Kathleen - Welcome to a meeting for school administrators
Kathleen - Well, let's consider the meeting underway. jim, what are the greatest challenges you face on the job?
jim - Kathleen, one of my teachers told me about it. I thought I would stop in and see what is happening.
jim - I think my greatest challenge is that my district demands get in the way of my desires to be an integral part of my school.
Kathleen - jim, I'm in Conn., near Windham. Where are you?
jim - I want to be in the classrooms, and I DO teach some classes and cover for teachers who are sick or need to leave early, but I don't get a chance to do that as much as I would like.
jim - Hello Virginia.
Mary K&1 - jim, I think that that's a universal problem
Kathleen - Hi, Virginia, welcome to the School Administrators' Meeting
jim - Kathleen, I am in Litchfield county.
Kathleen - Virginia, are you a school administrator?
Kathleen - jim, what would you hope to find in the way of help or support on the Internet?
jim - I know, Mary, but I keep wishing there was a way around that. I actually told the superintendant that I could not attend a meeting today because I had promised a teacher to cover for her while she went to an IEP team meeting.
Virginia - Hi all. Yes I am a Catholic School principal.
Mary K&1 - jim, maybe if more principals would do that, the powers that be would realize that maybe more staff is needed
Kathleen - Virgina, do you feel that you are not able to do the job the way you would like to, or do you have more autonomy, less beaurocracy than jim seems to struggle with
jim - Kathleen, I'm not sure. I am still trying to figure out how the internet can benefit our children. Although our assistant super. is working on a way of sharing our curriculum materials with other districts. This is an area that I feel could really revolutionize the way we do business.
Mary K&1 - It seems that we are all wearing far too many hats
jim - I would agree with you on that Mary.
Virginia - Kathleen, I have a great deal of local autonomy AND less red tape, but the same time restraints as you all have. NEVER enough time.
Kathleen - jim, do you see the Internet as a way to help children become exposed to other cultures, geography?
Mary K&1 - jim, this is my 30th year of teaching and I've never had a principal cover for me
Virginia - I am covering a classroom for a teacher tomorrow, Mary..Never??
Kathleen - jim and Virginia, do you see a need for more opportunities for school administrators to "rub elbows" through forums such as this, or do you feel that you have a lot of that kind of opportunity during the day? Teachers feel isolated, do you?
jim - Definitely, Kathleen. We are doing a number of projects where our children are corresponding with other children around the world. Our French and Spanish students are practicing their French and Spanish with their global counterparts.
Virginia - Kathleen, most certainly. There is not enough time during the day to contact other administrators, nor do they have time even if we could.
jim - That's really too bad, Mary. I think it's so important that teachers know we're willing to roll up our sleeves and get into the classroom. It's great for the kids to see us too.
Kathleen - jim and Virginia, do your teachers have free access to the Internet from the classroom, without filters?
Virginia - Kathleen, we are just beginning to use the internet so the teachers have access from the lab. No current filters used, but no real student use either.
jim - Yes, Kathleen - Why would we filter teacher access? I certainly have faith in my staff that they will use it appropriately.
Kathleen - Virginia, the students have no real access yet to the Internet? Is that coming soon?
Mary K&1 - Usually teachers use the same computers as the students, thus those machines must be filtered, at least for the older students
Virginia - And yes, we are in the process of designing "study trips" for students. (Study is what we call field trips.)
Virginia - Jim, are you an elementary principal?
jim - Virginia, have your teachers done anything with educator portfolios?
Kathleen - [By the way, if you have not yet done so, please consider signing up for the free mailring for adminstrators-and any others of interest to you-at http://teachers.net/mailrings
jim - No, Virginia, I am a middle school principal - grades 5 through 8.
Virginia - Jim, some have, but results are spotty, and the results less than satisfactory. As an inservice this year, experienced teachers updated their resumes and that was the take-off for the portfolios.
jim - We are trying to figure out a way to use them effectively. I have a real "scout" in this area who has done some excellent work with her own portfolio and has written for Ed. Leadership on the topic.
jim - She as written a handbook for our district. We now have about 20% of our teachers doing them. They are centered on a "research question" of the teacher's choosing (with our approval, of course).
Virginia - Fortunate for your teachers! Not only are the experienced portfolios somewhat lacking, the portfolios of the new teachers interviewing have some difficulty as well.
Virginia - Jim, that is wonderful! In what state are you located?
Virginia - Sorry, I seem to have developed an on-line stutter!
jim - I'm in Connecticut -- and you?
Virginia - Indiana. Is your district leading in the area of educator portfolios? We have nothing like that here.
