OT: Teachers of Boneyard...Back to School Time

[husky429]

My principal last year was the highest paid middle school in the state at 185k. @husky429 is right. There is no district were the "majority make 130k." Top of the scale in Darien probably doesn't make that.

Top step in Darien is 112k with a Master's. 116k with a sixth-year. Our friend @C9C9 is at best rather misinformed.

 

[C9C9]

Top step in Darien is 112k with a Master's. 116k with a sixth-year. Our friend @C9C9 is at best rather misinformed.

I don't live in Connecticut.

 

[C9C9]

My principal last year was the highest paid middle school in the state at 185k. @husky429 is right. There is no district were the "majority make 130k." Top of the scale in Darien probably doesn't make that.

I don't live in Connecticut. Most principals make more than that base. Add in another $80-100k or so in benefits and total pay packages for most principals are north of $250k. Heck the athletic director makes $125k before benefits, with a total pay package of $160k.

 

[husky429]

I don't live in Connecticut. Most principals make more than that base. Add in another $80-100k or so in benefits and total pay packages for most principals are north of $250k. Heck the athletic director makes $125k before benefits, with a total pay package of $160k.

Sorry dude, still not buying it. Teachers in NYC and San Fransisco area aren't even making that much at top step. I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[M.S.G.]

Yeah, I agree... Those numbers are ridiculous

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Maybe he works at Phillips-Exeter or Choate.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

A bit off topic here, but our district is changing up the math sequence, essentially stopping math acceleration in 6th grade. So the normal acceleration of 7th algebra, 8th geometry, 9th alg 2/trig, 10th pre-calc, 11th calc ab or bc, senior year dual enrollment linear equations/diff equations is going away. Not sure what to think of it, except if I had an accelerated kid I'd be pretty miffed. The district is essentially forcing the accelerated kids to go outside the school to challenge themselves. Mind you, this is the district where the majority of teachers make $130k or more a year, and has decent affluence.

I'm a math department chair in a private school in an affluent town and I'm well aware of the dangers/silliness of acceleration.

Earlier in my teaching career, my school accelerated kids per need: which basically means we taught kids where they were at. That meant lots of parity within grades, sometimes kids in five distinct "classes" within a grade of 25-35 kids. At that time, we had five full-time teachers in the math department, so it was sustainable.

We're down to three full-time teachers now due to budget cuts after enrollment drops four years ago. We're now back at a healthy, sustainable number of kids for the size of our school, but our department hasn't yet seen the fruits of our budget increases.

That being said, this year is the first year we've streamlined acceleration: we build it in unit-by-unit extensions in fifth grade and then by sixth grade we start to solidify tracks for those who can handle it, more liberal at giving kids the opportunity at that age and then giving benchmarks to see if they can stick with it. If a kid "moves down" no problem, but kudos for trying.

That design is what you mentioned: 7th A1 & 8th Geo. If some kids in Geo deserve more, then they can pay for a CTY A2 course with the idea of entering Pre-Calc in 9th.

So far, it's been good, but there are still exceptions. We have a few kids entering 7th next year who will firmly start A2 and who genuinely deserve to take the class. The elephant in the room is: we've never had a teacher teach A2...but there's pressure to have that opportunity next year...as it stands, it looks like it'll be me since I tutor two kids in A2, but I am not comfortable teaching that level...if it comes to that, I'll renegotiate my contract for next year since it'll save the school a lot of money having me do that.

In conclusion, I'm not a fan of wholesale acceleration that is more than Geo in 8th grade. It's a race to nowhere and typically it's an ego measuring contest between parents to see who's got the smartest kids. Heck, I took Honors Geo in 9th grade, and I had no problem starting my college career as a math major (before I switched to English).

Personally, what's more important is for students to use the math and apply it to more critical thinking and creative usages. Doing more math faster doesn't equal success, but using math to think differently is so valuable, especially in the middle school level.

Also, I guess it's my turn to trash your 130k comment, but I'm probably just taking it personally coming from a two-teacher family who is making it work to stay within budget living in a modest, small home in Norwalk.

