Tacoma Specialists
news & updates
August 2020 Vol. 7 View previous issues 1 2 3 4 5 6
Speak Up for SPECIALISTS NOW!
Some PE Math
For the 2020/21 school year I will be teaching physical education virtually to Lowell (.6 FTE) and Fawcett (.4 FTE) students. Each school is staffed at .8 FTE, but shared by two teachers. I will be 3 days at Lowell, which means another PE teacher will cover for me when I’m at Fawcett... This year I will be in contact with all of the Lowell students. I will be teaching half the students (211) twice/wk, and the other half (211) once per week. At Fawcett there are 2 options:

Scenario #1
I will teach half the students (220) on Tuesdays and the same students on Wednesdays.
Scenario #2
I will teach half the students Tuesdays (220) and the other half on Wednesdays (220) for a total of 440 different students contacted per week.

If I end up with Scenario #1 from Fawcett that means I will be teaching 642 different students (422 + 220) each week. 
If I end up with Scenario #2 I will be teaching 862 different students (422 +440) each week...

To put it in a different perspective:
*Grades refers to report card grades/competencies.
As specialists we have standards and learning outcomes that parallel national standards. We continually assess our students, grade quizzes, report grades for each of our learning standards, adapt our lessons for students with 504 plans and IEPs, address discipline issues, communicate with parents...not just for a couple of students, but for the entire student population. In PE we have 4 standards that we grade on, 3 times per year for each student. In each of the scenarios presented, this leads to an enormous student load and an even larger grading load. How is this equitable?

-Steve Johnson
Working for Solutions

While we are sad that we are unable to be in our classrooms working with students, we are grateful to be teaching virtually during the Remote and Hybrid models of instruction. It is a huge relief not to be put in a position which endangers our health, or that of our students and families.

"When we are able to return to full-time face to face instruction, the allocations/assignments will be revisited with a team of specialists, to reduce splits and/or travel where ever possible."


"When we are able to return to a typical 5 day a week, full face to face model, we will revisit the Spring 2020 allocations/schedules and every effort will be made to reduce sharing/traveling, within the FTE allocations provided. A representative team of specialists will be asked to provide feedback for this work."


We, the Advocacy Team, are eager to support and provide feedback for this process whenever it is begun. We are ready and waiting to get started.
Where Does the Time Go?
According to emails obtained through public document requests, district administration is aware that specialist staffing is not sufficient to cover planning time for classroom teachers. Principals have been asked to be creative.

“Others in this position have had to get creative. They have had their counselors take classes, doubled up in PE, had administrators oversee a class where they gave kids silent reading time, extra recess. What other resources do you have that could give your teachers planning outside of specialist classes?”

If this has happened at your school, please let us know so that we can more effectively address these contract violations, improve conditions for students and staff, and help administrators to understand that breaking the contract for some to honor it for others is not appropriate. Neither is taking instructional time from students and work time from building administrators to cover silent reading or extra recess.
OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND
We are all familiar with the phrase, “Out of sight, out of mind”. The Specialist Advocacy Council has identified specialist concerns regarding safety, quality, and equity. TEA’s job is to advocate for Tacoma teachers during contract bargaining and throughout the year.
We are currently 'out of sight' regarding specialist representation on TEA. The formula for representation on TEA’s Representative Assembly(RA) is 1 rep. per 10 teaching staff. Given the formula, there should be 75 reps for elementary schools on TEA/RA. To the best of our knowledge only one specialist (1.3% of total reps) is on TEA/RA. Specialists make-up 12% of the total number of elementary school teachers, therefore we should have 9 reps on TEA/RA. That number would put us in plain sight and strengthen our voice so our concerns are heard and addressed. It is our job to educate TEA and fellow representatives as to the concerns we have as specialists and how it impacts our students’ academic, social, and emotional growth. If we remain out of sight, we will be out of TEA’s mind, and how will that benefit us?

Please sign up to become a building representative for TEA this year. We will make a difference!!!
Contact Christa Erolin and Forrest Griek, and your principals TODAY! to help them understand the advantages of beginning the school year with the students we know and will continue to serve as instructional models change. Decisions are being made quickly, so get this important information to the decision-makers in time to be a part of this year's plan.
If you receive a reply, please share it with tacomaspecialists@gmail.com to keep everyone informed of developments.
Advice From Human Resources
When there is a perceived issue from the point of view of the specialist, then the following protocol exists to ensure a timely response and remedy:
 
  1. Discuss with principal. If there is no resolution, then;
  2. The specialist and the principal work with level director. If there is no resolution, then;
  3. The concern is escalated to Human Resources and discussed with union leadership or during a labor management meeting.
You're invited to share your concerns
"Please communicate your concerns directly to myself or Christa Erolin. It is important that labor issues are addressed through the proper channels that the Union and District have established. This insures that concerns are addressed in a timely manner and the communication from both the Union and the District are in alignment."
 
Please feel free to call or email me directly if you have any questions.
 
Know Your Contract
Specialist Staff Survey
We are gathering information on working conditions and possible contract violations for the 2019-20 school year to be sure that these do not recur. If you are a Music, PE, or Library specialist, please complete the survey if you haven't already.
Flawed Staffing Formula
The district has not done their homework on how many classes will fit into a school day.
Staffing levels are inequitable within buildings and across the district.
TPS uses a "school score" to determine need across the district. The score is determined using socio-economic factors, test scores, and various other indicators. Moving resources to where they are most needed makes sense. Is that what happened here?
*This document is dated 6/22/2020, but we are told it was used in making deployment decisions in May.
Instruction
Specialists and students are being set up to fail. Many teachers will be starting the school year doing distance lessons with students they have never met and who they might see once a week.
Where is Everybody?

Click below to see how your school and schools across the district will be impacted. Current as of 7/23
If you would like more information on how you can help advocate for our students and Music, PE and Library educators, please click to add yourself to our advocacy group.
A council representing PE, Music, and Library have been meeting to gather information, rally support and determine next steps for solving district-wide Safety, Quality and Equity issues for specialist programs, students, and staff.

Click below to join our mailing list and be kept in the loop as the situation evolves.
Your information will not be shared without your permission.
Please include your:
Name, Building (any you have connections with), and Role (Staff Position, Parent, Citizen, Student)
Tacoma Specialists Advocacy Council
Maggie Ross - Music, Fernhill
Matt Wood - PE, Stafford
Megan Oberfield - Music, Browns Point
Paula Greuling - Music, Birney
Penny Cramer - Music, Sherman
Rod Huskey - Music, Boze
Roxane Hreha - Music, Whitman
Steve Johnson - PE, Lowell