Certificate Trekking

Here in Indiana, teachers have to go back to school to pick up 6 credit hours every five years in order to renew their teaching certificates.  (I guess they call it a "license" in this state.)  The time prior to this when I got my six hours of credits at IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis), it cost just short of $700.  This last time, the cost had almost doubled.  I didn't have $1,200, but I had to have the hours in order to keep my license.  It was tricky!  In short, just the schooling alone costs about $260 a year, spread out over the five year time period--and college costs just keep going up.  (Guess what, boys and girls!  In order to keep teaching, I would have to do it all over again in three years--and I'm not going to do it!)  I want everyone to understand that there is no tuition reimbursement through the school district, the state, or any other source.  This comes on the backs of the teachers!

Anyway, at the end of the five year time period, one has to provide the state with $35 for certificate renewal, course transcripts, a criminal background check (another $7), a copy of the previous license, and an application.  I chose to do it all in one day, in person--today!  (I did my homework to find out all that would be needed.  The $35 had to be a cashier's check or money order.)  I didn't have a clue where to find my teaching certificate, so I called my school district to ask for a copy of the copy they have.  Thus, I set my itinerary for today:  Marsh for the $35 money order; then Monrovia for the copy of my license; then the Government Center in Indy for the criminal background check; then to IUPUI to get the official transcripts and turn all of the stuff in to the Department of Education...then lunch with Meg at noon.  I worried, of course, that I would get lost and/or that there would be delays that would prevent me from getting to Meg's office in time, but it was do-or-die...and I did!  I made it to Meg's with 15 minutes to spare, but I was busy!

I want everyone to know that cash isn't all its cracked up to be these days.  When one leaves for a venture like this one today, one needs to go armed with every form of payment possible!  For example, the $35 for the state had to be a cashier's check or money order.  (Already mentioned that.)  The criminal background check had to be cashier's check or money order, unless you were there in person (which I was)--but even then it had to be "correct change".  I had to go down to the snack shop in order to break the $20 I had before I could pay for the background check.  I couldn't pay for the transcripts in cash either!  They would, however, take a check or credit card.  Then, there were the coins needed for the parking meter, and the couple of bucks it took for the parking garage on campus.  What an exercise in creative funding!  At least it's done--probably for the last time!

Doing some preparations for some Fourth of July fun with the grandchildren.  We're going to make a red-white-and blue cake!