The only teachers I see living the high life are second career people or teachers with a partner who makes a ton more money. Teachers will never be paid enough or appreciated enough, but we still do it because we love it.

I would love for families, especially those in wealthier towns, to see the lives of teachers: like, show them a slideshow of their home lives...where we live, what we drive, how we make it work...

 

[lange10]

Sorry dude, still not buying it. Teachers in NYC and San Fransisco area aren't even making that much at top step. I'll believe it when I see it.

Districts in Westchester County, NY top out in the $130-140k range.

Scarsdale is the highest I’ve seen. $154k for top step MA+75.

https://go.boarddocs.com/ny/scarsdale/Board.nsf/files/C98KGN4C86FC/$file/STA%20Contract%202021-2024.pdf

 

[Greedo]

I'm a math department chair in a private school in an affluent town and I'm well aware of the dangers/silliness of acceleration.

Earlier in my teaching career, my school accelerated kids per need: which basically means we taught kids where they were at. That meant lots of parity within grades, sometimes kids in five distinct "classes" within a grade of 25-35 kids. At that time, we had five full-time teachers in the math department, so it was sustainable.

We're down to three full-time teachers now due to budget cuts after enrollment drops four years ago. We're now back at a healthy, sustainable number of kids for the size of our school, but our department hasn't yet seen the fruits of our budget increases.

That being said, this year is the first year we've streamlined acceleration: we build it in unit-by-unit extensions in fifth grade and then by sixth grade we start to solidify tracks for those who can handle it, more liberal at giving kids the opportunity at that age and then giving benchmarks to see if they can stick with it. If a kid "moves down" no problem, but kudos for trying.

That design is what you mentioned: 7th A1 & 8th Geo. If some kids in Geo deserve more, then they can pay for a CTY A2 course with the idea of entering Pre-Calc in 9th.

So far, it's been good, but there are still exceptions. We have a few kids entering 7th next year who will firmly start A2 and who genuinely deserve to take the class. The elephant in the room is: we've never had a teacher teach A2...but there's pressure to have that opportunity next year...as it stands, it looks like it'll be me since I tutor two kids in A2, but I am not comfortable teaching that level...if it comes to that, I'll renegotiate my contract for next year since it'll save the school a lot of money having me do that.

In conclusion, I'm not a fan of wholesale acceleration that is more than Geo in 8th grade. It's a race to nowhere and typically it's an ego measuring contest between parents to see who's got the smartest kids. Heck, I took Honors Geo in 9th grade, and I had no problem starting my college career as a math major (before I switched to English).

Personally, what's more important is for students to use the math and apply it to more critical thinking and creative usages. Doing more math faster doesn't equal success, but using math to think differently is so valuable, especially in the middle school level.

Also, I guess it's my turn to trash your 130k comment, but I'm probably just taking it personally coming from a two-teacher family who is making it work to stay within budget living in a modest, small home in Norwalk.

The only teachers I see living the high life are second career people or teachers with a partner who makes a ton more money. Teachers will never be paid enough or appreciated enough, but we still do it because we love it.

I would love for families, especially those in wealthier towns, to see the lives of teachers: like, show them a slideshow of their home lives...where we live, what we drive, how we make it work...

I teach in a very wealthy district. Most of my students live in $1 million+ homes. One of our social studies teachers had students do a project that involved going through the teacher’s contract (which is publicly available on the school website). Kids talked to me about it and were stunned. They kept asking me how I lived on that much money. I also think I get paid pretty well for a teacher. But I wouldn’t be able to afford to live in the district I teach in.

 

[husky429]

Districts in Westchester County, NY top out in the $130-140k range.

Scarsdale is the highest I’ve seen. $154k for top step MA+75.

https://go.boarddocs.com/ny/scarsdale/Board.nsf/files/C98KGN4C86FC/$file/STA%20Contract%202021-2024.pdf

I figured a few districts near NYC would be there. He called it "decently affluent" though. Scarsdale is more like "absurdly affluent." And even then, the majority of teachers being on top-step is exceptionally unlikely. That's 20+ years experience. And most teachers are not going for anything past the MA.

