If teachers are leaving left and right, is it the principal's fault?

[Anonymous]

I think it's more complicated than just the principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the teachers truly quitting or are they just reassigned, requesting/granted transferred, lateral move, or whatever you eat to call it to a different school?

That is not possible. No one is approving a lateral move once school has started. The only way a teacher could leave after school has started would be if they got a promotion. For a teacher, that would be moving to an assistant principal position. There have been a few AP positions that have posted—maybe five or six. There’s no way that is accounting for the movement OP is noticing. The likely culprit is a combination of life events (spouse transferred, burnout, personal medical issues).

There are other “promotions” - getting a “resource teacher” position is treated as a promotion, as is a variety of jobs in central office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the teachers truly quitting or are they just reassigned, requesting/granted transferred, lateral move, or whatever you eat to call it to a different school?

That is not possible. No one is approving a lateral move once school has started. The only way a teacher could leave after school has started would be if they got a promotion. For a teacher, that would be moving to an assistant principal position. There have been a few AP positions that have posted—maybe five or six. There’s no way that is accounting for the movement OP is noticing. The likely culprit is a combination of life events (spouse transferred, burnout, personal medical issues).

There are other “promotions” - getting a “resource teacher” position is treated as a promotion, as is a variety of jobs in central office.

Those resource positions that you mentioned are rarely hiring, especially not mid-year. Teachers stay in those positions for years and are very unlikely to move out of them unless they have become an AP.

[Anonymous]

Ultimately, no, it is on the kids & parents.

Kids were bad before the pandemic but afterward? Their attitudes and overall lack of care about anything other than what they specifically want to do are totally reprehensible.

99% of the parents don't care. When a problem is brought to them, their attitude is "it's your problem when he/she is here so deal with it." The Admins have their hands tied because there's only so much they can do, at least in my district, discipline wise.

In-school suspension had so many kids in it this year that they had to upgrade them to a larger space. And why wouldn't a kid want to get in-school suspension? They get to sleep the day away, listen to music, or play on their phones. Shouldn't the teacher in charge reprimand them? Yes, but there isn't one. There's a sub...just like last year. Because when we had a permanent person in that position, she quit after being verbally abused nonstop by the kids.

I just had my second interview today for a corporate job. Everything is looking good and those I interviewed with told me I'd have an answer tomorrow by COB, and one told me he was sure I'd have an extra happy Thanksgiving this year, so that really tells me something. If so, the moment I sign the letter with the new job, I'm out.

I didn't sign up to be verbally abused by kids and their parents or physically abused by kids. I'm treated like a free babysitter by most parents and that's also not what I signed up to be.

My school has lost 2 teachers since the school year started and I know of a handful of other colleagues who have been out "sick" for interviews. I can see there being a real educational awakening in the next 5 years. The downward trend of test scores is not going to rebound as some experts believe now that kids are back in classrooms full-time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ultimately, no, it is on the kids & parents.

Kids were bad before the pandemic but afterward? Their attitudes and overall lack of care about anything other than what they specifically want to do are totally reprehensible.

99% of the parents don't care. When a problem is brought to them, their attitude is "it's your problem when he/she is here so deal with it." The Admins have their hands tied because there's only so much they can do, at least in my district, discipline wise.

In-school suspension had so many kids in it this year that they had to upgrade them to a larger space. And why wouldn't a kid want to get in-school suspension? They get to sleep the day away, listen to music, or play on their phones. Shouldn't the teacher in charge reprimand them? Yes, but there isn't one. There's a sub...just like last year. Because when we had a permanent person in that position, she quit after being verbally abused nonstop by the kids.

I just had my second interview today for a corporate job. Everything is looking good and those I interviewed with told me I'd have an answer tomorrow by COB, and one told me he was sure I'd have an extra happy Thanksgiving this year, so that really tells me something. If so, the moment I sign the letter with the new job, I'm out.

I didn't sign up to be verbally abused by kids and their parents or physically abused by kids. I'm treated like a free babysitter by most parents and that's also not what I signed up to be.

My school has lost 2 teachers since the school year started and I know of a handful of other colleagues who have been out "sick" for interviews. I can see there being a real educational awakening in the next 5 years. The downward trend of test scores is not going to rebound as some experts believe now that kids are back in classrooms full-time.

can you please share what school district you teach in? i want to avoid it like the plague!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ultimately, no, it is on the kids & parents.

Kids were bad before the pandemic but afterward? Their attitudes and overall lack of care about anything other than what they specifically want to do are totally reprehensible.

99% of the parents don't care. When a problem is brought to them, their attitude is "it's your problem when he/she is here so deal with it." The Admins have their hands tied because there's only so much they can do, at least in my district, discipline wise.

In-school suspension had so many kids in it this year that they had to upgrade them to a larger space. And why wouldn't a kid want to get in-school suspension? They get to sleep the day away, listen to music, or play on their phones. Shouldn't the teacher in charge reprimand them? Yes, but there isn't one. There's a sub...just like last year. Because when we had a permanent person in that position, she quit after being verbally abused nonstop by the kids.

I just had my second interview today for a corporate job. Everything is looking good and those I interviewed with told me I'd have an answer tomorrow by COB, and one told me he was sure I'd have an extra happy Thanksgiving this year, so that really tells me something. If so, the moment I sign the letter with the new job, I'm out.

