Elem: Babysitting Background

[Deborah Marie Collier <collie@TENET.EDU>]

(If you did not catch the original post, or this isn't your "cup of tea"
please delete)

Dear All: I was going to try to answer each post individually but the
sheer number of you who have responded to my plight makes this an
impossible task. I must have 50 messages from all over the country from
you wonderful people commiserating with me. Thanks-- I now feel supported
by you all if not my administration.

A little more background for those of you that questioned this: Our
District (in it's infinite wisdom) decided a pilot program of 4 hr.
AM/PM classes for EC-Kinder would be nice. We were one of the 4
elementaries "volunteered" to do this. We have to feed the kids lunch.
AM kids are at school from 8 to 12, PM kids from 11 to 3. The overlap &
lunch is the problem. The District told the principals "do it" & it was
up to them to find a solution for this scheduling nightmare. I share the
block with PE (2 aides), Music (NO aides!), Art (who doesn't do EC, but
also has no aide), & a Specials Teacher (1 aide). No further funding was
apportioned for extra personnel.

In previous years, when I was sick/on personal leave/at conferences/etc.
I got no sub, nor did my aide. This is district policy. I can just
imagine what will happen to this mess if one of us is out.

Our District does not keep recommended student/aide/teacher ratios
listed in the IEP folders--just recommendations for "small group
settings." The max number of students per adult was 22--these numbers may
have been thrown out with the last legislation, so there may BE no limits.
My certification for learning center endorsement clearly states "PK-12".
EC (which is part of Sp. Ed.) is NOT included. The PE teacher's certifi-
cation is K-12, so she isn't qualified for EC OR PK.

I meet with my District Supervisor tomorrow morning, along with the
librarians from the other 3 schools involved. Two of them aren't part of
this scheduling at their schools, but they're coming anyway--since what
one of us has to do today, all of us may have to do tomorrow. The other
LMS has Kinder an hour EVERY morning AND afternoon ALL WEEK-- where the
library is shut down to everything else. That is 10 hours a week out of
35 devoted to ONE age level. I am the only one responsible for EC & PK.

We do not have unions in Texas, as was pointed out earlier. My District
Supervisor is *wonderful*, but with site-based management, I don't know
what she'll be able to do.

I will keep you all posted. Thanks for your concern.

******************************************************
*   Debbie Collier          Orange Grove Elementary  *
*   Librarian &             Houston, Texas           *
*   "Resourceress"          COLLIE@TENET.EDU         *
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