Anyone else a teacher?

Lil'Misa

I'm a first grade teacher and wondering what everyone's plans are for maternity leave. 

I am due in early November. I want to work until a week before my due date. That has me going back to school for the last 9-10 weeks of school.  That means going back mid-April.  I am not crazy about coming back to a classroom that had a sub in it for 4 months. What will I come back to?

Will you go back to work after a few months or take the rest of the school year off?  

mtendere

I'm planning to take the whole year off, but it depends on your finances.  It would definitely be hard, but for 4 months, shouldn't they have a certified sub/temporary teacher in your classroom?  It would definitely be hard, but doable.  At least from April to summer break would not be that long!

Good luck.

SWBs Wifey

As a belated graduate (I'll graduate in May) who would normally enter the work force in August... I won't be.  I will be looking for long term sub positions that begin in January, or trying to find a preschool in the area that will be in need of a teacher around Jan/Feb.  If I can't find one, DH is okay with me waiting until the next August to begin working.  In our area, there are NO teaching jobs, so I don't expect to find anything for Jan/Feb.  With a college known for its education program here... and everyone wanting to stay in the area, there just aren't enough opening for all of the graduates AND the people that are already working... (There were 50 graduates in Dec. and only ONE of them secured a position for this semester.  There will be another 180 of us in May... and about 1/3 of us are local to the area... and the county system just decided to cut 25 positions... )

calex33

I'm also a first grade teacher. ?I'm due July 23 and am taking all of next year off. ?I had the option of taking off 12 weeks and coming back in November. ?However, I felt like the transition back to school after the students starting school with a sub and then having to switch routines would be too difficult. ?I also know teachers who have started the year and then left mid-year due to pregnancy. ?This caused some parents to request that their children be removed from the class. ?Ridiculous. ?

stefani6124

I teach middle school and I'm taking off from the end of September to after winter break. It'll be chaos but we need the money - that is, IF I have a job. I just got notified that because of budget cuts I may not have a job in the fall, so my fingers are crossed...

Lil'Misa

mtendere:

I'm planning to take the whole year off, but it depends on your finances.  It would definitely be hard, but for 4 months, shouldn't they have a certified sub/temporary teacher in your classroom?  It would definitely be hard, but doable.  At least from April to summer break would not be that long!

Good luck.

They should however I work in an urban school district. My friend just went on maternity leave in January and still no temporary/certified long term sub in her room.  It has been a revolving door of subs.

Lil'Misa

stefani6124:

I teach middle school and I'm taking off from the end of September to after winter break. It'll be chaos but we need the money - that is, IF I have a job. I just got notified that because of budget cuts I may not have a job in the fall, so my fingers are crossed...

Oh that is scary!  We had that happen a few years ago and lots of teachers lost their jobs.

::fingers crossed for you::

mtendere

Lil'Misa:

mtendere:

I'm planning to take the whole year off, but it depends on your finances.  It would definitely be hard, but for 4 months, shouldn't they have a certified sub/temporary teacher in your classroom?  It would definitely be hard, but doable.  At least from April to summer break would not be that long!

Good luck.

They should however I work in an urban school district. My friend just went on maternity leave in January and still no temporary/certified long term sub in her room.  It has been a revolving door of subs.

 Yikes...well, I hope they find someone good for you! 

stefani6124

Lil'Misa:

stefani6124:

I teach middle school and I'm taking off from the end of September to after winter break. It'll be chaos but we need the money - that is, IF I have a job. I just got notified that because of budget cuts I may not have a job in the fall, so my fingers are crossed...

Oh that is scary!  We had that happen a few years ago and lots of teachers lost their jobs.

::fingers crossed for you::

thank you ::crosses fingers and toes:: i meet with the superintenent on thursday... hopefully i'll get some answers....

nauticalbutnice

I teach second grade, and am due in October. Originally, I was going to co-teach with another girl who is due over the summer. While she was out on leave I would be full time, and while I'm out she'd be full time. Then we'd split the week M-W, R-F, with me taking the two days per week. I was totally excited for it, until I found out we're moving sometime in the fall (military move).

 So now I don't think I'm going to teach at all next year. After having to leave my first graders last year at Christmas, I vowed to never start a school year I couldn't finish. Plus, I think I'll just want to be home with the babe.

metta1313

I'm a high school teacher.  I plan on leaving a week before my due date (fingers crossed that things go well I and can do this.) I plan on taking all of November and December (I"m lucky that 2 of those weeks I won't have to take leave for b/c of winter break).  I'd like to take January off too and come back for a clean start at semester at the end of January.  I'd love to take more time off but can't afford it.  But hey, we have summers off .

i*heart*him

I wish I could do that!  I am due Nov 1, and will probably go back to work in January.

