Budget 'ominous,' further cuts required; District to hire recovery officer
by Dale Mezzacappa on Jan 19 2012 Posted in Latest news
Saying that the School District’s financial picture continues to be “ominous” and requires drastic action to balance this year’s budget, the School Reform Commission tonight made a change at the top by hiring former PGW President Thomas Knudsen to the new post of Chief Recovery Officer for six months.
Knudsen will have all the authority of a superintendent and chief financial manager.
Acting Superintendent Leroy Nunery and Chief Financial Officer Michael Masch will take pay cuts, reduced portfolios, and new titles as advisor to the SRC and advisor to the Chief Recovery Officer, respectively. Penny Nixon, who has been running the academic side as associate superintendent, will get the title of chief academic officer.
Knudsen will make $25,000 a month. He is immediately confronting a residual budget gap that had been estimated at $22 million last fall, but has mushroomed to several times that size.
Without deeper cuts, the District may be unable to meet payroll starting in July, according to SRC Chair Pedro Ramos and member Feather Houstoun, who is taking charge of budget matters for the commission.
“We can limp through May and June paying payroll and debt service,” said Houstoun. "But unless further steps are taken, we will be unable to pay people in July for work they did in June.”
Houstoun presented the stark facts to a mostly silent, standing-room-only crowd at the meeting, followed by a speech from Ramos underscoring the urgency of acting immediately.
As soon as Ramos announced the hiring of Knudsen, and the impact of Houstoun's presentation began to sink in, restive members of the crowd, many of them belonging to the District's blue-collar union, demanded to know how much he was being paid. Ramos said they could ask questions later.
By the end of Ramos's presentation, explaining the new roles for Nunery, Masch, and Nixon, some in the crowd were hooting in derision.
Houstoun's overall message was shocking: The cumulative budget gap for this year has grown to $715 million. Only $617 million in savings have been fully realized so far. Of the remaining $98 million gap, there are firm plans for just $37 million (a loan from SEPTA), leaving the District with a massive shortfall of $61 million midway through the year.
Somehow, further savings must be squeezed out, on top of those that have already caused howls of protest and reduction of services, such as layoffs of school nurses and cuts to counseling and support staff, as well as hundreds of teachers.
The biggest single category offered to address the gap: labor concessions that could save $46 million, including savings of nearly $14 million by freezing a 3 percent raise due the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.
“This reflects a belief that we need partners within the bargaining units to address this problem,” Ramos said. “We are getting people to understand the severity of the problem, the limited choices the District has, and the importance of everyone thinking of what kind of district you want to have next fall.”
The SRC has already decided to withhold a 3 percent raise due to the much smaller blue-collar union, producing a savings of only $1.4 million.
Ramos said to a crowd that appeared stunned: "It is clear we cannot address the structural budget problems without reducing District salary and benefit costs."
PFT President Jerry Jordan reacted with anger to the thought that PFT members would be asked to make more concessions.
"We’ve done more than our share to accommodate the District," said Jordan, referring to the PFT's agreement to defer payments to its Health and Welfare Fund to help make ends meet.
The meeting was packed with members of Local 1201 of SEIU 32BJ, which represents 2,700 blue-collar workers, including skilled tradesman, building engineers, custodians and bus drivers, and maintenance workers. All have gotten layoff notices effective next fall or January 1. Their contract requires a 12-month notice.
Ramos invited Local 1201 President George Ricchezza to speak first in the public testimony segment of the meeting. He immediately expressed "frustration" at new hires at the top of the District administration and said by threatening to lay off his entire workforce - who clean and repair buildings, drive students to school, among other things - the SRC is beginning "the dismantling of the public school system."
At the close of his remarks, he accepted an offer from Ramos to "sit down at the bargaining table."
The District's financial position has worsened so drastically in part because the plan to close what was initially a $629 million gap was not fully executed, according to Ramos and Houstoun. Money was spent that was supposed to be saved because, among other reasons, departmental budgets were not frozen, they said.
As a result of that and other unanticipated expenses – including a surge in cyber charter school students that was not planned for and more early retirements than expected – the gap has grown, the SRC members said.
To save some of the remaining $61 million, plans include pay cuts for non-unionized workers ranging from 3 to 7.5 percent, depending on base salary; these staff making more than $50,000 will be required to take three furlough days and contribute towards their medical premiums.
For the rest of the budget gap, it seems clear that the SRC will be relying on labor concessions and further cuts to schools and programs. Houstoun presented what she termed a “menu of options” that included cuts to gifted, music, bilingual and special education programs. On the menu was eliminating all school police for a savings of $15.5 million – clearly not desirable or feasible, commissioners added. The SRC has already decided to cut summer school for all but a few students, sparing credit recovery for seniors.
Compounding the problem is that many of the savings this year were one-shot items, such as the loan from SEPTA to offset subsidies for student tokens and an agreement to defer payments to the PFT Health and Welfare Fund.
Hence, closing this year's gap is not the end of it by a long shot: Next year's budget problems will "dwarf" what the District faced this year, Houstoun told the packed auditorium. Current projections foresee a gap of more than $269 million unless new revenues materialize.
The sheer magnitude of the problem led to the decision to find a person with "a specific skill set and a specific set of experiences," according to Ramos, to run the show and catalyze what was later described as an operational "transformation."
Knudsen, who was present at the SRC meeting, spent 10 years successfully turning around a faltering Philadelphia Gas Works.
"The rate at which we change this, the depths at which we do this, require a specific skill set and specific set of experiences," said Ramos. Knudsen will have the authority of the superintendent and CFO, but will not be a candidate for permanent superintendent.
"His charge over the next five or six months is to attack the gap more aggressively, work inside with staff, use external resources as necessary, and both attack this year's gap and the one that threatens us next fiscal year," Ramos said.
In a meeting with reporters later, Knudsen reiterated that "this is a severe situation, to say the least." The SRC plans to put out requests for qualifications Friday for turnaround advisers to help with what he termed a "basic restructuring."
"You want to have that additional expertise in play as you are guiding what will ultimately lead to a transformation," Knudsen said.
These consultants will look at "industry-best practices" and "monetization of assets," he said. In addition, the consultants will be "helping me and SRC and department staff to get a quick handle on a future direction [for the District] and what that will mean to us in the short-, intermediate- and longer-term."
Nixon, the new chief academic officer, said that she hopes future actions won't result in more cuts to schools, which she said have already been cut to the "bare bones." Also speaking at the meeting were parents, school nurses, and others detailing the devastating effects cuts have already had on schools.
In an interview, PFT leader Jordan, who wasn't at the meeting, blasted the District for continuing to turn over schools to charter operators for "turnaround" even as it maintains that growing charter enrollment is contributing to the mushrooming shortfall. Among other reasons, the state has discontinued a "charter reimbursement" line item at a cost to the District of $110 million, meaning that these schools add to overall costs.
"As long as the District continues to spend money to increase their deficit as they did in June with creating an additional number of charter schools knowing that it’s going to increase the hole in their budget, it’s unreasonable for them to expect that any union is going to be responsible for paying for it," Jordan said.
Jordan said that "threre is enough public school choice" in Philadelphia now with more than 80 charter schools. "What needs to happen now is we need to focus on what we’re doing with the schools that are in the District and spending the resources on them instead of cutting them," Jordan said.
However, the District's school reform strategy relies heavily on a charter-District partnership and moving towards a "system of great schools" rather than a "school system."
Many in the audience shouted "union-busting" at the SRC, but Ramos said later: "One thing it’s not about is union-busting. This is about having a system that can fulfill its mission and can be sustained over some period of time."
But as a "service organization," Ramos said, the District needs "flexibility to manage its workforce" because labor costs account for the largest single chunk of the District's "fixed costs."
Listen to Benjamin Herold's radio report on the District's budget crisis for WHYY.
Notebook intern Oscar Wang contributed reporting.
Comments (189)
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:15.
OH PLEASE-------------------STOP already !! This a joke, a pretext for Corbett to green light charters into the district big time. He's a corporate bought and paid for drone who wants nothing good for our kids. Look what he's doing to the poor kids in Chester Upland where his charter buddy is Corbett's biggest campaign contributor. You just can't make this stuff up and he's bitching slapping the inner city types up close and personal right in plain sight. WE NEED TO STOP THIS !! No more praying or singing---RESIST !! And please SRC--Shut Up--there's nobody left to lie to. Either get on the side of the people or shut up.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:14.
I think we need to start getting signatures to get rid of Corbett!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:19.
I totally agree--Scott Walker all over again. Trying to dismantle unions while building prisons. Is this the America we want our kids to inherit?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 16:44.
The Commonwealth Constitution, unlike Wisconsin's, does not allow recall elections.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 17:19.
I know so we have to step it up a notch of you get my drift. The time for prayer and patience is OVER.
Submitted by Jüsti (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 10:06.
The problem is that PA does not allow for recalling elected officials the way Wisconsin does. It's not a possibility. We're stuck with Corbett at least for another 3 years or if he dies in office.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 10:17.
He is the problem--a democratic Gov. would NOT have done this to our kids. Even some Repubs. wouldn't have done it but these Tea Party crazies don't care at all about people of color. He is truly a Nazi.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:23.
How can it be worse? What more is there to cut? Just the fact that they are still scraping together cuts goes to show that there isn't going to be more to cut next year. Where are they going to be able to cut another $250 million dollars next year? It is rumored that all bussing is going to be cancelled, except for Charter school and parochial schools, which they are apparently obligated to provide. If so, hopefully that will help.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:34.
