Hello Everyone!
My name is Elizabeth Heyer and I am a member of the Young Professionals Committee. I am a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University (Go Cowboys!) and Tarleton State University (Go Texans!). As many young professionals I have embarked on a new job this year, and I want to share with you all my experiences of my first week.
Everyone remembers what it is like to be at a new school or living in a new town...it can be scary! Well in one month's time I have not only joined a new school but also moved to a town to which I am not very familiar. I have taken a new job at Colleyville Heritage High School in the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD which is right in the middle of the DFW Airport. What a huge move from Abilene, TX to the metroplex, not to mention the insane amount of traffic to which I am not accustomed.
For the past four years I have worked at the college/university setting and have decided to make the move to the high school setting which was a huge decision for me. I am very excited about all the opportunities that are available to me as I begin a new year at a new school, but it is also very nerve racking.
Last week I began working volleyball practices without ever meeting the coaching staff and never even stepping foot into the high school. This summer the entire high school was renovated so absolutely no one was allowed in the building. As you can imagine this caused a huge mess. We have only been allowed in the building for two days now, the first being the first day of football. An even bigger mess! We have survived thanks to the wonderful staff her at CHHS. I now have access to an athletic training room, an office, and supplies just in time for our first home volleyball scrimmage.
This week has been and will be full of new teacher training and inservice. We all dislike inservice but it is a necessary evil that will happen every single year of your career...so get used to it! My inservice was actually a great experience being new to this district and this work environment. I have one major piece of advice for all young professionals....listen to the people who have been in your place recently. I have a wonderful mentor here at CHHS who I have already met with several times. She is too a young professional but she has been coaching/teaching in this district for three years. She remembers exactly how it feels to be in my shoes and has wonderful advice.
I am enjoying my new job and city greatly after only one week of being here. I hope that continues throughout the year and years to come...I will let you know!
For now if you have any questions you can e-mail me directly at elizabeth.heyer!gcisd.net or you can just post on the blog.
3 comments:
New jobs in new towns can surely be daunting, and I even think that the subsequent years can present challenges as well.
I know at my school this year we had a changing of the guard of our own with a whole new administrative team. Some of whom are grossly unfamiliar with the necessity and duties of Athletic Trainers. We are now charged with the responsiblity of educating the people we work with in addition to the parents of our student-athletes and the community at large. We, as young professionals must always stay vigilant in our promotion, and recognize that we alway represent athletic trainers.
As with anything, people who have a less than satisfactory experience with an athletic trainer are not going to be our advocates.
I have found that the more administrators I have in my corner the better my job situation is going to be.
Coaches, athletic directors, principals and superintendents will come and go, and often the only constant force in an athletic office is US!
My advice to all new athletic trainers is to befriend your administrators, always represent yourself and your profession well, and you will be successful!
Welcome to the Metroplex! I remember my move to Fort Worth two years ago. Hard to believe that I am starting my 3rd year at TCU. I came into a new position that had just been created so I took the opportunity to make it my own. It was definitely not an easy transition (I had been a phyician extender for the last two years and out of the college setting) but it helped to have wonderful people around that offered lots of advice. Take it! Or at least listen to it and decide for yourself if it is helpful.
yay! you have a blog! i'm sorry we missed each other that day too...i honestly got your voicemail about your car issue and me coming over there like a week ago...way to go cell phone. well we miss you and i'm sure i will be over there alot for football games and the new a-high district! you have a wonderful time at the new place.
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