Summer Bridge

On Monday, Summer Bridge begins. I have taught in this program, which gets rising 9th graders ready for their freshmen year of high school, just about every year I've taught, and generally have enjoyed it. This year will be rougher than most, probably, because (a) I get no break between the Teaching Shakespeare Institute and the start of Summer Bridge; and (b) North Avenue has been their worst ever in terms of organization of staff for the program.

For the latter point, allow me this: our 9th grade classes are generally around 330-350 students. Yet, our allowance from North Avenue for Summer Bridge was 9 teachers. The reasons for this appear to be mostly about red tape - some students weren't issued student ID numbers by North Avenue, which puts their numbers off for staffing; others were apparently not counted for other reasons. Regardless, we're going to have that many show up, putting our class sizes for Bridge in the 40 range. From what I have heard, this is the result of a new staffing model from North Avenue, and it's kind of a bummer.

This is one of those things that you'd think would be greatly improved with schools having more independence in terms of funding. And, at first, North Avenue was going to let schools fund this summer program independently. But, somewhere along the lines, they changed their minds. And we're mired in some red tape or something else that is causing us to have some huge class sizes for this preparing-for-high-school couple of weeks.

Classes of 20 or 40, though, you still need bang-up lessons, which is what I've been trying to do all weekend while I fend off the cold from the end of the Teaching Shakespeare Institute. Back to it.

Mayor Dixon and the BCPSS

Oh, Sheila. Please keep your hands away from the BCPSS. On one hand, I do understand her point that mayors are blamed or praised for the success of the schools, so perhaps she should have her hands in the school board. However, there is no reason to add more cooks in the kitchen now that the school system has righted itself. Adding Dixon to North Avenue is bringing the old political establishment into a place that seems to have been pretty successful in expunging it.

And, besides, isn't it more than a little bit fishy that Mayor Dixon wants to jump on board with the school system just a couple of weeks after all the positive press of the jump in test scores? If it's not transparent political maneuvering, then it sure appears like it. And... does she feel threatened by the new sherriff in town, Dr. Alonzo? Do we see a battle of wills brewing? I sure hope not.

Stick to bringing down that crime rate, Mayor Dixon, which it seems like you've had some hand in doing so far, impressing even me, one of your biggest detractors at the last election cycle (Go Jill Carter!). Keep that up, and leave the schools along the righted path that they are on.

Summer surplus letter

Today, I received a frantic call from a co-worker about being 'surplussed' to a different school.

I also received a letter today, advertising a 'surplus' job fair that runs today, tomorrow, and the next day (June 16, 17, 18). If we are surplussed, we should go there.

Later in the letter, it says that normally teachers would have received letters abou ttheir 2008-2009 assignment, but because of school closings, that this is impossible. Therefore, they cannot let us know until June 27 where we will be teaching next year, and even then it will be tentative.

Yet the 'Surplus' Job Fair is June 16, eleven days before we receive any word on where we are teaching next year.

See where the confusion lies?

I think it will all work out okay. Still, this seems to be typical disrespect of the teachers by Baltimore City Public Schools. The letter is a vague, poorly-written piece of crapola designed to cover their asses if something bad happens.