Earlier this month the Haverhill Education Association sponsored a debate among the candidates for the Haverhill School Committee graciously hosted by Frank Novak’s Point of Reference program on Haverhill Community Media. Questions for the debate were generated by HEA members but due to time constraints not all questions were presented to the candidates. After the debate, every candidate was offered an opportunity to respond to some additional questions from the HEA via email. The answers provided by the candidates who responded are below in alphabetical order. Please watch the debate and read their responses below as you decide who to support in this year’s election and don’t forget to vote on Tuesday, November 3rd!
1. How would you redefine the role of the department heads/supervisors to be more intouch with the realities of classroom teaching?
Sven Amirian: Department heads and supervisors should all be required to spend a certain amount of time in all of the classrooms they oversee. I would also like to see this supervisory responsibility be shared so that no individual could become a roadblock to the communication process.
Pam Conte: I would like more clarification on the definition of “department heads.” Individuals that I have spoken with that I understood to be “department heads” have also been active classroom teachers. Being in the classroom gives any individual firsthand experience as to what is happening in the classroom. However, it is important to note that being in the classroom for a one or two day visit in no way compares to working in the classroom every day and dealing with all of the challenges and responsibilities that are encountered there.
Gail Sullivan: This question implies that supervisors don’t know the realities of classroom teaching. I believe that all supervisors who have a say in evaluations ought to have taught for at least five years. Teachers and supervisors should share a clearly defined vision of what excellent teaching looks like. There also must be agreement as to what constitutes evidence of good teaching. I think that all teachers and supervisors would benefit by being trained in a system like the one offered by Research for Better Teaching.
2. What are ways you think the city and school could do to better fund the cost of living raises for school employees?
Amirian: Both the city and school system need to do a better job of forecasting future needs. It has been my experience in local government that we spend far too much time reacting to issues like budget crises instead of being proactive in planning for these events. It is critical for both the city and school system to have a cohesive and flexible master plan which includes consideration for fair, realistic and consistent cost of living raises for all municipal employees.
Conte: I would start by speaking with all school employees to determine where money is being spent productively and where it is not. I would want to look more closely at all expenses to evaluate whether they could be funded through different sources both within the city and at the state and federal level. If the state and federal governments are placing mandates on us, then they need to fund those mandates as well.
Sullivan: There ought to be communication between the school committee and the council prior to the end of a contract so that the council is mindful of a potential increase in salaries. There ought to be a study of contracts of all surrounding areas that include salaries, steps, insurance benefits and tuition benefits. If the city is to attract and retain excellent teachers we need to know what surrounding cities and towns are offering.
3. What do you see your role as in communicating and or advocating for districts with state and federal officials?
Amirian: This is a critical element of what I believe the school committee’s duties should encompass. So much of our local educational process is dictated by state mandates and we should have a consistent and frequent line of communication with our elected and appointed officials. The school committee needs to do a much better job in attending state and federal educational seminars and events and in educating themselves in the larger policies outside of the school district that affect our system.
Conte: Facilitator. Communication between all parties is key as is working together. The more people who can come together with a common goal, the more productive they will be. We must work together to determine our most important goals and devise a joint path to take together, to support each other to reach that goal.
Sullivan: I see my role as an advocate for the children of the district. In order to advocate I would want to be as informed as possible. I would want to visit all of the schools and set up a process whereby one school is featured at each school committee meeting. Teachers, administrators and students could attend. They would show the committee what they are currently working on and outline their most pressing needs.
4. Considering that Haverhill is such a diverse population of students how would you encourage or facilitate cooperation between parents, teachers and administrators?
Amirian: In today’s modern age, we need to make sure we are communicating through all media channels. There is not one certain medium that is guaranteed to get through to every parent, teacher, or administrator but we should strive for a comprehensive plan that utilizes all the tools at our disposal. We must also make sure that with our diverse ethnic background, we are communicating in the appropriate native language. Although it is certainly our goal to ensure our student body is fluent in English, there is no way to guarantee this at the parental level and we need to make strides to identify if and where language is a barrier to communication.
Conte: Many of our students have parents for whom English is not their first language. Amongst these students are many parents that may speak English, but who are not as well versed in the written language. These parents miss the written information that is sent home with their child. It is uncomfortable or embarrassing for many of these parents to try to find someone to ask what the notices say. Moreover, today we are carrying on more and more conversations by email; a great way to communicate more, but only if you read and write the language. Haverhill has begun to make strides by translating some, but not all, notices into Spanish; however, our families speak many other languages as well. To improve communication you need to start by asking the question, “In what language would you prefer to converse?” and then do our best to provide it. But, language is only one aspect. We must also understand that there are cultural differences between people from different backgrounds. Family expectations differ from household to household whether they are from Haverhill, from different parts of the United State or from different parts of the world. It is important to understand where people are coming from and in turn it is important for us to communicate to others what is expected of them. In the end, it comes down to respecting each other. If I can respect you, it is a beginning to having you respect me.
Sullivan: The best way to encourage cooperation is to focus on what is best for students. There are schools and subgroups that are struggling and need help. Teachers, parents and administrators ought to be involved in concerted efforts to improve the educational experience for all students. That being said, all plans ought to be data driven and backed by research.
5. How will you ensure that teachers have a voice in the policy and decisions that affect the education of our students?
Amirian: Teachers need to have one of the loudest and influential voices in determining effective practices in their classrooms. I would make it a priority to ensure that the chain of command provides teachers with the pathway they need to communicate their classroom needs. I would also insist on strict oversight of this chain of command and hold top level administrators accountable for the climate of collaboration and open communication that they should be fostering.
Conte: Talk to me. Tell me what you want tell me what is happening “in the trenches.” To make good choices and sound decisions you must have good sound information and research. I think that good communication and positive group strategizing can create the best solutions.
Sullivan: Most school committee policies are driven by state and federal laws that the school committee must follow. If a new policy is to be addressed or an old policy revised, it should be done at an open meeting. There ought to be time built into the agenda for public comment on any new business item.
6. How much time is acceptable to take away from teaching for standardized testing?
Amirian: I have a real issue with standardized testing. Every student processes information and learns in a different manner and I challenge our state and federal officials to identify the “standard” student. In the same vein, each classroom provides a unique and individual learning environment to which the teacher must adapt, sometimes on a daily basis. Standardized tests force a “one size fits all” evaluation model on our diverse student population. Teachers should be allowed to adapt their teaching to the individual needs of the class without the burden of an unrealistic standard. If we empower and encourage our teachers and then demand excellence, we could greatly reduce the time we spend teaching to the test.
Conte: I am not a fan of standardized testing. I feel that we have become a standardized test obsessed society. It seems as if our society has decided that if we can invent the right test and if everyone is taught how to “pass” the test, then we will have helped our children and our society. I realize that the original thought process behind a standardized test was to make sure students were all receiving a good and equal education regardless of where they went to school. But, I feel that our time and money could be better spent in the classroom. The money spent on testing could be used to buy textbooks and reduce class size. A smaller class size would result in better student to teacher ratios which actually do improve learning.
Sullivan: I think three days is the limit for standardized testing.
7. What is your philosophy on teacher autonomy in the classroom?
Amirian: I feel that I have substantially addressed this issue in the previous questions. Simply put, I believe that teachers should be trusted and empowered to adapt their educational style to the individual needs of their classroom. They should be given the tools they need to accomplish this and then be held accountable in a supportive and collaborative fashion by the school administration. At all times we must encourage a climate of cooperation and trust and not one of fear and tyranny.
Conte: The classroom teacher is the front line of the education battle. They know what they need to teach and every day they can assess what is happening in their classroom with their students. It is through this firsthand experience that they are able to determine what their plan of attack will be each day. They are able to change or modify their approach to maximize effectiveness with each student.
Sullivan: I think that each school ought to have articulated standards and outcomes for each grade or subject. As long as each teacher is working on these standards and goals, then the methods used for teaching ought to be up to the teacher. If student performance is substandard then the teacher (using advice from a well-trained mentor) will need to figure out more effective ways of teaching.
8. Since it historically takes over a year to negotiate a contract, what is your plan on negotiating a contract before the most recent contract will end?
Amirian: Contract discussion and negotiation needs to be continuous and ongoing discussion. It is unacceptable for teachers and administrators to have endured the last two extended negotiations which lasted 3-4 and 1-2 years respectively without consensus being reached. As a school committee we cannot allow things to continue unresolved until a crisis point is reached. We need to start planning now for the next contract period.
Conte: Start now!
Sullivan: I don’t think that negotiating a contract should take a year. Six months prior to the end of a contract the two sides ought to start regular meetings. Prior to these meetings, both sides should have done their homework about what the cost impact would be on the tax rate and what is happening in surrounding districts. It would also be helpful if both sides were trained in a positive form of negotiation, such as “Getting to Yes”. There should also be an agreed upon set of negotiating rules that both teams respect.