| 1. | 2/14/2008 9:52:00 PM | Teachers are the meat and potatoes of this district. We all need to work as a team to achieve greatness. |
| 2. | 3/4/2008 3:01:00 PM | We have done a nice job of "going to get" teachers regardless of having to pay them more for experience. That isn't the same situation in all districts. |
| 3. | 3/6/2008 4:52:00 PM | I agree that this is important. I think we do have high quality teachers in Fort Atkinson. If this is the case, why will you not trust the elementary teachers enough to put a default 3 on the report cards? From what I have heard, we are getting MORE lines on the report card for Health and Social Studies and yet nothing is ever taken away, only added. This is a disservice to the teachers which will result in the quality of teaching going down. If you really think that a teacher will not go into the report card to change numbers, there is a bigger issue at hand. This is insulting to teachers!! |
| 4. | 3/6/2008 6:40:00 PM | I think it is a terrible decision to hire a teacher without having had the other teachers at that grade level and school in on the hiring process. It has happened in this district where we take the word from a cooperating teacher that a student teacher is wonderful, and that person gets hired without ever having had the other teachers of that grade where that person will work included on the process. That is not right. It may very well be that the person is wonderful, but it isn't right for someone to choose who someone else is expected to work with as a team day in and day out. |
| 5. | 3/6/2008 6:38:00 PM | Need to keep the present great staff we have! |
| 6. | 3/6/2008 10:51:00 PM | ABSOLUTELY. And ALSO finding ways to 'push' the current teachers in our district who aren't doing their jobs. Administrators need to be in the classrooms more 'randomly'.. call it 'checking up on us' if you want to, but I guarantee you the quality of teaching would improve if administrators stopped in more often unexpectedly. With higher quality of teaching, you have higher student achievement - plain and simple. Read "Results Now" by Michael Schmoker -eliminate the 'buffer' that exists that "everyone is professional" - we have staff that aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing because it is assumed they are doing what they are supposed to and administrators don't check in frequently. It probably seems absurd that I'm even typing for you to 'check up on us more'.. but if you want 'outstanding educators' let's first start by making sure our CURRENT teachers are being as 'outstanding' as they assumed to be. |