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Email with impacts on stories from teachers (NCVPS)
- 1. Teryn Odom <teryn.odom@ncpublicschools.gov>
Impacts on/Stories from teachers
1 message
Teryn Odom <teryn.odom@ncpublicschools.gov> Thu, Aug 1, 2019 at 9:44 PM
To: Eliz Colbert <eliz.colbert@ncpublicschools.gov>, Rachel McBroom <rachel.mcbroom@ncpublicschools.gov>, Ellen Hart
<Ellen.Hart@ncpublicschools.gov>, joseph.gilroy@nc.gov
Bcc: Teryn Odom <teryn.odom@gmail.com>
Hello again,
I have one more email for you all tonight. Again, if you have not read my first/previously sent personal email reply
from today, please read that first. I've attached it just in case you haven't seen it and can't sort through your emails
to find it (as I'm sure that you've been bombarded with communication from teachers).
After reading that, I think that it's important for you to hear some of the other personal stories of how teachers have been/will
be impacted as a result of this (not just mine). This list is collected from over 45 different teachers (who were willing to share)
and in no particular order:
I am a single mother that does not receive consistent child support from my ex husband. Having this short of a notice
about losing this job has not allowed me to find another job in enough time.
I have 10 students this summer- and I did not request to teach. I told Ellen I would teach if there was a need. In the
Fall, I typically have 75 students. Losing 1/2 of my income with such short notice will drastically affect my life.
We have one 15 month-old at home and are expecting our second child in February. I asked to appeal this decision
with HR, stating that I would not be working in the Spring due to the birth of our child, but was answered quickly,
saying that this MUST occur in 2019, therefor leaving me without income in the fall. I do not have another source of
income and do not work at a face-to-face school. I was planning on asking for two courses this fall.
My wife and I have a baby girl due 8/11. We just bought our first home in May. We will have to burn through all our
savings and perhaps borrow to cover the shortfall.
My husband is not working anymore due to the lost of his leg as result of his military services. Our income depends
on my 2 jobs to be able to pay our bills.
I had only TWO students in my course this summer. That's the average I have had during the 6 summers. I decided to
teach my course. I wish I had taken the summer off.
I am in between jobs and relocating. I am a single mother and count on the money I make with ncvps to take care of
my children. One, sophomore year in college and the other graduating high school and going to college.
IMPORTANT! My son is working 30 + hours while in high school and while active in band competitions. I do not want
him to feel like he has to work all through high school in order for us to survive. 30 hours a week with evening
practices and weekend games/competitions is way too much for a seventeen year old boy. He even said to me
yesterday if I need money to ask him that he would help me.
I am impacted by this news because I rely on the flexibility of this job. I am a caregiver to my father-in-law, who has
advanced stage Alzheimer’s as well as my mother-in-law, who is in a wheelchair. I depend on the flexibility of NCVPS
because I am busy during regular school hours with their doctor’s appointments, getting their groceries, prepping their
meals, etc. I also have two active school aged boys, in 7th and 4th grade. The beauty of my job with NCVPS is that I
can work at night when my daily family obligations have been satisfied.
Having enough money to live on/survive is questionable
we use this as part of the daily household income :-(
I use my income from NCVPS to support my elderly mother and this will impact her greatly. We are in the process of
deciding how we are going to pay her bills going forward. I will also have to get rid of my car for cheaper payments. I
also have to cancel some (necessary) medical procedures I have upcoming as I can't afford them.
Because of the news that I cannot teach in the Fall, I have begun applying for jobs to try to cover the unexpected
income gap for my family. I just had surgery on Monday and am expecting related medical bills over the next several
months; we have two children and need to cover childcare expenses when I am working, especially if more of my
hours now happen outside of the home. I am fortunate that I was already purchasing insurance through my husband's
job - I used to have insurance linked with NCVPS as well.
I was planning to become full time with NCVPS this fall and had communicated that with Ellen. I had applied for the
PTC IL position in hopes to be more involved with NCVPS. Now, instead of staying home with my 9 month old and 2
year old and go full time with NCVPS, I will be going back to the LEA and we are all crushed. We depend on this
income to pay our bills. There are no words to describe the stomach ache I've had since this rug was ripped from
beneath us.
