Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Remarks to the Springfield School Board
Sept.
2, 2014/Study
Session
When you ask any educator if they consider their profession to
be a business or an art, they would lean heavily toward it being an art, but
each educator also willingly understands the need for accountability as they
provide an undeniably important service to their community through their work
with students each day.
You’re all familiar with the non-profit, “TeachGreat”. I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to point
out that “TeachGreat” is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase would be; "TeachWell".
I don’t teach great, I teach well! Putting all politics aside, you’ve asked me to bring you the
teacher perspective. Thank you for this opportunity.
Let’s start by looking at our very own Springfield Learning
Model. It’s processes include the familiar 3 C’s; Critical Thinking,
Communication and Collaboration. Should Amendment 3 pass, teachers could see a much different
emphasis in these areas. With so much riding on one-size-fits-all, state
mandated testing, the results of which become the quantifiable student
performance data to be used as the majority of each educator’s professional
evaluation, our new 3 C’s might sound something like this;
*Careful Test-Taking, instead of Critical Thinking
*Communicating Quantifiable Data
*Competition, rather than Collaboration
Let’s look at that last one, Competition. Our district
currently fosters and supports a culture of team collaboration at all levels.
Amendment 3 could cause a subtle, yet negative shift toward professional
isolation and competition among colleagues. Both are antithetical to the
professional development of educators and are not in the best interests of our
students… who come to us each year with a wide variety of strengths and needs.
PD would need to focus on teaching to the tests. Teachers believe that what our
district is focusing on now, the growth and progress of our student over time,
is so much more relevant and accurate than any single, status shot derived from
a one-size-fits-all, high stakes testing event.
As a climate of harmful competitiveness grows, the very same
educators, who now choose to follow their hearts into careers where they
advocate for the students with the most challenges to overcome, like in many of
our Title and Focus schools, would be faced with the reality of
their very jobs being on the line if their student’s scores didn’t meet a
certain state-determined level.magine the scenario that could quickly emerge; students with
potentially the most to lose, would no longer have the advantages of ever being
guided and taught by our most experienced educators. What teachers would be
willing to continue to take that risk?
I wonder if you’ve thought about the extra burden that will be
placed on administrators and counselors if this amendment becomes law.As they create class lists and schedules, they will now not
only be trying to match student’s needs with teacher’s strengths, but also be
deciding the make-up of the group by which their colleagues will be evaluated
and compensated. What a strain this will put on the professional and collegial
relationships of educators at each site, but also on the student-teacher
relationship.
Beyond the shift to Careful Test-Taking and Competition, it
seems our mission statement could change from “Learning Is Personal”, to
something more like “Learning Is Quantifiable”. Understand, educators want to show the effects of their art
and professionalism through an effective evaluation system. Teachers don’t shy
away from this process.Our district is currently implementing a new educator
evaluation system which relies on highly trained administrators, collaborating
with educators to use multiple measures, over time, in order to rate educator
effectiveness. This evaluation process, when paired with our negotiated,
binding contract and existing board policy, allows the district to have both
the input and control it needs to ensure a quality educational environment for
each student.
I never thought I’d be so pleased to have the
Springfield Learning Model to rely on as a structure, but as we move forward
together in transparency and accountability, we must think critically about how
we communicate this important issue and
continue to foster collaborative, person-centered relationships which,
together, benefit our students,
educators and our whole community.
Teachers aren’t interested in having a constitutional
amendment insert itself into our district’s continually improving processes.
Teachers
and students are more than a test score.
Teachers understand there will be high
costs of implementation, draining funding away from what they know their
classrooms actually need.
Teachers don’t believe their students deserve this extra
testing burden.
Teachers value working in a district that has high levels of
local control.
This is a teacher’s perspective.
Thank-you.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
SNEA: Looking Back, Moving Forward
Your Dues Dollars At Work!
It’s important to recognize that your dues dollars are actually put to work on a daily basis advocating for members, meeting with administration on behalf of teachers individually and collectively. SNEA doesn’t seek the limelight in promoting positive change for teachers and students. We seek results. Sometimes the results are intangible, like building strong working relationships with administrators and school board members – but it’s the relationship with our members that is the utmost priority.
Please view the following bulleted items that briefly outline a few of the contract provisions that SNEA has negotiated with the district since 2010, when the collective bargaining process began.
You might ask yourself this question:
"How many of these items would have been brought forward unilaterally by the administration and school board? Would they have even known they were issues that were important to teachers?
