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February has always been a month of quiet reflection for me. Like the flowers waiting underground in front of my house, I lie dormant until just the right moment. That doesn’t mean I’m sleeping; it just means that beneath the surface I’m gathering strength to push my green shoots into the world.  

February is when MCPS schools get their staffing allocations for next year and begin posting jobs. Teachers start sending out resumés, scheduling interviews, and reaching out to their network of colleagues at other schools. The Job Fair is virtual this year. Is this the year to look for another job? 

February is when I set my intentions for the summer and the rest of the year. What happens if I declare my intention of leaving my current school and nobody hires me? Like the crocuses that bloom too quickly, I will become frozen and fail to bloom.

If so, there’s always next year.