After reading the news report and this article, I am in a state of SHOCK. I find all of this news distressing and unbelievable. There will be no School District of Philadelphia watch what I am telling you, the School District will be no more. And it is by design that the School District will be closing it's doors.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:12.
It's been in the works for 4 years at least. Ackerman was brought here to start it and Corbett will finish it for the corporations, effectively ending any chance the inner city kids have for a future other than jail and slave labor. So let's just accept it ???????????
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:46.
You may be right. After all, other unions have also been unreasonable in not granting concessions right up to the point when their employers went bankrupt, like the UAW with the auto companies and the USW with the steel industry.
Submitted by EILEEN DIFRANCO (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 13:56.
I don't know if you read Joe DiStefano's column on Wednesday, "City Is Pushed to Regain Its Losses On Rate Swaps." When the banking industry was deregulated, municipalities and school districts were permitted to borrow money under complicated, risky, legal, but unethical interest rate credit swaps. This has forced the SD and the city to pay back hundreds of millions of dollars in interest payments. Check out the "Fight for Philly" website and read the report. It's not the unions that are the problems, it's banks. They caused the recession and they are causing the terrible problems we are seeing in school districts across the state and the country. Chester-Upland was actually permitted by the state to use these loans to prop up their finances. Then the governor turned around and blamed them. So let's give credit where credit is due. The banks are ruining the country, not the unions. The unions have permitted millions of people to enter the middle class. The banks are trying to return people to those thrilling days of yesteryear when only the ruling elite had any money.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 19:32.
Don't be stupid. Nobody MADE them take out risky loans. They dug themselves into this. They knew full well the risks in swaps and made horrible decisions.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:07.
This is disgusting.
How can they ask concessions from teachers, who just 3 months ago came to an agreement with the district on a contract extension and gave the district 30 million dollars, and deferred payments of another 28 million dollars into our health and welfare fund. The School District knew of these problems then, so there is no way they can expect concessions from us now.
And they're trying to save money by bringing in a guy and paying him 150,000 dollars for six months. Really? This is saving us money?
Cut special ed and ESL services? So we can rack up millions of dollars in court fees when the parents sue the district for not providing their students with their required services?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:14.
We know what we, as parents, have to do so let's do it !!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:33.
I would imagine that there will be many lawsuits if parents sue on behalf of their children who are receiving or supposed to be receiving special education services. There will be no money to pay the lawsuits so what will happen then?
I would imagine that layoff notices will be sent out to teachers in June again this year. What will they do in September to fill the positions of the teachers who receive lay off notices, call them back? How many will return?
The School District will be closing it's doors, watch what I say, will the last person left in the building, please turn off the lights and lock the doors.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:21.
So, as a public school teacher, should I start looking for a job in the private sector? Charter schools are nonsense - previously worked in them.
And will I get my pay throughout the summer?
What can be done to FIX this? It wasn't ALL Ackerman - they LET her do what she did. It was part of a plan to destroy the District - no?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:37.
Exactly--a plan to destroy Public Ed. in all the inner cities of mostly people of color. Racism 101 and WE need to resist in a huge and animated way. Stop praying and start acting, people.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:18.
I agree about Charters--total whitewashing 24/7, replete with threats and firings for no reason. Red China 1970 style stuff. Just a money making business model, making money off the poorest among us. Like slumlords and playing the savior the whole time--A JOKE.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:34.
Mastery is hiring!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:38.
What a joke !!
Submitted by Alice (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:42.
Ha ha. Mastery will own this district soon enough.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:55.
As they should! They are truly changing students lives everyday. Visit any one of their ten schools and talk to the students and parents-- they are truly satisfied with what is happening.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:02.
How silly and sad you are if you believe that.
Submitted by Alice (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:03.
Sorry, that's not true. A child who left my elementary school last year is MISERABLE there, as are her parents.
Not to mention the arbitrary firings of Mastery's teachers. Who would want to work with even more fear that we already have?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 02:21.
If we were given the same amount of money that they get, our schools would have what is needed to succeed also!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 11:02.
Oh really? Then why are their students having trouble in college? Perhaps because Mastery has become all test prep all the time? These are NOT the skills that really provide education. Anyway, they have LOADS of extra money. They take money from the public schools and then raise millions from venture capitalists, who as we know, really understand urban education. This does not take away from some good things they do and some terrific teachers they have, but honestly, this is NOT THE ANSWER.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 18:21.
So why does Mastery Charter School and other charter schools, for that matter, make so much progress... and why are the parents satisfied? Because charter schools either kick students out who are a disruption to the school or do not offer the proper services for special education students such as those who need emotional support. I know of parents who have removed their children from the school because they harass them every day about their child's behavior and the parents could not take it anymore. Those same parents leave their 'well behaved children' in the charter school and send the ones that are out of control back to the neighborhood school. Neighborhood school do no have the ability to keep who they want and dismiss the others like charter school. Are charter school suppose to this ...NO... would they ever admit that this is done NO... but it happens everyday! Matter of fact... Im getting a new student on Monday and I bet he/she will be from a charter school. It about that time anyway....PSSA coming and the charter school are getting rid of them now!
Then, they want us to take pay cuts, not provide us with the proper materials to do our jobs effectively and use MY money to but the necessary materials on top of caring for my own family! So when I go to the the market, Target or Walmart to buy what I need for my house, I have to add pencils, writing paper, copy paper, crayons, notebooks, glue, erasers, chalk, construction paper etc... for 25 plus students for the 10 months we are in school...REALLY!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 18:35.
I teach 450 at a an elementary school as a Spanish teacher. Imagine how much I spend? Pretty crazy!!!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 22:17.
You are absolutely correct. Charter schools have already started the flow of asking parents to remove their children out of their schools due to behavioral issues that they are not equipped to handle. The charter schools accept the child and then when they have spent the money that they have been allotted to educate the child, kick the child out of their school and the parent has no other recourse but to enroll their child into a public school.
Yeap, every week, I, too am shopping for materials for my classroom. Copy paper, pencils, glue, I have purchased three pencil sharpners for my classroom so far this school year, construction paper, paper towels, and toilet paper as well as other things. I have stopped counting how much I have spent because, it would probably make me angry particularly since I see that Nunery and Masch are still employed, but are taking a $36,000 combined pay cut, when both of these individuals were apart of the old regime and probably were contributing factors to the chaos that the district is currently involved in.
And the cuts will continue and in June layoff notices to teachers will be sent out again and people's lives will be put on hard if not destroyed because of the mismanagement of monies. It is just unbelieveable.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:00.
ONLY if the people of Phila. allow this corporate takeover of their civil rights to continue. I bet they won't and I hope they don't. Democracy as we know it will be gone and Marshall Law will control the inner cities. People will resist this in a big way when they fully understand the consequences of corporate control. Turning back the clock 110 years won't happen and all clear thinking people need to band together or they'll pick us off one at a time.
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 05:39.
So is KIPP
Submitted by EILEEN DIFRANCO (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 13:50.
The CEO of the KIPP schools makes a half a million dollars a year, more than the NYC superintendent. 30% of the African American boys in grades 6-8 leave the Kipp every year. That is hardly a success. What is the attrition rate from other charter schools? How much do their CEO's make? Why does every charter need a CEO? These charter schools are all for-profit - for the profit of the CEO's who are raking in the money.
I attended the meeting last night. What was not reported here is the disrespectful attitude the SRC demonstrated towards the speakers who followed their presentation. Ramos, Nichols, and Nunnery, and Carey got up and left without explanation just as the first speakers, a group of students, approached the mic. The students didn't want to speak without all of the SRC being there to hear their presentation. Mr. Prichard told the students rather condescendingly that the SRc was present in the three remaining members. The kids didn't want to speak until the other SCR members returned . Prichard was about to have them removed when the audience said that he was behaving disrespectfully toward the students. Prichard was clearly unnerved by the kids who remained polite throughout the entire exchange. The rest of the remaining board members acted very defensively. One wonders how people who do not have the interpersonal skills to handle the request of 10 children to be heard can head a school board. An elderly gentleman was upset by Prichard's inability to manage the kids' simple and genuine request and accused him in front of all of us as being disrespectful.
Another speaker castigated the walk-through and essentially accused them of being nothing but a negative group of people who do nothing but criticize. This man had funded a reading area in a classroom. The walk through team decided the reading area looked "cluttered" and demanded that it be removed. Another speaker criticized the scripted teaching and excessive testing. One of the best moments occurred when a man in the audience spoke up and pointed to the seven placards announcing the fact that Stanton School had made AYP for the last seven years. He turned to the SCR and asked with incredulity, "And you want to close this school?"
It was priceless! I would advise anyone who likes good theater to attend. Put your name on the agenda and speak up! I agree that the move is to dismantle the public schools and replace them with charter schools, even though only 17 % of them do better than the local public school. There's big money in charter schools for investors. Nothing like making money on the backs of children!
Also, those of you who are concerned about union busting activities should attend the "Occupy 44" rallies which are held every Wednesday at 440 at 4PM. Perhaps we should begin a move to recall the governor who has deliberately unfunded public schools while charter schools bask in the glow of our taxpayer money. What kind of governor fails to care for his most vulnerable members - our children?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:20.