 

[husky429]

I'm a math department chair in a private school in an affluent town and I'm well aware of the dangers/silliness of acceleration.

Earlier in my teaching career, my school accelerated kids per need: which basically means we taught kids where they were at. That meant lots of parity within grades, sometimes kids in five distinct "classes" within a grade of 25-35 kids. At that time, we had five full-time teachers in the math department, so it was sustainable.

We're down to three full-time teachers now due to budget cuts after enrollment drops four years ago. We're now back at a healthy, sustainable number of kids for the size of our school, but our department hasn't yet seen the fruits of our budget increases.

That being said, this year is the first year we've streamlined acceleration: we build it in unit-by-unit extensions in fifth grade and then by sixth grade we start to solidify tracks for those who can handle it, more liberal at giving kids the opportunity at that age and then giving benchmarks to see if they can stick with it. If a kid "moves down" no problem, but kudos for trying.

That design is what you mentioned: 7th A1 & 8th Geo. If some kids in Geo deserve more, then they can pay for a CTY A2 course with the idea of entering Pre-Calc in 9th.

So far, it's been good, but there are still exceptions. We have a few kids entering 7th next year who will firmly start A2 and who genuinely deserve to take the class. The elephant in the room is: we've never had a teacher teach A2...but there's pressure to have that opportunity next year...as it stands, it looks like it'll be me since I tutor two kids in A2, but I am not comfortable teaching that level...if it comes to that, I'll renegotiate my contract for next year since it'll save the school a lot of money having me do that.

In conclusion, I'm not a fan of wholesale acceleration that is more than Geo in 8th grade. It's a race to nowhere and typically it's an ego measuring contest between parents to see who's got the smartest kids. Heck, I took Honors Geo in 9th grade, and I had no problem starting my college career as a math major (before I switched to English).

Personally, what's more important is for students to use the math and apply it to more critical thinking and creative usages. Doing more math faster doesn't equal success, but using math to think differently is so valuable, especially in the middle school level.

Also, I guess it's my turn to trash your 130k comment, but I'm probably just taking it personally coming from a two-teacher family who is making it work to stay within budget living in a modest, small home in Norwalk.

The only teachers I see living the high life are second career people or teachers with a partner who makes a ton more money. Teachers will never be paid enough or appreciated enough, but we still do it because we love it.

I would love for families, especially those in wealthier towns, to see the lives of teachers: like, show them a slideshow of their home lives...where we live, what we drive, how we make it work...

Acceleration is the cute in-vogue word for "force kids to do work they're developmentally not ready for, without a tenth of the resources needed to make it happen."

When I'm not suspending kids I'm doing a lot of our curriculum re-writing the past few weeks since regular admin are busy with evals, and of course no one wants to pay teachers to do it. Our district wants to go to an accelerated model and we have less than 20% of our students on grade level for math. It's foolishness.

In general, I'm in favor of (flexible) tracking for kids starting in middle school. I know that's not in vogue with the research, but at the end of the day, the model of push-in, differentiated-for-everyone instruction where anyone can learn anything at anyntime is not effective. It's stupid. We've pushed small-group pull-outs, and push-in MLL/SPED instruction and we've seen 0 progress from those students all year.

 

[lange10]

I figured a few districts near NYC would be there. He called it "decently affluent" though. Scarsdale is more like "absurdly affluent." And even then, the majority of teachers being on top-step is exceptionally unlikely. That's 20+ years experience. And most teachers are not going for anything past the MA.

Lol, I hear ya. Was just pointing out some of the absurd salary scales in Westchester.

You’d actually be surprised the number of teachers in my district that are all working towards MA+60 credits to max out the scale. Very affordable, but certainly time consuming, options to get there for us since we don’t need to be working towards an additional degree for the credits to be approved. I’ve worked my way up to MA+30 in the last 2 years for probably less than $5k. Heck, I’m taking a 3 credit asynchronous online course through Idaho St Univ. for $165 next month.

