Woodstock Early Bird has learned that among the teachers notified they may lose their jobs is Erin Danner, Vermont’s 2010 “Math Teacher of the Year” and Woodstock Union High School’s 2012 “Teacher of the Year.” These cuts, made at the suggestion of the School Board Finance Committee and Principal Greg Shillinger, have been made to achieve some $325K in savings. They were announced on Friday, on a day when students were taking exams. Students apparently witnessed a distraught staff as some had to leave classrooms where they were proctoring tests.
The planned cut in the math department position comes as Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin announced — just last week — a push to to improve math and science education in the State and as the most recent 2012 NECAP testing results show that only 36% of Vermont 11th graders are “proficient” in math.
Katie Leavitt, Luke Jacobs, Jared Stewart, Ainsley Wilding, Shelby Gault, Elena Santos and Austin Cawley-Edwards gathered at Pizza Chef to talk about their hope the School Board will re-consider teacher cuts.
A group of Woodstock Union High School seniors and juniors got in touch with, and met with, Woodstock Early Bird to get the word out, “Please don’t fire our teachers!”
The kids spoke in support of all the teachers slated to lose jobs, but in particular Math Teacher Erin Danner who they say takes time from lunch and study halls to help them, as well as supporting them with extra SAT instruction. As they spoke of her teaching their faces lit up and they smiled.
Among those concerned students talking to Woodstock Early Bird was Austin Cawley-Edwards. His Mom, Nerissa Edwards, is also subject to cuts, having her counseling job cut to part-time. Austin says his Mom will not be able to stay in the job if it is cut to part-time as she needs full-time work to help with sending her kids to college.
Among those who gathered at Pizza Chef to brief Woodstock Early Bird was Senior Luke Jacobs who noted Nerissa Edwards is a special person who has been instrumental in helping to turn him around, getting him to understand he needed to graduate high school to be able to make accomplishments in life. Jacobs says Counselor Edwards has helped set him” in the right direction.” He has learned that he wants to include dancing as an option in his life and he has learned that, while not being on Student Council, he wants to make a difference. Jacobs says that speaking in defense of the excellent teachers and counselors at WUHSMS is important and part of the activism he has embraced after spending time with Edwards.
With regards to the proposed cut in Erin Danner’s math position, this student group points out WUHS is not meeting national standards for math and yet, the powers that be are getting rid of one of the most effective math teachers they know. They say WUHS needs more math, not less.
And then there is the emotion and distraction of the lay0ffs on the students. As one female student said of the cuts and how teachers were informed, “Everyone knows the economy is bad but I didn’t expect to see my math teacher going down the hall in tears.”
The kids have been organizing not just their peers, but their parents, to attend a Wednesday evening meeting of the WUHMS School Board which will be considering the Fiscal 2013-2014 budget. They hope to get the School Board to change its mind about the suggested manner in which the cuts have been made.
When asked to outline points they’d like to make to the School Board, these are generally what they hope to say:
1. Look harder for cuts elsewhere in the school system:
a. Administration — The kids point out three “principals” for a school of no more than 600 kids.
b. Offer early retirement to interested teachers — Informally they hear of approximately 7 teachers possibly willing to take a buy-out.
c. Kids mentioned a program of video conference classes that cost a lot of money but are used by very few.
2. Make cuts based on merit, not just on seniority or lack thereof. (Discussion centered on whether or not such provisions exist in a new teacher contract or not. However, the new teacher contract has not yet been signed. )
Woodstock Early Bird was impressed by the breadth of knowledge these students have about the issue, their balanced and well-researched approach and looks forward to hearing their presentation at the School Board meeting on Wednesday. We thank them for giving us their perspective on this important issue.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 