I guess mastery would be doing well and all other charter schools as they get state funding for the children and when they become discipline problems they send them back to public school, of course the funding for that student doesn't follow them back to public school.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:28.
No, the public schools would just be a dumping ground for disciplinary students AFTER the charter robbers get the money. I really don't think the people will stand for it when they realize the scope of all this and how they are being played, especially their kids who have dollar signs on their backs, kinda like slavery 150 years ago.
Submitted by SuperTeacher (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:48.
I, as a teacher, would not mind giving up the 3% raise in order to help close the gap, as long as it is reinstated at a later date. If this helps save teachers' and others' jobs, so be it. The talk of not having funds for summer pay does not make sense since they are withholding money from our checks now.
Can't the SDP hold a fundraiser of some sort and allow the business community to come help out? Why not? Several schools raised in excess of $25K in less than a few weeks in order to save their school nurses and librarians.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 23:07.
Super Teacher---You are such a novice, sorry, but true. This ISN'T about raising money. It's about corporate takeover and all its appendages, such as union busting, not bothering about civil rights concerns and, as always, destroying democracy in general. This SRC is just following the script unfortunately for the city dwellers who are about to lose all hope for their kids under the guise of school choice. They better wake up and fight this before it's over for them.
Submitted by SuperTeacher (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 23:50.
Labeling and name calling? Where are your ideas? Telling folks to wake up is not an idea and won't help.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 08:36.
The so called fair play folks who run this site delete my post if I tell the truth. Suffice it to say, we need to resist by any means necessary.
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 05:44.
I agree - we haven't had the 3% so as long as we get it at a later date, I think most of us can adjust.
That said, schools should not have to fund raise to keep staff. The schools that were able to raise money quickly are wealthy schools (e.g. Meredith, Penn Alexander, etc.) Most of us are not at schools where parents will drop off a check for $200, or $20. Most of the parents have far fewer resources than the parents in Center City.
I also think it is worth asking large corporations to pay more in local taxes - starting with Comcast. Comcast sucks money like blood out of residents with their services. It is time for corporations of that size to pay their fair share.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 10:50.
They held a fund raiser when they wanted to get rid of Ackerman, but not now. The SRC and local Philadelphia governing has demonstrated where their priorities lie.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 23:23.
Now is the time that we need to stand to beat-back these attacks on public education. Scott Walker and his people are running for the hills. Its time to send Tom Corbett a message. Pennsylvania unfortunately does not have recall provisions from what I can tell. There has to be something we can do, educational pickets? Join the occupy movements for real, wearing our PFT red? Think about replacing Jerry with a real leader? If we lose, these kids we spend our lives working for will never recover. Let's come up with solutions, real ones. I'm contacting some news sites about these issues. When the layoffs came down I actually got ReaderSupportedNews to pick up the story. If we make enough noise someone has to hear. I'm open to any ideas anyone has.....
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 11:52.
I don't think popular resistance is the answer. They haven't cared enough to respond to public pressure on so many matters, why would they start now?
Until parents start suing, it will be more of the same. Unfortunately, how many parents know what goes on in the school every day? How many kids are going to step up and say "I'm not getting what I'm supposed to get"? ESOL, Special Ed, and yes, gifted students are entitled to special services that we all know for a fact they are not getting in some schools.
I look for Helen Gym to be on this, especially on behalf of ESOL students.
Even then, this won't actually solve anything. It will just make the district use the non-existent resources for lawyer fees.
I don't see a solution. I think it's time to get out of Philly. Maybe long past time.
Submitted by Rich Migliore (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 11:44.
This is my Democracy in Education quote of the month:
"If we lose, these kids we spend our lives working for will never recover."
So true Dedicated Teacher. Think about it deeply everyone. Thanks.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 23:47.
$61 Million shouldn't be too hard to cover. We should just ask for each teacher to contribute $6,000 per year towards their healthcare costs. 61M/10K=6100. Heck that's still quite a bit less than what people in private industry pay.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 00:04.
No one is paying $6000 a year single-handedly in the private sector (per employee) for health benefits. If teachers pay for their own supplies, take extensive amounts of work home with them, then why aren't they entitled to benefits?
What I find disturbing is the salary being given to someone to "fix"a financial problem. Spending more isn't saving more.
How's about starting by getting rid of the Promise Academies, and their "Extra" hour in the school day. Right there that would save some money and some jobs. After all, we know the kids aren't staying unil 4 pm.! Rebudget the budget, there is plenty of money in the PA's. I am sure that that money allotted will spare some jobs!
Submitted by Anonymous PA teacher (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 13:17.
I agree completely, and I wish this would be taken under consideration by the SRC. Many (most?) of the Promise Academy teachers think the long day is not working -- the kids cut first and last periods, possibly from sheer exhaustion and/or boredom, and the teachers teaching 6 classes are very worn out, unhappy, and discouraged. This model is a joke and should be discontinued. The district could save quite a bit of money right away if they would eliminate the extra hour.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 15:19.
They sure do pay 6K per year. At my last job, the family healthcare plan required about 1K per month in employee contributions.
Submitted by Teach (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 00:16.
Philly teachers are paid $25,000 less a year than their suburban counterparts, get $900 less a year in classroom allowance and no medical coverage after they retire. Where do you think they're going to come up with $6,000?
Take that sort of money from me - especially after irresponsible wealthy people created this mess and the governor sits on a surplus - and I'll find a much higher-paying job in the public sector. I won't be able to afford to be a teacher.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 14:34.
You're always welcome to go to the private sector and see what you can get. Just a suggestion, thoug: If I was you I would hold off on the demands that you work only six hours per day, contribute nothing towards your healthcare, and require 2 1/2 months of vacation.
Submitted by Concerned Philadelphian (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 14:59.
Our official school day in high school is 8:00 - 3:04 pm. No one who is conscientious can arrive at 8:00 am or leave at 3:04 pm. Do some teachers - yes - but they certainly aren't the most effective. Most of us arrive at least 20 minutes early and some of us leave 1.5 - 2 hours late. So, my day started at 7:45 am and goes to at least 4:30 pm. Then, after I feed my kids, help them with their homework, etc., I start my work day again by getting ready for the next day, grade papers, write lesson plans, calling parents, etc. Yes, we get the summer but some of us also use this time to go to workshops, work on lesson/materials, take courses, etc.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 15:37.
People also have a misconception about what "work" is. Teachers get no breaks. A lot of us don't have time to pee for that 7 + hours and get maybe enough time to cram food in our face once. From what I see of my friends with "8 hour" days, half of that is spent on facebook or at lunch.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 18:29.
Actually, teachers do get breaks. Many don't use them, but the contract is pretty generous. Anyone who only does what is contractually requires is, generally, a pretty awful teacher. But they are also just as employed as the one who goes above and beyond, etc., unless they show up late to work, hit a student, etc. I think that's one thing that bothers a lot of non-teachers (and, honestly, quite a few teachers). Any good teacher gets to school substantially before the school day and leaves afterwards, and probably doesn't use all of their allocated break/prep/lunch time. BUT, if someone chooses to "work to contract," they really do have a ~5 hour work day. It's hard work, and being a teacher is the most difficult thing I've ever done. But it was my choice to work that hard. If I had a few years of experience, had most of my materials already made, and didn't grade much student work. The frustrating thing is that the teacher who works strictly to contract is probably overpaid. The one who does what is actually necessary to be effective is clearly underpaid. But, as long as the "lazy" one doesn't violate any of the terms of the contract (i.e. is never actually late to school, etc.) it's basically impossible to fire them, and under current pay structures, the two will always get paid the same (or, in a lot cases, the one who is working harder will be getting paid less, because part of their need to work harder is that they are new). Throw in seniority, and you can have situations where the harder working teacher is laid off, while the veteran who is working to contract stays employed, at 20-30% more salary.
(Experience is valuable, but a 2nd or 3rd year teacher really working hard on planning, grading, parent contacts, etc., is often more effective than a veteran teacher who has chosen to just recycle previous year's materials and work to the contract).
Now, a lot of private sector managers are awful, too, and don't really hold anyone in their office accountable. BUT, they could and some do. In teaching, an administrator can't do anything about the slackers at all, unless they are so egregious as to actually violate the contract terms. (The bar for actually dismissing a teacher is pretty hard to get over unless there are really objective contract violations, like taking excessive personal days or showing up late frequently).
Again, most veteran teachers are fantastic. The thing that frustrates non-teachers (and many teachers) is that the small percentage that choose to really take advantage of the hours/etc. in the Contract (i.e work only 8-3, take every ounce of break/lunch/prep time for personal use; use all 3 person days and several sick days on Fridays) can't really be reprimanded for it, unless they really go overboard. Are there lots of teachers like this? Not really. But they also aren't completely rare, especially in Philly.
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 19:05.
While I appreciate that you recognize "veteran teachers are fantastic," not all new teachers are great. I also resent those who "work to contract" and do little teaching. But, they aren't all veteran. My children have had newer teachers (under 30) who drill through the textbook ad nausea and assign busy work projects. Some of us "old heads" actually do revise / rewrite units / lessons, seek worthwhile professional development, get students involved in extra curricular activities, etc. But, yes, the deadbeats drag everything down - whether veteran or novice.
Submitted by Meg (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 13:03.
we get breaks? really? I have kids in front of me for most of that day - I get by contract 30 minutes for lunch and spend much of that supporting another teacher, making a parent phone call, grading homework or hiding form the principal. Recess does not exist most of the winter, and prep is not a promise - we spend many of those covering classes, meeting or working - not on a break. I am in the building with the building engineer very early and it is still not enough. You should see the testing schedule they have planned for us - not pretty at all.
