Wake NCAE is making another pitch to the Wake County school board to save the weekly Wednesday early dismissals.
In a press release Monday, Wake NCAE says the weekly one-hour teacher planning sessions made possible by the early dismissals are helping student achievement. The lobbying pitch has intensified since the new board voted to scrap the weekly early dismissals after the end of the school year.
Board members have talked about finding some other time during the school day for the one-hour planning sessions. Wake NCAE and other supporters of the professional learning teams are skeptical that it can be done without the early dismissals.
Critics have called the early releases Wacky Wednesdays. Supporters have called it Wake Wednesdays.
"In the next couple of months please listen to the data about Wake Wednesdays, listen to our stories, visit the classrooms, experience the culture change," according to the press release. "Hear us, those of us who do the work and are held accountable, help us do our jobs and educate the children of Wake County and help us keep this gift of time, one hour a week...to collaborate, to consult, to learn, to do the job you expect us to do...educate the wonderful children that make up the Wake County Public School System."
Comments
I can't believe that Lanane
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 22:37 — ApexterI can't believe that Lanane is getting paid to be a lobbyist.
She's been rude and unprofessional before with the comments she made before the election and the "oops" e-mail that went out trashing the new board majority. But she just pulled out all the stops today in berating the board from every direction. There is no possible recovery from the bomb she dropped today. It is clear that she cannot possibly expect to work WITH board members on anything after today's tirade.
She's the one who should've tendered her resignation today. At this point, she's just stealing the money that NCAE is paying her to represent teachers.
Meeting times
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 22:18 — raleighlauraThe s
I would be my sympathetic to the Wacky Wednesday approach if we didn't have at least one day off each month and one half day. If you can't get your meetings done with these breaks from students, then why to we have them? I thought teacher workdays were specifically so teachers and administrators could be in the school without students.
I'm also comfortable with principals asking teachers from a certain grade to have regular department meetings to communicate.
Since the teachers had
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 20:40 — aquaman4life68Since the teachers had absolutely NO VOICE in this decision. Many teachers were completely taken back by the fly by night decision about Wednesdays. Most teachers I know, were wondering why would they choose Wed. over Friday. WE ALL know how much more flexable everyone's schedule is Friday afternoons and NOT Wed. afternoons. TEachers will still have to be there during the hour, whether it's Wed. or Fri. It would be much more friendlier to parents and like I just said the teachers aren't leaving early for an early start on the weekend. Just an example of how Burns and he crew didn't care!!! NOW look what they created. I'm personally glad to see him gone AND if I were a teacher and I was paying dues for NCAE, I'd demand a refund , if not an immediate end to drafting dues out of my account if this lady was my so called "leader".
I heard that Jennifer
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 21:08 — woodstockI heard that Jennifer Lanane's position on having early release on Fridays is that the teachers would take advantage and leave early to start their weekend. She did not trust the teachers.
Interesting. I heard that
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 22:18 — jenmanInteresting. I heard that her argument was that it would be bad for teacher morale that the kids would get out early on Fridays but they wouldn't.
I think I read that somewhere here--I'll have to look for it.
...
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 22:27 — Sideburnshttp://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/balking-at-fridays-for-early-dismissals
"But Jennifer Lanane, president of the Wake chapter of the NC Association of Educators, said it would be a "deal breaker" if Fridays were chosen.
Lanane said it would be bad for teacher morale for kids to get out
early on Friday but still expect staff to stay until 4 p.m. for the
planning meetings."
Yes, I do remember this! I
Thu, 02/18/2010 - 01:52 — aquaman4life68Yes, I do remember this!
I thought how stupid can this woman be? To think it would hurt teachers moral that the kids could leave an hour early on Fridays?!?! ONCE again..the Teachers are not having to put in any more time than a normal Friday. It will just work better for families I believe if Fridays were used for this purpose.
thanks!
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 22:29 — jenmanthanks!
