From the Eagle Tribune
New teachers flocking to Granite State
By Meghan Carey
mcarey@eagletribune.com
PLAISTOW, N.H. — Lisa Spaneous is familiar with life at Timberlane Regional High School.
Four years ago, she sat at the desks, answered the questions and took the tests. But her return to Timberlane this year is a bit different - she's the one at the front of the room, asking the questions and giving the grades.
Spaneous replaced her favorite teacher in the family and consumer science department, and is working alongside many of her former instructors during her first year out of college.
"I actually like being able to talk to the teachers as a colleague, not as a student," she said, laughing.
But that doesn't mean she isn't nervous. Spaneous said she had her entire family helping her this week to decorate her classroom and set up furniture in a way she thought would best engage students in her lessons.
Spaneous isn't the only new teacher in the area. More than 250 teachers were hired by Southern New Hampshire school districts to replace the record number of educators who retired in June because the state threatened to freeze health care coverage for retirees. The freeze was delayed a year, but it still prompted a cycle of new teachers.
That's especially true at Timberlane, where 20 of the district's 42 new teachers are at the high school. The new crew, paired with 15 teachers hired last year, make for a young staff. The school has just over 100 teachers.
"Change is good," Assistant Principal Sean Kiley said. "I know they're overwhelmed. We keep giving them books and handouts and mandates, but they just want to get going."
The Timberlane administration is using a couple of techniques to help train and retain its new staff.
The new teachers were paired with more seasoned faculty members at a summer mentoring program to help with the transition, Kiley said. They will stay in touch with their mentors for three years.
New teachers are also invited to "solutions committee" meetings each month at which they can address classroom concerns and receive helpful hints for solving whatever issues arise, Kiley said.
Not all of the new teachers are inexperienced.
Although new hire Alian Purba taught math for seven years in Nashua, he said he, too, still has some jitters on the first day of school. Purbu started cleaning his classroom early yesterday and said he would be at the school until 9 p.m., preparing and meeting freshmen during orientation.
"You're never a veteran when it comes to teaching," he said.
The key to transitioning new staff is hiring a mixture of experienced and inexperienced teachers, according to Londonderry human resources director Suzie Swenson. She recruited some of her new hires at college fairs, but also hired six teachers with more than 10 years of experience.
"That's what you need," Swenson said. "You've got to still maintain the balance."
Other school officials prefer new teachers.
Superintendent Frank Bass was enthused with Pelham and Windham's first-year teachers after seeing them in action on the first day of school this week.
"I'm very excited with our new teacher core," he said. "They come in so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and it seems to spill over to the kids."
Atkinson Town Hall
The Norman Rockwellian picture of Atkinson
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Quote from ET article: "The new teachers were paired with more seasoned faculty members at a summer mentoring program to help with the transition, Kiley said."
Hopefully the new teachers are NOT being paired with the seasoned faculty members that believe that watching TV shows and full length movies weekly is an ok method for educating students!
I drove by the middle school last night and noticed on the reader board that there is no school on September 9. Anyone know why? How is it that there is already a day off from class in only the second week of school? Someone please help me understand.
Teachers participate in Professional Development on September 9. State primary is also on Sept 9 and since Plaistow uses Pollard School for elections, I suspect that is why no school. For the safety of the children, the district won't have school at the same time as people coming in to vote.
We will probably have some very bright and motivated new teachers this year and that is a good thing.
How are we going to keep them that way when the seasoned facilty will teach them their old ways?
All of the taxpayers are aware of the mis handling of the school board and if I had my way we would do away with the SB. When you think about it what purpose do they serve.
The fiasco with our Athletic Director is the last straw. Don't we realize that most of our tax money goes into the schools. I will not even dignify the term of education for our children because that is not happening. To hire a new AD and then pay the old AD to show him how the job is done?? This is hard to believe!
I know it is almost impossible to get through to the SB but there has to be a way to be heard and even if it takes not being "PC" it has to be done. We are being forced out of our homes if this continues.
The coniving and trickery that goes on with the SB has got to stop. Maybe some of the members are not aware of what goes on or don't care enough to stand up to them.
If that is the case then the School Board shoud be abolished.
The district has the SB they voted for. If they want better they have to vote better.
This board helps to make sure voters can make informed votes.
So taxpayers, I found out thru the grapevine that not many people are calling their school board members to complain about this old AD as a consultant issue and that it would be very beneficial for them to do so...so pick up the phone and voice your disgust with their decision.....heard he got a new office too, in a school with barely space to fit it's educational needs, the powers-that-be moved a classroom to a smaller spot so he could get his own office! A part-time consultant gets office space and a special ed ( I think) classroom gets bumped for it....... Bad deal school board - you should be checking up on your decisions. I feel bad for the new AD - this whole thing makes him look bad, and I bet he is more than capable to do this without the old AD's mentoring.
Post a Comment