We'll call this an end of the week effort at rumor control.
As one poster commented today, letters are going out this week telling people on terminating contracts that they expire on June 30. But school officials say this is the same letter they send out at this time every year.
The difference, according to Michael Evans, chief communications officer, is that people on terminating contracts are noticing the letters this time. In the past, he said people ignored them because they'd routinely be rehired after the letters were sent.
Evans said they're still waiting to find out how much state funding is coming to determine how many of the 1,496 terminating-contract employees will be rehired.
Comments
Schools consider cutting some electives
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 09:54 — AngelaWhttp://www.chapelhillnews.com/front/story/46834.html
Board members are scheduled to vote on a final budget to submit to the Board of Commissioners at their April 2 meeting.
INITIAL PROPOSED CUTS
10 percent cut in non-personnel funding for central office and schools
• 5 percent cut in salaries for central office employees
Wake County commissioners could decide to cut their own salarie
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 07:22 — AngelaWhttp://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=6723600&rss=rss-wtvd-article-6723600
Multiracial pupils to be counted in a new way
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 05:48 — AngelaWConcern over difficulty of monitoring groups that have trailed in school
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29832946/
The government looks at test scores of minority groups to help determine whether schools make the grade under the No Child Left Behind law. In an increasingly data-driven culture, educators also scrutinize such test scores and enrollment figures to pick programs meant to narrow achievement gaps and equalize academic opportunity.
In schools with diverse populations, especially in such immigrant destinations as the Washington region, there are likely to be notable demographic shifts, at least on paper. That could shake up how educational challenges are measured and reroute funding for reforms
..
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 18:29 — Voice_of_Reason_.
Good read
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 16:31 — shank56http://www.newsweek.com/id/189237/page/1
Interesting but WCPSS will not benefit
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 18:27 — Voice_of_Reason_Hiring freezes & Teaching Cert. Requirements will prevent the benefits here.
That is why I am so open
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 11:54 — viking60That is why I am so open about what is going to happen. Senior WCPSS is not telling Principals what is happening. They are making some harsh statements about what will/can happen in June 2009. The one thing that I want to make everyone clear is that TERM contracts are not just 1st year staff. Many if not a vast majority of term contracts are Asst Principal's in schools. I know of many people who are 20+ year WCPSS staff that were told they will not be returning. I do not want to go into depth because WCPSS is watching and listening to these boards. They do not take kindly to Staff talking to the media. Due to the YR schools, people were placed on term Contracts that shouldn't have. Their are 1st year teachers with protect and 20+ AP's are fired? That is not right. BTW. Term Contract teachers can't collect unemployment due to a legal techicality.
So much conflicting
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 08:34 — rr77rr99So much conflicting information...maybe WCPSS really does not know what the heck is going on?
I heard that it was only new hires who got letters, TA's, and yes, assistant VP's, but then I heard of one teacher who got notice but told by the principal at their school, "Don't worry."
So, who knows what's up, all I know is our MYR school will grow and be more over crowded, while another YR school within a few miles of that school will be UNDER ENROLLED and class sizes smaller as they bus back kids to another new YR school that is opening in another town. So, GO FIGURE!
God forbid WCPSS says to parents in our now over crowded, with trailers, MYR school, "Do any of you want to provide your own transportation and try to get on track of choice at the under entrolled YR school within a few miles of your home?"
Hummmmm...wayyyyyyy to simple huh?
All of this "misinformation" just really proves to me that really, WCPSS has NO CLUE what they are going to do, but now at least they get to blame their inability to manage on the economy. Lucky them.
Schools plan layoffs out of caution
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 09:45 — AngelaWhttp://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1452019.html
In years when state education budgets were growing, one of the biggest questions for Wake was how much it would have to spend for supplemental teacher pay, said Lori Millberg, a Wake school board member. Now, administrators are telling employees they might not be rehired.
"It's a whole different situation, talking about 'How many employees can we have?'" Millberg
excellent question!! how do we find out?????
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 09:21 — AngelaWWho's On the Payroll?
Today, March 21, 2009, 1 hour ago | (Venita Peyton)
Two databases contain information on who makes behind-the-scenes decisions in government. An updated database of state employees and one of Wake County, including school personnel.