WE ALL know how much more
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 20:44 — shank56WE ALL know how much more flexable everyone's schedule is Friday afternoons and NOT Wed. afternoons. TEachers will still have to be there during the hour, whether it's Wed. or Fri. It would be much more friendlier to parents and like I just said the teachers aren't leaving early for an early start on the weekend. Just an example of how Burns and he crew didn't care!!!
You and the new BOE have made the great majority of teaching professionals so happy! Thank you . Please do a teacher survey at the end of next yeat to validate your wonderful decision.
Shank, Just for
Thu, 02/18/2010 - 01:54 — aquaman4life68Shank,
Just for clarification...I can't tell by the wording if you support what I said or against what I said?
Either way is fine, I can't quite tell from what you said.
Another Inane Rant
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 19:22 — CaryCurmudgeonMs. Lannane was worse today than the last time she spoke. She was condescending, accusatory and combative. Clearly she has given up any intent of working with this School Board.
Funny, WCPSS academic performance has been in steady decline for years. Ms. Lannane wants to know why the new board hasn't come up with a plan in their first six meetings. She has been the First Officer on this Titanic! I'll be the first to admit that the new board majority has fumbled a bit in getting started. But I find it extremely ironic that the status quo supporters suddenly want to have a discussion about academic performance. For years, all we heard about was how wonderful our diversity was and how healthy our schools were. None of these people wanted to talk about student achievement. Now all of a sudden they all want to talk about the test scores they have been burying for six years.
Couldn't agree more! How
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 22:03 — DrActualFactualCouldn't agree more! How can she not realize how antagonistic she appears. She really needs to be replaced by someone less abrasive.
Jennifer Lannane
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 17:39 — mereteachJennifer Lannane at the board meeting today - wow, not very professional. I would like to have every cent that I contributed to NCAE while being employed as a teacher. I am embarassed that I was ever associated with this organization.
Lanane is still around?
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 18:24 — woodstockLanane is still around? After her last irrational outburst, I thought she would have fired by now.
I didn't see today's board
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 18:00 — jenmanI didn't see today's board meeting, but she was not very professional at the last one. She went over her time, ignored the beep, ignored Ron when he told her she had gone over her time, and then copped an attitude about it. Its one thing for a citizen to be rude when speaking to the board but the leader of the NCAE? Not good.
If parents don't want their
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 14:59 — user12345If parents don't want their kids to come home early, can the schools just keep them in the gym for a couple of hours until normal ending time? They could do their homework or something productive.
I don't think you fully
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 15:42 — woodstockI don't think you fully understand the conflict. Students in band and sports must clear campus after classes end -- presumably riding a bus home -- and then return for practice later. That is a hardship on many familes.
If the school could provide a place to do homework until practice began that would be wonderful.
It is really sad ... my wife
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 18:01 — user12345It is really sad ... my wife says this hour a week is really good since it is the only time the teachers can all get together and talk strategy for improving their teaching, learning new computer programs and offerings from the State and finding out from colleagues a better way to present material .. I think people who work in an office might not understand the isolation teacher feel without adult and co-worker interaction day in and day out … if parents are having day care problems maybe having half the teachers in PLC on Wed while the other half watch the kids in a “study hall” and than switch each week would still get kids home at the regular time and allow some PLC time … folks here seem to really want to improve education for their children and this time each week seems productive and would be a shame to lose.
"if parents are having day
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 22:28 — Apexter"if
parents are having day care problems maybe having half the teachers in
PLC on Wed while the other half watch the kids in a “study hall” and
than switch each week would still get kids home at the regular time and
allow some PLC time … folks here seem to really want to improve
education for their children and this time each week seems productive
and would be a shame to lose."
That's a very good idea. Have you considered suggesting this to the BOE?
I don't think anyone has ever been hostile to the idea of teachers wanting time to meet together. The fact that this got rammed through quickly and without consideration of the impact that it has on the parents of younger children is what made it such a flashpoint issue.
