These assessments are seriously cutting into instructional time.  In order to accommodate exceptional learners on these assessments, the exceptional child educators are spending more time out of their collaboration classes and also losing resource time with their students." (In the time since this concern was shared, we have been informed that accommodations will no longer be given on common assessments as they were previously)

In kindergarten, we have so many assessments that have to be given one on one. Because of this, obviously it takes a while before they are completed. Since Christmas break, I may have gotten to run groups 5 times. We are literally always testing, which leaves not much time for teaching. I’m afraid we can’t move ahead because we just keep testing, behavior is getting out of control while we try to keep the ones that are not testing busy, and our kids just seem SAD. Honestly, kindergarten is the most fun time of your elementary days and our kids are crying and not wanting to come to school. I’ve been teaching kindergarten for 7 years and I’ve never seen K kids seem so unhappy. Oh, and yes my assistant gives assessments, but I also have to so that they get done.

We have assessments that the district tells us to give, plus assessments that our school tells us to give. (PS those district assessments are another concern- YIKES.)

These all hit us at once in the month of January

Core Phonics, PAST, I-Ready, Sight words, Fountas/Pinnell, District Assessments

*I have noticed that this year, I have six kids who are considered Not Found on Fountas Pinnell- the most “Not Found”-ers I’ve ever had at this point in the year. That tells me that the lack of groups/increase in assessment is actually hurting my kids. Some of those are special cases, but as I reflect on them overall, this is the lowest reading levels I’ve had at this point in the year.*

Plus then entering all the data into the spreadsheets instead of planning for future lessons.

I just feel like I can’t keep up- like I’m juggling and balls keep getting thrown at me.

Formative assessment should not be a grade!  This is what the experts teach and the way we have been trained.  

I wish I could see district common assessment data to compare scores in order to determine to students’  proficiency.

Teachers have been implementing reading logs for many years.  Why is this suddenly a novel idea?  Rather than spending money for prizes and Plinko boards, why weren’t community supported programs utilized?  Pizza Hut offers the Book-It program free of charge every year to school.  They offer coupons for free personal pan pizzas for students completing the program as set forth by the classroom teacher

We are now attending an additional PLC meeting with Mrs. Godbey.  This means that we are losing two planning times on the weeks that she is in the building.  These meetings are a repeat of strategies that have already been presented through a wide variety of district trainings (Kagan, Whole Brain, etc).

Teachers are not trained (or at least I wasn't) in how the district wants RTI data collected and documented.  I have been given different answers by different people on how it should be done.  I would have liked a training at some point before a school year started on exactly what is expected in this area so that my time was not wasted.

More and More and More is being placed upon classroom teachers, yet NOTHING is being taken away.  Our students are suffering!  They are not getting the best of us…they are getting what’s left of us.  

I am concerned about the consistency.  We keep trying new things and not giving enough time for things to work before it is changed again.  It would be better to do a few things well instead of trying to do so many things half way. I feel we are spread so thin that we are unable to provide the best instruction to our students. 

If up to our district, will our district still be able to afford to pay retired teachers for their accumulated sick days when they retire?

Will personal days still roll over? What problems does the board foresee with this for the district?

Technology: ¾ of the school will have Chromebooks and we do not have anyone in place that can fix tech problems in real time.  Teachers are briefly trained at the start of the year concerning technology, but nothing more.  Teachers need guidance on how to plan tech lessons. We need support systems concerning our new technology in house to help, not just PD days or faculty meetings. 

I know the state is cutting funds, but I don’t see surrounding districts making drastic staff cuts. 

• Middle school has two librarians but Highland/Waynesburg/McKinney share one librarian.  The high school has one librarian.
• The same is true with RTI positions. 
• McKinney has two RTI teachers for 125 kids.  Highland and Waynesburg both have one.

feel as though they are not valued, that they have 20 people waiting in line to take their jobs. NTI expectations for certified/classified is not equitable. As classified assistants have to grade all packets and work their time while teachers are safe at home answering phone calls. This was all the concerns I have received at this time.

Field trip costs should be covered for in county field trips.  It is ridiculous that it costs us $100 to take a group of 4th graders from Stanford Elementary to the high school to support our middle school students at their plays.  It is also unfair for the schools that are farther away and have to pay more than we do.

It is absolutely crazy that we have to pay the cost of this for a driver to take us to the high school auditorium for a middle school play for example.  It is an in county trip where we are supporting our own students and we have to pay an awful cost just to go as well as the kids have to pay the ticket cost.  Yes they should pay for the ticket to see the play but our grade level and our school should NOT have to pay for a bus, driver, and expenses for an in county trip that supports our own county students.  It costs us a fortune to go on a field trip and the paperwork and map idea is a lot of work.  You have made the process of a fun field trip almost not even worth it to go.

I would hope you would reconsider this and try to help support the students in a much more feasible manner.

Parking/Buses is an issue because our MS/HS students/parents are taking parking spots for staff as well as causing traffic issues in the mornings. The MS/HS students will get out of a vehicle on the main road to get on buses or park at houses across the road from school. (Delbert Ruckel does occasionally park across from the school or on 27 to help buses get out.) They also park in staff spots in mornings waiting to get on buses, which causes our staff members not to have a parking spot in the mornings. 

We also have issues in the afternoons when they get off the buses to switch. The students wonder around in the parking lot until they have to get back on the bus to leave Waynesburg.

Our cafeteria is running out of food on a daily basis. Our students have to sit and wait for more food to be cooked or their food is served to them instead of serving themselves like other students. This is typically occurring during the last lunch, which is 4^th grade students (who need larger portions that K) and they are not getting as much food as others are. 

I would just like to know if Lincoln County teachers anywhere are planning a town hall or rally to support educational agendas in the upcoming budget. I am very concerned about the future of insurance benefits and just saw that we may lose funding in several other vital areas. I know our KEA reps are on top of this, but wondering what others are saying.