So I live and work in the wonderful state of broke a** Illinois. Today at work I found out my contract of 180 days is being cut to 3 days a week for next year That is a 40% decrease!! Not only does my job get decreased but so do my benefits, so if I choose to stay where I am now I will have to pay $158 additional PER MONTH for health insurance!! I was hoping to stay in my small school district until I got my masters and had a year or so of SLP on my own experience before moving to a bigger district. But 50% of the pay I get now to drive 30 mins is not worth it.

I seriously can not take anymore bad news. I realize things could be worse, but it sure feels like FOREVER since anything good has happened.

[jesridge]

Do you teach? Seems like every state is like that right now. I have a teaching degree, but I'm a receptionist because I can't find a teaching job *anywhere.* (And I'm applying to places anywhere within an hours' drive... ugh)

[LisaBrown]

Just checking in on you gals, as usual.

I understand the cuts you're experiencing, we had similar cuts in teaching last year too. Thankfully I've always had my 100% full time contract, but in the past 4 years I have changed schools every year, even though every year the school wanted to keep me, they had cuts and had to let the ''new teacher'' go off to a new school. Thankfully, the contract I have garantees me work, but that can be in any school in the district. My current school is about a 70 min drive one way from my house, and I love it there, but with baby #1 on the way, I may not like it as much when I go back next May (at least I get a great mat leave out of it...), and realize how much time the driving takes away from my family...we'll see.

My friend is graduating from university this year and doesn't even know how she'll find a job in our area either because most grads from last year are still looking too, so there will be quite a few people competing for jobs. They obviously aren't putting education first, that's easy to see, because teachers are already overworked and underpais, and now more cuts...I'm so sorry Aimee, I hope everything works out and they can offer you something better. Hang in there, I'll be thinking of you!

[~*Jackie*~]

Oh no! I'm so sorry, Aimee. You're right, you are definitely due for some GOOD news.

[Megs982]

Im sorry about your bad luck lately Where about in IL? im in the peoria area

[~Lynda~]

aimee, i'm sending you good luck dust here girl!!! it is going to change your luck to good. here it is girl ----

Jes I do speech therapy, but I only have my undergrad degree so I'm considered a speech paraprofessional. It's been a good thing recently b/c they can pay me less than a certified speech pathologist and I just need a supervisor to write goals/attend meetings, but I do all the therapy. I guess it will still be helpful to me looking for a new job as long as the place I'm looking already has an SLP on staff and is just needing an addt. therapist.

The drive has never bothered me, DH commutes 2 hours one way to his job and I grew up in the country with a 20-30 minute drive to town, lol. So that part doesn't bother me, it's just the cost of driving to a job thats 30 mins away makes a 50% cut in pay even more than 50%. I would love a job in town that I would have a 10-15 min drive max, but I'm not picky about that.



At least DH doesn't want to put any MA baby plans on hold. He doesn't seem to be too upset, he keeps telling me that maybe it'll work out for the best and getting a job farther north means I would actually make more money than I do full time where I am now. I hope he's right.

Thanks for the hugs and dust! It definitely helps make me feel better!

[ldovey83]

Aimee I am sorry hun.. I was like that last year where I never got any good news... It wasn't until the end of January that we finally got some good news with DH's new job.

[SavaAngel]

Big hugs and I hope you get some good news soon!

[missy123]

I hope thinks turn around for you soon. It is hard when you are dealt so much all at once.