 

[C9C9]

Weird the hostility towards the teacher pay. Kids thru capo. Creep on if you want, just google transparent california capo unified, malcom elementary. Then Niguel MS. One's a malcom mariner. The clap out was yesterday. The DHHS seniors came back. You wanna see their canvas logins?

 

[Hey Adrien!]

You'll love Acadia. Go to Jordan Pond House if you can swing it!

Jordan Pond House is a beautiful spot. Didn’t eat there but the view was sweet

Wednesday was the best day of the trip: spent the morning on a lobster boat and had a full lobster bake dinner (whole lobster, mussels, corn, red potato) at Bar Harbor Lobster Bakes which was AMAZING. Food was prepared brilliantly and simply and the dining room had a view of Frenchman Bay. The staff was super nice and very friendly was our kids too. Highly, highly recommend it, especially since it's a little off downtown, much more chill there.

Anyways, the middle of the day was spent at Jordan Pond House where we had a pack lunch in the front road and then spent a few hours clearing drainage ditches on the carriage roads near the house. The views near the house are pretty amazing.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Now that teachers are fully into summer mode, hope you are all having a restful, relaxing and nourishing break!

I'm spending my summer writing, tutoring (although in a lull with that) and a little bit of traveling. What do you all do that makes the summer unique?

 

[husky429]

Now that teachers are fully into summer mode, hope you are all having a restful, relaxing and nourishing break!

I'm spending my summer writing, tutoring (although in a lull with that) and a little bit of traveling. What do you all do that makes the summer unique?

Travel every summer for a couple weeks or more. I just got back recently. Every year I hope to actually relax during the rest of the summer. Every year it doesn't happen.

Right now, I'm watching my 2 god-kids for the week while the parents are at a funeral overseas.

I need to rebuild my parents basement staircase, tend my wife's garden that somehow became my responsibility, and we're installing a new backyard fence. That will probably take up the rest of my free time in July.

 

[Jbirdp5]

Summer school for me…..no fridays tho…4 hour days

 

[Spaceman213J]

Off until mid August. It's been hot here in Virginia the past few days. Just relaxing in the pool and launching a water rocket with my great nephew.

 

[jibsey]

Wednesday was the best day of the trip: spent the morning on a lobster boat and had a full lobster bake dinner (whole lobster, mussels, corn, red potato) at Bar Harbor Lobster Bakes which was AMAZING. Food was prepared brilliantly and simply and the dining room had a view of Frenchman Bay. The staff was super nice and very friendly was our kids too. Highly, highly recommend it, especially since it's a little off downtown, much more chill there.

Anyways, the middle of the day was spent at Jordan Pond House where we had a pack lunch in the front road and then spent a few hours clearing drainage ditches on the carriage roads near the house. The views near the house are pretty amazing.

Maine in the summer, amazing.

 

[M.S.G.]

This is actually my first summer off in at least 25 years. I always teach summer school and was slated to, assistant principal called me and was like, “hey man not enough kids failed!”

My wife is FURIOUS, gonna be 8 long weeks

 

[Dove]

Maine in the summer, amazing.

We leave Saturday for Acadia, then Portland.

Once my wife comes out of her school year coma, she starts scheduling us for music festivals.

 

[gtcam]

Maine - anytime of the year is fabulous

 

[History Geek]

My father-in-law’s family is from Amalfi. My family and my sister-in law’s family are hopping on a plane Thursday to Rome then driving down there. Five days in Amalfi, three in Rome. Arrivederci!

 

[UConnKev]

I don't know who told you that... but there is no district in the state where a majority of teachers make 130k+.

Even Greenwich maxed out at 125k this year for teachers with a Master's. And that's friggen Greenwich. Most of Fairfield County doesn't make that much at top step.

My sister has been teaching at Greenwich High since 2005. Can confirm this.