Calvert Public Schools Losing Teachers?

[myjobismommy]

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[jtjccgirl]

I heard the same,and think it is very sad....

 

[Pete]

I only know what I have read in The Recorder and what I have heard from my friend. It seems like they plan to get rid of some 30 to 50 teachers, none of which have obtained their "tenure," which means they have only been teaching for a year or two. I must say, however, that some of the classrooms in Calvert County's high schools are small, with only 8 or 10 students, and many of those classes have two teachers. Also, quite a few students have one-on-one teachers or aides working with them. That has to be costly.

It only makes sense. Lay-off the teachers making $50K a year and keep the ones making $75K a year. Create a void so in 5 years when the $75K tenured teachers retire there is not a cadre of experienced people to move up so you fill the holes with rookies.

 

[stars24]

I only know what I have read in The Recorder and what I have heard from my friend. It seems like they plan to get rid of some 30 to 50 teachers, none of which have obtained their "tenure," which means they have only been teaching for a year or two. I must say, however, that some of the classrooms in Calvert County's high schools are small, with only 8 or 10 students, and many of those classes have two teachers. Also, quite a few students have one-on-one teachers or aides working with them. That has to be costly.

It is costly. However, if they are special education students and that is what they need as determined by their IEP team, then the district has to provide it by law. Cutting staff won't greatly impact the students that get these one-on-one services from teachers or one-on-one aides, but it will more likely impact the other students (less elective offerings, larger class sizes, more kids per caseload for the specialists, etc.).

 

[RPMDAD]

The paper i read stated 69 - 70 positions. including non teaching positions.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

I only know what I have read in The Recorder and what I have heard from my friend. It seems like they plan to get rid of some 30 to 50 teachers, none of which have obtained their "tenure," which means they have only been teaching for a year or two. I must say, however, that some of the classrooms in Calvert County's high schools are small, with only 8 or 10 students, and many of those classes have two teachers. Also, quite a few students have one-on-one teachers or aides working with them. That has to be costly.

First bold: what kind of classes? Regular or Special Ed? AP or general? Those things make a difference in class size. Very few students can take AP Calculus BC (for example) their senior year because those types of courses tend to be self-limiting because of the required prerequisites.

For the second bold: one on ones are many times required due to a student's IEP. Which is required by various federal and state education laws, most notably IDEA. And yes, it's expensive. And Calvert has been sued numerous times over the years, and lost, for not providing the services.

Having said that, the threat to lay off teachers goes back to at least Gene Karol in the 80's. Every year the school system leadership, through successive Superintendants, has threatened to lay off teachers. It became so commonplace no one paid attention to it. Will it happen this year? Who knows. The games continue.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

It only makes sense. Lay-off the teachers making $50K a year and keep the ones making $75K a year. Create a void so in 5 years when the $75K tenured teachers retire there is not a cadre of experienced people to move up so you fill the holes with rookies.

Or layoff the 3 teachers actually doing student contact time instead of a couple of the $120K/year Central Office employees who couldn't cut it in the classroom and who knew someone. Or had to be put there to hide them from public scrutiny.

 

[royhobie]

Today, while talking with a member of the Calvert County Public School System, I was informed that many teachers are losing their jobs. Notices go out in April - and decisions on classes will be determined once the schools know how many teachers they are working with.

Anyone have any other info on this?

That's right. I also expect more cuts next year on the County AND State level. Federal employee contractors are the first to go on the Federal level. This will be starting to occur the beginning of the next fiscal year. Will not be all Fed contractors. Mainly the admin/clerk type. This is all at a time when for decades we give millions, and in come cases, billions to foreign nations. Many of these nations aren't even our friends. And, don't forget, this all occurs at a time when we are nearly 14 trillion in debt. That's trillion with a "T".

Congress voted to cut domestic spending substantially. The same will be for next fiscal year, but it will be worse. Therefore, States and Counties will have to find deeper cuts unless the cut is deep enough "this" fiscal year. Meanwhile, foreign aid went up 15 to 20%. For those of you that need a thread on it, Google it! The increased foreign spending will be there. The cuts for next year may not be. I have insider information on it. Sorry for the bad news. But the truth is, none of it is good. And it looks like it will only get worse. Meanwhile, I expect inflation across the board; while at the same time our government will try to deny it. And believe me, I am the first to hope I am wrong. But, I much as I know about it, it does't look like I am wrong.

 

[ladyhawk]

I only know what I have read in The Recorder and what I have heard from my friend. It seems like they plan to get rid of some 30 to 50 teachers, none of which have obtained their "tenure," which means they have only been teaching for a year or two. I must say, however, that some of the classrooms in Calvert County's high schools are small, with only 8 or 10 students, and many of those classes have two teachers. Also, quite a few students have one-on-one teachers or aides working with them. That has to be costly.

They need to do away with Tenure and promote based on actual performance. This can be measured by parents as who would know better if their children are improving?

My sister is a teacher in another state and we got into a huge fight over the Tenure issue. That was about 10 years ago. I guess she started paying more attention because even as a teacher, she has come to agree with me. She thinks those younger teachers can do a better job simply because they are fresh and have NEW ideas on how to teach!

Most teachers with Tenure are burned out and just don't care enough to provide the education our children need. Before you guys start jumping up and down, I said MOST! The ones that do still care are few and far between. Tenure is just going to continue ruining our educational system!..

There isn't one teacher out there that hasn't heard another teacher looking forward to retirement.. And I'm sorry but I hear it all the time... They can say they still care all day long but the proof is in the pudding!
I wonder if Japan has tenured teachers?