Our point? The process works, and it works because of your support and participation. And there is much more work to be done . . . with your support.
* SNEA members campaigned and voted (2009-2010) for a more focused process to bring teachers and administrators to the table to negotiate positive change. Some of you may remember the transition didn’t always go smoothly. Dr. Ridder, in his final report to the BOE (June 2014), said this about the process: "I really feel that we as a district have done a very good job with collective bargaining. I’ve been in different scenarios . . . and I feel that the journey has been good. Collective bargaining is all about empowering the teacher, and I think – through collective bargaining – we have come up with a strategic focus of supporting teachers. And I think this has been a very powerful thing."
* Since 2010, SNEA has negotiated binding contracts for teachers, counselors, librarians, school nurses, clerical employees.
* SNEA negotiated two consecutive years of "double" steps on the salary schedule for teachers, whose steps had been frozen in 2009 and 2010. This amounted to consecutive 5% increases for the majority of SPS teachers. Step freezes had never been restored in SPS history prior to 2013.
* Work day provision that more clearly defined the length of a teacher work day
* Duty Free Lunch for teachers as part of the overall binding contract
* Teacher Compensation for Supervising Student Teachers
* Staff Meetings – duration and frequency isn’t set in stone, but they must be "reasonable". SNEA has enforced this provision several times since it was adopted in 2011.
* Grades – The integrity of the grading process is important to teachers. If an administrator wishes to change a grade, they own it.
* Mileage Reimbursements for traveling teachers
* Additional Load Compensation for teachers who are asked to cover a class during plan time
* Administrative Assistance with Student Behaviors & Discipline
* Grievance Procedure for contract violations – SNEA negotiated the contract, SNEA enforces the contract on your behalf.
* Sick Leave – front loaded 4 Sick Leave days to the beginning of each school year to help new teachers and those who had endured serious illness the previous year.
* Increased payment for accrued sick leave upon retirement or resignation
* Eliminated permission forms and unreasonable advance notice for Personal Leave
* Stipend increases
* Lateral Movement for Advanced Degrees
* Expanded window for internal transfers from March to the end of June
* All provisions of the agreement (contract) are binding and prevail if in conflict with board policy
* Any changes to the agreement must be agreed to by both SNEA and the district.
SNEA member, you are the driving force behind future changes to our contract.
Get involved, communicate with your colleagues.
Let your association work in partnership with you to continue to make Springfield schools a better place to teach and learn!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
You Can Make A Difference!
Join Springfield NEA- Work to Defeat Amendment 3!
Go to the link below to see how you can get involved; along with your neighbors, families and friends.
http://www.protectourlocalschools.com/
Together- We Can Make The Difference!
Friday, August 22, 2014
Local Leaders,
Don't let a constitutional amendment take a one-size-fits-all approach for Missouri's students!
We need your help as a local leader of SNEA to defeat Amendment 3.
Please get involved....we only have 2 1/2 months to educate and encourage our colleagues, friends and families to VOTE NO on Amendment 3.
Click below for more information.
SNEA is working closely with the Protect Our Local Schools campaign to organize a grass-roots effort to educate and energize our community about this harmful amendment. There is a place for YOU in this work!
Please share and help us get the word out!!
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
.jpg)
SNEA Leadership Welcomes You Back!
It doesn't take long for the sounds, sights and feelings of summer to fade and be replaced by students' questions, parents' e-mails, principals' requests and colleagues' ideas.
You have prepared your working space, whether it is the main office, gym, classroom or library. That space is also where your students are engaged and discover more about themselves and their world. I want to thank you for all the time you have already put into orchestrating the best space possible for them and for yourselves.
The photo above was taken after SNEA hosted a New Teacher Lunch for all the new hires in SPS. Most of your executive board came to meet and greet the new teachers and to share their personal stories of what membership in SNEA has meant to them.
As I look forward to the 2014-2015 school year, I know that there will be legislative issues we'll need to understand in order to fight together against them. There will be questions you have about how to best implement the policies and procedures of our district. We'll partner together to utilize the best professional practices to meet all of our students' needs. You'll make suggestions that our bargaining team can bring to the negotiating table. We'll have meetings that help determine a positive level of professional support as we each work to improve our teaching skills.
Most of all, as I look ahead into this school year that has now arrived, I see the wealth that SPS has in their best asset; you. Thank you for coming to work each day, greeting your students with energy and developing trusting, sharing relationships with your colleagues. I truly believe that it is you and the students you teach, who make this the best place to work in the whole state of Missouri.
