Bridget Hoxmeier

Bridget Hoxmeier B.S., Elementary Education/Special Education - Mild/Moderate Disabilities (K-6), 2013

3rd Grade Teacher, Southern Valley Schools, Oxford, NE

I wanted to inform you that I accepted a 3rd grade teaching position at Southern Valley Elementary School for next year! Southern Valley is a consolidated school near Orleans, NE where I now live. When I spoke with the superintendent and principal the day they offered me the job, they said that they had over 25 applicants for two elementary position openings at the school. They had a wide variety of people apply from several people who just graduated college, a few who have been teaching for a couple years already, and some who had been teaching for 10+ years. For the interview each applicant had to teach a 15-minute mini lesson to a class full of students and then each were asked a series of interview questions afterwards.

The superintendent and principal said...of the the two students who graduated from UNL...that they were blown away by our ability to walk into a classroom and have control over the class even though the lesson was only 15 minutes long. They said that our answers to the interview questions were more advanced, they were impressed by all of the time we have spent in a classroom during college, and that we were both way more prepared.... Myself and the other UNL student who also just graduated in December were the two people offered the open positions. I wanted to share this with you for a couple of reasons. First off, I know that I would not have been as prepared as I was if it was not for your help and guidance during my years at UNL. Your class allowed me the opportunity to hear from employers and what they are looking for, but also gave me the opportunity to bounce ideas and discuss the ups and downs of student teaching with my peers. No other class that I was in offered that kind of support, nor built up that kind of community, and I believe that was a big influence and help on becoming the educator I am today. I also wanted to share this with you because I'm sure you have another class of nervous students this year who are anxious about finding jobs for next year. I just want them to know that they are more prepared then they may think, and that they are very fortunate and blessed to have had the experiences they have had while attending UNL. I can wholeheartedly say that I am proud to be a Husker.  

Bridget Hoxmeier
Bridget Hoxmeier