Without going into the details of my personal finances, despite the fact that I do realize this is a contract job, after
more than ten years, I have come to count on the income from NCVPS. I have a large mortgage because I am trying
- 2. to pay my home off in 10 years (before I retire), and I have a son in graduate school to whom I have promised
support. My husband left years ago when I was pregnant, and I never remarried; I need a supplemental income.
Clearly, I would not have asked to teach summer school if I had known as it is not financially lucrative. I fractured my
wrist at the end of January. There were expenses there including physical therapy. I was then informed that I needed
an ultra sound mammogram due to areas in the regular mammogram. Then I had a cyst removed at the end of May
and went home. Due to surgical complications I began to hemorrhage and had to be taken to the hospital by
ambulance. I lost more than 50% of my blood and had to receive several blood transfusions. I am still not sure 100%.
I had my brother bring my computer to Women’s Hospital so that I would not miss a step with my classes. I am my
sole support. As you can imagine these issues have left me in dire financial straits and I was counting on Fall work to
right the ship. I have taken Yearlong classes to help, I have taken on individuals who needed a separate class. I have
tried to be a reliable and supportive teacher and course lead. To say that this is a blow would be to understatement. I
am still not 100% but I feel as though I will need to get a retail job.
I will lose over $1200 per month. This loss will place a significant hardship on my family. We budgeted on that
amount.
We were depending on this money to pay for oil heat for the upcoming winter and some of my 4 year old’s medical
bills. I have had no reason to think that I would not be working for NCVPS on some level in the Fall. Now I am
scrambling to find a job to help pay our bills for the Fall. Had I known that if I taught in the summer I would not have a
job in the Fall I would not have asked to teach a summer course.
My son is a freshman at NCSU, I have received no financial aid other than a 2700/semester unsubsidized loan. I am
responsible for 10k per semester for his tuition and fees. I am a one income household (single parent).
My husband and I were preparing to buy a new home in the very near future depending on this NCVPS income for
the ability to do that. This impacts my family--which includes three little children under the age of 6--on too many
levels to name--most specifically just the ability to be financially stable.
My fulltime livelihood!!
my family budgets in the money I earn teaching over the course of the year.
Regarding how I use my salary, my NCVPS money pays a construction loan we have on our house. It has also paid
for two children to go to a very expensive preschool and also college savings.
I will lose 40% of my pay for the year
Travel sports for kids, Christmas, all non-necessities
student debt, my daughters college fees and looking to retire with the company to serve the students
I support my parents in Costa Rica as well as my family. Also I just bought a brand new computer that mainly
purchase for my NCVPS teaching.
I was using this part time job to pay for my kids' college. I have 2 kids in college and working with NCVPS has really
helped me. I work hard, every day of the week with NCVPS, even on the weekends. But I don't mind. This is my
choice. I don't want breaks. I chose to work and I want to do a good job. I love it!
I am single and use this one to supplement so I can make my house payment and bills
Need this job for my family financial needs
I have this job to offset the child support expense I have after my divorce.
I received an email saying I was eligible to teach in the Fall, not an option for me. I always sit out the fall semester,
this year I have a senior that I have to help and guide with college applications! I was planning to teach for NCVPS in
retirement and planning financial for a secure flexible second job to supplement retirement income. Also it seems I
will be dictated as to which semester I can or am available to teach which removes my flexibility and may impact
finances in the future. Since I will refuse to teach a Fall semester I might not be asked to teach a Spring or Summer
one? Also impacted emotionally by pure disgust at the treatment of my profession and my colleagues who are
probably more directly affected than I am!
Thank you,
Teryn
--
Teryn B. Odom
Spanish II Teacher
Instructional Leader
North Carolina Virtual Public School
My Google Voice (cell phone/text): 704.336.9168
NCVPS Main Office: 919.513.8550
NCVPS Virtual Support Center: 919.480.8770 or www.help.ncvps.org
Skype and Google Talk: teryn.odom
teryn.odom@ncpublicschools.gov
www.ncvps.org | www.terynodom.com
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