The Turner Report has confirmed that the following teachers are leaving East, all of their own volition:
-Eighth grade science teacher Mike Wallace
-Seventh grade reading teacher Jennifer Wallace- The Wallaces are moving to Utah
-Sixth grade (formerly eighth grade) math teacher Brian Neugebauer- will teach at Carl Junction
-Sixth grade communication arts teacher Amanda Mehrens- will teach at Neosho
At least three other teachers are considering submitting their resignations, two without any jobs lined up. This comes in the wake of the departure of several other teachers following the end of the 2012-2013 school year.
Wallace and Neugebauer were responsible for top level eighth grade scores on science and math state tests, until Neugebauer, who has never been shy about saying what he thinks, ran afoul of Sexson and was moved to a sixth grade position this year.
Wallace and Mrs. Mehrens have been recipients of the Golden Eagle Award, an honor which is voted on by the teachers and is given annually to outstanding teachers..
The departures, combined with others over the past couple of years have left East with only a handful of veteran teachers in the core areas.
Concerns by East teachers about the lack of discipline, the forced implementation of standards-based grading, and a growing climate of fear in the building led the Joplin NEA chapter, following a meeting with more than two-thirds of East's teachers, to submit a resolution to Joplin R-8 Administration containing a list of concerns and suggestions for improving the situation.
The resolution was presented to the Huff Administration over a month ago and has been ignored by the superintendent, who earlier in the year went ballistic when an effort was made to fire the East principal and was publicized in the Turner Report.
The resolution is printed below:
Many members ask the question "What can JNEA do to help the professional climate for our members.". At one of our schools in Joplin, members asked for JNEA's help to express a way to ask for some type of documentation to ask for admin support. The below document has been submitted over a month ago to Tina Smith, Joplin Schools COO, and we are waiting for a response from Joplin Admin. What do you think? Check out our blog at jnea-engage.org > more>update for members and you can comment anon.
Resolution on Improving Relations - Building Administration and Teachers
On March 11, East Middle School teachers met with Joplin NEA leaders to discuss ways to improve the teaching and learning environment in that building. After a brief discussion regarding the purpose of the meeting, each teacher submitted a card that listed concerns and issues based on the following questions:
-What are important factors that would contribute to a better teaching/learning environment at East Middle School? What barriers have you encountered that have hindered your effectiveness as a teacher?
-This document is prepared as a summary of concerns and observations by teachers at East Middle School in the form of a resolution toward an improved teaching/learning environment.
• Schools will achieve the best results when there is an absence of fear and a sense of trust among teachers and administrators.
• Administrators and teachers must possess effective communication skills in order for our school to function at the optimum level.
• A free flow of information is an integral part of any successful school environment.
• Effective administrators will respond to teacher inquiries in a respectful and timely manner.
• New educational initiatives and programs work best when teachers are actively involved in the decision-making process.
• Teams and committees comprised of teachers have the expectation that their recommendations to administration will merit a professional and timely response.
• If disagreements arise between staff members, it is an expectation that administration will make every effort to mediate toward a mutually agreeable resolution.
• Teachers should feel free to express constructive responses and opinions without being cast as negative by administration.
• Administration will utilize a systematic process in choosing teacher representatives for various building or district meetings or training sessions.
• If an administrator has a concern with an individual teacher, the matter will be addressed in a confidential and professional manner.
• Student behavioral guidelines will be clearly communicated and consistently enforced by administration – with an emphasis on teacher support.
• Broadcast communication from administration to teachers should have a clear, informative message that is relevant for the entire staff.
It is hoped that this resolution will provide a template for improvements at East Middle School.
Respectfully submitted,
Joplin NEA
Not mentioned in the resolution have been the growing number of complaints of Sexson singling out females over 40, both in teaching and non-teaching capacities, for disciplinary action, while the considerable amount of attention paid to the younger female teachers, a group which has seen its numbers increase dramatically over the past four years, has not been of a disciplinary nature.
Wallace and Neugebauer were responsible for top level eighth grade scores on science and math state tests, until Neugebauer, who has never been shy about saying what he thinks, ran afoul of Sexson and was moved to a sixth grade position this year.
Wallace and Mrs. Mehrens have been recipients of the Golden Eagle Award, an honor which is voted on by the teachers and is given annually to outstanding teachers..
The departures, combined with others over the past couple of years have left East with only a handful of veteran teachers in the core areas.
Concerns by East teachers about the lack of discipline, the forced implementation of standards-based grading, and a growing climate of fear in the building led the Joplin NEA chapter, following a meeting with more than two-thirds of East's teachers, to submit a resolution to Joplin R-8 Administration containing a list of concerns and suggestions for improving the situation.
The resolution was presented to the Huff Administration over a month ago and has been ignored by the superintendent, who earlier in the year went ballistic when an effort was made to fire the East principal and was publicized in the Turner Report.
