First, some background. This is from the Regional Enrichment Center homepage:
In order to successfully fight COVID-19, our first responders, health care providers, transit workers, and other key personnel must be able to come to work. That is why we have created Regional Enrichment Centers (RECs)—places where the children of these front-line workers can be safely cared for while their parents continue to serve the city in this time of need.
Staffed by DOE employees and community-based organization partners, the centers will provide children with three daily hot meals, remote learning time with their teachers, activities like art, music, and physical education, as well as social and emotional support.
We have someone who emailed us from inside one of the Centers.
I work at the REC Center and the kids have gone wild over the past few weeks - throwing bikes, throwing tantrums, getting physical, getting angry, just horrible. I kid you not, one kid screamed for half an hour because we told him that if you don't want to do learning time or free draw, just put the pencil away and sit down.
A preview of things to come if and when regular school buildings open in the fall. It looks like it will only be a matter of time before someone spreads COVID-19 in a school building again. Of course, I hope I am wrong here and that all of the kids behave like little angels.
In addition, our reporter told us this concerning DOE hiring:
Also, did you know that some schools are offering new teachers jobs during this hiring freeze by getting them on board as long-term subs. They are filling vacancies with new teachers under the lieu of a long-term substitute position as opposed to hiring from the ATR pool. Crazy what these principals do to avoid following the directive they were given.
This type of hiring has been going on for years. The new teachers cannot complain or they will lose their jobs. Expecting the UFT to step in might be possible if the UFT wants to. If there was no union or an even weaker one, this kind of hiring would be standard.
The UFT knows and get dues from the subs, so if the ATR is shafted they don’t care. A 15 years ATR pool and the UFT and Mulgrew haven’t lifted a finger to end it. We have the union we deserve. We continue to pay to be shit on. Nothing will wake up teachers even death on a ventilator.
ReplyDeleteGood. Let them hire as many new teachers as they want. I am an ATR. Do you really think I want
ReplyDeleteto go into a situation where kids are out of control. I get at least one or two offers a day for an interview. Have not responded to any of them and have no intention of responding to any of them. I will stay an ATR for as long as I can. Hopefully that will be for the rest of my career.
Children between 5 and 17 years old also test positive for the novel coronavirus at higher rates than any other age group, according to CDC data, with positivity rates exceeding 10 percent in public and private lab tests.
ReplyDeleteFeel safe yet?
ReplyDeleteCoronavirus update: Infections are rising in children, CDC says
washingtonpost.com
The number and rate of coronavirus cases in children have risen since the pandemic took hold in the spring, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in recently updated guidance, underscoring the risk for young people and their families as the school year begins.
According to the CDC, the infection rate in children 17 and under increased “steadily” from March to July. While the virus is far more prevalent and severe among adults, the true incidence of infection in American children remains unknown.
School closures and other public health measures may have contributed to initially low rates of coronavirus infections in children early in the pandemic, according to the CDC.
“This may explain the low incidence in children compared with adults,” the agency said in its guidance. “Comparing trends in pediatric infections before/after the return to in-person school and other activities may provide additional understanding about infections in children.”
Children between 5 and 17 years old also test positive for the novel coronavirus at higher rates than any other age group, according to CDC data, with positivity rates exceeding 10 percent in public and private lab tests.
The virus incubation period is the same for children as it is for adults. Children are far less likely to develop severe symptoms, but when they are hospitalized for complications from the virus, about a third are sent to intensive care units, the same rate as adults
Principals do get around to hiring out of the system. They usually do not want someone from the ATR pool. It is rare. Maybe they have a weak moment when they do bring in an ATR to their school building for a permanent position. Hahaha.
ReplyDeleteI prefer to be in a building and letting it just happen if both the principal and I are in mutual agreement. So far, I have not been impressed. Maybe one school I kind of liked, but needed to dig to check how the school really operated. Interviews do not tell me how a principal and school is. Having mutual respect and trust is rare unfortunately.
Any ATR, even the less than 1% that are bonkers from abuse, could do a much better job than the majority of principals, chapter leaders and the UFT President.
ReplyDeleteAgain, if they don't like the sub, they can just let them go. They aren't UFT.
ReplyDeleteThe sad part is many ATRs do want to work, but since I have 22+ years in the system, that's a deal breaker right there and I don't even get interviews.
ReplyDeleteMany ATRs are fed up with the system. But the joke is on them. They dont want us and thats fine. Im happy going in and doing whatever they want. At the end of the day I dont bring home any lessons or responsibility. I mind my business and cover my classes the best I can.
ReplyDeleteMany ATRs are fed up with the system. But the joke is on them. They dont want us and thats fine. Im happy going in and doing whatever they want. At the end of the day I dont bring home any lessons or responsibility. I mind my business and cover my classes the best I can.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a good fit for someone who doesn't want to teach.
ReplyDeleteUnlike some most of us do want to teach. The writing is clear. There was supposed to be a hiring freeze. The principals know how to get around it. They hire long term subs with the promise of a full time position.They offer us interviews with no promise of a job. Seven more years and Im done.
ReplyDeleteAs an ATR, the principals will float the S rating and if you show up, shut up and stay out of the way, you have no issues.
ReplyDeleteSmile when the kids curse at you, bite your tongue when colleagues think you are inept and go home with zero responsibilities.
Principals are shrewd. They manipulate their vacancies and throw in footnotes after an interview like ‘we found a better fit’, or ‘you could have interviewed better.’ Ask a follow up question and you are ignored.
Yes, but are long term subs going to want to put up with the BS. Remember, they don't get benefits and are not part of the union. They also will get paid a lot less than other teachers for doing the same work.
ReplyDelete1139,
ReplyDeleteThe long term subs won’t, but a principal who plays the game will ride the long term sub, then pick up an ATR for the 2nd half of the year and excess him/her in June and keep doing this until they get the person they want.
Watch. When people report back to work, new teachers will be here.
The UFT won’t object bc it’s more dues. And on and on we go.
A decade until I leave this nonsense.
You have to remember the long term subs they get are young and almost done with college. There excited to get the opportunity and the principals knowing this take advantage of it. They string them along all year with the promise of a future position. As an atr I have witnessed this. The subs dont care about money and benefits until the end of the year when they realize they have worked just as hard as someone who has full pay and benefits.
ReplyDelete557,
ReplyDeleteA lot of the young ones don’t understand benefits, salary, pension etc. also, some of the long term subs are women who live close to the school and are happy to have a per diem job where they walk to and from work. Principals are extremely shrewd, but when the time comes for the long term sub to want a full time slot, principals become shady. It’s really terrible.
I have been an ATR on and off for a while and have witnessed this too many times to count.