Unless I misplaced my eyeballs, the most up to date one requested by the press is on the Charlotte Observer http://www.charlotteobserver.com/data/ . This searchable database allows one to know the name, position and salary of most state employees. However it was last updated in December 2008.
We should know who has been placed in public service positions since the change in the administration. Most assuredly, some employees of the former state auditor may have been replaced. Some even moved into other positions. Same with former employees hired by Mike Easley. But which exuberant campaign workers have now been moved into higher paying, permanent positions?
To my knowledge, Wake County data has never been released. A few media websites display position data, which is one step beyond useless. Most employees do not identify themselves as a Staff Technician III.
Wake County is most important because we, the public, should know which pastors, their wives, and 'community leaders' are on the payroll. Influence is powerful. It may help explain why positive thing happen in certain communities. And not in others. Who gets hired and who doesn't.Who's standing in the long unemployment lines. And who isn't.
We should know who makes decisions on the children accepted and denied into magnet schools. To insure fairness, parents have the right to know who's children were accepted and why. Just as they are given menial explanations of why their child(ren) weren't.
I think they call this 'transparency'.
We should know who makes
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 09:40 — NWRaleighMomWe should know who makes decisions on the children accepted and denied into magnet schools. To insure fairness, parents have the right to know who's children were accepted and why. Just as they are given menial explanations of why their child(ren) weren't.
Can't agree more.
I, too, heard these are not
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 21:46 — rr77rr99I, too, heard these are not the same letters that staff has gotten in the past. Several teachers have told me that they are up in the air and they said it all depends on the "numbers" and how the principals dole out the funding they have to fund positions. Several TA positions are being eliminated and a few teachers who were new hires this year at the school my children attend.
Who knows what the truth is, when everything around WCPSS is run off of the "he said, she said, the carpool guy told me, the lunch lady whispered in my ear....." you just don't know.
One thing is certain... things are not good. I have never really heard teachers ever complain before, but they are now and don't seem to care. In the past, they've usually just held it in. I think the prospect of over stuffed classrooms, the number of IEP's they are seeing in their rooms and the attention required there, and now no TAs (elementary level) to help them out is becoming too much to take.
Thats BS and I have the
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 18:05 — viking60Thats BS and I have the letters to prove it. I have the letters and I have the paperwork being passed out in WCPSS. Prinicpal point blank told me that they are preping for 35-40 per class. Term Teachers are going to WCPSS and they are covering their butt. I have the documents to prove what I am saying.
If you have it, please send
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 22:16 — KeungHui (author)If you have it, please send it to me then.
Keung--Do you know if this
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 16:55 — DrActualFactualKeung--Do you know if this will affect teachers at the High School level as well? A man at carpool told me this affects 1st year newly hired teachers which our HS will probably have since this is only the 4th year of operation. Will WCPSS make any length-of-service exceptions for HS teachers since the requirement for certification is greater at that level?
Wake says the only 1st year
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 22:15 — KeungHui (author)Wake says the only 1st year teachers who are affected are those who were hired after the year started or whose paperwork wasn't in with the state at the time of hiring. Most 1st year teachers are not supposed to be on terminating contracts.
Thanks for the info-you're the best!
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 08:42 — DrActualFactualWe are lucky to have such a knowledgeable reporter. I can't even imagine the amount of time you must put in in any given week.
It sounds like this letter
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 15:47 — Big_PictureIt sounds like this letter is a formality and will not tell them anything. When will these employees know their fate?
That's the big question
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 15:50 — KeungHui (author)That's the big question right now.
I feel for the employees
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 15:55 — Big_PictureI feel for the employees with their careers in the balance.
With budget cutting receiving so much attention, when will WCPSS face reality and return MYR schools to the traditional calendar? Are you privy to those discussions Mr. Hui?
No kidding!
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 16:15 — g88ky07Let's wait and see what Bev can drum up for us We can string these 1500 people out like we have always done the parents of this county.
Their motto,
"We'll Let You Know When We Feel Like It"
Just think of how many jobs could be saved if they dumped the over priced, under utilized, unnecessary MYR experiments!