I was told a story by an ATR teacher who was recently assigned to a school with a vacancy in his content specialty. He was covering for a recently hired "newbie" who had an altercation with a student and when the Principal wrote the teacher up, he quit on the spot or so goes the story. The ATR teacher is fast approaching retirement and has informed the Assistant Principal of his intentions of retiring at the end of the school year or next school year at the latest.
The Principal had asked the ATR teacher to provisionally cover the class for the rest of the semester and maybe for the year, if she cannot find a certified teacher (newbie) in January, for the second semester. The ATR teacher told the Principal of his intention of retiring by.June of 2018. at the latest, and that he has received "Satisfactory" or "effective" ratings since becoming an ATR, when his school closed down. Since the school has a relatively good student body and ample parking, the ATR teacher asked the Principal to permanently appoint him since she would save money and get an experienced teacher, with demonstrated classroom management and curriculum knowledge skills.
The ATR teacher pointed out the new ATR incentive plan that the school would get the ATR for free this year and half price next year and he would retire at the end of the 2017-18 school year. At first, the Principal acted like she didn't understand how the ATR incentive worked and claimed no knowledge of such an incentive. She eventually backtracked and said that she's aware of the ATR incentive but needed to explore it further.
A week later, the Assistant Principal told the ATR teacher he was happy what he saw in his informal observation and that he has excellent classroom management skills and the students really like him. However, he also told the ATR teacher the Principal wasn't going to permanently hire him for the position but would like to provisionally hire him instead. When the ATR teacher asked why, since he will retire in two years and helps her budget, the Assistant Principal shrugged his shoulders and said he didn't know.
On Monday, he asked to meet with the Principal and she met with him at the end of the day. He asked her why she wouldn't consider permanently hiring him? She claimed that if her enrollment went down, she would lose one of her best teachers because he would have seniority over her. When he correctly pointed out that the school is a desirable school and the danger of losing students are next to zero. She responded with the statement that things could change. She told the teacher that she doesn't trust the DOE when it came to the school's budget and what if you change your mind about retiring? The ATR teacher told the Principal that he has no intention of staying beyond two years but the Principal seemed unconvinced and claimed he could change his mind or the DOE could cut her budget and it would be difficult to remove him from the school's payroll if she permanently appointed him. The ATR teacher quickly realized that the discussion was going nowhere and thanked the Principal for her time.
The next day the Assistant Principal told the teacher that the Principal told him that she will be interviewing other ATRs for the vacancy to fill provisionally and expect to be rotated out. No provisional assignment, despite the obvious need for the students to have a certified teacher in the content specialty. Then again, for this Principal and many others, especially principals from the infamous "Leadership Academy" its Principal first and children last...Always!
Cmon Chaz, post up the school's name.
ReplyDeleteAsk for a public comment from Ms. Arundel and let the executive board openly discuss the realities of this incentive façade.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 5:12
ReplyDeleteYou know that Chaz cannot name the school and get the teacher in trouble with those bozos at Tweed,
True, I'm sorry. It's just disgusting and I wish these principals were exposed who they really are. It's just terrible.
ReplyDeleteAge and race discrimination against ATRs.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anon 5:12
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I have spoken to two field supervisors who tell me that they have had no ATRs who have received a permanent position so far.
I did hear of one teacher who was hired provisionally at a terrible school who was offered a permanent position but refused, fearing she would get stuck there for the next decade.
I think administrators hate being told anything by us, because you know, they are so superior... the only reason this happened to him is because he spoke intelligently as her equal.
ReplyDeleteThis actually makes sense. The principal does not trust the DOE with the budget and the principal can never be sure that the ATR would in fact retire. The principal is just trying to run a school within the bs confines of the DOE. If the fair funding formula was gone things would be different. Same with seniority transfers. We gave away too much power year after year. The sad thing is that many principals would love to have senior/experienced teachers in their schools but the DOE is pushing them to not go that route.
ReplyDeleteNo mention of ATR negotiations from Arundel tonight at Bronx UFT. So many really pitifull, pathetic ATRs asking the same inane questions. Arundel kept the focus on those questions and off of anything unwanted. Although there was a grand announcement of ATR cost incentive for permanent hires.No wonder she treats us all like assholes.
