YPL and CCF upcoming plans

[alt_sinistra]

Good afternoon! Now that we’ve returned to school, a few notes. Questions on any of the following, do stop by and see me. (And I’ll be in my office this afternoon and evening, as well as the other usual hours.) In particular:

The mural project
The dedication and final presentation of the new mural will take place this coming Saturday, April 21st, at 2:30pm, (by the mural, naturally). Everyone in the castle is welcome to attend, and there will be some refreshments. Mrs Pencarrow will be finalising some of the charms and remaining details this week: schedule is posted by the mural and on the board by the stairs to the astronomy tower.

Summer plans
We’re continuing to work on details for the YPL and CCF summer plans - keep an eye out for more announcements in the next week or two. For first years, I can confirm the camping trip (as always with a few new activities), and for the second years, our two New London trips.

Fourth Years
I’m delighted to say we have a larger than usual number of openings for 4th years interested in being YPL counsellors for younger students. We anticipate our counsellors will participate in one trip each this summer (with a small number of the most senior counsellors assisting with the CCF programme weeks). The process involves an application form (available from me now), some short situational questions, and a brief interview.

Third Years
For current 3rd years: we will be beginning the CCF application process a little earlier this year than last. Our process will be roughly the same as last year - a written application, a letter to someone in a field you may wish to explore after leaving school, and then further detailed testing after the end of the school year.

I want to emphasise again that not being selected is not a comment on a particular student’s skills, loyalty, or magical ability: it simply means that the selectors feel that the CCF is not the programme best suited to developing that person's potential and service to the Protectorate. We anticipate selecting 15-16 students again this year.

Comments

Re: Private message to Penelope Clearwater

[alt_penelope]

Professor,

I'm glad you said something. As it happens, I had been meaning to talk to you about the stipend for the summer because--well, I think I've mentioned before that I don't have any intention of remaining a burden on my father parents any longer than necessary after finishing school. But I have been trying to figure out how to balance the demands of the CCF/YPL programmes with the need for an earnest job search.

I'd be happy to discuss the current YPL counsellors and their merits. During your next office hours? I can have my recommendations drafted by then.

Re: Private message to Penelope Clearwater

[alt_sinistra]

You have mentioned that before, and I quite understand the challenge. I'm glad you brought it up again, though.

My worry, of course, is that once we hit the summer, you'd have very little chance to interview (or prepare) in order to find something that suits you longer-term. I'd hate to find you at a loss in August, with your peers having found positions, and you having done (excellent, of course) work but needing something new.

As I said, I'm quite glad to do whatever I can to help you find a lasting position. And if your concern is something flexible enough over the summer to interview, but also help you bring in something, I do know of a few people who have summer research positions open that might be a good fit. They'd both give you some income, and be fine with you needing to take a morning to interview, or prepare something.

(Remind me: Runes, Arithmancy, and Divination, yes, for NEWTs? Anything I'm missing? Though the two positions I know about right now are both straight research.)

If you'd like a bit more privacy to discuss than office hours usually allow, I'd be glad to talk after classes either tomorrow or Friday (any time between 3 and 5:30 or so.)

Re: Private message to Penelope Clearwater

[alt_penelope]

Oh, I hadn't thought about--yes, you're right, of course, it could be seriously disadvantageous to start later than my classmates. But wouldn't that be true of a summer research position, as well, Miss?

And yes, I've kept all three, as well as all the standard subjects. My best O.W.L.s were Runes, Charms, Astronomy and Herbology, followed by Transfiguration, Potions and Defence. I also took the Creatures O.W.L. and passed it but I don't think I'd be able to pull that off at the N.E.W.T. level.

What sorts of postings, if you don't mind my asking? I mean, I know that you had an apprenticeship that was far outside of New London. I don't think I'd want to have to live somewhere remote in order to take an assistant's position, you know?

Not that there's anything wrong with room and board but--well, I think you might understand why it would be--difficult, for me.

And perhaps Friday, yes, thank you. I've got the Prefects' meeting tomorrow night so I'm always putting together the agenda for that in the time between lessons and dinner.

Re: Private message to Penelope Clearwater

[alt_sinistra]

Excellent questions, of course. And no, neither are off in the remote parts of Cornwall: I had a lovely time at my research assistanceship, but you neither need the dark night sky nor that kind of isolation. (Besides, I was building - with the advice of my mentors - a very specific set of professional skills so I could come back and take over teaching. And that made me willing to be there for a time without much else in my life. Much healthier to have a better balance, I'm sure.)

Both the positions I know of are actually in New London, and they're both fairly flexible about how long the work might continue (allowing for reasonable notice, of course). They're both expecting to be busy enough for the forseeable future that another pair of hands would be useful, but not so much they'd need to cling to someone who found a permanent position.

One of them is with an old friend of mine, a researcher named Chimera Powell. He's a sort of independent librarian: he takes on consulting research projects for a variety of clients - sometimes it's tracking down old books, or authenticating documents, or helping an appraiser with documentation for an item. I met him while I was doing research on some old astronomical charts.

The other is actually with one of my cousins - though she's about the same age as my mother, and I've always called her Auntie. Gera Cumberhatch is her name. She does the same kind of independent research, but she's focused more on family history. Not the genealogy as much (she leaves that to other people) but filling in the background details, or writing up a history on a family property or a reclaimed house, that kind of thing.

Both really require good research skills more than any specific magical aptitude, though Runes, Charms, and Defence all have their moments with some older magical items and books. (And while Chimera's not an astronomer himself, he regularly takes on projects for other members of the Astronomer's Guild, so your knowledge there could be quite useful.)

At any rate, I'll get my notes together on both, and what they're specifically hoping for, and we can talk it over Friday afternoon.

Re: Private message to Penelope Clearwater

[alt_penelope]

Okay. Thanks, Professor.