The Grass is Mas Verde
I've been pretty fortunate in this life. Got lots of Love, healthy family, and happiness. I've had some dream jobs that have afforded me a home and great adventure, but since 2008 there has been more struggle than I have ever known. That said, we have still managed to flourish as a family. A couple weeks ago I was given an informal offer to take a job at the Verde Valley School just outside Sedona, AZ.
Living in the Gunnison Valley has been a blessing. There is a deep sense of place for me here. At this point I have lived here for more than half of my life. It has textured my being. The thought of leaving was, at first, terrifying. But I have since become much more open to the idea. When Katie and I first started to discuss me taking the job at VVS, it was just for a year and she and the boys would stay in CB and we would take turns commuting back and forth. That was a heart-wrenching concept.
This week we took a road trip down to Sedona/Oak Creek to visit the school, meet with the staff and try to understand the big picture of what I would be doing there. We rented a car at the GUC airport and drove through - Montrose, Ridgeway, over the San Juans and past Cortez into Navajo Country. We crossed the desert with huge thunder heads criss-crossing our path. We saw mud slides cover the road and a thirsty desert covered in shimmering water. Crossing the desert to the mountains of Northern AZ and Flagstaff creates a sense of epicness. It is vast out there and inhabited by an impoverished nation of folks living in an array of trailer homes and makeshift dwelling not seen in most climes in North America.
We rolled into Sedona (Oak Creek, really) late on Sunday evening and spent the night in a hotel. When we awoke the next day and walked out the door into the bright daylight and warmth of the desert, we were greeted by the dichotomy of a strip mall-style main thoroughfare with the backdrop of a red and white desert coated with the rough and dry vegetation of the region. A lot to swallow for our little family. A quick drive out Verde Valley School Rd. via one of the many roundabouts and we were quickly off the beaten path and seeing the bigger picture of the landscape.
The school is at the end of the pavement and tucked up into the mountains. The whitewashed buildings and red roofs stark against the green of the pine trees and blue sky created a clear and cool vision of the school. Here it is, cozy in a dry rock nook in Northern AZ. A family of quail scampered across the dirt path as we pulled into the main offices.
We were greeted by Graham and went in for breakfast amongst a small sea of pink shirts that the Korean school kids wore on their last day of a summer ESL immersion program. We sat and caught up a little bit over the meal, trying to let our narrow visions of this scenario fill out into the space we now occupied. The concept of moving the family to this school was bouncing around my skull as we tried to ask the right questions, listen, and absorb as much as we could while trying to keep the kids from getting too wild.
During the tour we walked the main campus passing the dorms, classrooms, art rooms, labs, faculty homes and lots of cool landscapes and artwork. We went up to the chapel that has a big picture window framing Cathedral Rock. The school welcomes all races, religions, and nationalities as a part of their philosophy. The chapel is a fitting place, at the top of campus, to view the natural magnificence and reflect on the power of education, nature, faith, and all of the things that come with VVS.
I had meetings with the IT director, academic directors, and the dean of resident life/outdoor recreation director. My job would tie into all that they do. I won't go into specifics right now because I am waiting on a formal offer, but it is a job that is going to require a ton of work and will have a lot of positive effects on the school community. The idea of living on campus with my family is pretty exciting and we are also looking into getting Katie some work at the school. She is looking forward to taking some time off massage to rest her body and to get some more education under her belt - there are several schools nearby.
While the resort destination town is familiar to us, Crested Butte is still a singularly unique place. It would be an adjustment getting used to Sedona, but our feeling about the VVS campus is more comforting. The staff seem very cool and energetic. The school seems to be on an upswing and the possibilities with being involved at this point seem very interesting and the outcomes could help to set things up for the near future in a very positive light. There are politics, checks, and balances involved in the decision to make this move - and the need for a formal offer - but it is something we are excited about.
Living in the Gunnison Valley has been a blessing. There is a deep sense of place for me here. At this point I have lived here for more than half of my life. It has textured my being. The thought of leaving was, at first, terrifying. But I have since become much more open to the idea. When Katie and I first started to discuss me taking the job at VVS, it was just for a year and she and the boys would stay in CB and we would take turns commuting back and forth. That was a heart-wrenching concept.
This week we took a road trip down to Sedona/Oak Creek to visit the school, meet with the staff and try to understand the big picture of what I would be doing there. We rented a car at the GUC airport and drove through - Montrose, Ridgeway, over the San Juans and past Cortez into Navajo Country. We crossed the desert with huge thunder heads criss-crossing our path. We saw mud slides cover the road and a thirsty desert covered in shimmering water. Crossing the desert to the mountains of Northern AZ and Flagstaff creates a sense of epicness. It is vast out there and inhabited by an impoverished nation of folks living in an array of trailer homes and makeshift dwelling not seen in most climes in North America.
We rolled into Sedona (Oak Creek, really) late on Sunday evening and spent the night in a hotel. When we awoke the next day and walked out the door into the bright daylight and warmth of the desert, we were greeted by the dichotomy of a strip mall-style main thoroughfare with the backdrop of a red and white desert coated with the rough and dry vegetation of the region. A lot to swallow for our little family. A quick drive out Verde Valley School Rd. via one of the many roundabouts and we were quickly off the beaten path and seeing the bigger picture of the landscape.
The school is at the end of the pavement and tucked up into the mountains. The whitewashed buildings and red roofs stark against the green of the pine trees and blue sky created a clear and cool vision of the school. Here it is, cozy in a dry rock nook in Northern AZ. A family of quail scampered across the dirt path as we pulled into the main offices.
We were greeted by Graham and went in for breakfast amongst a small sea of pink shirts that the Korean school kids wore on their last day of a summer ESL immersion program. We sat and caught up a little bit over the meal, trying to let our narrow visions of this scenario fill out into the space we now occupied. The concept of moving the family to this school was bouncing around my skull as we tried to ask the right questions, listen, and absorb as much as we could while trying to keep the kids from getting too wild.
During the tour we walked the main campus passing the dorms, classrooms, art rooms, labs, faculty homes and lots of cool landscapes and artwork. We went up to the chapel that has a big picture window framing Cathedral Rock. The school welcomes all races, religions, and nationalities as a part of their philosophy. The chapel is a fitting place, at the top of campus, to view the natural magnificence and reflect on the power of education, nature, faith, and all of the things that come with VVS.
I had meetings with the IT director, academic directors, and the dean of resident life/outdoor recreation director. My job would tie into all that they do. I won't go into specifics right now because I am waiting on a formal offer, but it is a job that is going to require a ton of work and will have a lot of positive effects on the school community. The idea of living on campus with my family is pretty exciting and we are also looking into getting Katie some work at the school. She is looking forward to taking some time off massage to rest her body and to get some more education under her belt - there are several schools nearby.
While the resort destination town is familiar to us, Crested Butte is still a singularly unique place. It would be an adjustment getting used to Sedona, but our feeling about the VVS campus is more comforting. The staff seem very cool and energetic. The school seems to be on an upswing and the possibilities with being involved at this point seem very interesting and the outcomes could help to set things up for the near future in a very positive light. There are politics, checks, and balances involved in the decision to make this move - and the need for a formal offer - but it is something we are excited about.
posted by Cakes at 8/18/2011 12:21:00 PM
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