Teachers can only use the restroom if they cover for each other and we went to college for this privilege.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 00:21.
I never understand why people think employees paying or lack thereof for benefits it any different than wages. What matters is the total compensation package. I have no problem if our next collective bargaining agreement decides that teachers pay more towards benefits--but in the context of bargaining it will be a trade off for greater salary. It's meaningless to compare it to the private sector. If I had the class sizes and lack of disciplinary problems of the average private school teacher I'd give back what it takes to be even. Unfortunately, all of my friends in private schools seem to make more than me AND have more job security than I do in the PSD (none of them were laid off). But then again we all know that teaching in a poor district is always bad when it comes to compensation.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 09:58.
You are crazy! No way pays that much, and Philly teachers cannot be compared to the private sector, we make way less than even suburban teachers. The deal has always been teachers do not make what they deserve but receive decent benefits. If they want to go back on that, then we need a fair salary and we will happily pay for benefits! The PFT has already given SIXTY MILLION in concessions, how much more can we give. In reality, it is way more, since most teachers are funding there on classroom supplies. If we stop doing that, which at this point we should, let's see how bad things really get!
Submitted by SocialScience (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 19:59.
No one in private industry has to purchase thousands of dollars of supplies with their own money just to do their job well. Contribute to $6,000 a year to healthcare and another $2,000 on supplies for our classroom? Really? Really?
Submitted by youngphillyteacher (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 13:34.
Or we should tell our elected officials that we need universal healthcare. That would save much more than 61M. Win-win for everybody, except for the insurance monsters, of course.
Submitted by tom-104 on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 01:24.
We should be watching what is happening in Chester-Upland very closely. They are using this small school district to test what they can do with larger school districts..especially Philadelphia. Corbett has said his priority is funding charters and he will not give any funds to rescue the Chester-Upland public schools. This is how charters are being used. They are a wedge that is being used to bust unions and advance the privatization of public schools.
I attended the SRC meeting. There were several instances where I thought SRC members showed a very arrogant and condescending attitude to the students, teachers, nurses, 1201 members and parents who attended.
Just one of several instances was that as soon as the budget presentation was over, and scheduled speakers were ready to speak, three SRC members left the room. Carey returned five minutes later, but Ramos and Houstoun were gone an hour. A group of students that had signed up to speak said they would not speak if the whole SRC was not present. Pritchett lectured them that they were being disrespectful! The students waiting another 45 minutes, but finally said they had to leave because of the curfew. For me, this incident symbolized what is being done to public school students. They are the last consideration.
Submitted by Benjamin Herold on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 02:22.
Tom-104,
Thanks as always for your commentary.
Not sure if or how this would impact your conclusions, but Commissioners Ramos and Houstoun, along with Thomas Knudsen and Penny Nixon, were taking part in a press conference on the budget news during the time period you mentioned.
Submitted by tom-104 on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 10:34.
No, this does not change my conclusion. It was kind of absurd to see the long list of speakers and see how some of the SRC thought they had more important things to do other than listen to what the speakers had to say.
Even when they were all there, there were instances where the SRC members had their own agenda and didn't really hear what was being said. At the very end of the very long meeting, for example, a parent spoke about her grief at the beating by six teenagers of a Vietnam vet in Olney. She said we have to understand that these actions start in the schools and that violent incidents are very under reported because principals fear that reporting the incidents will reflect badly on their schools.
Ramos responded as evidence that something is being done that the District is now including Serious Incidents on the School Profile on the District website. This was a typical bureaucratic response to what this parent was raising. For the SRC the reality is what they see on their computer screens. The very point this parent was making is that serious incidents are under reported. This means the information in School Profiles is not accurate. If anything, putting serious incidents as a public, permanent record on the website will encourage even more under reporting by Principals.
We have a generation of students who have lived under No Child Left Behind. The testing regimen and emphasis on Reading and Math (many times taught with a script and no passion for learning allowed by the teacher) to the detriment of Science and Social Studies NCLB fosters, especially in schools where students come from low income families, has given us a generation that is very socially unaware and alienated from society. The only thing they know about the world is the very corrupt and distorted view coming from the mass media. There is a film coming out called "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter". The films website says: "President Lincoln's mother is killed by a supernatural creature, which fuels his passion to crush vampires and their slave-owning helpers." Given that very little history is being taught due to NCLB, is this the consciousness this generation of students will have of Abraham Lincoln?
Submitted by LS Teach (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 10:48.
AGREED! Wonderfully stated!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 10:56.
Beautifully and accurately stated!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 13:29.
That wasn't a parent - that was community activist Mama Gail who gets to speak extemporaneously and at length at SRC meetings while other speakers have to submit written comments and get interrupted if they dare go over 3 minutes. To give everyone else an idea of the substance of Mama Gail's comments, she also took issue repeatedly with the nurses there to speak all being white and bitched about having a table to sit at while testifying saying it made her feel like she was in court.
Submitted by tom-104 on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 15:09.
In my opinion, it does not help anyone to play up ethnic differences. Divide and conquer has been the way haves control the have-nots since the beginning of civilization. We must hang together or we will hang separately!
Whether Mama Gail is a parent or community organizer is irrelevant. Her point was that violent incidents in the schools are under reported. As I commented above, I believe this generation is showing profound alienation from society. They have justified reason because they can see no future, but NCLB is a contributing factor because, not by accident, it is denying them critical knowledge in science and social studies. This should be our focus, not the playing up of ethnic differences.
Submitted by Bill Hangley (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 16:35.
I have to echo Ben on this one, Tom-104. The SRC members left not so that they could go check out the vending machines or their Facebook accounts, but so that they could talk in detail to all the education reporters, some of whom have evening deadlines. And talking to reporters = talking to the public.
There's plenty to criticize about the SRC but it's not fair, in this case, to imply that they left the room because they don't care about hearing from kids.
If you don't think SRC members should take time out from the sessions to speak to reporters until meetings are over, that's certainly a valid opinion. Speaking as a reporter, I have to say it's nice to be spoken to at all. Was a time when that wasn't the case.
Submitted by tom-104 on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 17:49.
What is the point of having speakers at the SRC meeting if some of them are going to walk out when it is time for the community to speak? I am not implying that this action was directed specifically at the students, but this was the result. Then Pritchett criticized the students for refusing to speak if the whole SRC was not present. He accused them of being disrespectful. Wanting to be heard by the entire SRC was a sign of respect. The SRC was being disrespectful to all of the speakers who had signed up by not having all of its members present.
Why shouldn't the reporters have heard what these speakers had to say? In the age of the internet, there are no deadlines. Once again, the District is being treated like a corporation where PR is more important than education. What the community has to say in this economic crisis should be the first priority. After all, isn't this who the SRC serves? If not, who are they working for?
Submitted by Bill Hangley (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 18:33.
You should take that one up with the SRC. Just wanted you to know the facts of the incident.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 14:15.
One of the main offenders in the Olney incident is a student I used to have. He terrorized every classroom he was in.
I absolutely believe that every child should be educated, but what does the SRC plan to do about students who need intensive, full-day emotional support? They've made classrooms that are actually able to handle students like him as scarce as unicorns.
The activist was right, to some extent. But children like this don't get that way at school. They come to school like that and disrupt everyone's education.
The penalties for high numbers of incidents need to be eliminated. We had a huge incident at my school last year where a number of students wound up in the hospital and a few more in police cars. The principal's response was dismay at how the incident would look.
Submitted by Philly Parent and Teacher (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 14:53.
When Mastery students beat up a man last year, the CEO (Scott Gordon) said they would be expelled. I assume they are now at their neighborhood school. This is what the characterization drive doesn't want to discuss. Neighborhood schools take everyone. Audenreid, now under Universal, is not taking students returning from placement. They claim they are "full." So, who gets the students? A SDP neighborhood school.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 15:17.
Almost all of those students are probably in AD-4. Students who are expelled from charter schools go to the same schools that students expelled from district schools go to. As do many, though not all, students returning from placement especially if that placement involved Youth Study Center.
Submitted by EILEEN DIFRANCO (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 13:31.
Perceptions are everything. All they had to do was say, "We'll be back, we have a press conference." Instead, they got up and left without an explanation, just as the students were getting up to speak. It looked bad. When the students mentioned the fact that most of the commission had left, they were treated condescendingly by Mr. Prichette. He made no mention of a press conference which would have changed the dynamics of the situation. He then made a joke about Ms. Carey leaving to use the bathroom. Again, a "We'll be right back," would have altered the perception.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 08:45.
Bingo---Time to act.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 13:30.
Wendell Pritchett has seemed terribly thin-skinned for someone that chose to accept a position with this kind of interaction with the public.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 15:56.
Wendall looks shall we say, funny.
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 06:20.
The Inquirer reported pay cuts - Nunery from $230,000 to $210,000 and Mash from $196,000 to $180,000. Those are NOT substantial pay cuts considering they are hiring someone to do their jobs for $150,000 for six months (or $300,000/year). What is Nixon's pay cut? I don't know why Nixon has the job of CAO - she has provided no academic leadership worth replicating. She supports Wayman who only knows how to bully and drill "eligible content" (test prep skills). There has been no academic leadership under Nixon and her rise up the ranks is based on cheating on test scores (and I hear bullying) at Wagner. (Is Driver gone? There is no curriculum office...)
