After nearly a decade as an upper-elementary teacher at our local Montessori school, Josh is embarking on a new career in law enforcement. We are incredibly proud of him as he pursues a calling that has been with him since childhood.
While Josh completed his Montessori training in the Pacific Northwest in 2005 and was teaching when I met him in Seattle, he still intended to join the police force there. However, life moved us forward in other ways, with Josh continuously choosing jobs supporting our family.
For the first 10 years of our marriage, Josh worked as a faith-based community organizer, creating positive change and often partnering with local police departments. When Alma and James were school-aged, he returned to teaching, which allowed them to attend the same private school where he taught. During their elementary years, Alma and James were either in Josh’s class or just a classroom away. When the pandemic hit, the Chisholms made up nearly a quarter of the classroom population, which is a great way to go if you are going to get through a global pandemic.
Josh has built a lovely academic and social foundation for the kids. They are good kids because of his loving influence and his choice to delay his own plans for the family's benefit. For that, I will always be grateful.
Now that they are more independent, it's time for Josh to follow his own dreams. Over the holiday break, we had one last visit to the school to clean out his binders and bring home some of our plants. He is starting at the sheriff’s office this week, and next week, he’ll begin the six months of training at the police academy.
It’s not easy to take such a significant leap, but we are excited for him to learn about the profession and support him through any challenges. We have no doubt that his compassion, dedication, and integrity will make a lasting impact on the community.
Congratulations, Josh! We are so proud of you.