The half and half idea is
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 18:31 — woodstockThe half and half idea is great. I could support something like that that is considerate to the real-life challenges families face.
It would address the concerns of many, like me who, for instance, will welcome their children home from school tomorrow (Wednesday) only to drive them right back to school for practice.
Ok...
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 18:17 — Bob_SconceIf I recall correctly, when Wacky Wednesdays were abandoned, the Board asked Del Burns to find another way to implement them without changing class schedules. There are probably other alternatives--I'd rather have the kids actually learning during that time than sitting in a study hall.
Wacky Wednesdays were implemented without any significant thought to the side-effects they would have on families and elsewhere. (Heck, I think municipalities are still switching school zone signs.) If PLTs are useful, then the adminstration should be able to come up with a way to implement them without bizarrifying every student's schedule.
"There are probably other
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 21:22 — user12345"There are probably other alternatives--I'd rather have the kids actually learning during that time than sitting in a study hall. "
So, your kids don't learn while studying? I think you put too much emphasis on teacher face time as equaling learning .....you know, they could use the time to get caught up or ahead before going on another ski trip ....
Heh...
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 22:32 — Bob_SconceSmart-alec. We canned the ski trip and sent the kids to school on the Saturday make-up day. I was pleasantly surprised that they actually learned in class, which was a significant change from prior years.
But, your point is good -- the time isn't wasted if they're appropriately supervised.
Thanks for being a good sport
Wed, 02/17/2010 - 09:17 — user12345Thanks for being a good sport
Get ready for another
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 13:54 — CaryCurmudgeonGet ready for another tearful and dramatic performance by Jennifer Lannane at today's board meeting. The School Board has already decided this matter. If I were a teacher I would be royally embarrassed by Ms. Lannane. Rather than turn her attention to the matter of how PLT time WILL be accommodated, she continues her pointless rampage. I like the idea of having these on Friday afternoons, or on another morning prior to class. She should be focused on the best way to make that work. Perhaps it is she who is "throwing our children under the bus" by putting her own ego ahead of finding a practical approach to making PLT's work.
In my job, when I get behind
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 14:06 — shearertwIn my job, when I get behind or need to prepare for a meeting, I just come in early myself. I don't ask the boss if I can stop having to do my job early one day a week. Just saying....
I hear ya. When I consider
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 14:44 — CaryCurmudgeonI hear ya. When I consider WCPSS's decline in academic performance, I am left wondering why Ms. Innane has chosen to make a one-hour early release her signature issue.
...
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 12:45 — SideburnsThis time is SO important but putting it on Fridays was a deal-breaker. I would bet more parents would have bought into Freaky Fridays instead.
No kidding! If they want
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 13:19 — jenmanNo kidding! If they want to keep the planning time during the school day, then do it on Fridays. I agree--much more amenable to parents and it doesn't extend the work day for teachers.
Holy I never even though
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 13:23 — JSBinNCHoly I never even though about Friday! That would be easier too - for me personally.
Some of the bigger issues are around sports and middle schoolers or high schoolers with no personal transportation... having to leave school and get back...would Friday early release help in that regard? (Do sports practices etc happen Friday after school now? or just the rest of the week?)
In my mind the early morning planning time would keep impact to stuff like the above mentioned to a minimum - but there might be early morning activities too. I don't know.
I think planning time is
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 11:01 — JSBinNCI think planning time is important. Early release Wednesday's are terrible to manage from a family/student perspective though. I want the board/whomever to consider delayed start once a month or every 6 weeks - like a weather delay - but give them planning time then.
Is Lanane paying attention?
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 10:33 — woodstockIs Lanane paying attention? Wacky Wednesdays are over.
In a word NCAE
Tue, 02/16/2010 - 10:29 — g88ky07NO!
If the board goes back on this one they'll never live it down. I don't see that happening.