Friday, November 01, 2013

How Disrespected ATRs Are To Principals? Just Read This!


























It's common knowledge that many principals, especially those clueless "Leadership Academy Principals" refuse to hire ATRs for their vacancies.  Usually its about the money and the average ATR makes $85,000 while the "newbie teacher"  makes less than $46,000 or a difference of $39,000 dollars!  Sure some Principals will not hire a ATR because of building seniority and a "red flag" if the ATR was once "rubberized and investigated".  However, its manly about the money.

An ATR, Keith Fabes was kind enough to send me two separate requests by Brooklyn elementary school principals who want to interview "newbie teachers" for vacancies in their schools while asking for out of district ATRs to temporarily cover the classes until the principals can select the appropriate "newbie" for the vacancies.  Listed below are the two vacancies.



From: Allen Patricia
Sent: 10/31/2013 10:38 AM
Cc: Flores Robert (32K106)
Subject: Common Branches Licensed ATR needed at 32K106
Dear Common Branches licensed Teacher, 
Please be advised of a possible vacancy at 32K106. The Principal is looking for an ATR who is willing to work outside of his/her seniority district to assist while he is in the process of conducting interviews. We would appreciate any volunteers willing to work as an ATR at that location while the principal proceeds with the interviewing process. 
Please respond to this e-mail if you are interested. Below is the location/contact information for the school. 

32K106 - EDWARD EVERETT HALE (CFN 94N412)
1328 PUTNAM AVENUE, BROOKLYN, NY 11221
(718) 574-0261
FLORES, ROBERT, Principal  rflores@schools.nyc.gov
 Sincerely,
 Mrs. Patricia Allen
 Patricia Allen MBA/HRM , HR Director
CFN 412: Making it Happen!
Daisy Concepcion, Network Leader
Christopher Groll, Cluster Leader

From: Allen Patricia
Sent: 10/31/2013 10:38 AM
Cc: Scarlato Mary (14K031)
Subject: Common Branches ATR needed at 14K031


Dear Common Branches licensed Teacher, 
Please be advised of a possible vacancy at 14K031. The Principal is looking for an ATR who is willing to work outside of his/her seniority district to assist in covering the class while she is in the process of conducting interviews. Furthermore, since D14 has very few ATR in the common branches license area, we would appreciate any volunteers willing to work as an ATR at that location.
 Please respond to this e-mail if you are interested. Below is the location/contact information for the school.

 14K031 - PS 031 SAMUEL F DUPONT (CFN 94N412)
75 MESEROLE AVENUE, BROOKLYN, NY 11222
(718) 383-8998
SCARLATO, MARY, Principal
 Sincerely,
 Mrs. Patricia Allen
 Patricia Allen MBA/HRM , HR Director
CFN 412: Making it Happen!
Daisy Concepcion, Network Leader
Christopher Groll, Cluster Leader

That's right!  ATRs need not apply, they want only inexpensive "newbies"!   To these two principals its not what's best for the students but what's best for them and their CFN in their "
education on the cheap"
policy..  How disgusting,

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Since this is out in the open, isn't this some type of discrimination? An ATR can't help being on a certain salary step. it is something that just is due to circumstances that can not be changed in the past. I do not understand how this is not some type of discrimination. I know that they hired as a leave replacement an older woman in my son's school. She is a first year teacher so is this what they use to show it is not age discrimination? I think someone should look into this.

I noticed that... said...

Bottom line: Get rid of all the networks!

They are pushing the age (tenure/experienced) discrimination by hiring newbies.

The emails should be sent to Mulgrew and Amy Arundell so they can read it that there's an overt plan to not hire ATRs.

I'm retired but I'm disgusted by all this, too.

Anonymous said...

The DOE is openly and directly doing everything in its power to make an ATRs life as difficult as possible. Much of it smacks of discrimination and the uft knows it, so one must logically ask why they aren't acting. I believe it would open the uft to enormous embarrassment when a court would find it responsible for the situation with the demise of bumping and seniority. We are shafted out of teaching positions and per session. I have 3 years to retire and I have always done alot of per session for my family and to bump up my pension. Those opportunities are now gone as wander from school to school weekly.

Tom Forbes said...

It is disgusting and amazing that our union does not stand up and proactively defend the rights of ATR's. Most of us are on a fast track to retirement or a career change. What ATR's have to put up with day in and day out is way beyond the pail. I personally have decided to move on and greatly respect all of those who keep up the good fight.

Anonymous said...

It's not really a question of seniority because school seniority trumps years in service.

It's a question of control and discrimination.

Chaz said...

I believe the ending of the hiring freeze and the failure of the DOE to enforce the ATR Agreement has resulted in an increase in ATRs going weekly to different schools.

We can only hope that the next Mayor brings sanity back into the process.

Anonymous said...

Terrible, just terrible that the news media ignores these blatant attempts to hire the cheapest teachers for the most needy of students.

Anonymous said...

Yes,but we don't pay dues to the news media. The real question is why is the uft silent on this and everything pertinent to the atrs plight?

Anonymous said...

Did anyone see the article that said the DOE is putting atr assistant principals in schools to "assist"with all of the observations required under Danielson - they will know rate people they don't know and determine futures. At least they won't have time to go after atrs now - or are they going to find a rehire retired APS which I heard they were trying to do

Anonymous said...

Chaz, what is the possibility that the union sells out the ATR's (once again) and gives the DOE more of a free hand to move us to another district? This seems like a giveback the rank and file would vote for.