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 06:26.
Nixon also needs a demotion rather than a promotion. We've had NO academic leadership.
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 06:48.
Remember, Nixon last year stood in from of 440 and lied about Hope Moffett. She did nothing but stand by Ackerman. Nixon, like Ackerman, needs to go!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 20:31.
semi off topic, but did we ever find out what happened to Hope Moffet? is she teaching somewhere? I'd like to send my kids to her.
Submitted by MacMaven (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 13:59.
I can't validate if this is true or not; however, I was just told recently that Hope ended up at Fitzsimons where they continued to castigate her for district indiscretions - so she quit and is currently out of the country, in Russia no less. This sounds far fetched, but considering the facts of how she was made a sacrificial lamb throughout that whole SDP debacle, one can believe almost anything. I can just imagine her in the Urals of Siberia, penning a new book called "Teacher Scapegoat". Nevertheless, whatever she's up to now, I wish her success.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 20:18.
She had resigned voluntarily to allow someone else to not get laid off and then was called back in August. She then taught at Fitzsimons (and was elected PFT Rep) where things took another turn for the worse in terms of support both from her principal and 440. She worked through the new year and has since stepped down. She will be on her way out of country for a different educational experience while she waits to see what's next.
Submitted by Benjamin Herold on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 11:05.
Penny Nixon's new annual salary as Chief Academic Officer will be $180,000, the same as she was previously making as Associate Superintendent of Schools.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 11:54.
I assume this is pre percentage cuts? Either way, Nixon should go just like Ackerman. I assume Masch and Nunery are going. Nixon was part of the same regime. Curriculum it at the lowest point it has been in years.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 19:34.
Driver is not gone.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 09:29.
It is imperative that the Notebook conduct a full-blown investigation into the Ed Williams, Penny Nixon, Linda Wayman cabal. Ramos' endorsement strongly suggests that Nixon will be the next Super. Anyon who cares about actual teaching and learning knows that this move cannot be allowed.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 10:02.
Amen!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 22:02.
Why not cut the middle man - the regional office. What do they do besides bully people? I understand Penny Nixon and Linda Wayman are friends but please someone investigate her. She needs to go!!!!
Wayman and her team came to our school to complete a walkthrough. What a waste of money, energy and time? The walkthrough evaluation was full of lies. Students were in wearing hoddies, listening to electronic devices (cell phone, ipods etc), and they do not comply with the uniform policy. Wayman and my principal are friends. What a joke?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 17:20.
Ed Williams, like many others retired from the District, suck off the District's nipple and continuously re-invent themselves. I worked with him at King High School for several years while he acted as a "Consultant" for Foundations, Inc -- King's "managing Partner."
I remember two Spring's ago when Ed, milking God-knows-what for a consultation fee, milked hours by listening to Seniors making their Senior Project presentations.
Watching Ed Williams operate over the years is like watching a rattle snake and a chameleon. He is divisive and out-of-touch. So many times when conflict arose at King HS, Ed Williams' name always came up.
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 20:28.
Ed Williams is making at least $850/day for "consulting." As you've written, Williams knows little except how to make connections to make money. All of the consultants need to go.
Submitted by Ms.Cheng (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 11:26.
If the skill set is conscientiousness, I agree it is sorely needed. It will be interesting to see what Mr. Knudsen can achieve/recommends in the short time of 6 months.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 11:45.
Corbett is calling the shots and his drones and minions are following the script. Unless we ACT, it will only get worse. Act, not prayers or singing or peaceful marching-------Get Real--these Nazi types are not our friends nor the friends of our kids. They're building prisons for our kids later in life while simultaneously refusing to fund the real schools in the inner cities. WHO can't see this agenda??? Tell me where I'm wrong !! I hope I am but all roads seem to end with calamity for our children and it's all by total design in my eyes.
Submitted by anonymous teacher (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 13:32.
What really concerns me as a parent and the primary provider for my family is that teachers are 10 month employees and are paid as such. Every paycheck, here is money taken out and out in a "reserve account" so that I may continue to receive paychecks throughout the summer month. That means that pay (and that is 100's of dollars a paycheck) has been taken out of at least 10 paychecks (since September). Now they are saying they will not have money to pay us in July? What did they do with the money we already earned and they took from our checks? This means that the SDP has STOLEN money from it's employees. This also means that many of us who live paycheck to paycheck, like most of Americans, will be in dire straits in July and August.
Submitted by anonymous teacher (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 13:48.
*should be "there is money taken out"
*should be "put in a reserve account"
Sorry for the typos! :)
Submitted by LaidOffTeacher (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 14:47.
I believe that the new fiscal year begIns in July, there should be plenty of money over the summer. The question is whether or not they'll have enough for the entire school year.
Submitted by anonymous teacher (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 15:35.
On of the quotes from last night's meeting, from an SRC Commissioner, was that they would not have money in July to pay people for their work in June.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 18:19.
No one seems to be addressing that. What are they doing with our reserve pay?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 20:33.
I would like to know this as well, since my paycheck says a certain amount of money has been put into reserve. It is reserved for me and I didn't spend it...who did?
Submitted by Linda (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 23:28.
The money that is "held" is how the SDP makes money off of the interest. That way there is some for "them" and a little for you....
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 18:03.
and should be "its employees", not "it's employees"!
Submitted by anonymous teacher (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 18:13.
:) Gotta proofread more before I press SEND...LOL Thx!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 23:17.
If they can offer a six month salary of 150K to someone to clean up this mess, then there is obviously money somewhere! I am sure that they will not tell this guy to fix the problem, then "pay him later". Are our "reserve" funds being used to pay to "fix" the problem? Has anyone considered this? If they have money to pay the bloated, top-heavy salaries, why are teachers' paychecks in jeopardy in the upcoming summer months.
I am not a math teacher, but something here is NOT adding up!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 14:35.
Can someone tell me if the smacks on the Walkthroughs still have jobs?
Submitted by Philly Parent and Teacher (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 20:34.
There appears to be little union solidarity in the midst of this crisis. Local 1201 deserves the support of the PFT and CASA rather than PFT and CASA silence. Yes, they have come for 1201 and the other unions will be next.
Submitted by anonymous teacher (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 21:25.
1201 has totally gotten screwed. I'm a PFT member and won't cross a picket line-so not sure what's gonna happen. I think in the history of the unions in the SDP, 1201 has never crossed our picket line. Does anyone know if that's right?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 22:09.
ALL UNIONS better stand together because their plan is clearly designed to take away our rights and allow the corporations to control our every breath. We need to resist this crap bigtime.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 20:49.
The only answer is: cut everyone who is not school-based. EVERYONE. We don't need you if you never see a kid. We don't need walkthroughs, we don't need more admin in 440, we don't need it.
We have to have to teachers we have managed to get through this with. We have to have school-based admin.
440 and the SRC are still peeing on our legs and telling us it's rain. Until every employee who doesn't work with children is gone, there is NO budget shortfall. There is just an inability of sorority sisters and friends-of-friends to give each other salaries for nothing. There are still people in every school who do nothing. There are still AD offices. Until those are gone, they have no right to cut anyone who actually works here.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 22:24.
I agree, get rid of those who do not provide direct services to children. 440 can go first, then the AD's next.
Submitted by Alice (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 20:49.
Does anyone know if what Feather Houston said about payroll means that teachers won't receive their pay in July? It may seem like a stupid question, but I've never seen the District in such shambles and it's at the point where nothing is surprising me...
Submitted by tom-104 on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 22:24.
They are sending up a lot of trial balloons to see what they can get away with. Teachers not getting paid in July is one of the options she raised at the SRC meeting.
This, in the corporate world, is what has been called the tactic of "shock and awe". The managers pose the most draconian scenario in order to get concessions from employees. What they want is for PFT members to take a wage freeze and pay more for health insurance, among other work rule concessions. If this does not happen, they are proposing not paying employees in July as the alternative. In the meantime, they can advance their privatization agenda using funds that should be going to public schools to open more charter schools.
Don't get me wrong, the economic situation is grave. What we have is also a political problem, however. The 1% want to lower the living standards of the 99% for an economic crisis we are responsible for. Both parties are going along with this and so are many union leaders who are tied to the Democratic Party. Our problem is that we have no political alternative which represents the 99%.
Everyone should get the DVD "Inside Job". It's available on Netflix for rental (but not streaming) or you can purchase it for about $25 from the movie website at http://www.sonyclassics.com/insidejob/. This is an economic tsunami which has been unfolding since 2008 and this film shows why.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 23:10.
Tom-104 don't know you, but I always seem to agree with your posts. So here's the big question: what do we do to stop this? We need a plan.
Submitted by tom-104 on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 00:04.
Unfortunately, I don't see a solution immediately. The first step is for large numbers of people to develop an awareness of the problem and then we can start to take action to find the solution.
Submitted by youngphillyteacher (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 13:29.
There is no need to invent the wheel. Ask Social Studies teachers: what worked in the beginning of 20th Century when labor won our high living standards for us? Strikes and angry protests.
Submitted by tom-104 on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 23:58.
Typo error:
"The 1% want to lower the living standards of the 99% for an economic crisis we are responsible for."
Should be:
"The 1% want to lower the living standards of the 99% for an economic crisis we are NOT responsible for.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 12:32.
