How Did Swift and Juneau Do With Teachers?
I wanted to consider the relationships that Jeanice Swift and Denise Juneau have had with unions in their respective states.
I spoke to the head of the Montana Education Association, Eric Feaver, first about Juneau. He was upfront in stating that he is friends with Juneau and her family. He said Juneau was one of the finest people he knew.
He said that Juneau is a member of the union and is union-friendly. He said she knew how to communicate in a collaborative manner. He noted that her initiative, Graduation Matters, had as a component, that families would "pledge" to help their student graduate. There were events across communities to this end, starting with pre-K students. He said he would be a long time to see the outcome but teachers believed in the plan.
In Ann Arbor, I spoke to Linda Carter, the president of the teachers union there. Ms. Carter has been a teacher, in Ann Arbor, for 40 years under 13 superintendents. She said that there had been issues (and hence that article that one reader posted) about clashes with the teachers.
Apparently, that has been smooth over because she couldn't say enough about Swift and her ability to communicate. Recently a new multi-year contract was signed with teachers there. She said that Swift had made an effort "to listen and learn", going from cluster to cluster to listen to teachers and parents. Carter said she would be sad to see Swift leave Ann Arbor.
She also said that the union is allowed to give a brief overview of their issues at every Board meeting.
Update on Swift:
I missed a note that Ann Arbor SD - pre-Swift - had gone to privatization of their bus drivers. When Swift was there, she also got rid of the union representing custodians and lunch room staff and that work is done by private groups.
I spoke to the head of the Montana Education Association, Eric Feaver, first about Juneau. He was upfront in stating that he is friends with Juneau and her family. He said Juneau was one of the finest people he knew.
He said that Juneau is a member of the union and is union-friendly. He said she knew how to communicate in a collaborative manner. He noted that her initiative, Graduation Matters, had as a component, that families would "pledge" to help their student graduate. There were events across communities to this end, starting with pre-K students. He said he would be a long time to see the outcome but teachers believed in the plan.
In Ann Arbor, I spoke to Linda Carter, the president of the teachers union there. Ms. Carter has been a teacher, in Ann Arbor, for 40 years under 13 superintendents. She said that there had been issues (and hence that article that one reader posted) about clashes with the teachers.
Apparently, that has been smooth over because she couldn't say enough about Swift and her ability to communicate. Recently a new multi-year contract was signed with teachers there. She said that Swift had made an effort "to listen and learn", going from cluster to cluster to listen to teachers and parents. Carter said she would be sad to see Swift leave Ann Arbor.
She also said that the union is allowed to give a brief overview of their issues at every Board meeting.
Update on Swift:
I missed a note that Ann Arbor SD - pre-Swift - had gone to privatization of their bus drivers. When Swift was there, she also got rid of the union representing custodians and lunch room staff and that work is done by private groups.
Comments
no duh
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/11/superintendent_announces_plan.html
I am positively inclined toward both Swift and Juneau, however, I feel that Swift has the backbone to clean out the district administration. And many of the issues that Seattle needs addressed: student performance and student discipline equity - Swift already has a successful track record in tackling, albeit in a smaller district.
-Cynic
Snowman
-Cynic
That said, it's pretty common to see several senior people leave for other jobs when the superintendent changes.
Snowman