June

 

[greeneyes36]

Today, while talking with a member of the Calvert County Public School System, I was informed that many teachers are losing their jobs. Notices go out in April - and decisions on classes will be determined once the schools know how many teachers they are working with.

Anyone have any other info on this?

ALL transfer requests have been put on hold until May 1st, when they will have a better idea as to what teaching staff each school will have. Normally, the transfer requests are being processed right now, with letters being sent out confirming or denying the request based on each individual case. But we received a letter stating the process was being delayed due to the 2011-2012 budget issues that are still pending.

 

[laynpipe]

Today, while talking with a member of the Calvert County Public School System, I was informed that many teachers are losing their jobs. Notices go out in April - and decisions on classes will be determined once the schools know how many teachers they are working with.

Anyone have any other info on this?

this is very sad. the ones that suffer the most here are the children. im embarrased for calvert about this. those that made these decisions are shameful people.

 

[Gilligan]

this is very sad. the ones that suffer the most here are the children. im embarrased for calvert about this. But those that made these decisions are bound by law to balance their budget and have no other choice.

Good post. You need to donate more.

 

[laynpipe]

Can't do it. Union dues eat up all his non-taxed income already.

obviously your looks are funnier then your comedy. i said before that i dont belong to a union, but i think the rest of us would like to know how much you have paid to the hair club for men ??

 

[laynpipe]

Good post. You need to donate more because i dont. i couldnt make my marriage work so now i underpay my employees. i ride the backs of the tax payers so little dilligan can go to private school while my employees can barely afford to make an honest living. because dilligan goes to private school i dont really care what teachers make. im selfish and all about myself which shows in my employees paychecks.

well......i think that about says it all.

 

[laynpipe]

great. use it to part your non-existant hair.

 

[laynpipe]

Union thinking evident here.

i think your parents either dropped you on your head, or you might speak some language other then english. your comprehension skills are as non-existant as your hair.

 

[headlockman]

Does anyone know how you would measure a teacher's "performance?" Many people do not know that you are not measured by your class as a whole. Let's say that your AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) goal is 81% for the MSA. Your overall AYP could be 85%, but that doesn't mean you met your goals as a teacher because the class is divided into "subgroups." African American, Hispanic, Special Ed., FARMS, Asian, Indian, etc.

85% of my class could pass their test, but I could still fail because one of my subgroups gets less than the 81% goal. Percentages are tricky and some kids fit into more than one subgroup. I could have a special ed, African American, FARMS student. If that student fails for any reason (disability, terrible homelife, weak work ethic, etc) I could be in danger of failing in three seperate subgroups. I might only have two special education students in my class of 25, but if one fails the test, then my subgroup only had a 50% success. Am I a failure? I could work one-on-one with the student, I could tutor the student, the student could get pulled for all sorts of interventions. I didn't create the kid. I don't make sure he/she has clean clothes, does their homework, feeds them healthy foods, or make sure they get a good night's sleep. I try to motivate. How do I know that the parents or parent are saying the right things to motivate?

I have my own family. I went to college and earned a degree. I obtained a job and go at it hard every day. How do you judge my performance in a fair manner?

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

I guess it is for a similar reason that I hear about black boys in math class not doing a DAMNED THING (by their own admission), and still getting a B in the class.

Class grade has zero to do with what was being talked about, which was scores on MSA/HSA exams.

 

[Teacher_Lady]

Does anyone know how you would measure a teacher's "performance?" Many people do not know that you are not measured by your class as a whole. Let's say that your AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) goal is 81% for the MSA. Your overall AYP could be 85%, but that doesn't mean you met your goals as a teacher because the class is divided into "subgroups." African American, Hispanic, Special Ed., FARMS, Asian, Indian, etc.

85% of my class could pass their test, but I could still fail because one of my subgroups gets less than the 81% goal. Percentages are tricky and some kids fit into more than one subgroup. I could have a special ed, African American, FARMS student. If that student fails for any reason (disability, terrible homelife, weak work ethic, etc) I could be in danger of failing in three seperate subgroups. I might only have two special education students in my class of 25, but if one fails the test, then my subgroup only had a 50% success. Am I a failure? I could work one-on-one with the student, I could tutor the student, the student could get pulled for all sorts of interventions. I didn't create the kid. I don't make sure he/she has clean clothes, does their homework, feeds them healthy foods, or make sure they get a good night's sleep. I try to motivate. How do I know that the parents or parent are saying the right things to motivate?

I have my own family. I went to college and earned a degree. I obtained a job and go at it hard every day. How do you judge my performance in a fair manner?

 

[Teacher_Lady]

Teachers (in fact, the entire education industry) should be judged by the outcome of all the resources poured into the system. The NCLB act was a first attempt at measuring the value (value divided by cost) of the product produced. The 81% cited in your example is the 'pass' grade. If a child cannot read, do math, reason at a passing level on a standardized test, that child is a defective product of the system. If a unit of the enterprise cannot produce a standard number of non-defective products, it needs to be drastically corrected. NCLB includes an advancing standard over the years to lead to 'No Child Left Behind.'

That's why it is a waste of resources to have 20-40% of your assets working in a central office, millions of dollars spent on a glamorous physical plant that does ANYTHING that is not directly contributing to production of non-defective products.

How you choose to measure the effectiveness or 'value' of individuals in the process needs to ALWAYS be based on the quality of the product. That is based on the educational ability of each and every student.

You forget that you are talking about human beings, not products off an assembly line. If a child is born with a certain IQ or ability level, no amount of intervention can change that. There is also so much tied into home life, but I guess it's easier to label someone a bad teacher instead of a bad parent.