The resolution is printed below:
Many members ask the question "What can JNEA do to help the professional climate for our members.". At one of our schools in Joplin, members asked for JNEA's help to express a way to ask for some type of documentation to ask for admin support. The below document has been submitted over a month ago to Tina Smith, Joplin Schools COO, and we are waiting for a response from Joplin Admin. What do you think? Check out our blog at jnea-engage.org > more>update for members and you can comment anon.
Resolution on Improving Relations - Building Administration and Teachers
On March 11, East Middle School teachers met with Joplin NEA leaders to discuss ways to improve the teaching and learning environment in that building. After a brief discussion regarding the purpose of the meeting, each teacher submitted a card that listed concerns and issues based on the following questions:
-What are important factors that would contribute to a better teaching/learning environment at East Middle School? What barriers have you encountered that have hindered your effectiveness as a teacher?
-This document is prepared as a summary of concerns and observations by teachers at East Middle School in the form of a resolution toward an improved teaching/learning environment.
• Schools will achieve the best results when there is an absence of fear and a sense of trust among teachers and administrators.
• Administrators and teachers must possess effective communication skills in order for our school to function at the optimum level.
• A free flow of information is an integral part of any successful school environment.
• Effective administrators will respond to teacher inquiries in a respectful and timely manner.
• New educational initiatives and programs work best when teachers are actively involved in the decision-making process.
• Teams and committees comprised of teachers have the expectation that their recommendations to administration will merit a professional and timely response.
• If disagreements arise between staff members, it is an expectation that administration will make every effort to mediate toward a mutually agreeable resolution.
• Teachers should feel free to express constructive responses and opinions without being cast as negative by administration.
• Administration will utilize a systematic process in choosing teacher representatives for various building or district meetings or training sessions.
• If an administrator has a concern with an individual teacher, the matter will be addressed in a confidential and professional manner.
• Student behavioral guidelines will be clearly communicated and consistently enforced by administration – with an emphasis on teacher support.
• Broadcast communication from administration to teachers should have a clear, informative message that is relevant for the entire staff.
It is hoped that this resolution will provide a template for improvements at East Middle School.
Respectfully submitted,
Joplin NEA
Not mentioned in the resolution have been the growing number of complaints of Sexson singling out females over 40, both in teaching and non-teaching capacities, for disciplinary action, while the considerable amount of attention paid to the younger female teachers, a group which has seen its numbers increase dramatically over the past four years, has not been of a disciplinary nature.
9 comments:
Great observations. I can't imagine why no one is supporting your news site yet.
Sign me up I'll be the 1st to say that Mr. Sexton needs to go and fast, he's about the worst thing that has happened to East other than either the Tornado itself or the lose of the "Good teachers". He doesn't returns calls to parents, emails ect.
The whole idea of teachers thinking they can decide how they can be governed these days is laughable. What other profession has such a sense of entitlement? If you don't like it, quit bitching and do what others in other professions do......leave! Take ownership and control of your life and quit complaining. I was a teacher and did just that! No one owed me anything!
No 8:20, teachers aren't "owed" anything. But they ARE trained professionals who know about child development and instruction just like a doctor knows about treatments. As a professional, their judgment should matter.
A good manager or principal will know his or her 'employees' strengths and weaknesses and manage in that way. Notice, I did not say "micro-manage".
There should be basic guidelines and requirements, but after that the teachers should be good to go.
To 9:25: you are missing the point. The question I asked is why teachers feel they can control how they are governed. There are many competent teachers but many others who are not and feel that they are being mistreated when they are simply being judges on their merit. My time in education showed me that teachers are underappreciated but also that many teachers are negative, petty, complaining, miserable people. I am not sure if education did this to them or if they were this way before but they were definitely not good for students.
Everyone wants their opinion to matter but many, even though you may feel they are "trained professionals", are lacking the knowledge to provide real input into decision making.
I know from personal experience there is no teacher support in this building. If you are a student you get the benefit of doubt, If you are a staff member you are treated like dirt unless you are one of the favored ones. There are no consistent rules for students and the worse behaved get by with the most. If he does not like you he will find a way to get you out. This man should not be an educator. He IS NOT an educator.
You just repost what inside joplin reposts.
5:38 Do you think Turner should complain about this? Should he file a lawsuit for copyright infringement?
8:20/9:25,
R8 has been preaching "we're all a team" and "we're all in this together." They send people to conferences and workshops about all working together and learning together. They even bring in guest speakers and require everyone to go and listen to how everyone should work, learn and grow together. All should have input on decisions and what will happen.
THAT is where the idea about teachers deciding how they will be "governed" came from.
Like any other profession, some will be better than others and experience (usually should) make a difference. The teachers who are sour are few compared to the others.
Teachers deserve to be treated as professionals. If they aren't performing like professionals, THEN they should be gone.
Post a Comment