teacher

test technician

administrative assistant

student advisor

library assistant

Windham School District

Windham is an environment of continual assessment of student needs, goal setting, and professional team-building in order to match educator strengths for maximize goal achievement. 

Each day I am faced with a room full of adult men whose choices have forced them to face some harsh realities about where they have been and what is yet to come.  As a correctional educator, I have the awesome opportunity to facilitate redirection in the lives of students caught in the spiral of destructive choices.  I believe in order to truly reduce recidivism and increase success for offenders beyond the prison system, a foundation of individual purpose and potential, personal responsibility, and respect for self and others coupled with educational and job skills will result in an individual better equipped to respond rather than react to life’s circumstances. 

Correctional education gives me the opportunity to impact through inspiration and facilitation.  As has always been my practice, the right to impact the lives of others is earned by demonstrating to each individual that they matter, they are respected, and they can use what life has already equipped them with to discover untapped potential.  I believe as a correctional teacher, although proficiency in content area is a must, the most important role I am to play in the life of  each student is that of encouraging each individual to push beyond the boundaries of the way things have always been to discover that within them is the power to redirect their lives

This is a Prison Teaching assignment designed to allow entry level skills to the offender, and permit the inmate choices to eliminate the device that may have placed them in their present condition.
   We teach a Core curriculum for Constructional Carpentry that is designed, and implemented by NCCER, a national certification that I am certified in, to create complete testing, and performance criteria. 
 Management is stretched to extremes by allowing Administrators to manage 2 or more Correctional facilities, and the process of attaining permissions, and personal input are handicapped with the success of the educational process commonly shorted fluidity.
   I would say the hardest part of this job is the paperwork, which stems from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Although I appreciate the ultimate goal is the safety of the workers, and prison population with tool control in mind, it demands about 4 of 8 hours each work day, and with all of the paperwork for the School District, and the State of Texas, it is pretty much all about the paperwork, and education comes in a close second.
   In the abstract for the enjoyable portion, I am able to see growth, and acceptance to information, and conduct, as well as personal behavior in the students reactions to content that quite possibly in many cases could be the first time they have had success in an educational setting in their lives.

As an administrator, you will go in with a "can do" attitude and often leave feeling defeated.  New leadership is driving positive change but is making change faster than it can be supported.  Leadership sends mixed messages about support while often leaving you feeling threatened for disciplinary action.  Many strides to improve the district but is failing as a whole.  The hardest part of the job are VERY short deadlines to execute actions or meet deadlines and seemingly poor communication at the upper level.  Pay increases have been great, but still do not commensurate with the number of working days worked in comparison to other public schools and the risk to your personal safety while working in a highly stressful and dangerous prison environment.  They are VERY aware of personal safety and focus heavily on security risk and mitigation but that does not change where you work.  Their leave and absence policy is absurd. 

I taught in public school districts for years and finally joined Windham School District last year. It was the best decision I’ve ever made because they are the best school district I’ve ever worked for. From day one, the Administration staff in Huntsville, the principal, teachers and staff members on my campus, and in my region, were very welcoming and supportive. This school district actually cares about their employees (and that seems rare these days!). Even though they have campuses all over the state of Texas, Windham has created a positive environment that still seems small and personal. They provided new employee training that covered every aspect of my job, and have levels of support in place that are easily and readily available for all of their employees, at all times when needed. On my campus, our principal is very involved with staying in-tune with and supporting her staff, especially to help us with all we need for our classrooms to be a success.

I work in the administrative office. I cannot vouch for treatment on the units bc I feel that likely varies from principal to principal. HOWEVER, if you have the right leadership, it’s pretty hard to find a reason to leave right now. I recommend that if you onboard and don’t like your leadership, you stay around long enough to find a different position under another leader and they might lead to a better experience. Over the last year, we’ve received a 10% salary increase and nearly $10k in bonuses. Between my one promotion (1 year in) and the salary increase (not including the bonuses), my salary has MORE than doubled from doing the exact same work (possibly less) for the state’s correctional entity. I will say this, thought, promotion does require you being out, active, and becoming a part of the in-group. Keeping your nose to the ground, disregarding connection, and working silently will have you overlooked and disappointed. 

Best.  Job.  Ever.  That's what I was told in all my interviews, and that's what I used to think.  Until it wasn't.  Teachers, whether in public system or private sector, deal with disrespect from students all the time.  Unfortunately, it doesn't get any better with this company either.  The best part?  Not having to take work home.  But there is only so much lack of respect a person, especially a teacher, can take from his/her students and superiors.  The pay is much lower than most large districts in the state, and that's with the large raise given across the board this year.  Yes, it was exciting to get (and well deserved), but not as much as it should be especially if a district is trying to recruit more teachers.  Other than constantly dealing with disrespectful attitudes by students, the poor environmental conditions are very difficult to handle as well.

As a teacher for WSD, you will be teaching in a prison or state jail.  You must be of the mindset that the offenders need and deserve their education or you will not be able to perform your job properly nor will you enjoy it.  The offenders tend to act just like middle school children, because that is where their education failed them (among other reasons).  Though you need to be able to show understanding and compassion, you must know that they will manipulate you and steal from you without hesitation.  If you can find the perfect balance between these things, the joyous part of the job is when the offenders buy into their education ans work so hard to achieve their GED.  I cried at EVERY graduation I attended.  That is when you receive the acknowledgement that you are in the right field.

A typical day at work includes teaching two three-hour classes. I have learned many important lessons at this job including the contrast in adult learners vs. young learners, how to deal with change, and how to get along with an assortment of personalities. Having a trusting and solid relationship with co-workers has played an important role in my job satisfaction. The hardest part of the job and the most enjoyable part of the job is dealing with the variety of personalities that come my way each and every day.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The pay is really good. Its a steady job with set hours.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The environment, the staff & the officers. It's basically a popularity contest & if you are young and attractive most of the teaching staff will do everything in their power to get you in trouble. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Depressing, grey and stressfull.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Very demanding, when I started we had a principal who was never there so everyone came to me with all their issues which I wasn't fully trained for.

I learned that in a job that is repetitious and fast paced that the need to prioritize is essential. Duties considered most important should be taken on first before any other task taken. I was also educated on what functions that I needed to do personally with my specialization and interpreting what jobs I could distribute to the other team members. Management was strict on leadership and accountability which resulted in our margin of transaction errors to be very small. I enjoyed the discipline and respect of Windham Warehouse.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Teacher 171 salaries reported	$65,920 per year
Test technician 43 salaries reported	$45,573 per year
Administrative assistant 36 salaries reported	$43,144 per year
Student advisor 29 salaries reported	$80,602 per year
Library assistant 13 salaries reported	$43,379 per year

Working at Windham School District: Company Overview and Reviews

Windham School District

Windham School District Ratings

Popular jobs at Windham School District

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected