Wethersfield Teachers Union, Administrators Discuss Negative Survey Results
THERSFIELD — The school system and the teachers union privately discussed last week a union survey showing widespread discontent among elementary school teachers with many district policies.
"We had some good, fruitful discussion, and I expect that discussion will continue," Superintendent Michael Emmett told the school board meeting. Emmett did not elaborate on the discussion or address the survey results during the board meeting.
The private session between the administration and union was a regularly scheduled meeting mandated by contact and not called to address the survey, both sides have said.
Emmett and Wethersfield Federation of Teachers President Matthew Berloe did not return calls seeking information about the get-together. Board Chairwoman Gina DeAngelo did not return a call this week seeking comment.
The survey, presented to the board last month, showed overwhelming percentages of teachers — as high as 90 percent — unhappy with district policies and practices on teacher training, testing, curriculum and other issues. The union said it conducted the survey in January after asking the administration to address the issues for a year and a half without success.
Emmett appeared to imply at the board meeting that the communications subcommittee would meet with the union to discuss issues raised by the survey, but he did not explicitly say so, a videotape of the meeting showed.
"We are going to continue to move forward with [the union] on setting up a date and a process by which we can carry on these meetings," Emmett said. "We certainly think that they are important, and it's good to keep that line of communication open."
According to the union, 92 percent of teachers at the district's five elementary schools filled out and returned the survey. It showed more than 75 percent of teachers agreeing that certain policies and practices are "ineffective," "not meaningful," "not useful" and not having "a positive impact on students." At least half of teachers were critical of the administration on all nine survey questions.
Emmett has said that the district's internal survey given last year did not reveal such discontent. He has added that he does not question the results of the union survey, but likes to look at a variety of data.
The biggest concern, according to the survey, was overuse of "data teams," with 90 percent agreeing the practice does "not help them to be a better teacher" and is "not necessary in understanding their students' needs."
Data teams meet once a week to identify areas where students are struggling and strategies to improve learning. Teachers must then collect data documenting their actions and student progress.
Overwhelming majorities also questioned the usefulness of meetings teachers are required to attend and thrice yearly district tests.Wethersfield Teachers Union, Administrators Discuss Negative Survey Results - Hartford Courant:
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