ReplyDeleteChaz, great post. I would like to see what Amy Arundell says about this failure of the ATR incentive?
ReplyDeleteWhat would Amy Arundell say?
ReplyDelete"ATRs are lucky to have jobs!"
After reading this post, I'd say in the near future the DOE will require principals to pick up ATR's if they have a vacancy in specific areas. I believe at some point there will not be an incentive, it will be a directive with penalties to the principal if not followed.
ReplyDeleteChaz this is just plain bull shit and the entire system is one hot mess. Really??? Are you fregan kidding me?? What a sham of a system that seems to get WORSE in time rather than improving. This story is so disturbing it is unconscionable!!! How many times can we blow steam at a stupid principal jerk off who knows nothing!!! How many times must Chaz post shit like this, people then comment off the wall with cursing and blow hard terms,,,how many times is this going to be the story!!!!! How much longer will this crap go on for??? Maybe we really do need a trump presidency to shake up the education environment in NYC......Maybe we really do need an earth quake where as the DOE gets shafted by the federal gov in the form of donald trump and it wont matter any more whether you are an atr or newbie or principal or ap because the earth quake will shake EVERYONES ASS UPSIDE DOWN....it seems the only solution otherwise these stories like the one posted here by chaz will forever live with us on a daily basis and the suffering will only get worse.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this is the school I interviewed at in Brooklyn a few weeks ago? I never heard back even though it was clear they needed someone with expertise. Guess they will just keep churning out newbies hoping they don't quit too soon.
ReplyDeleteNo news from Arundel. She's only holding these meetings because of ATR alliance's meetings.
ReplyDeleteThere is systemic age discrimination going on, and the Chancellor and the UFT should be held accountable.
ReplyDeleteHey Chaz what's the story with this new license change for social studies teachers. Received a doe email that says our teaching license has changed. Thanks for any info
ReplyDeleteAs we can plainly see, the running theme through the whole story is that NO one trusts anyone in the organization NYCDOE. Additionally, people outside of the organization do not trust the people in the organization. Teachers do not trust their administration, the Tweed bureaucracy and their Union. The managers (APs) do not trust their higher ups or their underlings. The Parents do not trust schools to do right by their children. Just as in business, nothing will be accomplished if there is a basic level of trust between parties, school systems are the same. They can not be run if no one trusts anyone inside or outside the system. It is very hard to regain trust and I have no seen anything in this administration to make me think they are actually thinking about this.
ReplyDeleteIs it any surprise that the unsuccessful teachers comprising the administrative cadre are either dishonest or incompetent? Or sometimes both?
ReplyDeleteHighly Effective
ReplyDeleteI thought you got a permanent position in 2014?
Amy said at the Brooklyn ATR meeting this week that 40 ATRs were permanently hired out of over 1300 ATRS .
ReplyDeleteWhat else did amy say? Thanks
ReplyDeleteWhat she didn't say or answer is a concern. The 40 ATRs were placed permanently and news came to us through word of mouth. when I asked if this October 4 initiative that came out to the principals weekly I raised the issue of the Fair student funding formula and if in fact this initiative the Department of Education has taken on where to place ATR's in permanent positions she only answered half the question. This initiative came in late in the "hiring " process
Delete5:17,
ReplyDeleteYour joking right? 1. You should have a bathroom key., 2. You have to be your own advocate., 3. You're lucky to have a job. 4. ATRs are at an all time low. 5. ATRs are being hired permanently. 5. The younger ATRs have families and aren't here - that's why this group looks slightly middle aged. (Actually her toady said that one.) 6. It looks like it may be a monthly rotation but it may be shorter or longer, we don't know. 7. Nothing to report about ATR negotiations.
Gladys
ReplyDeleteYou mean Amy is guessing on how many ATRs were placed permanently? What I would like to know is how many were already provisional hires and what were their ages and experience?
Principal AH threw away food destined for the needy.
ReplyDeleteNot surprised. I have worked for public schools for years. Despite a flawless record my principal pursued a district level reprimand on me for a minor technicality in order to save her own skin from litigation. This has been the latest in a series of occurrences that lead me escape the black hole of the "educational" system.
ReplyDelete