It was mid morning when Martha pulled into the parking lot to the Moon Lake School District's Central Office. It was a new looking building next to an old stone building with a small wooden sign that read "Moon Lake School Building: 1860-1913." Martha imagined that the building was preserved as a museum for the old school building. There were a fair number of school districts that did that, and sometimes if old school buildings weren't kept going they were sold off and converted into apartment buildings, though both could be rare. Many times if an old school building couldn't be converted and or upgraded, there was the potential that the building could have been scrapped.and a new building either built on a new site or over the old site after the old building was taken down. She sighed and turned off the car's engine and began collecting all her relevant paperwork. While the history behind Moon Lake's schools was interesting, she was here to rejoin the workforce and see if the district could use a new substitute teacher or potentially a new elementary school teacher.
She collected her paperwork and calmly got out of her car. She walked forward and entered the Central Office building through the main doors. She entered into a wide entryway with an older looking woman seated at a large half-circular desk. Her new nose was also quick to identify this female as another werecat, though likely from a different pride, as Samantha and Frances had told her that the pride that she had joined was rather small.
"Hello," the secretary spoke up as she looked up and likely catching Martha's own werecat scent, "can I help you with something?"
"Yes," Martha answered, "I'm Martha Anderson... and while you may have all your slots filled for the present school year, I would like to state that I would like to inquire if any Elementary School spots will open up for next school year and if not... if you would be willing to hire an additional substitute teacher."
"I see," the secretary answered, again sniffing at Martha's scent, "and your name again."
"Martha Anderson," Martha answered.
She watched as the secretary began to twitch a pen up and down on her desk as she was thinking. Eventually she heard the secretary whisper the name "Anderson" over and over again.
"My husband is William Anderson," Martha sighed, "the one attacked by the rogue werevixen."
"Oh...!" the secretary spoke as though she had been trying to place where she had heard the name "Anderson" before, "but... you're a werecat..."
"Yes," Martha nodded, "does that matter?"
"Not really... but I would have thought you would have become a werefox with your husband," the secretary answered.
Martha sighed, "I'm bisexual, ma'am... and... well... I was starting to realize just how much I had been repressing it and I decided to become a werecat and essentially get my own mind on straight. William and I are still together and he is quite fine with my new were-species and my sexuality."
"I see," the secretary answered, "I apologize if I did anything that antagonized you dear... it's just that when normals join our society they tend to join the same were-species. You're wanting to teach here?"
"Full time, ultimately," Martha answered, "but for the moment, I can settle for substitute work."
The secretary nodded and opened a drawer in her desk. She carefully pulled out a stack of papers and handed them out to Martha. Martha took them carefully and looked at it. It was a job application.
"We're always on the lookout for possible substitutes," the secretary gave a smile and gestured to a small desk in a corner under a window to the outside, "If you'll fill this out we can get started. Do you have any relevant paperwork? Certification? Things like that."
Martha handed the secretary the folder that held her college diplomas, Minnesota Teaching Certificate, and a few copies of evaluations that she had received before she resigned to be a full time mother.
"I will need those back," Martha said as she handed the folder to the secretary. The secretary nodded and then got up and went through a door that was behind her desk.
With her work set before her, Martha went to the desk and went about filling out the application. It was a fairly standard application looking for everything that she expected to find. Martha checked in that she was looking for both substitute teaching and full time teaching for the grades 1, 2, 3, and 4, which was where her certification was in Minnesota. She also found a waiver in which she was supposed to agree not to divulge anything that might be considered abnormal or animal like to anyone outside of Moon Lake. Martha remembered William commenting on a similar waiver being in his contract with the college when it had arrived in the mail before they moved. She chuckled as the waiver was probably there to make sure Moon Lake's were-beasts weren't betrayed, which was not an issue for her. Not only had Nate become a werewolf to follow Moon Lake's laws, but she had become a werecat. The waiver was irrelevant to her, but she signed the agreement to abide by the waiver.
By the time Martha got to the end of the application, the secretary returned from the rest of the office and approached her. Martha had just stood up with the finished application when the secretary handed her her folder back. She made a quick check of it and found that none of her records were missing, which meant that all they had done was to photocopy the paperwork she had provided.
"I did get the application finished," Martha announced.
"Very good," the secretary spoke, "If you'll come with me... our District Superintendent would like to speak with you."
