What Does the Vista Teachers Association Think About VUSD’s Hiring Practices?
If you live in Vista, and missed the meeting of the School Board on Thursday night, you missed the debate about a subject that galvanized the teachers and the community - the loss of teaching contracts by many temporary teachers who have proven themselves in every way possible.
The first hint that something was stirring was the number of seats set up at the Foothill Oak Elementary meeting room. Over 250 chairs were aligned in rows, and they were not only filled, but additional attendees were standing along the back of the room throughout most of the 5+ hour meeting. (I’m not sure how late it actually went, as I and most of the teachers, students and parents left in sorrow and disgust slightly after midnight.)
After taking care of several other items on the agenda, it was time to hear from Jan O’Reilly, President of the Vista Teachers Association. She gave an excellent presentation about issues near and dear to teachers in the district, starting by introducing herself to the Board, and stating:
“I’m well aware that teachers and parents have been emailing and/or calling you regarding several issues that have made for a very unhealthy atmosphere in our district. I’d like to share the teachers’ perspective.”
O’Reilly explained the need for help in the classroom for kindergarten teachers during one-on-one testing with the students. She went on to talk about the number of formal tests administered to K-5 students, expressing how excessive the testing has become. She asked that the Board take steps to minimize it, as well as to remove the Benchmark testing from the Reading First schools.
The next part of her speech was defintely the most riveting, bringing the crowd to its feet several times, clapping and cheering while the board looked alternately uncomfortable, stern or around the room.
“Another concern is the Ventures for Excellence’s hiring tool. In May of 2006, I had the opportunity to participate with district administrators in the training of this program. I was impressed. I felt it was a reasonably good program to use as part of our district’s hiring practice in light of the volume of applications submitted to our HR department on an annual basis. In fact, I’ve spent many a meeting working toward convincing my teachers that this is a good thing.
Had I known that it would have been used as a tool to so indiscriminately remove teachers, I believe I would have worked with administration at the beginning of this year to find a healthier solution. Instead, I stand here before a very upset and angry crowd. Had the district better implemented the program and held to the prescribed plan, then we would have never had this upheaval. Therein lays the problem. We have two, three and four-year temps who are being dismissed, yet based on administrative evaluations, test scores, BTSA participation, Linda Mood Bell training, math VIMS training, AB 466, Quantum Learning, TCI training, Project Write, ELD training and countless other trainings, collaboration time with their peers…I don’t know about you, but had I taught for two, three, or four years, then been dismissed because I’m deemed not good enough based on one assessment tool, negating all other forms of evaluation, I would be a fumin’ human!
This was the first standing ovation. When things quieted down, O’Reilly went on:
“I believe all administrators should be very actively involved in observing and evaluating new teachers, providing them with honest, forthright information of what is working well and what is not. Our administrators are trained to do this. For the district to then go back and invalidate the admin’s professional observations demonstrates a lack of support for them.
Also, we have several fine first year teachers who received excellent evaluations and have superb test scores, yet are being released. ”
She then showed the aggregate test scores of the students of some first year teachers, whose progress was excellent, shown graphically in purple.
“Students are achieving under the tutelage of these teachers, site administrators sing their praise, yet they are being released. Something doesn’t make sense. We need to step back and reevaluate this program. Unfortunately, some of these awesome, young, bright teachers have been introduced to the politics of education.
On top of these issues are a host of others…all creating low morale and a distrust that is forming between teachers and district administration.”
O’Reilly talked about K-5 registration cards, and the reassignment of teachers into subjects that they have not taught before. She expressed her sadness that the year has ended on such an unhappy noted, and stated:
“There’s a place for corporate America in our schools: in the finance department, in the Human Resources department and so on, but our students are not numbers; they are not widgets. They are little people with a heart and soul that need to be nurtured just as much as their brain. Teachers are the same. With healthy, vibrant staff development, working with leaders who guide and demand of us to be better at our craft, a leader who encourages and trusts us to do our best - that’s when all people do their best!”
This, of course, met with more applause. She summarized and finished her presentation:
“I hope this summer we, our VUSD family, you the Board, our superintendent, our administrators, and our teachers can spend time reflecting on this past year, and recognize a need for balanced change.”
I was glad to see that the VTA stood behind their temporary teachers. I only wish that the VUSD Board did as well.
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