From: Andrew Larson
Columbus
As a 22-year veteran of Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation classrooms, I have observed the changing times with a front row seat.
When I started, people entered teaching for the long haul. My former teacher and lifelong mentor Janice Montgomery convinced me back in 1998 that taking a job in BCSC was a clear win. I wouldn’t change a thing about my decision.
My students and I have done some remarkable things over these years, and it’s been a rich and rewarding work life. I am so glad that I took Mrs. M’s advice. BCSC is a great place to work.
Countless colleagues of mine, valued and superbly talented educators, have left for other ventures. Their reasons vary, but most leave for a pay raise or because of the stress and strain of the job. I support them in their decisions to do what was right for them, for their families.
What I would change, if I could, is the system of incentives that might have kept those colleagues around to teach by my side for more years and impact more of our community’s students.
Turnover is tough; any business owner knows that. Turnover has become a fact of life for our schools. My school has a small teaching faculty of just over 20.
Losing two or more young and promising teachers a year is par for the course. This time of year, when the staffing surveys start coming out, we all hold our breath and hope that we won’t lose too many. There’s a period of mourning that comes with the news of any staff member’s departure; it feels like the loss of a family member as well, to their colleagues, and more importantly, their students.
It’s true that in terms of the hours, teaching is a family-friendly occupation. Summer breaks are still as awesome now as they were as a kid, and we all take a deep breath and relax for a minute.
It doesn’t last.Every teacher I know works a second job during the summer. Summer is a chance to work overtime. Many of us do so throughout the year. That’s in addition to the curricular overhauls we must undertake when state standards get changed or added. That’s in addition to professional development workshops.
Though I personally like rethinking curriculum in the summer, learning with my colleagues, and planning new projects while also trying to pad our family’s savings, it takes a toll. Teaching is hard enough work without the added worry of making ends meet.
Most of the benefits for a passed referendum would fall to younger teachers, though to say that I could use a pay bump would be fair. Our oldest son is off to college next year and such begins at least 12 years during which we will be paying tuition. So, needless to say, I’ll be stepping up my summer overtime for the next decade.
Please vote YES for the BCSC Referendum in May. As a city taxpayer, I’ll be chipping in, too.
