Request for my Mullica Township Community Supporters - the Mullica Township Education Association (school staff) kindly requests that you attend the monthly Board of Education meeting at 7PM Wednesday, June 22nd.
The 110 members of the Mullica Twp Education Association (teachers and professionals and support staff) had a rocky "end of the year".
Multiple Instructional Aides worked daily schedules longer than their contracted hours, despite the objections of the Union and discussions to correct the disparity.
24 teachers are scheduled to be transferred to new teaching assignments for 2016-2017, with every grade level but PreK affected.
We are absorbing 3 FT and 1 PT Greenbank teachers - a good thing - but there should have been minimal disruption and movement on the Primary side to accommodate adding them to our Staff.
Several transfers - roughly 4, including myself - either requested or are happy with the transfers, but the balance are considered "involuntary" transfers.
These proposed transfers have decimated employee morale and prove that Administration has not learned to communicate openly and fairly with Staff.
This major "disconnect" only exacerbates issues and concerns that Staff had put behind us.
Involuntary transfers are not good for a district - especially such a large number. We (my Union brothers and sisters) recognize that Administration has the "right" to move us into positions for which we are certified.
These moves don't provide a stable learning environment for our children - Staff that move must adjust, receive training for, and need time to master their new assignments and unpack new standards.
We do not question the integrity of Administration, but we do question the transparency and subjective nature of the process.
Despite our best advocating, discussions , an Administrative "review", AND a new Superintendent starting July 1 - our current Administration will recommend the moves be approved.
We are, and always have been, consummate professionals in delivering a quality education to our Mullica students.
We will always be united, committed and dedicated to fulfilling our professional responsibilities.
We need your support - bring friends and family to fill the seats - for us to persuade the board to table the transfers until our new Superintendent arrives and can sort things out.
Barbara Rheault
Mullica Township Board of Education Meeting
Mullica Township School, 500 Elwood Rd, Elwood
June 22, 2016 Agenda at
http://www.mullica.k12.nj.us/june-22nd-2016-meeting-agenda/
Thank you to the Mullica Township community members, parents and staff who came to support our "24".
Simply baffling that our Board continues to condone Administrative decision-making that continues to be "imposed-top-down" rather than be a collaborative, TEAM effort.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make that horse drink...(but we are professionals and will perform our jobs)
Oh, and those that cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it..
6 comments:
None of this makes any sense to me. Is this some kind of revenge on the teachers for going against the Board and Marro? It seems like the whole school is going to have an atmosphere of tension and unhappiness. We are going to have 24 teachers who are basically experimenting with lesson plans and age groups that they are not familiar with, not even counting the new Greenbank teachers who are going to feel like they're in another world completely.
Cry baby mullica teachers it never ends
As a parent, I believe all the teachers are acting professional and have legitimate concerns. Teachers who have worked a grade level for years know what works and can spot problems quickly. I felt more confident sending my child to a class where I know the teacher has experience with the maturity level of the students. In my opinion, moving so many teachers at one time,especially if they don't want the move,is a recipe for disaster. The 2016-2017 school year is an experiment that might blow up in the Administration's and School Board's faces.
At issue isn't "heartless" BOE members. At issue is the complete lack of communication between Administration and Staff when it comes to making EXTREME changes in school operations. The Union is a majority shareholder in school operations...we don't want to micromanage - that is why the BOE hires Administrators to run the day-to-day operations of the District. The problem is the disconnect in collaboratively working together to educate our children. Until a few years ago, if any movement was considered, all parties and those Staff under consideration of moves were brought together and we discussed how to make things better. Our schools are not, and should not, be run like corporations or big business. Until communication improves, and a serious amount of trust is rebuilt, the low morale, heartache, stress and unhappiness will continue. We did indeed attempt to work things out and communicate our concerns - but Dr Baruffi made it abundantly clear at the BOE Meeting and in conversation with the "involuntary transfers" that Administration is more qualified to make the decisions. All I can say is that - after 18.5 years of teaching in this district, having grown up and attended Mullica Schools K-8, and having my father serve 14 years on the Mullica BOE - that I will have to respectfully agree to disagree that the movement of 20 people is justified.
With approximately 60 teaching/professional staff members, 20 involuntary transfers equates to 1/3rd of teachers being moved - and every grade level (except PK) has had changes made.
Moving that many people is UNHEARD of in a district our size.
It is actually de-stabilizing, forcing that many professional staff members to change grade levels, learn new curriculum and standards for the new assignment, and receive any specialized training for the assignment. As professionals we all strive to be "master teachers" - and the lack of discussion and consideration of multiple moves literally is disrespectful and does not take into account our professionalism, experience and knowledge.
Dr. Baruffi's defense was that no Mullica Staff member was RIFed (lost their job) because Greenbank Staff was so graciously absorbed by the BOE. Well, thank you for that, however Greenbank staff absorption involved accepting PRIMARY grade-level teachers...so disruption in grades 5,6,7,8 should have been minimal.
So Dr. Baruffi,on his last days as Interim Superintendent,put the Mullica school in a bag, shook it up and threw out the pieces and laughed on his way to his new temporary job in Somers Point. Why couldn't the school board wait and discuss all the proposed changes with new Superintendent Weber who will have to deal with this shake up? Why do we even have a board if they just agree to things that are inherently bad for the kids and the community? Until we have some REAL choices on the ballot,things will never change. We need a board that will work with the teachers to build a better school not blindly agree with Administrators who feel they are more "qualified" to make decisions. Just look at the last costly mess they agreed to.
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