Jacqui Greadington, EOEA President
April 2019
COMMON PLANNING TIME:
Dr. West indicated that all principals have signed a “statement of assurance” that they are providing Common Planning Time-CPT. Even so, we continue to get reports that this is NOT happening on a regular and meaningful basis. It was mentioned that missing CPT should only happen in a crisis situation. Odds are that a crisis situation does NOT happen on a regular basis. Teachers are being asked to cover or to do other duties during this time. In one school, the entire math team is assigned to cover lunch during common planning time on a regular basis.
It is my belief that Dr. West believes the documentation he has received from principals. It is, however, NOT the same information we receive from teachers. Either this is a non-negotiable or it isn’t. Please continue to inform us of when you do not have CPT. We will move on to further action as we have been talking about this for way too long.
SUPPORT US AND PROVIDE WHAT WE NEED:
Although recent state report cards have shown some improvement within the district, there are some places where the report has not been so good. There has been a mass push to re-educate teachers on writing SGO’s and other initiatives designed to “improve” us. Although teachers are the deliverers of instruction, we are but one part of the educational equation. We need administrative support, adequate supplies, consistency and collaboration, to name just a few. Teachers are not magicians.
Did you know that numerous Smartboards throughout the district can’t be used because they have been missing the necessary replacement bulb all year? Did you know that discipline for the same infraction varies minute by minute, and person to person? Did you know that Wahlstrom Academy, (where the “babies” are) regularly reaches temperatures over 100 degrees? Did you know that teachers submit discipline referrals that, they say, are deleted later to avoid an accurate accounting? Did you know that the average teacher does not feel that he/she can approach their administrator to discuss anything? Did you know that teachers continue to complain about CPT because they know that it will improve instruction? Did you know that many teachers receive ONE ream of paper per month and too bad after that? Did you know that teachers are required to copy and resubmit information that has already been submitted online? This is NOT an environment that is conducive to teaching and learning.
It is interesting that all the CHANGES that have been touted over the last few years have, in reality, not rendered district-wide results. Maybe a new approach would be to foster partnerships rather than continue adversarial relationships. At minimum, make sure that teachers have adequate supplies, materials and technology to educate their students.
Teachers are ready, willing and able. Its time for everyone else to do their part.
