The Margin Notes

May 2025 Edition

May had this distinct feeling about it. It’s hard to describe, but it felt restful yet fantasy like. I’m not saying that it was a magical month because nothing exciting happen; however, it had a tinge of magical in how it felt.

But it was probably the most eventful month that I’ve had in a long time. I announced my new job position, I went on a historic house tour, I had a couple of engagements with nature—a field trip to The Watershed Center at Valley Water Mill Park and a networking event at Dickerson Park Zoo, and I changed my sleep schedule.

NEW JOB POSITION

Okay… so… it’s not really a new job position; I will still be a substitute teacher—just at one school. I will be the building substitute for Delaware Elementary.

And I actually accepted the position a few months ago; however, I made the official announcement in May which you can read below.

Becoming a substitute teacher was not in my life plans, but these past three years have been some of the greatest moments. Within these past years, I’ve been able to meet many students from different schools in the Springfield School District (SPS). Some students have even given me nicknames such as Mr. Cool Man Sub Dude (my favorite), Mr. Beast, Snoop Dogg.

I’ve also been able to brand myself as a “music sub” which has been a dream come true—especially since my original plan of becoming a high school choir director didn’t work out. Being a musician of fourteen years, has made me a little bit of a coveted sub for band and choir classes since the directors could be out and the students could still work through music instead of wasting a day.

However, sometimes, good things must come to end so that greater things can begin to take root. Recently, I was asked to make a decision that meant giving up subbing for music classes and being planted at one school.

Although I was reluctant to give up being a music sub, I have decided to plant myself at Delaware Elementary as the building substitute. I’ve subbed at Delaware a handful of times in the past, but this school year I was essentially only at Delaware—when I wasn’t at Delaware, I was teaching music. So, in essence, nothing much is going to change.

I will miss going to different schools. I will especially miss the band students at Hillcrest High School, Reed Academy, and Pershing Middle School.

But I’m excited that I will get to see all the kiddos at Delaware Elementary every day!

ROUNTREE HISTORIC HOUSE TOUR

The Rountree Council for Preservation’s Historic House Tour was such a great way to start off the month. I saw some beautiful homes and got a couple of design ideas that I plan to institute in some of my future projects.

THE WATERSHED CENTER AT VALLEY WATER MILL PARK

So, going on this field trip was not in the cards for May. I was supposed spend the last two weeks of school subbing for one of the paras at Delaware Elementary. However, after school on Friday, May 16^th I got a phone call from the school secretary asking if I would be okay to switch 4^th grade for the last week due to the teacher having a last-minute emergency. Of course, I was more than happy to make the switch—I mean, my ability to be flexible and adapt is why they like me so much at Delaware.

Although it was an unexpected thing for me to go on this field trip, I really enjoyed it because I’ve never been to The Watershed, even though I’ve lived in Springfield for six years now. This was also the first field trip where I was the teacher in charge of the field trip, and I’m happy to say that no kid was left behind… we did leave the lunch coolers, but we noticed before the bus started moving.