As you can surmise by my previous post, my reign as king of the band geeks (at least as the monarch of the band geeks at my current school) has come to an unexpected end.
I've been the director here for 12 years (actually 11.6 if you count that the first year I was only part time. In the end it doesn't matter that I did a fabulous job, that I imparted musical wisdom, that I fostered a love of music making, or that I built the program in a matter of 2 years from a part time job to overflowing. When the bean-counters at the district office looked at declining enrollment at the high school in my district, they decided we had 1 too many music teachers and had to RIF the junior guy. Even after 11.6 years, that would be me.
I saw trouble brewing 2 or 3 years ago when our district passed a bond that would result in expanding my school while closing another building. I realized then that we would have 1 too many band directors in the district. I asked the union president (who was the other band director) about impending doom and she told me "don't worry about it." So I didn't.
To complicate matters more, there are other music teachers who have certification outside of music. Those people could either step aside and teach those other subjects full time, or part-time in addition to part-time music, or the district could involuntarily transfer them to those positions and save my job, but for some reason no one is willing to do that.
It seems that unions will fight to the death to save an incompetent teacher who is about to be let go. There was one such teacher at my spouses school. The administration tried for years until he finally resigned on his own. Why then, when (and I don't mean to toot my own horn too much here) they have a competent, popular, successful band director all the union can do is step aside and say "well, it looks like the district followed procedure."
Honestly, it's frustrating enough to make me consider whether I should stay in education at all. But then, my mother always told me "life's not fair."
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Detrhoned!
Anytown School District
B. Jekyll, PhD, Superintendent
Anytown, USA
Dear Maestro:
As you are aware, the Anytown School District is implementing a Reduction-in-Force. As part of this reduction, you are hereby given notice that probable cause exists that your contract for the 2008-2009 school year should not be renewed. This determination as based on the declining secondary music enrollment.
In addition, the District is anticipating an approximately $1.3 million shortfall for the 2008-2009 school year. As a result, there are insufficient funds available to support additional electives in the music program.
The Board of Directors has reviewed the recommendation of the Superintendent and determined the necessity for this reduction. Please understand that you general competency in your position was not a factor in determining probable cause.
In the event of a future vacancy, you will be considered for it under the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Anytown Education Association. Please be sure to provide the Personnel Office with the address to which communications may be sent.
You have the right to request a hearing to determine whether there is sufficient cause for non-renewal of your contract by filing a request for hearing in writing with the President of Secretary of the Board of Directors within ten (10) calendar days after receiving this notice. (The District Superintendent is the Secretary of the Board.) A copy of State Law 28A.405.310, which outlines your hearing rights, is enclosed for your information. You also have a right to a direct judicial appeal pursuant to State Law 28A.405.380.
We are truly sorry that your position has been reduced, Maestro. It is out hope that another option may present itself. If so, the Personnel Office will be in touch with you immediately. If there is anything else we can do to help, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
B. Jekyll, Ph.D.
B. Jekyll, PhD, Superintendent
Anytown, USA
Dear Maestro:
As you are aware, the Anytown School District is implementing a Reduction-in-Force. As part of this reduction, you are hereby given notice that probable cause exists that your contract for the 2008-2009 school year should not be renewed. This determination as based on the declining secondary music enrollment.
In addition, the District is anticipating an approximately $1.3 million shortfall for the 2008-2009 school year. As a result, there are insufficient funds available to support additional electives in the music program.
The Board of Directors has reviewed the recommendation of the Superintendent and determined the necessity for this reduction. Please understand that you general competency in your position was not a factor in determining probable cause.
In the event of a future vacancy, you will be considered for it under the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Anytown Education Association. Please be sure to provide the Personnel Office with the address to which communications may be sent.
You have the right to request a hearing to determine whether there is sufficient cause for non-renewal of your contract by filing a request for hearing in writing with the President of Secretary of the Board of Directors within ten (10) calendar days after receiving this notice. (The District Superintendent is the Secretary of the Board.) A copy of State Law 28A.405.310, which outlines your hearing rights, is enclosed for your information. You also have a right to a direct judicial appeal pursuant to State Law 28A.405.380.
We are truly sorry that your position has been reduced, Maestro. It is out hope that another option may present itself. If so, the Personnel Office will be in touch with you immediately. If there is anything else we can do to help, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
B. Jekyll, Ph.D.
Friday, May 9, 2008
The Strangest Pre-School Concert Ever!
My daughter's pre-school presents concerts 2 or 3 times every year. The school director explains each time that the performance is more about the students being in front of an audience than anything else.
The programing is always a bit odd. Rather than the typical "If You're Happy and You Know It" and the like, the director chooses things usually saved for more mature performers. Last year, the class performed Roger's and Hammerstein's "Do-Re-Mi" and "Climb Every Mountain." Which leads to another interesting story about a birthday party that many of the students went to that year: When the hostess of the party (who worked for the arts and crafts store where the party was held) asked the kids to sing a song while they waited for some paint to dry she was shocked when they all wanted to sing "Climb Every Mountain" and said, "Well, OK. If you know it." And of course, they did, and they sang it.
But the program this week was stranger still. The teachers wanted to present a collection of tunes that spanned the decades from the 50's - the 80's. So the students picked the tunes themselves from "Best Of..." CD's from each of those decades.
Immagine 20 4 - 6 year olds singing George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone." And there is something a little strange about children of that age singing that traditional pre-school anthem of lost love: "Yesterday" by Lennon and McCartney. Other selections included "Rock Around the Clock," "I Love a Rainy Night," and "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang.
Of course, it was more about the kids being in front of the audience... A lot of the kids sang strong and well, others did the lip sync thing. The accompaniment music was the original recordings, so there was always the professional performer backing them up when even the strongest voices amongst the group failed.
I can't wain until there performance at graduation next month!
The programing is always a bit odd. Rather than the typical "If You're Happy and You Know It" and the like, the director chooses things usually saved for more mature performers. Last year, the class performed Roger's and Hammerstein's "Do-Re-Mi" and "Climb Every Mountain." Which leads to another interesting story about a birthday party that many of the students went to that year: When the hostess of the party (who worked for the arts and crafts store where the party was held) asked the kids to sing a song while they waited for some paint to dry she was shocked when they all wanted to sing "Climb Every Mountain" and said, "Well, OK. If you know it." And of course, they did, and they sang it.
But the program this week was stranger still. The teachers wanted to present a collection of tunes that spanned the decades from the 50's - the 80's. So the students picked the tunes themselves from "Best Of..." CD's from each of those decades.
Immagine 20 4 - 6 year olds singing George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone." And there is something a little strange about children of that age singing that traditional pre-school anthem of lost love: "Yesterday" by Lennon and McCartney. Other selections included "Rock Around the Clock," "I Love a Rainy Night," and "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang.
Of course, it was more about the kids being in front of the audience... A lot of the kids sang strong and well, others did the lip sync thing. The accompaniment music was the original recordings, so there was always the professional performer backing them up when even the strongest voices amongst the group failed.
I can't wain until there performance at graduation next month!
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