They borrowed that money from us. On our paychecks, there is a deduction of a few hundred dollars that is used to smooth our pay and give us regular paychecks in the summer.
So, not making payroll in July means they are already not making payroll. That money has already been spent. It is already on my check, I just didn't get it yet. They can't use money borrowed from our paychecks to do anything but pay us.
Submitted by SuperTeacher (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 12:54.
I'm confused about the fact that they are saying we may not get paid in July. First, what are they doing with all the money they are currently withholding from our paychecks? Second, the new fiscal year begins July 1st, so there should be plenty of money to pay everyone. The bigger question should be how are they going to afford to stretch out funds for the '12-'13 school year. Do you know anything about this? Also, what recourse would we have if they don't pay us and when will we know for sure? As the primary provider for my family, like a lot of other people, this is a very frightening situation.
Do you think that they will enact Act 46?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 14:43.
You are right about one thing. We have been in a deflationary depression since 2008. Loose monetary policy and exponential credit expansion preceded it. It also inflated tax revenues from which you are paid. Now the bubble is burst and it's time for sacrifice. A one year pay freeze is not sacrifice. A 10% pay cut and contributing half of your healthcare costs is sacrifice.
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 15:03.
The U.S. also invaded Iraq and Afghanistan while maintaining military bases throughout the world. Bush cut taxes for the top earners while forging wars by borrowing. The cozy relationships with corporations like Goldman Sachs, the banking/mortgage fiasco, etc. also contributed.
That said, I agree, a pay freeze is livable since we haven't had the money anyway. A pay cut with contribution to health care would have an impact. It also would lower city wage taxes which partially contribute to the SDP.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 16:00.
Are you really this silly?
Submitted by Alice (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 16:29.
You're funny.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 15:58.
Tom 104----I am the quasi nut according to the fair play folks who run this site for saying exactly what you said but in much graver and "attack" terms. What it will come down to is a rebellion of sorts and you are correct--the first thing is for the masses to wake the hell up and see what they're doing. I read Naomi Klein's books about the shock and awe theory you are referencing and of course, it isn't even close. Of course, they are doing it and right in our face--bitch slapping us and we're taking it so far. I am 62 years old and have NEVER seen such a blatant act of abuse by the 1%. In the past, they tried to hide their agenda better than now and yes, it is all because the dems caved in 2010, resulting from the so called financial melt down of 2010 which I believe is also a lie. Wall Street and the big corporations and banks are richer than ever before so who's broke----us, the 99%. Hopefully, once and if Walker is chased out, this Tea Party Joe McCarthy mentality will slither back under the rocks where it belongs. In any case, by any means necessary, we, the masses, need to resist and WIN or they'll turn the clocks back 110 years and we're toast. The charter joke is particularly evil because it pretends to care about the inner city kids. Charters know better than to try to pull their abuse on suburbanites who generally speaking are far better equipped and galvanized to chase them out. Charters are simply a trendy though mean spirited way to rip off money designed for the poor. I believe there is hope but we all better connect the dots before it's too late. Yes, here it comes, slugs like Gamble, Evans, Archie, Nunnery and Williams are NOT the friends of the kids either. They're no different from their slithering white counterparts.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 16:43.
In "Corporate America", misappropriation of funds by any means is grounds for termination and legal action. Ms. Ackerman spent through the District's money like "Grant went through Richmond", and she gets off with a million dollar settlement---instead of being held legally accountable for the mess that she was made. Better yet, she was "asked to step down" rather than "be fired". In "Corporate America", there would be zero tolerance for this! None whatsoever!
I find it disturbing to "threaten" the teachers with no pay, and to make more concessions while Ms. Ackerman walks away a "millionaire". I am so scared about losing my job, and fear that I may not be working for a while as a teacher.
No one should be making more than 100k just to "advise". Let's start trimming the fat from the top, and not at the bottom. Sounds like they are going to work in some "creative accounting tactics" so that it works for everyone up at the top, and get to keep their jobs....and yes, work on their doctorate on company time.
Incredible!
Submitted by Mark (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 17:17.
Why are you so fearful about losing your job? Were you let go last year and asked to return? Are you not a teacher? What would make you scared about losing your job in January?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 17:27.
What kind of question is that?! Any teacher having under three years in the district is worried about losing their job come June----THAT'S WHY.....perhaps this isn't a reality for those, perhaps like yourself, that are tenured, and are experienced.
I am definitely worried. And while I cannot be laid off in the middle of the year, I AM WORRIED about what will happen come June. I share the same worry that every other teacher does and who went through this nonsense LAST YEAR.
I hope I made myself very clear.
Submitted by Mark (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 17:34.
So I"m guessing that you DID get a pink slip last year? The question was asked sincerely. I just wanted to understand what would make you start worrying about something that you cannot control when June is six months away. Many things can happen before then. Last year they laid off all those people and most - almost all, save less than a hundred - were called back.
I can get afraid of it, too. I'm only in my 4th year in the District. But it's a waste of energy to start feeling afraid about something that is a half year away. I'd rather expend energy on teaching my students and living my life.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 18:19.
As a teacher who went through the whole "Promise Academy" interview process, and lay-off process as well, I share this person's worry. The whole school year, as of last January, left everyone on "pins and needles" as to whether or not they would have a job come June. It is not fair to say that someone should not worry, as everyone has different financial situations and teaching jobs are becoming increasingly scarce. I would like to retain my job as well----being through this again for another year is not only upsetting, but exhausting and not fair to the students either.
Let's not forget that they are in the process of consolidating school, and some will conver to charters. So, yes, those that have 3 years or less in the district (like myself), have something to worry about.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 19:30.
I agree with your comments, everyone's financial situation is different. I can honestly say that I was worred sick all summer last summer because I was unsure if I would be called back. I collected unemployment and was able to get by, thank God. And I had saved some money so, I was alright. I applied for other positions outside of the District. And one of the positions, I actually drove out to see the school before my interview. I knew going in that I would take a huge pay cut, but I was willing to accept the position if it were offered because I didn't have a job and I needed health benefits. The day before the interview, I was called back. I was called back the day before school opened. I didn't have much time to prepare for returning, but thank God, I was called back and showed up on the first day of school. Many others weren't as lucky as I was and they didn't get called back and some just went to other Districts across the country. The current situation that the District is in, really is leading me to think that another lay off might be very possible come June. But, I am going to try to remember that I got through the last lay off and I will get through this one, if it happens again.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 19:10.
Mark, anyone with any sense would start to worry about being laid off in June,now that it is January, because if one has any sense they will start planning for it and begin saving some money particularly if they are single and don't have a spouse to assist them during this period. You might have meant to be sensitive, but you didn't come off as being sensitive. You may very well be joining the ranks of those who received lay off notices this go round as well. I hope not, because it isn't fun.
Submitted by Mark (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 20:23.
I hope I don't get one either.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 20:36.
Let's hope and pray that we don't, but also let us begin to prepare in the event that we do. I hope you don't get one either my friend.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 19:05.
Mark, Don't know who you are responding to, but any teacher who has three or four years of service would be afraid because of what is going on right now because of what happened last June when many teachers received layoff notices and how the layoff notices were delivered. Some teachers were teaching their classes and someone just walked into the classroom and handed them a layoff notice in the middle of their class. Other teachers were called at the last half hour of school to meet with the principal and were handed layoff notices. Anyone with any common sense would be scared despite the fact that it is January because they know what happened last year.
Yes, I was laid off in June and I was fortunate enough to get my old position back. And to answer your question, yes, I am an educator. If it were possible, I am so sure that teachers would have been laid off with less than four years of service had it not been for the clause in the contract that says teachers can't be laid off mid year.
Hope this answers your questions, Mark.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 21:32.
440 and regional offices should just be disbanded. Yes, it would be a bit of a strain for each school to carry out its needs independently, but charters operate like that. In many rural areas, individual public schools operate essentially independently, too. It's not clear to me what 440 really adds, outside of mismanagement and (some) extra expenses.
I'm not really sure that individual principals could mismanage the funds any worse than the SDP does anyway.
Submitted by K.R. Luebbert (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 00:02.
You are right, regional offices (now ADs) should be disbanded, and then 440 (the actual building) should be sold. I do not think that it would be that much of a strain on anyone who works in a school to be rid of the middle managers. We could actually do what we know how to do without a lot of make-work and unnecessary interference. If you are not working in a school every day, your job should be gone in these dire financial circumstances. All the "assistant superintendents" and "walk-through" teams are redundant and a waste of precious funds.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 11:25.
What about the MILLIONS that were budgeted for the Promise Academies? Get rid of them NOW, and filter that money back into the system!
Teachers need to know how to proceed onwards with their lives. If there are impending layoffs, let's be fair and advise people NOW so that they can try to find a way to support their families.
I am tired of seeing upper management get "taken care of", while those at the bottom suffer. The Promise Academies are a WASTE of money! Is doesn't take a financial officer to see this with a new salary of $150,000. The millions towards this failed experiment need to be used to save our schools and PUBLIC EDUCATION!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 17:04.
While we're talking about cuts that make sense, why are principals still 12 month employees? If Summer School is only being provided for seniors who need the credits to graduate, then principals should go back to 10 months. Also, someone should make sure that the remaining Summer School sites don't employ more principals than teachers. I heard that last summer, many sites were loaded up with principals.
Submitted by Rich Migliore (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 18:28.
Back before the takeover of our District, we all were 10 month employees and the District worked fine. We also had school based management and included the entire staff in decision-making.