Martha nodded and followed behind the secretary as she was lead to the door that the secretary had earlier gone through. As Martha followed through the portal she found herself in a long hallway with plaques on the doors that identified the district's various offices, a break room, and a work room. The secretary lead Martha to the door that had "Superintendent Larry Foote."
"Mr. Foote," the secretary spoke as she opened the door, "I've brought your new applicant..."
"Send her in, Holly," came a deep male voice from inside the room.
Martha then entered to find that the room was larger than she would have expected with a tall bookshelf along a back wall. The room was also decorated with a sort of wild west theme to it, with either paintings of wild horses or of cowboys at a rodeo. She also saw a rather impressive list of diplomas from Moon Lake Community College, the University of Washington, and the University of Oregon, Behind an ornate oak desk was a very athletic looking man who Martha's nose told her was a werehorse, though like the secretary, he also looked older. Martha couldn't tell how old he was, but given what she had been told, he was probably far older than he looked.
"Hello," the man, Larry Foote, spoke in a friendly voice, "So you want to teach here in Moon Lake?"
"Yes," Martha answered, "I used to teach in Minnesota and did quite well..."
"May I ask why you stopped?" Larry Foote asked her, "because I looked through the copies of your records... and they do look fairly impressive, but you haven't taught in sixteen years."
"I was pregnant at the time," Martha answered, "and my husband I and agreed that I would stay home with the kids since he was earning more as a college professor. Now, though... my sons, Nate and Eric are getting older and I don't need to be at home full time. So, I'd like to return to work."
"I see," Larry Foote nodded, "Well... what you have is quite impressive given all things. As such I can tell you that you are qualified to substitute teach here in Moon Lake, though there are a few things I'd like to go over with you, if you don't mind?"
Martha nodded as she sat down.
"First of all, all substitute teachers will be available for all classes, elementary, middle, and high school," Larry Foote explained, "This may take you outside your certification, but its a way we can be sure that our subs get some shot at work. And that shouldn't be too hard, every teacher should have written instructions for you."
Martha nodded.
"Now, the biggest issue you may face will be potentially dealing with various issues that may come about with certain were-beast species, particularly while at the high school," Larry Foote answered, "now, seeing as that you are a werecat, I will assume you are familiar with the varying instincts that all were-beasts have?"
"Based on the town handbook, yes," Martha answered, "Though I would think that each school has policies and procedures in place in case they get too excited. After all... if a werebull at the high school decides he's not going to comply... there isn't much I as a werecat could probably do physically..."
"Yes, we do have procedures in place," Larry Foote nodded, "and some security personnel in case situations get out of hand... though they are rare here in Moon Lake. More often than not, you'll find our students here quite respectful."
Martha nodded.
"And if you're needed to sub, we will call you the night before if it's for a full day," Larry Foote continued, "though if we have emergencies, you'll need to be ready at the drop of a hat if needed. Can you do that?"
"Of course," Martha answered.
Larry Foote nodded and then moved onto the next point, "Now, my secretary has also stated that you're interested in teaching full time?"
"A the elementary level," Martha nodded.
"Well, that will be easy," Larry Foote answered, "One of our second grade teachers is married to a soldier stationed at one of the nearby military bases... but he's being transferred to another base. Which means we will be looking to fill that position for the next school year... however, Mrs. Anderson, you will need to update your certification for the State of Washington before we can consider you. Do you understand that?"
Martha nodded, "I will be doing my best to do so."
"Very good," Larry Foote commented, "and in a way by applying for the elementary school you won't have to take the Moon Lake specific test that our college administers on its own... since weres that are born weres won't have their first transformation until they reach puberty you won't have to worry about running the classes that help educate young weres as they have their first and begin to adapt to the things that can indicate their first transformation is coming."
"You don't require that for elementary teachers?" Martha asked.
"It's not required for elementary teachers," Larry Foote nodded, "It may be helpful, but not required for elementary teachers."
"I see," Martha answered, "I may do my best with all of this. When will you need the test results in?"
"With the PRAXIS, you can have them deliver the results directly to us if need be, it'd be through the Moon Lake Community College, but we do talk with the college's education department and they'd have the results even if you aren't enrolled there," Larry Foote answered, "and with that test in particular... all we need for the moment is to have confirmation that you've registered for a test by no later than the first of May. With the state tests and if you take the Moon Lake test, those results need to be delivered here by April first. That helps us make sure that our decision is well informed."
"And I will do my best," Martha promised him, "and thank you."
Larry Foote nodded.