I teach in a Long Island district. We reopened our contract for renegotiation at the request of our board of education in light of the bad economy. Something was worked out based on the particulars of our contract. In the end it meant less money for us over the next few years but hopefully minimal, if any lost jobs, a clear message to the community that we appreciate their support and will do whatever we can to reciprocate. We're neither the wealthiest nor the poorest district in the area. Our salaries are, to my knowledge below the average but we care about our community and our community cares about us. I'd never want to work anywhere else.
It's too bad so much bad blood exists in Plainview. It doesn't have to be this way for either side.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Herald Reports: Can Districts Work Together for Lower Salaries?
http://www.antonnews.com/syossetjerichotribune/news/13513-can-school-districts-work-together-for-lower-salaries.html
Also found in Plainview Herald
Can School Districts Work Together for Lower Salaries?
Friday, 11 February 2011 00:00
North Shore Leads Meeting of Boards on
Legal Cooperation
This unforgiving economic climate has dealt hard blows to many people working in the private sector. Those lucky enough to hold on to jobs do so knowing that, in this era, it is unlikely to expect ideal financial compensation. Many employees are paying larger benefit contributions; some, like the Syosset Council of Teachers voted to do on Jan. 20, are forgoing raises. As the pain persists and time goes on, eyes are turning to the public sector, where many say their own, harder-to-earn tax dollars are funding a better situation than what they themselves are experiencing.
Nassau County has been working to negotiate a new deal with its primary union, seeking to remove what many found to be excessive items of compensation. Across local municipalities and at the state level, the microscope has gone down on the books and taxpayers are looking for change.
School districts account for the bulk of property taxes. In this arena, residents seek relief from a tax levy increase while boards of education face the challenge of providing an environment that 1) educates children properly and 2) keeps the value of property somewhere near the high values that brought residents into their communities in the first place. ......click link
Also found in Plainview Herald
Can School Districts Work Together for Lower Salaries?
Friday, 11 February 2011 00:00
North Shore Leads Meeting of Boards on
Legal Cooperation
This unforgiving economic climate has dealt hard blows to many people working in the private sector. Those lucky enough to hold on to jobs do so knowing that, in this era, it is unlikely to expect ideal financial compensation. Many employees are paying larger benefit contributions; some, like the Syosset Council of Teachers voted to do on Jan. 20, are forgoing raises. As the pain persists and time goes on, eyes are turning to the public sector, where many say their own, harder-to-earn tax dollars are funding a better situation than what they themselves are experiencing.
Nassau County has been working to negotiate a new deal with its primary union, seeking to remove what many found to be excessive items of compensation. Across local municipalities and at the state level, the microscope has gone down on the books and taxpayers are looking for change.
School districts account for the bulk of property taxes. In this arena, residents seek relief from a tax levy increase while boards of education face the challenge of providing an environment that 1) educates children properly and 2) keeps the value of property somewhere near the high values that brought residents into their communities in the first place. ......click link
Friday, February 18, 2011
"Plainview Patch" Reports Schools Ace State Report
http://plainview.patch.com/articles/plainview-schools-ace-state-report-cards
Plainview Schools Ace State Report Cards
Local schools outperform state average in a big way.
By Joe Dowd
The Plainview-Old Bethpage schools got stellar marks in virtually all categories of academic proficiency, blowing away statewide averages, according to reports issued today by the state Education Department.
The state report contains information that has been released to public throughout the past year but the state bills its Report Card as a single place to find all the information. It is available on the web at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/reportcard/.
School officials could not be immediately reached for comment.......
Plainview Schools Ace State Report Cards
Local schools outperform state average in a big way.
By Joe Dowd
The Plainview-Old Bethpage schools got stellar marks in virtually all categories of academic proficiency, blowing away statewide averages, according to reports issued today by the state Education Department.
The state report contains information that has been released to public throughout the past year but the state bills its Report Card as a single place to find all the information. It is available on the web at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/reportcard/.
School officials could not be immediately reached for comment.......
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Teacher in PA Suspended for Blog
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110216/ap_on_hi_te/us_teacher_suspended_blog
Pa. teacher strikes nerve with 'lazy whiners' blog
AP
Natalie Munroe AP – Central Bucks East High School teacher Natalie Munroe is seen during an interview with the Associated …
Related Quotes Symbol Price Change
By PATRICK WALTERS, Associated Press Patrick Walters, Associated Press –
FEASTERVILLE, Pa. – A high school English teacher in suburban Philadelphia who was suspended for a profanity-laced blog in which she called her young charges "disengaged, lazy whiners" is driving a sensation by daring to ask: Why are today's students unmotivated — and what's wrong with calling them out?