BetchySprout

Just a lurker...but my son was born in October. I went a week overdue. My mat leave started one day before my due date, and he was born by unscheduled c-section at 41 weeks. By union rules, my school will not allow me back until 8 weeks after a c-section. My doctor wrote me out for 9 weeks, so I took a total of 10 weeks off all paid (I had to exhaust my personal/sick time and then sick bank took over). I returned the week before school was out for winter break, it was perfect timing (plus we had a 4 day week due to a snow day!). Good luck! I would have stayed out all year if we could have afforded it.

Temp200154562509288

I SAH now but I taught when I was pregnant with DD, I worked all the way up to the day I was induced, it was nice to have work all the way up to the day and not be sitting at home waiting for her to come. I also took the rest of the year off, but she was born in Feb. Personally if you can afford it I would just take the year off since it can be tough on the kids to get used to you and then another teacher and then you for just a few months

Lil'Misa

I know DH and I have to look at everything.  He is also a teacher.  That is why I NEED to go back because we both do not get paid over the summer.  We do not get paid leave.  You must use your sick days if you want to get paid.  Then the rest is unpaid.  At the end of this school year I need to look at how many sick days I have and how long I can put off coming back.

I would hate for the students to not have a good experience because of the switching of teachers back and forth.  It is a tough decision.  That is why I wanted to see what other teachers are deciding on doing.

j_hope

I had DD in March....and had to go on bedrest 1 week before she was born.  We only get paid using our sick days (which at the time I had 34 of) and the rest is unpaid leave.  With the way my insurance was...I was able to take off from March until the end of the year and still keep my health insurance (but barely...it was literally days difference).  So I had 5 months home with DD #1.  This baby is due September 18th and I'm taking the whole year offf (Career Alternative Leave) all unpaid of course..and we have to take DH's insurance after mine runs out.  Money will be tight for that year, but I needed to do this for my babies   I will return to work for the 2010/2011 School Year.

jdiaz79

I am also a teacher in NJ (in an abbott district). I am due Oct. 11th. My plan is to work until the beginning of Oct. and then take 6 months disability (which I pay into). That would bring me to mid-April. I'll go back then for the rest of the year. 

Martinez623

I am due at the end of October and I am taking the whole year off.  I am trying to work out helping with paperwork and IEPs (I'm a special ed teacher) part time before babe comes and then taking the rest of the year off.  My kids will flip out if I'm there, not there and then back again... it just wouldn't be good for them or me.  I'm hoping they get a full-time sub.  We'll see.

robbydoll5

I am a second grade teacher and I am due in November. ?I am planning to go back and start the year off and leave a week before I am due. ?Then, I am planning on going back at the end of January. ?We have to go back at the end of a marking period. ?So, it is either January or April, and I am pretty sure we will need me to get paid before April. ?It may be a little tough on the kids, but I think it is harder on the parents. ?The kids take change very well, the parents, however, don't. ?:-) ?They are just going to have to deal with it. A lot of teachers in my district leave and come back and it seems to work out just fine. ?So, I am hoping for the best. ?:-)

Lil'Misa

robbydoll5:

I am a second grade teacher and I am due in November.  I am planning to go back and start the year off and leave a week before I am due.  Then, I am planning on going back at the end of January.  We have to go back at the end of a marking period.  So, it is either January or April, and I am pretty sure we will need me to get paid before April.  It may be a little tough on the kids, but I think it is harder on the parents.  The kids take change very well, the parents, however, don't.  :-)  They are just going to have to deal with it. A lot of teachers in my district leave and come back and it seems to work out just fine.  So, I am hoping for the best.  :-)

 As am I!

hopingforalittleone

I am due the second week of October.  I have not given this serious thought yet.  I will probably work until right around my due date, use out my sick days and paid state leave which will take me until the end of January.

I teach semester courses, so if I went back in January I would start with a clean slate with most of my classes.  I really do not want to go back in January and hope to stay out until April then just go back for the last 2-3 months so we have some money for the summer.

JenelleMiller

I am due October 9th and plan on working right up until my due date-if it is possible.  I am gauranteed 6 weeks off /8 weeks if I end up having a C-section.  I have close to 5 months worth of sick days. . . but I can't use those along with my maternity leave days.  I'd love to take off more time, but we can't afford for me to be off weeks without pay. Hopefully it all works out! I'm dreading going back already- I know that 6 weeks is going to fly by!

becky&dane

DS was born in February of my 2nd year of teaching.  Because of $$ and retirement I didn't want to take any unpaid leave, so I ended up using all but one of the sick/personal days that I had accumulated.  That ended up being about 5-1/2 weeks. 