I didn't sign up to be verbally abused by kids and their parents or physically abused by kids. I'm treated like a free babysitter by most parents and that's also not what I signed up to be.

My school has lost 2 teachers since the school year started and I know of a handful of other colleagues who have been out "sick" for interviews. I can see there being a real educational awakening in the next 5 years. The downward trend of test scores is not going to rebound as some experts believe now that kids are back in classrooms full-time.

can you please share what school district you teach in? i want to avoid it like the plague!

I mean, which county in FCPS. thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ultimately, no, it is on the kids & parents.

Kids were bad before the pandemic but afterward? Their attitudes and overall lack of care about anything other than what they specifically want to do are totally reprehensible.

99% of the parents don't care. When a problem is brought to them, their attitude is "it's your problem when he/she is here so deal with it." The Admins have their hands tied because there's only so much they can do, at least in my district, discipline wise.

In-school suspension had so many kids in it this year that they had to upgrade them to a larger space. And why wouldn't a kid want to get in-school suspension? They get to sleep the day away, listen to music, or play on their phones. Shouldn't the teacher in charge reprimand them? Yes, but there isn't one. There's a sub...just like last year. Because when we had a permanent person in that position, she quit after being verbally abused nonstop by the kids.

I just had my second interview today for a corporate job. Everything is looking good and those I interviewed with told me I'd have an answer tomorrow by COB, and one told me he was sure I'd have an extra happy Thanksgiving this year, so that really tells me something. If so, the moment I sign the letter with the new job, I'm out.

I didn't sign up to be verbally abused by kids and their parents or physically abused by kids. I'm treated like a free babysitter by most parents and that's also not what I signed up to be.

My school has lost 2 teachers since the school year started and I know of a handful of other colleagues who have been out "sick" for interviews. I can see there being a real educational awakening in the next 5 years. The downward trend of test scores is not going to rebound as some experts believe now that kids are back in classrooms full-time.

can you please share what school district you teach in? i want to avoid it like the plague!

I mean, which county in FCPS. thanks!

??

[Anonymous]

Teacher here. Over 20+ people left my last school because of administration that was never present and threw teachers under the bus.

That school still has vacancies up for teaching positions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have had multiple teachers quit mid-year - is this because they're not being supported by the principal? The last time this happened, the principal was fired. Is ours likely to get fired too? Should families contact the Exec Principal or Regional Principal?

I left because the county put too many expectations on teachers (excessive workload without enough planning) and the many of the kids were getting lazier and ruder each year. Not sure you can put those things on the principal.

+1 even the planning days don't actually allow for planning-ridiculous where we are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have had multiple teachers quit mid-year - is this because they're not being supported by the principal? The last time this happened, the principal was fired. Is ours likely to get fired too? Should families contact the Exec Principal or Regional Principal?

I left because the county put too many expectations on teachers (excessive workload without enough planning) and the many of the kids were getting lazier and ruder each year. Not sure you can put those things on the principal.

I didn't realize how much they can do until I worked for strong admin. Like, our last school planning day was a full TWD for us--they canceled all meetings. I'm sure they got flack for it, but they absorbed that to shield us because they knew we needed time more than anything else.

This is truly impressive-they sound amazing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, yes. 1 or 2 teachers may have extenuating circumstances (health issues, spouse job move), but if you have more than that it's because of admin.

The kids can be rough, the workload can be overwhelming (especially at some schools) but when admin is good they are in your corner, backing you up and shielding you from the chaos. When they're bad, they're creating more and blaming you for it.

When my last school had a horrific principal assigned, they lost 95% of staff in 3 years. Central office had to be privy to it, but they didn't seem to care.

NP and agree with all of this. I really don't think Central Office cares unless someone does something that lands them on the news.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the teachers truly quitting or are they just reassigned, requesting/granted transferred, lateral move, or whatever you eat to call it to a different school?

That is not possible. No one is approving a lateral move once school has started. The only way a teacher could leave after school has started would be if they got a promotion. For a teacher, that would be moving to an assistant principal position. There have been a few AP positions that have posted—maybe five or six. There’s no way that is accounting for the movement OP is noticing. The likely culprit is a combination of life events (spouse transferred, burnout, personal medical issues).

There are other “promotions” - getting a “resource teacher” position is treated as a promotion, as is a variety of jobs in central office.

Actually many are not, especially a “resource teacher position.” They’re still a teacher. Just because someone is going to central office in a support position does not mean it is a promotion. A longer contact does not mean a promotion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are the teachers truly quitting or are they just reassigned, requesting/granted transferred, lateral move, or whatever you eat to call it to a different school?

OP here, truly quitting. Three so far. Plus two in the middle of last year (I felt like those were maybe understandable, first year back from Covid and all, but now the pattern continues)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's more complicated than just the principal.

I know a lot of it is the students, but is it the admin’s fault for not doing something about it? We had a teacher quit, and then they moved the bad kid into a dif classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the teachers truly quitting or are they just reassigned, requesting/granted transferred, lateral move, or whatever you eat to call it to a different school?

OP here, truly quitting. Three so far. Plus two in the middle of last year (I felt like those were maybe understandable, first year back from Covid and all, but now the pattern continues)

What school?