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Teachers Oppose Proposed Schedule Change

Marc Valero/Highlands Today

Avon Park Middle School teacher Sandra York said the proposed schedule would be a "burnout" for teachers and students.

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By MARC VALERO

Highlands Today

Published: January 22, 2009

SEBRING - Secondary teachers voiced their opposition at Tuesday's school board budget workshop to a proposed schedule change requiring educators to teach seven consecutive class periods.

With less planning time and more students, the increased workload will adversely affect teachers and student education, teachers said.

As the state cuts school funding, the district is looking at various options to save money including cutting additional staff positions. Salaries and benefits account for more than 85 percent of the district's expenses.

The district is seriously considering a schedule change that would cut 17 high school and 12 middle school teaching positions for a savings of $1.67 million.

Avon Park High School registrar Penny Jahna said she and her colleagues had concerns about the proposed schedule where teachers would have a common planning period and then teach seven consecutive periods.

"Does anyone remember that we did that once before with common planning and teach six periods?" she asked the teachers at the workshop.

"Yes" a few teachers responded.

Jahna asked, "How long did we do that?'

A teacher responded, "it wasn't very long; it didn't work."

With a seven-period day, 12.5 percent of the high school teachers would lose their job, Jahna said.

There are other places to cut other than personnel, she said. People are more important than things.

This proposal will have an adverse affect on student learning as a result of less efficient planning and an overload of paperwork, Jahna said. With 25 students per class for seven periods that's 175 students - that's a lot of papers to grade.

"The seven-period day is not best for our students," she said in closing, addressing the school board and district office administrators. "Before you sign on to the common planning followed by seven periods of straight teaching, make sure you consider the real cost, not just in dollars.

"The money you save will not be worth the educational value."

The teachers applauded in agreement.

Later in the workshop, Superintendent Wally Cox said the kickoff to developing the 2009-10 budget will be the personnel allocations.

He will receive input from staff and school and district office administrators before developing a staffing plan for consideration by the school board, Cox said.

The budget process starts with personnel because that accounts for 87 percent to 88 percent of the budget, he said.

Avon Park Middle School teacher Sandra York said she worked seven periods straight one year, but it wasn't worth her health or sanity.

There is no time for a restroom break or to get a drink of water, she said. "You can't go anywhere.

"It's not only a burnout for the teachers, you're burning out the children."

You go in at 7:30 a.m. and work until 3 p.m. without a break, except for a 20-minute lunch, and see what it is like, York said.

"I don't think anybody would do it for the money," she said. "It's just not worth it."

There will be a breaking point and people will get sick from this, York said.

A Sebring Middle School teacher asked, "what is the board willing to do extra to help us out? Are you guys willing to come in one day a week to each of our schools and donate some time to help us out so we can go to the restroom?"

After another teacher spoke out against the proposed schedule, School Board Chairman Andy Tuck asked if there were any more comments.

School Board Vice Chairman Wally Randall responded "Just that I'm looking forward to getting started on the 09-10 budget."

The nearly full room of teachers and administrators erupted into laughter.

Randall said Wednesday, "we are still looking for the right solution that will help everybody.

"The board has not decided anything yet; we are still looking at all options."

The board has not voted on the seven-period day and he is not satisfied that it is the best option, Randall added.

Also, Randall said he has been receiving comments from people who believe the board cut all athletic programs from the budget.

Athletics is the one area of the budget that has not been discussed, he said. So he mentioned it simply as something to consider.

Another option for teachers and the union to explore is a salary cut for all employees - from superintendent to school bus monitor, Randall said. For every 1 percent salary reduction the district would save about $650,000.

With a 1 percent or 2 percent pay cut, everybody would share the load and have a job and teachers wouldn't have to teach seven or eight periods a day, he said.

Randall spoke of the gravity of the district's budget challenges.

"We've got a real problem here and the sooner the entire community wakes up to it then the better off everybody will be," Randall said. "We need to look at as many options out there as possible because it's obvious we're not going to get any help at all from Tallahassee."

Highlands Today reporter Marc Valero can be reached at 3863-86-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com

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