Each school designed programs to fit the needs of their students. The regional offices very rarely bothered us. The original rationale for charter schools was to free teachers from "the bureaucracy" so they could take control of the instructional program and do innovative things.
"The Bureaucracy" is the least efficient form of school governance and the least effective.
Submitted by Philadelphian (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 20:27.
I agree - principals and assistant principals need to return to 10 month employment. Last summer I was at a school with at least 3 - 4 principals, plus more APs, assigned each week. It was a joke - they did next to nothing.
Submitted by I'm Sick Of It!!! (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 16:56.
I couldn't agree more. Walk-through team members in our region rip student work off of the walls while students are present, write teachers up for using colors other than blue or black markers on white boards (because students might be color-blind- As if color-blind students can't read what's written! Funny, I used different color markers in order to HELP my students. It was one of the strategies that I used to differentiate.)
If you're one math lesson off of what the Planning and Scheduling Timeline says, watch out! You'll be in trouble for that, too. Forget about the stomach virus that decimated your class before the break, the one where 5-6 students were out every day for almost a week, and you decided to adjust the pace. Oh, and forget about reviewing the material that many of your students missed- If it doesn't say review in the PST, it can't be done!
Principals get throttled by this particular walk-through team, and are forced to pass the crap down to the teachers. This team seems to exist for the sole purpose of demoralizing teachers and principals. Forget about providing positive feedback, or support. The reports are full of "Gotchas!" Team members have a 'take no prisoners, slash and burn' mentality.
It's way past time for walk-though teams to be disbanded, especially since these individuals are doing nothing to improve student achievement. I'm sure that the SDP can find better ways to spend its very limited resources, so I have 2 questions- Why do these teams still exist, and what can we do about it?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 17:23.
The people on the walkthrough got themselves into these jobs because they either (a) hated working with children or (b) couldn't handle the classroom to begin with.
Submitted by AW (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 18:20.
I don't know how the teachers at my school put up with the exact testing and walk throughs! Oh and the objectives/Do Nows and exit tickets must be on the board or a student can not learn anything!!! lol, please! Im an art teacher, we are at least left alone when it comes to that, because we don't test, so I guess we don't matter to them. I wouldn't teach any other subject, I feel sorry for all my colleagues having to put up with that crap. Although, art teachers are the first to be let go when there is a funding shortfall! Let me go then, rather than suck the life out of me! Sometimes I think these walk throughs are just another way to provide documentation to 440 on how we need more charters, promise academies, or corporations to come save us from all our bad teaching because the Objective did not use an action verb! It is so disgusting
Submitted by SOS 60 on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 12:17.
I was at this meeting - and think both the students and the SRC had a viable point of view. The press conference was important obviously. However, I think anyone can understand that when you sign up to speak, then wait throughout a tumultuous meeting in which dire news has been presented, which will most definitely deeply effect students, schools, teachers and all, you do want to be heard by each member of the SRC - because, each is different, distinct and with varying points of view. You really want to have your message heard by the full membership especially when the stakes are high. 30+ speakers were on the agenda and all in all it was a tough, challenging night. What happened in the end was that each speaker, as their name was called was given the choice to speak in front of the partial membership or wait. Most chose to wait - as did the parents and community members of Supporters of Stanton (SOS). We were presenting a counter proposal to the SRC and quite naturally wanted each of them present for all four speakers and to receive our written proposal packet. It was not clear right away until we asked Ms. Sample-Oates if the other members were returning, which she confirmed they were. SOS caucused to determine if we would postpone our comments until the next meeting, wait until all returned, or speak in front of less than all five members. We decided to wait and speak to all. It was a challenging night to be sure.
Thanks to the spontaneity from gentleman in the audience also observing the proceedings who upon hearing our speakers and seeing us silently holding up our eight AYP placards and our "We, the Parents....." declaration opposed to the closing of such a high performing neighborhood public school that has turned around on its own over the last 10 years - in fact the kind of school the district is straining to create and the Great Schools Compact states it will and must support. He didn't even know us and simply called out, "Wait, wait, ... you are even thinking about closing THIS school, really?" Bravo, sir. Come and see E. M. Stanton. Tell them we have risen and will continue to rise.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 22:31.
It's over for Stanton unless the pols are afraid of exposure. Gamble want it so it's his as of now--kickbacks.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 20:34.
Is it possible that all 5 unions threaten a strike even though some of the contracts support a no strike clause? The district has been bullying it's union employee's and have been breaking contracts and threatening the act 46 for way too long. They will not give 1201 their 3% raise as per their contract negotiated previously. They sent out 2,700 pink slips to all 1201 members? They are threatening to not pay teachers come summer. Nurses reduced to unsafe levels. Classroom aids reduced to the point that the classroom of 30+ students can not be effective. Security staff eliminated completely! How many more teachers will be let go come next year? One could go on and on. Enough is enough!! They want more and more concessions off the backs of so many that have given up so much already. This is nothing compared to what WILL be coming next year as they already announced a 230 million budget deficit. If all 5 unions finally take a stand together, the district will finally be forced to do something. I don't know all the rules/laws that may make this thought impossible, but what could the district/state do...fire everyone? I really believe if all the unions made a stand together, threaten a strike and do it if the district thinks it's a bluff. Unfortunately, the students will be the ones to suffer, but I feel if nothing is done, they are going to suffer even more with all the cuts that have already occured and are coming. I also think to pay someone 150k to do what is impossible to do in six months is a waste of our tax money especially when this man is supposed to be replacing Nunnery and Masch of which are still getting paid 6 figure salaries. Someone mentioned that all employees that are not directly working with the students should go...if that is the case then it will be all 5 unions left standing because all five are the people that directly work/affect the education of a student. Power in numbers..you are looking at 20 thousand employees taking a final stand..so much power in numbers!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 20:38.
Is it possible that all 5 unions threaten a strike even though some of the contracts support a no strike clause? The district has been bullying it's union employee's and have been breaking contracts and threatening the act 46 for way too long. They will not give 1201 their 3% raise as per their contract negotiated previously. They sent out 2,700 pink slips to all 1201 members? They are threatening to not pay teachers come summer. Nurses reduced to unsafe levels. Classroom aids reduced to the point that the classroom of 30+ students can not be effective. Security staff eliminated completely! How many more teachers will be let go come next year? One could go on and on. Enough is enough!! They want more and more concessions off the backs of so many that have given up so much already. This is nothing compared to what WILL be coming next year as they already announced a 230 million budget deficit. If all 5 unions finally take a stand together, the district will finally be forced to do something. I don't know all the rules/laws that may make this thought impossible, but what could the district/state do...fire everyone? I really believe if all the unions made a stand together, threaten a strike and do it if the district thinks it's a bluff. Unfortunately, the students will be the ones to suffer, but I feel if nothing is done, they are going to suffer even more with all the cuts that have already occured and are coming. I also think to pay someone 150k to do what is impossible to do in six months is a waste of our tax money especially when this man is supposed to be replacing Nunnery and Masch of which are still getting paid 6 figure salaries. Someone mentioned that all employees that are not directly working with the students should go...if that is the case then it will be all 5 unions left standing because all five are the people that directly work/affect the education of a student. Power in numbers..you are looking at 20 thousand employees taking a final stand..so much power in numbers!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 14:03.
Act 46 says the State of Pennsylvania will take away my teaching certification if I strike.
ONLY if I work in Philadelphia, though. Maybe we should all just quit instead.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 17:41.
The better choice is to stand TOGETHER and FIGHT !!!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 18:06.
The District can't fire everyone (feasibly), but they also can't pay people money that doesn't exist.
If someone signs a contract with you, then breaks it, you can sue them all you want, but if they don't have any assets, you don't get anything.
I don't know how the District will get out of this mess, but it's going to cost a lot of jobs. Philly has, frankly, been lucky since 2008 or so. Due to a variety of factors, the Ackerman years had abnormally high levels of money flowing into the District (the stimulus funds had something to do with that). Some other large cities have been dealing with layoffs/hiring freezes/etc, for several years. Philly escaped it for awhile, but due to the lack of planning over these past 3-4 years, the issues are not coming home to roost.
Submitted by Teach (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 19:41.
This is only true if the contract is intact. I believe we can strike if they disband it.
The union would also go to court to have Act 46 declared unconstitutional. Last time they tried, I believe the response was something to the effect of "you have to challenge this law if the situation arises."
Also - take away 11,000 teaching certs? They still need us too much to do that.
Lastly, many of us have a whole lotta sick time available. It would be a shame if we all got the flu at once.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 14:05.
Charter Schools - Private schools publicly funded! Why is it okay for these school to pick and choose their students and be run on public funds? Not to mention the demographics of some of these "private" schools do not match the community they serve. The SDP needs to start saving by eliminating personnel top down - we need less "chiefs" and more "indians"; not the reverse.
Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 19:40.
The SDP has it all wrong. Ed Williams needs to go back to Foundations, Penny Nixon needs to move on to another district. Who decided that she should be the Chief Academic Officer? She has been in the Ackerman administration for several years and she has done nothing that would qualify her for this new title. There is no professional for principals or teachers under her guidance. She is collecting a salary while she sits in her office and completes the work for her doctorate. Lee Nunnery and Masch should have been fired. What is going on and when will this be corrected?
Submitted by Alice (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 17:38.
How do you know Ms. Nixon is sitting around just working on her doctorate? Do you have film footage of this? Has she made statements attesting to this?
