Teachers voiced concerns regarding administrative transparency and workplace respect during the October regular Jones Local School Council (LSC) meeting Wednesday night.
Professional Personnel Leadership Committee members Brady Gunnink and Ellen Patrick presented data from the 5Essentials survey as part of the teacher’s report and showed that 68% of teachers strongly disagree or disagree that a member of the school’s leadership team knows what is going on within their classroom. 57% of teachers strongly disagree or disagree that a member of the school’s leadership team communicates a clear vision for the school as a whole.
“Teachers are dedicated to their classroom instruction and building relationships with their students, but are in need of a clear, long-term professional development focus area and the rebuilding of relational trust with our leadership,” Gunnink said. “Over time, this would encourage teachers to see the value in joining [Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) and other committees].”
Multiple teachers spoke during public participation about communication issues with administration. Social studies teacher Jeanette Jakupi, in an online statement read during the meeting, said she and other teachers that have taken on extra classes this year have yet to receive compensation for the additional work they have put in. While the issue will be resolved, she said she has received no acknowledgment for her work and the payment situation. The lack of communication has led her to be less willing to volunteer at events and participate in committees, she said.
“Before teachers can be expected to go above and beyond by joining committees, I believe we need to actively work together to rebuild trust and influence with receiving basic respect and fair treatment for the work we are already doing every day,” Jakupi said in her statement.
Math teacher and former department chair Russell Kerr said the directional focus of ILT has felt unclear in recent years, which led him to not rejoin the team last year. He said while managing the responsibilities of a full classload and being a department chair, suggestions made to administration by him and the math department went unaddressed or rejected, making it difficult to rebuild the relationship between the department and administration.
“It is demoralizing to go above and beyond for an administration that appears disconnected with the realities of the classroom,” Kerr said. “Decisions are often made in isolation, often ignoring or failing to solicit input from the educators closest to the situation.”
Math teacher Sara Seitz said teachers not wanting to join the ILT does not stem from an unwillingness to help curriculum and instruction.
“Teachers at this school care deeply about instruction and student learning,” Seitz said. “I cannot speak for every teacher, but I can tell you that in the math department, we are having conversations daily about our curriculum instruction and how to best teach students.”
Choir director and guitar teacher Katie Colby said she had been given little information about how much money she would have for guitar until after the year started. She said she felt departments had been pitted against each other regarding financial allocation.
LSC teacher representative Christina Moore recommended the council should create and administer surveys to teachers throughout the school year to serve as pulse checks that can gauge trust levels between teachers and administration.
LSC parent representative Kevin Gallick said he hopes teachers and administration can work to amend their relationship for the sake of the school.
“You can’t have a professional culture without administrators and teachers leading the school together,” Gallick said.
The next LSC regular meeting will be held on Nov. 11 in the library.