Virginia - District wide. Even though we have autonomy, we still have a central office.
jim - Connecticut is doing a great deal in the area of educator portfolios, and I believe that our district is a pioneer. I don't know of another district that has the number of teachers and the quality that our teachers are producing. Our admin. team is proud of them.
Linda - Hi, sorry I'm so late. What is the chat topic?
Virginia - Hi Linda. School administrator?
jim - Good evening Linda. We're talking about educator portfolios.
Virginia - Jim, as well they should be! That is material that could be used across the country!
Linda - School pincipal k-4
jim - Linda, I am a middle school principal (5-8) in Connecticut.
Virginia - Linda, I am elementary as well, K-6
jim - Virginia, we are working on sharing what we have learned. Our district believes in letting our teachers go out and share what they know.
Linda - Hi Jim. I'm in NY, Putnam County.
Virginia - Jim, perhaps that is part of the reason that you have such a comparatively high percentage of participation. Good approach.
jim - We have teams that have gone to California, Illinois, Maine, Tennessee, Arizona, and I'm organizing a team to go to Beirut in February.
Virginia - I hope that the information spreads quickly. It will be a real boon to teachers.
jim - I think you are right, Virginia. Our teachers feel validated and important. They go out (and get paid) and share their expertise.
Virginia - There is no better way to empower the teaching staff! Even those who do not share MUST feel valued.
jim - How many students in your schools, ladies?
Virginia - We have 250 this year. Slight increase from last year.
jim - We are experiencing unprecedented growth in enrollment - When I started 3 years ago my school had 285. This year we hit 650!
Linda - I'm here and enjoying your conversation. Unfortunately I don't have a great deal to contribute on this topic. My district has not done a thing in this area. I have 700 students and NO ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Virginia - Our school experienced an enrollment crisis a few years ago and enrollment was horrible. The improvement was needed.
jim - We built a new elementary school - opened two years ago and was at 100% enrollment by the end of the first quarter. We now are overcrowded in 6 of our 8 schools.
Linda - Jim, what contributed to such an increase in enrollment in such a short period of time?
jim - Oh my goodness, Linda. You have my greatest sympathies. How in the world do you cope?
Virginia - Six years ago our enrollment had dropped to 57.
jim - Linda - We have had overcrowded conditions for approximately 8 years. Class sizes in the middle schools peaked at average of 31. In the elementary schools they were up to 28 (even in K and 1st). So, the new school was to play "catch up".
Linda - I have a great staff who (when they have a contract) contribute tremendously and take on a great deal of responsibility. I actually have those I can delegate to.
Virginia - Jim, what are your class averages now?
Virginia - Linda, are there ANY assistant principals in your district?
Linda - The MS in my district is at approximately 1400!!!!
Linda - Virginia, only in the MS and HS. We have 2 other El schools. A k-2 and a 2-4. Mine is the largest by about 100-200 children.
Virginia - Sorry. Doesn't your central office realize that you are all stretched too far, Linda?
Linda - I don't think they care since they are stretched just as much as we are. As long as things keep running smoothly then why change is their motto. It doesn't matter that we're all exhausted!
Virginia - Do you have a high turnover in administrators?
Linda - The present superintendent is leaving within the next 2 months. Maybe we'll see changes implemented if the Board of Education approves the $ (which I'm sure they won't). My teachers are very supportive and try to deal with issues themselves realizing how limited my time is. No we do not have a high turnover. The superintendent himself has been there 12 years
Linda - I'm sorry Virginia but I didn't catch where you are.
Virginia - You must all be dedicated educators. Hope that you are appreciated!
Linda - Virginia, I'm not sure about that sometimes. It seems that everybody under the sun gets thanked for everything except us. It's expected!
Virginia - Linda, that is a true error on the part of the public. I hope that they do not ever have cause to regret their inattention!
Linda - I've been in this district 3 years after spending 9 years in a NYC school. With all I've said it's so much better.
Virginia - Kathleen, just wanted you to know I think this meeting was a TERRIFIC idea.
Virginia - Linda, I have really enjoyed talking with you this evening and wish you the very best! Bye all.
Kathleen - Virginia, are you interested in monthly meetings like this?
Virginia - Yes, very much so, Kathleen. I would be extremely interested!
Linda - Bye Virginia it's been a pleasure. Hope to see you here again. it was my first time and I enjoyed our conversation
Kathleen - Virgina and Linda, I send out notices about meetings through the mailrings. You can subscribe (free) at http://teachers.net/mailrings
Linda - Yes, kathleen I enjoyed this chat room.
Linda - Thanks, kathleen.
