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As just an interested citizen I have to admire that no teacher took the issues surrounding contract negotiation to the PURE site and the court of public opinion it provides. As some solution or action gets closer and as we learn new terms used in news article (teacher churn) and just what sticking points still exist, could it be time for us outsiders to weigh in? What is best for kids is not always part of negotiations apparently. I say this because in the PG article of 2/16/18, (http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2018/02/15/Pittsburgh-Public-Schools-Pittsburgh-Federation-of-Teachers-strike-negotiations-contract-mediation/stories/201802150138) increase of coaches salaries is noted as an item still open in discussion. The arbitrator suggested a 10% increase. The amount of increase does not bother me in the least. What does is that nothing reported indicates whether or not a qualified teacher will be in a classroom while a teacher rides a bus to a game. Yes the game is after school hours but is the transportation time after school hours? Is there just a responsible human in the classroom until the final bell rings or is the coach's fill-in able to actually teach the subject? Maybe after contracts are complete we will hear answers to questions like this. Most likely the biggest issue parents want to hear about is class size. Nothing can ever convince some of us that smaller numbers are not better. I get tired of hearing Marty Griffin tout catholic school and charter school success when the comparison is so out-of-balance. Bring class size down in all grade levels but no classroom from Pre-K-3 should have more than 20 kids. actually no classroom of Pre-K or kindergarten should have more than 15. "
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Questioner you are so right! Years ago I had administrators and education professors throw the data of " no difference" of class size in my face. But when we brought life down to-- "what do you want for your kids?" the tables always turned. When we got "right sized" we put more kids into schools- but didnt compensate with more counselors, behavior specialists, etc. Also as contract details roll out- watch for the "scheduling issue" No coach would put the best kicker in the tackle position (guessing as I dont know sports ;) so you would think that no principal would stick the 5th grade math teacher in kindergarten-- but it happens and yes, it is punitive. Some of the "churn" is encouraging teachers to transfer. Also as far as Marty is concerned, please someone tell him that pre-school teachers are required to have degrees and that is why they are trying to put them on the salary schedule. Thank you Questioner-- the public should question and listen to what is happening.
Questioner can take credit only for passing on the post of Anonymous, not for writing it!
The issue of athletic games being played at 3 pm was a topic of the Athletic Reform Task Force from years ago. One of the reasons to join the WPIAL for swimming was to get away from the 3:30 meet times and to a 6 pm meet start time. Yes, the kids who have last period classes get to miss it, and perhaps another, often 2-times a week. So, having the kids out of classes for games is a problem.
But for the rest of the school, having TEACHERS who also COACH out of the building on a regular basis for games is ANOTHER PROBLEM.
How about a teacher missing 2 days of school for WPIAL Championships? In swimming the AAA and AA meet goes on a Thursday and Friday.
Then for the PIAA meet, THREE days away from school are the norm.
To be sure, the kids on my team always go to the WPIAL and PIAA meets, but, sadly, few other schools get to have kids at those levels. And, FWIW, I am NOT a teacher and I do not have classroom duties. So, I am able to go to those meets without a conflict.
Humm. Go figure.
I am elated to see that the coaching part of the PFT contract is getting some attention, finally. However, IMNSHO, it might be much, much better to take all coaching OUT OF THE PFT Contract.
What about payoff pay?
What about being nimble for coaching roles?
I have been told that water polo can't be a fall sport, despite 35 kids going to practices 3 times a week for September and October, because it isn't in the teachers contract.
Sports needs to be more nimble and the PFT contract that covers coaching is bad. Many other districts don't have coaching in the teachers contract.
Finally, back in John Thompson's era, we (citizens) were told that coaching would be removed from the next PFT contract. Sadly, it didn't happen then.
Teachers are well suited as coaches. I hope many of them coach. But, to be honest, to coach a high-powered team that has matches to 9 pm a couple of evenings a week makes for difficult hours to be sure.
Everyone, you talk as if you are in a real district- you are dillusional at best. Just because a strike may be looming, you act as if you have all of a sudden become real teachers surrounded by real students. No, CAPA is not a real school either. It is now, but soon it will be was. Hamlet, et al, will see to that. Regarding issues to this site, let me tell you: this site embodies an ethical, sincere subscriber base, and it displays a much more competent writing staff than the worst newspaper in the country:"The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette".
I am anonymous 12:50 above and have never been employed by PPS in any capacity. Not everyone who posts here is a teacher or staffer. There are many reasons to be interested in what happens now in PPS and many reasons to keep up with as much truth as can be conveyed on a blog like PURE. If I were limited to sharing just one reason it would have to be that we (parents) would like to see a time when our kids (grads) don't have a hint of apology, or regret when someone asks when and where they graduated. I know dozens of wildly successful PPS grads and if you put just my kids' classmates in a room you would have more degrees than a thermometer. And guess what? Her school was not one of the Big 3 (CAPA, DICE, Schenley) of her era.
https://cloh.org/
http://cloh.org/wp/archives/2002
Mark, Do you have any numbers on how many PPS kids work as guards at our city pools? So many benefits to creating a pipeline to employment in aquatics. Also, I too am concerned about lost learning time. We can't afford to short change these kids.
Lots and lots of benefits for getting our kids to be lifeguards. The whole CPR, AED, First Aid is a great start for being a firefighter (as per Westinghouse). But, for life. Should be a factor for Health / PE. Those courses are part of Lifeguard classes. We are teaching one starting in the AM at Oliver HS with the Saturday Swim School, FWIW. Filled already. http://Guard.CLOH.org.
A few years ago I wrote a grant for the CDC (Center for Disease Control) that put forth a plan to train 400 or 500 new lifeguards in the city. The grant didn't hit. But, we did the academic exercise. Big issue is that the base of the pyramid isn't strong and large enough. Not many kids can swim and fewer want to do the work of a lifeguard because they didn't grow up at the pools and get turned onto that lifestyle.
But in reply to your question, I've got a good hint as to how many kids are doing the work.
Guards in the city are turning over plenty. Churn.
Furthermore, there have been times when there is a pre-test for Lifeguarding, swim 400 yards (?), tread water, pick up the brick from bottom of deep, etc. -- and 9 out of 10 don't have the skills and conditioning. Generally, not that bad but Owen went one day in a past year and shared the wow.
Our Citiparks guards are well trained. They have good leadership. And, it is a monumental task every spring.
Sadly, I don't think PPS does much of the heavy lifting.
http://swim.cloh.org/2017/11/23/pps-community-schools-can-host-aquatic-programs-too/
We could be employing lots of kids year-round if I had my ways and Aquatics was a part of PPS Community Schools.
Thanks for asking. :)
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