GOOD NEWS: Laid-Off Teaching Couple Re-Hired At DSUSD

LA QUINTA – Desert Sands Unified’s first day of school is on Monday. It comes at the heels of the district re-hiring 56 teachers and four counselors this week.

The Sakemi family is bursting with exciting news. Not only are Brian and Rachelle expecting their first child in two weeks, but they both are getting out of the unemployment line.

Shocked was how Rachelle Sakemi described the recent turn of events.

News Channel 3 first reported on the couple’s misfortune in June when they were both laid off at the height of starting a new family.

“We had to face the reality that this is really happening,” said Brian Sakemi, on June 4.

After losing their jobs, they headed to Carlsbad, California, for a fresh start to look for new opportunities. They tried to stay positive even if they were away from their Coachella Valley-based families.

“It was tough. But, we didn’t want to ruin this special time. It doesn’t happen too often when you’re pregnant,” says Brian.

Then, news about the district rehiring buzzed through the internet.

“I went on Facebook, and that’s where a lot of people were saying ‘Oh, I got my job back! Oh, I got my job back!’ Other people were saying ‘Oh, what about me?'” recalls Rachelle.

Eventually, the district did contact the couple to tell them they were getting their jobs back.

Before the district laid them off in June, both Rachelle and Brian were teaching multiple subjects. Now, they are focused on specialized areas. Rachelle knows science; Brian recently became credentialed in special education.

Both their jobs are considered in high demand.

Rachelle will be teaching at Desert Ridge Academy, the new middle in north Indio. Brian will be working at La Quinta Middle School.

The job offers came at the right time: financial security and health benefits are guaranteed.

“We were just keeping our fingers crossed something would come in along the way,” says Rachelle, inside her OB/GYN doctor’s office.

The couple will be spending Thursday and Friday getting to know their new campuses. Before they know it, all of them will be in classrooms one day.

All three of them, that is. Their baby girl is due September 8.