In this issue:
"What We Need" Survey
Chris and I continue to work on analyzing the data from the surveys you completed before Thanksgiving. We have coded all responses and identified the clearest patterns:
Positive experiences:
Just being back in the schools with students;
Having school be more like normal, with more regular routines and teaching practices.
Working alongside and with the support of colleagues.
Challenges:
Student social, emotional, and behavioral challenges; academic readiness is less acute a concern;
Lack of staffing in general; lack of coverage; insufficient mental health staff to meet all of the student need;
Too much being asked of educators all at once, as if we could just "return to normal;" pushing forward with and adding new district initiatives;
Burnout; loss of job satisfaction. difficulty maintaining work/life balance.
What you need:
You need administrators, especially at the ed center, to listen to and respect you as professionals. You know what you need to do to meet your students need; you want to be trusted to do so.
More self-directed time; less administratively directed time.
More staffing: Aides, substitutes, and mental health providers.
More details to follow, including a plan for what we, as a union, can do to address these needs.
Community Outreach
On Thursday evening, the Parent / Educator Collaborative hosted a successful community meeting. Educators shared the themes revealed in the NTA "What We Need" survey, and the impact of these challenges on students.
"I had no idea this was happening - I wish there were hundreds of parents hearing this information tonight," one community member remarked.
Attendees left with an action item to contact school and district administration - advocating for specific steps to be taken to address staffing shortages, student social/emotional support, prep time needs, and educator morale.
The next community meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 13. Sign up here if you would like to be involved in community outreach efforts.
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