Anonymous
Post 04/10/2013 06:59     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Not at Lafayette, but am confused. If the teachers are terrible they would have bad impact scores. Especially from the master educators. Then, they would be gone. Not much else a principal can do if their scores are decent.


A few things about just using test scores to determine whether is teacher is terrible or not:

--If you are teaching students from upper middle class homes where parents are highly educated, kids will more likely pass the tests even if your teaching that year is less than stellar.

--Not every grade level has test scores. If you're a mediocre teacher in the primary grades, there is no DCCAS. If you look at reading benchmark levels, again, kids from higher income homes are likely to be reading on level regardless of what the teacher is doing. These kids are getting so much literacy support at home.

--Not every teacher works in a subject area that tests. For example, if are a crappy music teacher, then what scores would a principal look at?

Sorry if I was unclear. I was not talking about test scores, but rather impact scores. When we are observed we get rated on a 4.0 scale. Two from master educators, and three from your admin. If score average is under 1.0 you are gone at the end of the year. 2.0 and you are on a type of probation, and you have one year to bring up your score. These are not school policies, it's a district hing. And yes, in theory it's possible for an admin to inflate scores to try to 'save ' a struggling teacher. .. But they can get in a lot of trouble for that. To be clear, I am NOT a fan of IMPACT, but short of that teacher getting terrible scores, performance evaluations, not sure a teacher should be axed because a group of people don't like him/ her.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2013 06:42     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
The 2013-14 budget allocation for Lafayette show 1.7 APs? So why is there now this rumor/annoncement? And for the life of me I don't understand why people are talking about cuts when 15 schools have been closed so that funds can be used to improve existing schools. I don't buy that argument. And if enrollment in DCPS is less than expected (I saw Emma Brown's article) then the per pupil amount should be bumped up a bit if necessary to ensure things like a reasonable number of administrators.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2013 05:53     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
Anonymous wrote:Not at Lafayette, but am confused. If the teachers are terrible they would have bad impact scores. Especially from the master educators. Then, they would be gone. Not much else a principal can do if their scores are decent.


A few things about just using test scores to determine whether is teacher is terrible or not:

--If you are teaching students from upper middle class homes where parents are highly educated, kids will more likely pass the tests even if your teaching that year is less than stellar.

--Not every grade level has test scores. If you're a mediocre teacher in the primary grades, there is no DCCAS. If you look at reading benchmark levels, again, kids from higher income homes are likely to be reading on level regardless of what the teacher is doing. These kids are getting so much literacy support at home.

--Not every teacher works in a subject area that tests. For example, if are a crappy music teacher, then what scores would a principal look at?
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2013 03:02     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
Not at Lafayette, but am confused. If the teachers are terrible they would have bad impact scores. Especially from the master educators. Then, they would be gone. Not much else a principal can do if their scores are decent.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2013 01:35     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
At least half of the teachers are terrible and have been this way for years. Everyone knows it yet Main does zero.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2013 01:17     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
Yes, it's true that the principal has discretion on budget issues, but keep in mind that budgets across the district are tight for next year. We are cutting our AP as well, mostly because the district is mandating certain new roles at the school. And the money has to come from somewhere. Don't think any principal wants to operate without an AP, it's just the sign of the times.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2013 16:44     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
If this is true, it is exactly the reason I refuse to join the HSA which provides a significant discretionary fund to the principal.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2013 13:07     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/About+DCPS/Budget+and+Finance/FY14+Fiscal+Report+Card/Initial+School+Budget+Allocations

Anonymous
Post 04/09/2013 13:02     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
Anonymous wrote:Most DCPS principals are given a fair amount of latitude in how to allocate their budgets. I'm not familiar with Lafayette, but it appears that the principal shifted more budget to classroom and core subject teachers. I'm surprised that this is causing issue with parents. More budget details can be found here...

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Files/downloads/ABOUT%20DCPS/Budget%20-%20Finance/FY14%20documents/School%20Allocation-FY14%20Final/DCPS-LAFAYETTE-Submitted-Budget-FY14.pdf



Does anyone have the link to the page where each school's proposed budget is available? I cannot find it on the DCPS website (under the budget and finance section) but I know someone on here linked to them a month or two ago and I can find it via search because when I search on the forum it doesn't seem to return any 2013 threads.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2013 12:36     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
It's causing issue with parents because:

A VP is check/balance with Ms. Main, and also essential to communicating with parents. Besides, Mr. McCoy wears a smile and makes it a friendly place.

There's been no formal announcement of it by Ms. Main or the HSA, so it's reduced to rumor-mongering. We're told that she's cutting paper resources, but not the VP!#$@%

I don't know how Kaya would allow this. We're fed up, and seriously considering jumping ship. The bad teachers Ms. Main won't fire, now this, it's too much.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2013 12:03     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
Most DCPS principals are given a fair amount of latitude in how to allocate their budgets. I'm not familiar with Lafayette, but it appears that the principal shifted more budget to classroom and core subject teachers. I'm surprised that this is causing issue with parents. More budget details can be found here...

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Files/downloads/ABOUT%20DCPS/Budget%20-%20Finance/FY14%20documents/School%20Allocation-FY14%20Final/DCPS-LAFAYETTE-Submitted-Budget-FY14.pdf

Anonymous
Post 04/09/2013 11:16     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
Yes, it is true. Apparently the principal announced it at the HSA meeting. It is her school. She does what she wants and does not answer to anyone.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2013 11:08     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
Where did you get that information from, I don't think that is true.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2013 10:16     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
INSANE.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2013 10:16     Subject: Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????
Over 700 kids in the school so how is it going to run well with only one administrator? How can a principal decide to cut a top position just because she wants to? Where the hell is dcps central office in all this? Why are the horrible teachers allowed to continue to teach? Counting down the days until her retirement.