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General Category >> Schools and Board of Education >> How is this affecting turnover?
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Message started by CG4 on 07/30/07 at 11:30am

Title: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by CG4 on 07/30/07 at 11:30am

I am curious as to how everything that is going on with Hoover City Schools is affecting teacher turnover. Has there been an increase? Does it pertain to particular schools or are there other factors? Does anyone have an opinion as to how it might affect the upcoming year?

Title: Re: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by LawMom on 07/30/07 at 2:50pm

CG4 wrote:

By turnover do you mean teachers who left because they didn't want to be part of such a mess or the ones that were 'let go' because they didn't play the 'game'???

Title: Re: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by Walktall on 07/30/07 at 2:57pm

Teacher turnover for some reason or another, not making any accusations has been extremely high at both High Schools. The board thought they could address this issue with a pay bonus to make teacher's salaries equal to mtn.brook and vest. Unfortunately, that doesnt seem to be the answer. Last year HHS had around 14 new teachers, this year you can count much more because of the Freshman center.

There is a different mentality speaking of vestavia vs. Hoover. Vestavia is very student oriented, it is very teacher friendly, thus they have very low turnover.

But don't let this be an indicator about the entire system, from gradeschool to middleschool, you have solid leadership with very little or low turnover. I have a friend who has been trying to get a job at one of the middleschools but they havent had a spot open in his field in 5 years. People don't leave schools with great leadership. Ask Dr. Wheaton, very rarely does she have to interview, maybe one or two positions a year.

So how much money is spent on hiring new teachers, especially 14. Could the administrators be improving the schools instead of interviewing? Absolutely, unfortunately for the H.S's there is too much politics involved and a lot of the politics revolves around the athletic program.

Title: Re: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by superdolfan on 07/30/07 at 3:26pm

Walktall wrote:

So how do we bring that to the Hoover Schools? Where does it start? At the schools or higher up. I know at my children's elementary school it takes almost an act of Congress with a two thirds majority for a teacher to quit (never seen one get fired). There's teachers there that were my wife's teachers when she went there. Middle school is a little different, but still very stable. Even a teacher that every parent would like to get rid of at Simmons is still there. High school, I don't know. You rarely interact with HS teachers, so it's hard to get to know them unless your child gets in trouble, then it's pretty easy...

Title: Re: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by Walktall on 07/30/07 at 3:34pm

It comes from having innovative, communicating, teacher friendly administration. One major contributor is the size of the school. It is hard to build relationships with teachers not in your department or on your floor. You can go all school year and not know someone works there.

Unfortunately these rumors and allegations did have an effect on one math teacher who was going to transfer from Florida. This teacher was hired, had an impeccable resume, has prepped his math competition teams to win 7 national titles and has notified the administration that he will not be joining the staff because of the events taking place.

Title: Re: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by LawMom on 07/30/07 at 3:51pm

Walktall wrote:

Unfortunately these rumors and allegations did have an effect on one math teacher who was going to transfer from Florida. This teacher was hired, had an impeccable resume, has prepped his math competition teams to win 7 national titles and has notified the administration that he will not be joining the staff because of the events taking place.

That's a shame. And a National Math Championship would have taken some of the glory away from RP.

Football is not everything. HEAR THAT BOE??????????

Title: Re: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by bucs568 on 07/30/07 at 4:04pm

did you ever stop to think maybe it is not the turmoil over RP that made this person not come? It could be the message that our BOE is sending replacing principals EVERY year! Who wants to come teach in a situation where there is no stability?

Title: Re: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by Walktall on 07/30/07 at 4:07pm

Bucs I avoided making that accusation, but one could definitely make an argument for it.

Title: Re: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by JBH on 07/30/07 at 4:11pm

The thing is, they are both symptoms of the same illness. It is hard the separate the two.

Title: Re: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by CG4 on 07/30/07 at 5:08pm

I was actually more concerned over some rumors I'd heard about some of the elementary schools. But then it occurred to me that the recent drama surely would affect the high school.

It is interesting to know what the other factors are. I don't have school age children (yet) so I have to depend on others to get the info ;)

Title: Re: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by HSCIN on 07/30/07 at 6:26pm

The HSCIN is currently working on a report to identify how many tenured versus non-tenured teachers are employed at each and every Hoover City School. It should be posted by Thursday.

Title: Re: How is this affecting turnover?
Post by JBH on 07/30/07 at 7:42pm

Thanks. That should make for some interesting reading.