In the ever continuing soap opera at the "dare to be remarkable" school with it's "C" rated Principal. We now find that the Principal appears to be trying to hide a math vacancy so that she can eventually hire the "newbie teacher" who she had picked up this year as a long-term substitute since a hiring freeze prohibited her from appointing the young women as a teacher.
The story starts with the retirement of a math teacher at the end of the school year. The ATR at the school, who is also a Math teacher, and a good one at that as admitted by the Assistant Principal, wanted to apply for the upcoming vacancy. He asked the Assistant Principal if he would put in a good word for him since he had proved to the AP that he is an "effective teacher" and the students responded well to him when he covered a Math position for three months. The Assistant Principal told him that the "C" rated Principal is not listing the position as a "vacancy" since the retiring teacher is using his sick leave as terminal leave, he is theoretically on the payroll and the "C" rated Principal is using this technicality to not list the position as a vacancy. The "C" rated Principal plans to use that "sweet young thing" to continue as a long-term substitute and fill the vacant position until the "C" rated Principal can either get special permission to hire her or wait for the hiring freeze to end.
It makes no difference that this "newbie teacher" struggles with classroom management issues and is nowhere near the teacher the ATR is. For the "C" rated Principal it is what is best for her and not is what is best for the children. In her school and under her leadership it is the Principal first and "children last"... Always.
Note: How many other principals are not reporting their vacancies and what is the union and the DOE doing to ensure all vacancies are being reported?
I am in a similar situation. I am an ATR Reading teacher, but I also will shortly have ELA 7-12 certification. There is an ELA/Generalist position (CTT) opening due to the retirement of the general ed teacher in that class. Now, I have been the ELA teacher of record for the OTHER CTT class this whole year, and have spent the year planning lessons and units WITH the retiring teacher (who uses the 2 periods I teach to work on the MET project). I also requested advice on how to apply for this position (which would leave me 1 period a day to do AIS, therefore not requiring a change of license and loss of my tenure). I was told that due to the pending layoffs, no applications are being accepted, though the principal's daughter's best friend has been told on the down-low that she will be called back for this position if she gets laid off as a CB teacher.
ReplyDeleteBut the system still claims it can't attract good, experienced teachers.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know of situations too. Privately contact me and I will share.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the principal is just doing what principals do (and the union is just not doing what unions tend not to do).
ReplyDeleteOn a related note, did you hear about the recent Gates study recommending that LAUSD give principals more of this sort of latitude (including not rehiring teachers returning from family leave)?--See http://modeducation.blogspot.com/2011/06/gates-and-villaraigosa-screw-family.html
I was in agreement with this article until you said; "It makes no difference that this "newbie teacher" struggles with classroom management issues and is nowhere near the teacher the ATR is".
ReplyDeleteHow do you know this? Have you seen them her teach? Of course someone criticizing this situation is going to say the teacher struggles with classroom management issues but I doubt you Chaz has been in the classroom to witness this.
I agree that the ATR should be given the opportunity to apply for this position and have first right at the position over a newbie. My problem is that your comment about the newbie teacher struggling with classroom management is unfounded and unnecessary. That is not the point. Stay on topic and out of the mud.