Aloha! A little background about me - I've been wanting to move to Hawaii for almost 20 years. The time is right (for many reasons), and I now have confirmation I have a teaching job starting on July 21, 2008. In less than 2 months, I'll be on the east side of the Big Island of Hawaii employed by Kamahameha Schools as a Literacy Resource Teacher. I currently work as a 4th grade teacher in the Pacific Northwest.
I've decided to start this blog because when I first started doing my research for the move and teaching jobs, I found very little information. I know teachers are busy, but it seemed that the only information out there was from people who had second (or third, or fourth) hand knowledge, or were disgruntled former teachers who had moved back to the mainland or weren't in the teaching profession anymore. I was hoping to find current teachers and/or teachers who had moved from the mainland to teach in Hawaii. It's my hope I can fill that apparent void and take people along on the journey I'm about to embark on.
I'm not going alone - thank goodness! I have my SO, Tim and my two canine kids, Jazmin and Bailey. We are all very excited, energized, and looking forward to the new adventure!
I have three weeks of school left here, report cards to write, a classroom to pack up, a house to sell, reservations to make, and housing to find in Hawaii in less than 2 months! I love a challenge and this is definitely a challenge! Come along for the ride!
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About Me
- Beth
- Kea'au, Hawaii, United States
- A 40 something educator wanting to leave a postive mark on the world through learning, loving, and living my best life!
9 comments:
Hello!
I was seaching online about Hilo and came across your blog. I was just offered a job with Kamehameha also on the big island as a Literacy resource teacher. How great to find you. I live in NY and am teaching second grade. We finish school here at the end of June and then we (my husband and I ) are off the Big Island. We were just in Hawaii for a wedding. Have you ever been before? This was our first time but we were just in Honolulu. Well, awesome finding you. Do you know what school you will be working in? Doesn't this extension program sound wonderful?
-Jen
Hi Jen!
My blog is only 2 days old and you already found it! That's exciting!
How great to find another "mainlander" making the move AND to the same position and employer! Coincidence?
I will be working at Mountain View Elementary. Do you know your school yet? Wouldn't it be strange if we end up at the same school? I was told there would be a team of 5 teachers at Mountain View from KS and they don't yet have the team in place. There are going to be 3 Literacy Resource Teachers and 2 Literacy Tutoring Specialists, which I believe are like EA's.
Boy, you have even a shorter summer than I do. I'm out of school here on June 13th. We plan on making the move on July 15th.
We were on the Big Island last July for a week and again last December for a week. Tim was also there a few weeks ago on his own looking at a few houses. You will love it! It's so diverse and beautiful! Our favorite area is the Hamakua Coast north of Hilo. It's breathtakingly beautiful with great ocean views, waterfalls, and green everywhere.
Yes, I'm very excited about the program. It's sounds like the job I've been searching for since getting my master's degree five years ago. It seems like any reading specialist or literacy jobs just aren't funded in most schools.
What part of New York are you from? Is your husband able to work from home or is he planning on working on the island somewhere? Mine is a flight attendent and can live anywhere, so we're very fortunate there. He would like to retire from the airline though and work somewhere locally. He's been at it for about 22 years. He's over it! :(
So glad to connect with you! Check back in and we can keep each other posted on the process. See you at orientation!
I know such a coincidence that I found your blog. I will be working at Keonepoko elementary which is near Pahoa, I believe. There will be 3 from KS. 3 litearcy Resource Teachers and I Literacy Tutoring Specilaist.
I just finished my Masters and applied for this job and it all just fell into place. I live on Long Island. It is about 2 hours east of NYC. I grew up and realy love it but there are no teaching jobs here at all. No one wants to retire.
My husband and I just got back to the states about a year and half ago. I was working in Vanuatu (in the south pacific) with the Peace Corps and met my husband there. He is Pacific Islander and just fell in love with Hawaii. It seems very similar to his home island. I think he will look for work on the island when we get there.
Have you found a good realtor to work with? We will probably rent for a little while around the Hilo area unitl we get aquainted with the area. I've read about the farmers market and am pretty excited for that!!!
Yes, let me know any other information you find out.
It sounds like you two are very adventurous. You'll love Hawaii I'm sure.
We are working with a Realtor on the Kona side. Long story, but basically he is with the company I work for here - Keller Williams. Yes, I sell real estate also. You know to be a teacher you need a Master's degree and a second job , right? :) I wanted to work with someone from my company and he is the ONLY realtor on the Big Island that works for Keller Williams. Their office is actually in Maui, but he lives in Kona.
As far as a Realtor on the Hilo side, I would recommend, Cynthia Hoskins with Clark Realty, http://www.clarkhawaii.com/agent/?action=detail&id=147. She is on a couple of the forums I've been participating in, and she is very helpful and knowledgable. Tell her WASailorGirl referred you. She knows my first name also. We've emailed back and forth a few times. If I hadn't already started working with my other Realtor before knowing about her, I wouldn't have hesitated to work with her. Take it from an insider, she knows her stuff!
If you go on any of the Hawaii public forums like City-Data or PunaWeb, be forewarned there can be a lot of negativity to sift through before you find helpful information. It just reaffirms my opinion there are a lot of negative people in the world. Yes, just call me Pollyanna! It's gotten me pretty far in life. It works for me! :)
Oh, and congrats on finishing your Masters! I know how difficult that is while you're teaching!
Hi *crazy aunt* lol I'm not sure if leaving yourself such little time to move is a good idea, but who knows dad says you got a really good brain on your shoulders so maybe you'll pull through.
I wish ya the best of luck
Love,Nick ^_^
Hi Beth and Jen,
Welcome to the Big Island! This is a great idea, Beth, and will probably be very helpful to many who are considering teaching here. I have a friend whose son and daughter are attending Mtn. View. Grandson is SPED and they have seemed very happy with the school.
I look forward to the updates on your progress!
With aloha,
Cynthia
Hi Cynthia!
So glad you logged in. Maybe at some point you can meet Jen and her husband and help them with their real estate needs.
I'm happy to hear your friends like Mountain View. It's always a little scary going into a school sight unseen. I'm really trusting the universe here to take care of me and put me where I need to be.
It's comforting to know there are others like me (and Jen)that are "newbies" to the island and teaching there, and can muddle through the process together. :)
Hope to meet others and share the adventure!
Aloha! (Can't wait to expand my Hawaiian vocabulary. Right now I have two whole words! :)
HI,
How are things going? I just got a letter in the mail from Kamehameha saying that my assignment is: Mountain View Elementary also!
How is the house hunting going? We found something for short term and will look at places once we get there. When are you arriving? We wil be there
on July 7th. It is so soon. Next week is our last week of school.
Well hope all is well..
-Jen
Hi Jen!
Wow! Mountain View Elementary school also. We're on the same team! That's amazing!
We're heading over on Monday to check out some rentals. It's a little more difficult for us because we have our canine kids. I think we may have found a vacation rental we can stay in month to month, so we'll see if we like it. We'll be in Hilo three nights and then come home and start packing in earnest.
Our big move will be on July 15th. You'll have 8 days there before us. You'll practically be locals by the time we get there! :)
Good luck finishing up your school year! I finished last Friday, but still have about 2-3 hours left in my classroom to pack up.
Are you going to be renting right in Hilo? We have a few options. One is in Volcano. We'll know more by next Thursday. It looks like we'll be renting first which will be weird. I haven't been a renter in so long. I hope our house sells soon!!
See you soon!
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