Guardian Angel

God truly works in mysterious ways. Sometimes the most difficult times turn out to be blessings in disguise.

Last Autumn, I left my job as a teacher at Guardian Angel Regional Catholic School. My official story was that I left to find a more financially stable job that would allow my then pregnant wife to be a stay-at-home mom. While that's was definitely true, it wasn't the whole story.

Last July, the school got a new principal, Dan. Dan's job was to turn the school around and make it profitable, something the school had been struggling to due for a number of years. He had his own agenda, and this agenda completely changed the spirit and atmosphere of the school.

As for my role in this, he basically forced me out. When he came on, he was surprised to find that I was a full time, salaried staff member. Apparently, I wasn't on the budget for the school year. That, plus the fact I was not a licensed teacher, pretty much made me expendable in his eyes. He eliminated the computer classes I taught; He had me switch classrooms the same day as the school's open house; and generally assured my school year wouldn't be a pleasant one.

I left Guardian Angel with the hope that I could get a new job quickly. That didn't happen. Instead, my family and I had to endure 5 months of unemployment at a time what seemed the worst possible time - in the early stages of my wife's pregnancy. We got by due to various contract jobs and the generosity of our family and church.

Why do I bring this up now?

Goodbye Gaurdian Angel

I cannot fathom what I would be going through now had I stayed there this year. Limited monetary resources suck when you have a child on the way, but it would have been devastating had I lost my job now. Throw in the fact that my wife worked there to (she left due to medical reasons), and it's magnified that much more. I didn't know it at the time, but God was looking out for me then. My family is much better off now.

My heart goes out to the teachers (who are pretty much screwed since this happens a month before the school year starts) as well as the students and there families, who no doubt will find someplace else to learn, but it won't nearly be the same. Since I've left, I've run into many of my former students and their families. The things I heard that were happening to the school - teachers constantly fearing they'll get fired, students fighting and selling drugs, among other rumors - it would have killed me to see that place deteriorate so quickly firsthand.

Ironically - In Sunday's church bulletin, there was a blurb on how GARCS had raised $200,000 in funds this summer, and how they were even looking to hire a teacher.

R.I.P. Guardian Angel