Too much gossip. Let's focus on the PFT website and get in touch with the politicians this Wednesday. Or maybe someone wants to run for political office to replace the corrupt people currently there?
Submitted by EILEEN DIFRANCO (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 13:39.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 25 is your big chance to let your opinions be known. Come to 440 at 4Pm at our weekly "Occupy 440" demonstration. Let's stand together rather than carping on this website.
Submitted by Thomas (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 20:49.
Hello my name is Thomas and I am an 11th grader in the district of Philadelphia. The fact that the district is cutting almost everything rather than trying to raise the amount of cash needed is ridiculous. The district should change schools in to funding for education. Schooling should be changed into a simple industry to support itself. School sports should be promoted to gain wealth. Schools should have fundraisers to gain wealth. It is time for the schools to stop relying on a broke district and start funding themselves. It is time for the school to involve the community. I belief this to be the only way to save education in Philadelphia and the rest of the country.
Who needs these dicators of education anyway? They do more to support their own bank account then education.
I know Knudsen is a good man because my grandmother knew him personally from her time in PGW. How good could he be to the district though? We do not even need a superintendent. We need schools to control themselves.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 03:21.
Why single out Penny Nixon for working on her doctorate on District time? It's the "school district" way. Many before her have done it. I agree that there is no INSTRUCTIONAL focus under her leadership (e.g. low quality PD for teachers and administrators, ineffective walkthroughs) but maybe she's just doing what she was told, since the greater plan is to ensure that public education FAILS!!
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 09:54.
Nixon, Driver, Boyd, etc. - all the "higher ups" get to do their work on the taxpayers dime. Wouldn't we all love to get paid $180,000/year to do our dissertation? Nixon, like Nunery, Masch, Driver, and anyone else under Ackerman needs to go.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 17:46.
????? So Nixon is permitted to avoid work to prove that Public Ed. doesn't work????? Do you hear yourself?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 23:56.
Another person with a gripe/fetish against Penny... Leave the woman alone! Good Gosh!!!
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 02:42.
Why is it okay to attack anyone but Penny Nixon? She hasn't proven anything other than she knows how to "stick around" in the SDP. That is not an admirable trait.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 07:42.
Penny must be posting in defense of herself.
As we all know, the only requirement to be middle management at 440 is knowing the right people.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 12:28.
I'm really confused. New teachers at my building (anyone with three years or less is apparently considered a new teacher here) each have TWO new teacher coaches. One of the new teacher coaches that comes about once every two weeks has 3 years of instructional experience. Why oh why is this person being paid as a "leader"?
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 15:02.
You raise a good question. How much experience should someone have in the classroom before they "lead" teachers. In Pennslyvania, a principal only needs 5 years.
If the teachers are TFA, they may be a TFA "coach" which means someone with little teaching experience. The TFA coaches through Univ. of Penn often weren't in Philly schools. They are doctoral students at Penn.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 23:54.
There has been a legislative change...now the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania only requires three years for principal certification. Changes have also been made for the requirements in the superintendent certification as well, thanks to our now former acting super in Philly, Lee Nunery.
Submitted by Annonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 02:41.
It is a crime to think someone with 3 years of teaching can then "lead" and "evaluate" other teachers. They should have to spend at least 10 years in full time teaching. Some get away with less than 3 years by being listed as "teacher" while, in reality, they are not. They have other roles because they couldn't handle teaching. And they wonder why teachers are cynical about many administrators...
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 17:30.
I have a new teacher coach. Nice enough person but the visits are random and filled with buzz words that don't pertain to what I need help with. Little to no feedback is ever given. I don't wish job loss on anyone but my classroom could live without this coach.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 20:31.
I had to make a correction. This new teacher in my building actually has THREE new teacher coaches. They visit at random (about once a month) and sit on their laptops while in the room.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 20:39.
Three new teacher coaches for one person? Somebody tell me it 'ain't' so? Why would one new teacher need three teacher coaches?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 16:34.
Why hasn't anyone looked at the Principal's and Vice Principal's for salary cuts. Their last contract made them all 12 month employees giving them each a 20% raise. Now they sit in empty buildings during the breaks. Plus the buildings have to be open and heated. Put them back to 10 month and give them the extra pay they need to work in the summer to open schools. Also, they need a break each year so they don't burn out. Sometimes extra time is worth more than money.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 20:26.
ENFORCE Zero Tolerance Bullying against the PSD and Leave NO UNION MEMBER behind...Stick together and Fight!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 08:37.
I agree---fight like your life depended on it because it does for real.
Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 08:48.
Penny Nixon is not qualified to be the Chief Academic Officer. Since she has been downtown she has done absolutely nothing to improve professional development, she has done nothing to make sure that the pitiful programs that have cost the district millions of dollars were replaced by programs with a record of success nor has she provided any real leadership.
If Masch and Nunnery were reassigned, why wasn't she reassigned as well. How can she assist Knudsen for the next six months with this "recovery"? Wasn't she at Ackerman's and Estelle Mathews' side while this budget crisis was forming? Wasn't she at Nunnery's side when he became Acting Superintendent and the crisis grew bigger? Why can't Nutter , Ed Williams and all the others connect the dots?
Penny Nixon has promoted Latanya Miller, Linda Wayman and Nancy Bratton. She made the twins the principals when they clearly need more time learning how to be a leader. She continues to keep people in place because of their friendship. She banishes anyone who dares to disagree with her.
She and her friend Miller and Wayman have long lunches twice a week and I listen to the laughing and inappropriate language and just wonder why is this allowed? They talk about people and they don't even care who hears them. She thinks she is untouchable. What a shame!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 12:46.
They too will fall like Ackerman. Just study history. People with no substance who lead always end up tripping-up over their own incompetencies.
Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 09:18.
Good News!! No more Promise Academies!!!!! All the monies budgeted for these experiments will be distributed among all district schools. Teachers will not receive the extra hour of pay in addition to the EC money that they are paid, which made them the highest paid teachers in the district. The principals will not be given the famous $10,000 bonus either.
Maybe this recovery specialist does know something!!!
Submitted by LS Teach (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 09:37.
Can we verify this information?
Submitted by Anonymous PA teacher (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 11:20.
This school isn't working anyway. I'd like to see us revert to a more normal school day (3 PM exit). I think the kids and teachers would ALL be better off. There's too much exhaustion, cutting, etc. I could care less about the extra hour's pay (I don't know what EC money you are referring to though.)
(I should add that other than that hour, I haven't seen ANY extra money in this place. Supplies and staff are scarce, like everywhere.)
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 14:55.
Is this a rumor or fact? Can someone elaborate on this?
Submitted by Mark (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 17:39.
Sounds like a rumor.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 18:42.
Do anyone know when this officially will take into effect. I feel that cutting the PA's could contribute in saving jobs for teachers. Where can someone find out more about this?
Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 10:05.
Since Mayor Nutter wants to eliminate 50,000 seats , I would like to make some recomendations:
Get rid of all promise academies. They are the biggest drain on the district resources and offer no promise of higher student achievement:
Martin Luther King HS- Foundations
Roberto Clemente- Aspira
Potter Thomas- KIPP
Robert Vaux - Mastery
Ethel Allen- Mosica
West Phila HS - Universal
Dunbar - return to district
University City HS - Mastery
Germantown HS-Foundations
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 12:43.
Although I agree with the content of your message, your information is a mess. Germantown HS is NOT a Foundations-run school. It is a Promise Academy, not a charter school. The same goes for King HS. It is a PROMISE Academy. It has nothing to do with Foundations. Charter Schools are charter schools. PROMISE Academies are still in the District. You need to do some reading up on things so your postings have substance.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 19:35.
The whole list is of "Promise" "Academies." This severely underinformed person would like to give the PAs to the providers listed.
Because what we need is more chaos, more profiteering, and less oversight in urban ed. And definitely make it so private companies steal money from real public schools, and kick out undesirable students.
Education in America is turning into a privilege. We'll be back to a 3rd world wasteland before you blink.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 19:12.
I hope that you do not work for the district as a teacher. If you are, then you are soliciting your own job to the highest bidder. As long as we as a district appear to be "failing", then all the more the reason for some vulture, (a.k.a charter school) to get their claws in on another school to make money off of the poor. Surely an exec making 200k a year is not worrying about how well the students are learning.
If you are a teacher here, shame on you. I love working in the district. I am here by choice. I don't want to see my school lost to yet another "Charter".
Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 13:30.
To the person who posted at 11:43
You did not read the information carefully. I listed all of the promise academies and stated that these schools do not promise improved achievement so award them to other providers. That is why next to each promise academy , there is the name of an organization that has been awarded schools in the past. You should do some reading so that your posting will make sense.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 19:13.
Do you work at Dunbar?---just curious to see that only "THAT" school should return to the district......interesting.
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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 06:40.
I currently work at a Promise Academy and did for the previous school year as well. While we did receive a lot of resources the first year, this year has not been the same. We are fewer in teachers and other staff, do not have ANY supplies to speak of, don't have Saturday school (which was a waste anyway) and obviously will not have summer school (another waste) this summer either. The only thing that seems to be different between our requirements and those of other SDP schools now is that we still have 4 extra hours a week (they cut one of the extra hours from last year) and teachers wear uniforms as well as the students. I don't understand why we are still working the extra hour a day in light of this budget crisis. I hope this is cut SOON!
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