9486 in the collection
Plan to rehire Central Falls teachers is put in place
Ohanian Comment: The requirement Eating lunch with students should have been a deal breaker. At several times in my career I did this voluntarily. At other times in my career I got as far away from the cafeteria--and the faculty room-- as possible. I can see that being the straw that breaks the camel's back for some teachers. Yes, I see the value of teachers in the cafeteria. I also see the value of giving the teacher with a high-stress job a few minutes of silence--or minutes to phone a parent, whatever. In my school, that lunch break was 37 minutes long.
One person commenting at the newspaper website advocating shooting the teachers, while the kids watched. Others were almost as bad. I found one sensible comment.
Reader Comment:I think that all the teachers should be made to write 500 times, "I will be a better teacher." That ought to fix everything. Actually, I have just as much evidence to support my proposal as Superintendent Gallo had to support hers. There is no evidence that firing all the teachers will improve student performance. On the day the teachers were fired the teachers union should have shut-down the entire state. What is shameful and disgraceful is the shabby treatment the teachers received from their bully Superintendent Gallo.
By Jennifer D. Jordan
CENTRAL FALLS — Eighty-seven teachers at Central Falls High School who were to be fired this summer will keep their jobs once they write an essay, conduct a five-minute lesson and interview with the school leadership team.
The Board of Trustees that runs the city schools voted Tuesday night to rescind the terminations once the teachers complete the process in an agreement with the Central Falls Teachers’ Union that was reached last week.
The agreement ended four months of turmoil at the struggling school, which has been targeted for improvement by state and federal education officials because of its low performance over many years.
But hurt feelings remain.
The vote by the trustees to rescind the terminations was 5 to 1; a seventh trustee was absent.
Trustee Ana Cecilia Rosado said despite the concessions the district gained from the union, she could not "reward those who behaved shamefully and disgracefully" by heckling school administrators and trustees at the height of the tensions.
"I don't wish to reward those who forgot that teachers are models of behavior not only in the classroom, but everywhere, and at all times," Rosado said.
After the meeting, union president Jane Sessums said she disagreed with Rosado but declined further comment.
According to the 17-point settlement agreement, all 89 high school teachers and support staff such as librarians, guidance counselors and psychologists were required to reapply for their jobs by May 14, the first step in the rehiring process.
All but two did so; one teacher chose to retire and another declined to reapply. Four administrators who were also terminated have been offered other positions in the district.
At least three teachers have already completed the rehiring process and have been reappointed as "academy leaders" for the three learning communities at the school: science and technology; arts and communication; and business and hospitality.
A new principal has not yet been selected for the 850-student school, although Gallo hopes to hire someone "within 48 hours," she told the trustees.
Gallo said that school leaders will squeeze in dozens of mini-lessons and interviews in the next three weeks during the hectic end of the school year to meet a deadline of June 14.
The May 15 agreement outlines 17 points, including the six conditions Gallo wanted teachers to agree to in February to transform the struggling school. They include lengthening the school day, eating lunch with students, submitting to more rigorous evaluations, providing extra tutoring to students and agreeing to 90 minutes of weekly professional development after-school and some summer training.
School leaders and teachers have also agreed to collaborate on professional development and on creating a new school schedule. The union agreed to give up the annual "job fair" and instead permit administrators to hire and staff classes based on the quality and experience of the candidates.
The union also committed to "develop a more streamlined collective bargaining agreement governing the hours, wages and working conditions" that complies with the school-reform efforts and the state's new Basic Education Program by 2011, the year the current contract expires.
— Jennifer D. Jordan
Providence Journal
2010-05-26
http://www.projo.com/news/content/central_falls_rescinds_terminati_05-26-10_C8I_v44.36639d3.html
INDEX OF OUTRAGES
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