As she fights to keep her job at Central Bucks East High School, 30-year-old Natalie Munroe says she had no interest in becoming any sort of educational icon. The blog has been taken down, but its contents can still be found easily online.......more click link
Pa. teacher strikes nerve with 'lazy whiners' blog
AP
Natalie Munroe AP – Central Bucks East High School teacher Natalie Munroe is seen during an interview with the Associated …
Related Quotes Symbol Price Change
By PATRICK WALTERS, Associated Press Patrick Walters, Associated Press –
FEASTERVILLE, Pa. – A high school English teacher in suburban Philadelphia who was suspended for a profanity-laced blog in which she called her young charges "disengaged, lazy whiners" is driving a sensation by daring to ask: Why are today's students unmotivated — and what's wrong with calling them out?
As she fights to keep her job at Central Bucks East High School, 30-year-old Natalie Munroe says she had no interest in becoming any sort of educational icon. The blog has been taken down, but its contents can still be found easily online.......more click link
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Teachers Responsible for Students Achievment?
Suzala, can you start a new thread for this posting?
Should teachers be held solely responsible for student achievement? More specifically, should teacher pay be connected to student test scores?
Let's consider a few scenarios with three fictitious students named Pierre, Wilma and Egbert.
Pierre is a little first grade boy. Although his attendance is good, he consistently arrives with something missing. Whether it's his lunch/lunch money, pencils or homework, he never seems to come to school ready to learn. His 15 minute a day at home reading log is seldom returned on time if at all. His teacher has contacted the parent on numerous occasions to discuss the gap in Pierre's home-school connection but to no avail. The mother will agree with the teacher's concerns, promise to make a better effort but for whatever the reason (legitimate or otherwise) will rarely follow through. Despite Pierre's high potential, his progress is severly hindered by that fact that he does not read on a daily basis and has minimal, if any value placed on homework and learning in his home.
Wilma is a seventh grade student. She is a well behaved girl with average grades in all subjects except for math. She is given the opportunity to come for extra help ninth period on a daily basis but rarely shows up. When her teacher contacts her mother about arranging a mutually agreeable time to have extra help (time that goes beyond the teacher's contractual obligations), the response is that extra help will interfere with Wilma's other activities including her social life, shopping responsibilities and cosmetic appointments (manicures, haircuts, etc). Neither Wilma nor her parents have concerns over Wilma's C average in math or her low standardized test scores.
Egbert is a tenth grade student who really doesn't care about doing well in school. As his parents are going through a messy divorce right now, he gets little support from home. His homework is rarely done. He fails some classes, barely passes others. How he does on his regents exams is simply not a priority for his parents.
Now, consider that there are at least one or two Pierres, Wilmas and Egberts in any given class. Who is really responsible for the gaps in their learning?
Should teachers be held solely responsible for student achievement? More specifically, should teacher pay be connected to student test scores?
Let's consider a few scenarios with three fictitious students named Pierre, Wilma and Egbert.
Pierre is a little first grade boy. Although his attendance is good, he consistently arrives with something missing. Whether it's his lunch/lunch money, pencils or homework, he never seems to come to school ready to learn. His 15 minute a day at home reading log is seldom returned on time if at all. His teacher has contacted the parent on numerous occasions to discuss the gap in Pierre's home-school connection but to no avail. The mother will agree with the teacher's concerns, promise to make a better effort but for whatever the reason (legitimate or otherwise) will rarely follow through. Despite Pierre's high potential, his progress is severly hindered by that fact that he does not read on a daily basis and has minimal, if any value placed on homework and learning in his home.
Wilma is a seventh grade student. She is a well behaved girl with average grades in all subjects except for math. She is given the opportunity to come for extra help ninth period on a daily basis but rarely shows up. When her teacher contacts her mother about arranging a mutually agreeable time to have extra help (time that goes beyond the teacher's contractual obligations), the response is that extra help will interfere with Wilma's other activities including her social life, shopping responsibilities and cosmetic appointments (manicures, haircuts, etc). Neither Wilma nor her parents have concerns over Wilma's C average in math or her low standardized test scores.
Egbert is a tenth grade student who really doesn't care about doing well in school. As his parents are going through a messy divorce right now, he gets little support from home. His homework is rarely done. He fails some classes, barely passes others. How he does on his regents exams is simply not a priority for his parents.
Now, consider that there are at least one or two Pierres, Wilmas and Egberts in any given class. Who is really responsible for the gaps in their learning?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
