“Societies, businesses, and communities function not just on the vision of their leaders, but also on the ability of their leaders to elicit positive movement, enlist appropriate support and establish healthy relationships,” Aaron Scherrer, a Middletown High School chemistry teacher, said.
MTA president Dom Williams said teachers are leaving the district at a growing rate.
After the 2010-11 school year, when there was an incentive for early retirement, 29 teachers left the district, according to Williams. The following year, 13 teachers left the district, he said.
In 2013-14, the number of teachers who left rose to 66, and so far this school year, 26 have announced plans to leave, he said.
Teachers in the district has been “far too passive and far too quiet for far too long,” Scherrer said.
District-level administration has made the teachers’ work environment “tenuous at best, and poisonous at worst. We have and are, losing some extremely talented educators, certainly at the expense of our community and schools,” he said.
Ison said he has heard numerous complaints, mostly general. He said he understands some teachers may be leery to address certain issues, especially in a public forum, but he encouraged them to list their specific concerns.
“I’m not a vindictive person,” he said. “That’s not my style. They can talk to me. They may not agree with me. As a leader, you have to listen.”
Before last week’s school board meeting, 328 of the nearly 400 union members participated in a two-question survey, Williams said.
The first question asked teachers to rate the current overall working climate of the district in terms of promoting a healthy, positive and productive environment.
On a scale of one to five, with one being the worst, 68 percent, or 223 teachers, gave the district a one rating. Twenty-three percent, or 78 teachers, gave the district a two; 23 teachers gave it a three; and four teachers gave it a four. No teacher answered a five.
The second question asked teachers their projected overall working climate if the district continues on its path for two years.
More than 70 percent gave the district a one; 20 percent gave it a two; 8 percent gave it a three; and four teachers gave it a four. No teacher answered a five.
Williams said the union membership wants to hear some rationale and be told what direction the district is headed.
“We are an important group because we work directly with those kids every day. We need to know those things are being answered before a decision is made (about Ison’s retire/rehire). We need to know we are moving in the right direction,” he said.
Ison, 58, wants to retire then be rehired for three more years, with the possibility of a fourth year. He has agreed to return for $120,000 a year and eliminate his 5 percent bonus, moves that would save the district about $12,000 a year, said Marcia Andrew, board president. Ison’s 2014 salary was $123,791.
The school board is expected to vote on the move at its next meeting Jan. 26.
From now until the board meeting in three weeks, MTA members said they expect better communication and more collaboration between the administration and the teachers, and an improved work environment. Ison said he understands some of the teachers’ frustrations, and he’s seeking ways to improve relations in the district.
“We have more work to do, more communication to do,” he said Thursday morning in his office. “I need to look at different directions how I want to get to the ultimate goal: students’ success.”
Andrew said she was surprised by the number of union members who attended last week’s meeting. After hearing from five MTA representatives during the meeting and the getting a promise of follow up emails from others, she said the board needs to “dig deeper” to discover what is causing disgruntled employees.
It’s important, she said, to find out if union members are concerned about the possible employment of Ison or what she called “a broader issue.”
She said she has always encouraged those with concerns to address them with school board members, their union representatives or the district’s administration, namely Ison. That way, she said, what she called “a big dramatic moment” like the packed house at the board meeting, can be averted.
“We work better together,” she said, adding everyone is concerned about the “success of the kids.”
Ison said he wants to be rehired for two major reasons: He said the district is improving its academic scores and he wants to oversee the school building project.
Middletown Schools is planning to build a middle school and renovate Middletown High School at an estimated $77 million price tag after voters narrowly approved a bond issue and permanent operating levy in May.
“I feel we are right on the cusp of something great,” he said.
It’s his goal to improve the two Fs the district scored on the state report card. He said the district passed seven of the nine categories and received an A in value added, meaning the students grew tremendously academically from one year to the next.
“We need to work together,” Middletown teacher Scott Colliflower, who has been with the district for 11 years, told board members during last week’s meeting. “The teachers, community, and especially the students of Middletown deserve respect and policies that are tailored to the needs and nuances of this town and its people. We deserve better than to be known as the ‘the island of misfit toys.’”
His statement received a standing ovation from union members.
When Williams was asked whether Ison was the “right person” for the job as Andrew has said, he stumbled over the question for several seconds.
Finally, he said, “It’s a decision for the board and we’re hoping that they hear us.”
Scherrer, however, was less politically correct.
“If he’s rehired, I’ll be very disappointed,” said Scherrer, who has 13 years of teaching experience, eight in Middletown. “That means they (the board) can’t hear our message. Things have to change.”
“There is too much smoke not to be fire,” he said. “This is not a healthy working environment. There is a lack of trust and we never get any positive support.”
While Ison said he remains confident in his vision for the district, this month will weigh on his mind.
“You got to know something about me. I’m very humble,” he said. “My fate is in the powers that be. Two years ago, when I first got here, we decided our focus was going to be success for each student. As long as I’m doing what I believe in, I leave that decision up to the board. I’m confident I’m doing the right thing.”
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