Chaz said...

I highly doubt the union will sellout the ATRs. One commenter remarked that the ATR pool is against the NYS Civil Service regulations and I agree.

The most likely outcome will be an inadequate buyout and an incentive to principals in hiring ATRs for their vacancies. I really don't believe the dew Blasio administration will allow the ATR pool to exist and waste $160 million dollars.

veteran teacher said...

I really do not see any mayor ending the fiasco that is the ATR. Considering all the money this city wastes, what is 160 million more per year? They figure they save on subs and coverages plus the principals like getting 25 free coverages per week w/ an ATR.

Nothing will happen unless the budgeting and accountability is taken away from the principals. That will never happen.

Anonymous said...

AS we all know, even if a new mayor 'promises' to end the ATR saga and puts an agreement into 'effect', the likelihood of it happening are slim and none.

Chaz said...

VT and Anon 1:42


I disagree with both of you. Most of the DOE leadership will be gone by June and de Blasio will have put his own people in those policy positions.

I really can't see the ATR pool existing next school year and yes, there will be incentives to principals to hire ATRs.

Anonymous said...

Chaz

My question is why would a principal hire a guy in his 30s or 40s when they can hire a 22 yr old they can bully? The neophyte will massage the ego of the principal which is what they want

Anonymous said...

Chaz

Your posts are great but you are pragmatic and the doe does not believe in efficiency and common sense

Anonymous said...

Chaz make up your mind. Either the DOE is going to eliminate the fair student funding or else the ATR crisis will continue to exist. If you are saying that their will be an "incentive" to hire ATRs well that will not work because we already had that imposed and it did not work! The only way to end this misery is for the DOE to control staff salary from central - Basically the DOE is doing that now as really everyone gets paid from central (look at pay stubs)
The mayor bloomshit bogus principals leadership academy has put in place principals who are not only incompetent in education but they are not the best budget people. I know a principal who cant manage her own checking acct. Anyway, these new inexperienced principals do not have money management skills therefore they will still look to hire the cheapest educator rather than the best because the average principal in the system under bloomterd cannot manage money. Once payroll is controlled from central again, principals can focus on hiring the best person for the job and not some Hunter College grad with pimples still on their forehead. Diblasio is the man to change the bloomterds policies which have destroyed the nyc schools system - we all know he did - however, we all believe that diblasio can fix the damage with plain common sense - get the educators back into the classroom people!!

Anonymous said...

So basically this letter proves how principals are not even considering ATRs but interesting how they are good enough to cover the classes.
The problem here people is why is this happening?? Is it strictly for money purposes only?? Call chancellor walcott - Forget it that would be like talking to the wall

Chaz said...

Anon 1:37

I agree that the fair student funding must be eliminated and that all teachers should be considered as a unit.

I also believe that the DOE should impose a hiring freeze until all excessed teachers in the District are placed and if the Principal refuses to fill the vacancy, the principal loses the position.

Finally, they should give the Principal an incentive to sweeten the deal when hiring an ATR.

I never, ever support the (un)fair student formula.

Anonymous said...

I honestly feel nothing will ever change with the DOE. Bloomberg has ruined it forever. It is a large system and for that reason, problems will arise in a bigger scale than other systems. Also, it is not a suburban system. Neighborhoods and demographics and gentrification of areas occur and an urban education system will promote unique circumstances in terms of staffing and placement of people. However, I do not feel that any way you want to label them, the DOE, board of ed, the regions, districts, or the chancellor really care about truly educating students. Parents are not held accountable for the behavior of their children, inept people are put in powerful positions and there is no discipline in the classroom. Basically, as long as we are professional babysitters under the guise of educating students, no changes will happen. The ATRs will remain ATRs, principals will hire the 24 year old and laud them as the best thing since sliced bread and if you are over 35, you will be viewed poorly for having a life outside of the job. hate to sound negative, but I just want to be realistic. I now have 15 years in the system and have found it much easier to go into work without taking the job personally or seriously anymore. I try my best then go home and enjoy my life.

Anonymous said...

I feel the same way as anon 5:27 pm. After 16 yrs in "the system" my school closed and became an ATR. At first I was upset. I really loved teaching and cared about my students. The last 2 yrs as an ATR has taught me that the bloomterd admin has ruined teaching. For me, I'm now in my 18th yr and have already started counting down to retirement. I no longer take the job seriously and personally. I go to the school i'm sent to for the week try my best to survive and go home and truly enjoy life. No longer do I have to deal with incompetent administrators for more than a week and a system the is disfunctional at best. Being an ATR means less stress and little if any true responsibility. Good luck to all my fellow ATR's.

Anonymous said...

Anyone who saw the photo of our new mayor diblasio and his meeting with mikey bloomterd. Look at the press photos which give a glimpse into what it looks like at city hall. Look at all the workers squished together like sardines with no offices, no walls no privacy for anyone. No wonder the schools are the same way under bloomcrap. The small schools house several staff in one office, counselor, social worker, para with either a secretary or Ap ALL IN ONE OFFICE. This is another system imposed by miserberg where everyone must be in the open and squish as many people together as you can - Take a look at our schools these days, kids, staffs squished beyond belief with no breathing room, no privacy no silence just a bunch of animals bumping into one another - Such a myopic mind of miserberg thinking that every work place is like a wall street boiler room.
So long mikey now you can go back to buying and selling stocks -