Background: Who Am I?

Welcome!

Who am I?

My name is Matt and I've never written a blog before, but I thought I should give it a try. This is going to be a collection of ramblings and musings--thoughts and wonders that I have been holding onto for the last 13 years in the public sector as an Elementary School Teacher.

I started my educationally career at the Warren County Career Center's now defunct Teacher Academy program. It was an amazing program where I got 250 document hours of observations and walked out with a completed PRAXIS binder. For those new to teaching, the PRAXIS was the old certification system to show that Teachers knew what they were doing and could get their license renewed. You know, just something extra that they had to do to prove that teachers had the knowledge and abilities to teach. I loved my time here and found that I was more than prepared for what College would throw at me.

College was at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. I'll always look back on my time there fondly  as I met some of my best friends and my wife, Kim, there. 

I left Miami and went back to my hometown of Franklin and applied for a teaching job--that didn't exist. They had nothing. Nobody was hiring near where I lived and I wasn't always the most proactive person, so I started to apply at different jobs around just to make money. After being at Olive Garden all summer, I got a phone call while vacationing in Key West, Florida from the principal of one of the schools. Apparently the admins moved a veteran teacher from her classroom, where she taught for 30+ years, into a new building and new classroom. There was a huge accident; she slipped down some stairs, and retired from the hospital room.

That left me to take my phone call on a beach, and get offered a job teaching 5th and 6th grade ELA.

I'll share some stories from this time later when I reflect on my time there.

Nine years after teaching the same thing and every two years or so having the finish line moved on me, I decided to change jobs. With the help of my favorite administrator and friend, we created a STEAM position where I could travel from building to building helping all students reach their fullest creative and engineering potential. I taught STEAM for 3 years, found another rut and less control than what I wanted over my destiny. I wasn't allowed to interview for new positions. I wasn't allowed to move out of this position I created for myself. I was distraught and bored. Finding myself backed into a corner I started to look outside of Education. I found Reynolds & Reynolds.

I just started there on the 14th of August, 2023. At the time of writing, it's only been a week at the new job. I am going to update this blog once a week or so to chronicle my journey from Public to Private sector. I will be as honest as possible and forthcoming as possible with anything that I can. I hope you are willing to come along for the ride!