Salary Negotiation

     My financial life as a teacher has been a pain to witness for some time, but this week after being told that I would only be given 3 years of experience for teaching and being placed at C4 on the salary scale---$45,526---I put my negotiating foot down hard.  I explained that was a big problem, like me selling my house and quitting teaching problem.  Then I asked to speak to the pencil pusher's boss.  She was busy, so I drove to my high school and spoke to my principal, who got me to a C6.

    The pencil pusher was not pleased with my principal apparently and asked me for work verification.  I forwarded his e-mail to my principal noting, "Are they asking me for more paperwork that they're going to reject, since they rejected so many of my years of experience?"

     Late Thursday night the pencil pusher's boss contacted me with thorough reasoning about why she needed my work verification.  I gave her my work verification which was going to the California Department of Education for my engineering credential that never happened in 2010 and noted why I had it on hand.  I asked her to let me know soon where she was placing me, so I could get my real estate agent back online, if necessary. 
     She e-mailed me back immediately and put me at C9 on the salary schedule!  I got an amazing raise!!!  I don't have to struggle financially anymore!

     My students are also wonderful and angels to manage, my principal is supportive, my high school is an amazingly well-funded and forward-thinking campus, and my district is finally paying me what I am worth!  I feel so blessed!!!  I even talked to my mom in the world to come and said, "I made it, Mom!  I finally made it!"

 P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!