Tuesday, August 08, 2017

OPEN MARKET CLOSED

Yesterday was the last day to transfer without being released by a principal. The Open Market is closed after August 7.

I heard from some people who successfully transferred using the system. Most who I know were not new or 20 year veterans but were somewhere in the middle.

I guess some people with 25 or more years in the system were able to transfer using the open market but I haven't heard from any 25+ year veteran getting a transfer.

For the record, I updated my resume, attached a solid cover letter to support it and sent it out. I am still waiting for an interview.

My resume includes:
  • Numerous awards
  • College Advisor experience (I helped get kids from a closing school into Columbia University and we were featured in the NY Times)
  • Advanced Placement experience teaching students in a closing school who received 4's and 5's on AP exams
  • All kinds of successful Regents prep 
  • Mentor for oral defenses in an alternative assessment, mostly non Regents Consortium school

Oh yeah, I just finished my 31st year of teaching and I write this blog. I won't hold my breath waiting to be hired in a new position, even though the commute to Middle College is long and I have small children at home so an assignment closer to my house might just be good for the family. Unfortunately, my 31 years of experience and truthful pen kind of limit my options.

By the way, has anyone read anything here even remotely negative about Middle College or Jamaica High School? I speak very fondly of the two schools I have worked at. I must add to the resume that I am a team player.  Maybe that will improve my chances. Then again, maybe not.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Chaz, just curious. Has any administrator or DOE official ever given you heat or hassles for writing your blog? I, and tons of readers would love to know!

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I meant to ask Norm if he ever got hassled. Sorry, I read all the blogs!!!

Anonymous said...

For those who want their views to reach more of our membership, I strongly suggest you create a facebook account if you don't already have one (or even make a incognito one). There are a few of us already there but mostly just unity stooges. Just imho for what it's worth.

James Eterno said...

The person you are supposed to ask here is James (and sometimes Jeff). Chaz is a friend but writes a different blog. Norm is a friend too. He writes Ed Notes. There is lots of blogger solidarity.

I have never, not once, received any heat from the Board or any administrator for anything I have written here. One principal told me I have a lot of guts but I should be careful. Fair enough; I kind of shrugged in response. I think I am responsible. I trash the system, not kids or the schools I work at. I'm still loyal to Jamaica HS and it hasn't existed since 2014. I have nothing but good things to say here about Middle College. It's a great place to work. There are plenty of excellent schools with wonderful principals who treat staff and students well. I wish all of them well and want them replicated.I'm lucky I guess that I have worked for administrators who may not have liked my opinions but respected the work I did with the kids.

This piece was kind of sarcastic. I know I have no chance of transferring and wasn't that serious. I made my bed and am ok lying in it.

This is a union blog and unions are supposed to be critical of their employer when necessary, even in the age of Trump.I think I am much more critical of the UFT. The UFT has only bothered me a couple of times and it was over factual things. I'm ok with that.

I'm on facebook and welcome people spreading postings there. I don't have the time to stay online 24-7. I have an 8 year old daughter and 3 year old son.

Anonymous said...

Awesome! It is so positive to hear that freedom of the press is still viable in this day and age even though it is through blogs. I also believe that although tenure has been watered down, the opportunity to write a critical blog such as yours is protected speech and it can't come back to bite you in the ass from a hostile DOE. Way to go!!!

James Eterno said...

Union management relations are supposed to be adversarial. They got back at me by closing Jamaica and making me an ATR. It is a minor miracle I got out of ATR pool.

Anonymous said...

I don't think they closed Jamaica because of you personally! Glad you got our of the ATR pool for sure though.

Anonymous said...

The Daily News reported today that, very quietly, the DOE is set to award a $669,375 contract to an ex DOE administrator for a program that he developed as an employee for the City. In fact, the Ex DOE Administrator, Joel Rose, called it "The School Of One" and the DOE allocated an astounding 9 million dollars to develop and fund the program. The program has been shown to be a failure and a colossal waste of money as only 4 schools throughout the City are actually using the :School for One program. Yet, the DOE is set to approve the renamed program. as a Math program called New Classrooms.

This is just an example of why it was necessary for Chancellor Carmen Farina to "clean house" of the Bloomberg policymakers at Tweed but failed to do so. Hopefully,when the proposed contract goes to the PEP at the end of the month, the blatant "conflict of interest" and apparent favoritism will push the PEP to refuse to approve the contact. The statement by Leonie Hainson of Class Size Matters in the article is a must read and listed below.

“The city is paying hundreds of thousands for these programs. Why do these things hang on at the Department of Education for no reason? These crony contracts,” said Leonie Haimson, founder of the advocacy group Class Size Matters. “It’s inexplicable.”

James Eterno said...

7 12:17:00 PM
The UFT chapter was considered by Tweed to be a big part of the problem as far as I know. And who was the chapter leader? Yeah it was me. They were wrong but they have the power.

Anonymous said...

James, you note that you sent out resumes. I was thought that you were appointed up there in LIC. ....what gives?

Anonymous said...

Read the posting.

Chaz said...

Actually, my blog is liberating and allows me to air my many grievances about the failure and corruption of our educational system.

In fact, my blog makes DOE administrators and our union leadership to think twice about abusing UFT members.

Anonymous said...

Do you work for the DOE? I do, we are going through Facebook right now. Looking for anything we can use against you. Yeah, join Facebook.