Kittilu Maxson
4th grade teacher/on leave
SNEA president
417.848.6487
Thursday, May 1, 2014
SNEA President's Remarks to the School Board About Anti-Teacher Tenure Ballot Initiative
Late last week, I got a phone call from Superintendent Dr. Norm Ridder, inviting me to speak to the school board during the legislative issues portion of the regular session. He stressed that the school board had requested information about the ballot initiative process and also what the language of this particular ballot would mean for our district, should it get on the ballot in November.
I read several articles, including an excellent one from The Progressive, by Brendan Fischer and Lisa Graves, which gave me a clear picture of what is happening behind the scenes through this initiative process in Missouri. Mark Jones, MNEA Political Director, clearly laid out the timeline for this initiative to actually get on the ballot and the process for signature validation.
I invite you to read on to get a glimpse of what one St. Louis billionaire believes he can do to take away local control from school districts across the state. This ballot initiative will negatively effect our profession, our students, our schools and communities. SNEA will keep you posted on what you can do to keep this initiative from becoming a neatly purchased amendment to our state constitution.
*******************************************************************
I read several articles, including an excellent one from The Progressive, by Brendan Fischer and Lisa Graves, which gave me a clear picture of what is happening behind the scenes through this initiative process in Missouri. Mark Jones, MNEA Political Director, clearly laid out the timeline for this initiative to actually get on the ballot and the process for signature validation.
I invite you to read on to get a glimpse of what one St. Louis billionaire believes he can do to take away local control from school districts across the state. This ballot initiative will negatively effect our profession, our students, our schools and communities. SNEA will keep you posted on what you can do to keep this initiative from becoming a neatly purchased amendment to our state constitution.
Remarks
to the SPS School Board
April 29,
2014
By
Kittilu Maxson, SNEA president
Ballot
Initiative/Petition Process
What is
it?
Many of you have run into people
gathering signatures for petitions. Maybe it’s out in front of your library or
driver’s license office. If you’re like me, you begin by asking clarifying
questions…like, “Do you live here?” “Are you registered to vote in Greene
County?” “Do you get paid?” “By whom?”
The ballot initiative process is
an avenue for citizens to bring an issue that is important to them before the
people for a vote. The process is intended to be a grassroots movement,
motivated by intense support for an issue. Make No Mistake-This is NO Grass
Roots Movement!!!
Who is
paying for it?
Rex Sinquefield, a St. Louis billionaire,
also the state’s biggest political contributor, is funding the ‘teachgreat’ initiative
to get this measure on the ballot in November. This billionaire’s priorities
are to financially support legislation that will lower his own taxes and to
privatize public education. Each person working on this ballot initiative campaign
is being paid to do so. They are not motivated by personal ideals or issues.
Here, I’d like to point out that
none of the public education stakeholders that we often look to are asking for
these changes.
NOT the
* Missouri School Board Association
* Missouri Association of School Administrators
* PTA
* Teacher’s Associations
What IS
in the ballot initiative language?
In a nutshell, it strips local
control over educator evaluations and the teacher tenure process. The language
implements a top-down, one-size-fits-all,
standardized testing event for every
child, in every district across the
state.
We
already know what’s working in Springfield…
SPS is developing and in the
process of implementing an Educator Evaluation Plan, based on a framework
recommended by DESE. It is highly collaborative, transparent and holds all
parties in the process accountable. SPS has processes in place to recruit and
retain highly qualified educators. When there are concerns about a teachers’
competence or performance, there are steps taken to support their improvement
and if that doesn’t happen there is a path to let them go.
This initiative puts a huge
emphasis on the status of our students from a one-time, high stakes test event,
rather than on student growth through multiple measures and formative data,
over time.
It would be a HUGE step backward for SPS!
Where are
we in the ballot initiative process?
They need to gather between 147,000-160,000
signatures. Right now, the Coalition for Missouri’s Future believes they will
get enough signatures
On May 4th they will
be submitted to the office of the Secretary of State for validation. If
approved, the issue will go on the November ballot.
There may be legal challenges
along the way, especially on the lack of clarity of the ballot language as it
would appear for voters, specifically the non-disclosure of the financial
burden it would place on local districts
SUMMARY:
This ballot initiative pits the
support of public education through local control against political
opportunism. It is an outside party, taking away local control and at the same
time implementing one-size fits all processes which teachers do not believe are
best practices for their own professional evaluation, nor for the effective
assessment of their student’s growth, progress and achievement.
Kittilu Maxson, SNEA president
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)