This time, since it will still only be my 4th year of teaching when DC is born, and I just started accumulating again, it will probably be about the same thing.  Luckily, Christmas break won't be too far after I have to go back, so I'll get another little break then.

I had a wonderful sub., so it was not bad at all for me.  I just gave her the subject area and she prepared the lessons/grades/etc.  She had all of my previously prepared stuff, but I also didn't care if she created her own things.  She communicated with me on a regular basis while I was gone, and it was not a problem at all. 

Lil'Misa

becky&dane:

DS was born in February of my 2nd year of teaching.  Because of $$ and retirement I didn't want to take any unpaid leave, so I ended up using all but one of the sick/personal days that I had accumulated.  That ended up being about 5-1/2 weeks. 

This time, since it will still only be my 4th year of teaching when DC is born, and I just started accumulating again, it will probably be about the same thing.  Luckily, Christmas break won't be too far after I have to go back, so I'll get another little break then.

I had a wonderful sub., so it was not bad at all for me.  I just gave her the subject area and she prepared the lessons/grades/etc.  She had all of my previously prepared stuff, but I also didn't care if she created her own things.  She communicated with me on a regular basis while I was gone, and it was not a problem at all. 

Wow that is amazing.  That is a great sub!

becky&dane

Lil'Misa:

becky&dane:

DS was born in February of my 2nd year of teaching.  Because of $$ and retirement I didn't want to take any unpaid leave, so I ended up using all but one of the sick/personal days that I had accumulated.  That ended up being about 5-1/2 weeks. 

This time, since it will still only be my 4th year of teaching when DC is born, and I just started accumulating again, it will probably be about the same thing.  Luckily, Christmas break won't be too far after I have to go back, so I'll get another little break then.

I had a wonderful sub., so it was not bad at all for me.  I just gave her the subject area and she prepared the lessons/grades/etc.  She had all of my previously prepared stuff, but I also didn't care if she created her own things.  She communicated with me on a regular basis while I was gone, and it was not a problem at all. 

Wow that is amazing.  That is a great sub!

She IS great!  She has not gotten a full time job yet, which I feel bad about, but I'm also sort of hoping that she's available again for me for this time!

DiscusCoach

I am going to try and work right up to it. I teach HS and I don't think that is as physically demanding as elementary school.

We didn't think we would get KU first try (history of girl issues here) so it is something we just started thinking about.

For us, it all depends on the economy and the unimaginable bastard international real estate developer who is illegally trying to strong arm us out of our restaurant. To think the fate of the first couple of months of my baby's life rests in the hands of this billionaire scum bag pisses me off to no end.

OK - sorry. Back on topic! We have to see how sales and legal fees go this summer. (He doesn't have a case so he is trying to run us in to the ground with legal fees.) If I have to go back to work in Feb. Dh will stay with the baby 1-2 days a week, my parents and my cousin (also with new baby) will help.   

tak2002

I also teach in NJ and my district is doing budget cuts as well. Being Special Ed with a co-teacher I'm pretty sure I'm on the chopping block! I'm secretly hoping to get cut so that I can stay home a year with the little one, but I don't know how I will ever find a job again after a year or so. Money would be SUPER tight and rough, but I really want to be home for a year. If I do get offered my job back for next year, I will basically be out until Janurary (I'm due in mid-October).

Samidez

Yup! I'm a high school music teacher in a somewhat rural school district. I'm due in early Nov and I'd like to say I'll be off for the remainder of the school year EXCEPT for teaching Music Theater which occurs outside of the timetable. (Can't take that off at all!). FYI, Music Theater is as you might expect, a full-on musical production that involves most of the school. I'm obviously the music director...not the artistic director.

The catch though is that there are no music specialist subs in my district. Since I teach an elective program I have to be cautious about extending my time off. If the students don't choose music, then I'm out of a job the following year!

dragon_chica

I'm a 1st grade teacher too and I'm due Sept. 22nd (perfect timing huh!)  In a perfect world I would take next year off but with budget cuts and everything I don't want to risk losing my spot, especially at my school.  Therefore I will probably only take 2 months off, which is 2 weeks more than the typical leave.  I plan to prepare the classroom in August but I won't start the year.  It'll be tough having to go back to the classroom in Nov./Dec. with the holidays around the corner but it is what it is. 

 Ways that you can feel in some control is to personally pick your sub.  Ask around for good subs that you can pick from.  Tell them what you would like the sub to do while you're gone.  If you pick the sub yourself and they're certified they should be the only sub your kids get (so no revolving subs!)  The really good subs will take that extra step and make the necessary copies and stay a little longer after school, etc.  Since it is a long term job normally the pay is higher.  You just have to find that sub that is a good fit for you.  GL!