month commitment of service.The Math Fellowship is a full-time position, Monday through Friday, for the 10-month period.
Apollo 20 Tutoring Fellowship Program Recruiting Team
Houston Independent School District
I would need to be living in Houston by August 2.
I would need to find an inexpensive place to live by then, pack everything up, and move into a new place in a very short time span.
I am almost guaranteed to have a least the teacher's aide position + tutoring (and benefits) with Prairie Lea ISD. I may be offered that as soon as Friday.
Moving is expensive. I might not be able to find a place where I could live off of that. What if I have to put down deposits ?
My aunt taught in the area and then was a principal for a number of years there. She said that this is a very tough gang area group of schools.