I will let Superintendent Vitti's own words do the talking for him. The following comes form an e-mail he sent the district.
The Jacksonville Summer Principal Academy (SPA) combines rigorous leadership training at Columbia University in New York City and a full-time assistant principal/principal residency with Duval County Public Schools in order to prepare individuals to serve as exceptional school leaders. Selected candidates will be outstanding educators, have three-years teaching experience in urban education, emerging or demonstrated leadership experience, and a commitment to pursuing school leadership within our schools.
First you should know that thus far this program has been an expensive give away for Teach for America members as most of the scholarships have gone to them.
http://jaxkidsmatter.blogspot.com/2014/03/paula-wright-asks-tough-questions-about.html
Think about it, the super is saying, hey lets have some 25 year old assistant principals, that's what the district needs. When I started teaching it was about my third year that I started to figure things out. My first year I didn't know what I didn't know. My second I knew most of it but not what to do about it and around my third I started hitting a groove. This isn't to say I was a bad teacher my first couple years but I don't know anybody that says, my first year, now there was some teaching.
This is a terrible idea from a man who became superintendent at the tender age of 35, and we see how well that has worked out.
Leadership has been a problem here in Duval and just because you can pass a test or get a degree does not make you a leader, furthermore there has been way to much patronage going on as who you know rather than what you could do often takes priority. Bringing in 25 year old assistant principals however is just going to make things worse.
The Jacksonville Summer Principal Academy (SPA) combines rigorous leadership training at Columbia University in New York City and a full-time assistant principal/principal residency with Duval County Public Schools in order to prepare individuals to serve as exceptional school leaders. Selected candidates will be outstanding educators, have three-years teaching experience in urban education, emerging or demonstrated leadership experience, and a commitment to pursuing school leadership within our schools.
First you should know that thus far this program has been an expensive give away for Teach for America members as most of the scholarships have gone to them.
http://jaxkidsmatter.blogspot.com/2014/03/paula-wright-asks-tough-questions-about.html
Think about it, the super is saying, hey lets have some 25 year old assistant principals, that's what the district needs. When I started teaching it was about my third year that I started to figure things out. My first year I didn't know what I didn't know. My second I knew most of it but not what to do about it and around my third I started hitting a groove. This isn't to say I was a bad teacher my first couple years but I don't know anybody that says, my first year, now there was some teaching.
This is a terrible idea from a man who became superintendent at the tender age of 35, and we see how well that has worked out.
Leadership has been a problem here in Duval and just because you can pass a test or get a degree does not make you a leader, furthermore there has been way to much patronage going on as who you know rather than what you could do often takes priority. Bringing in 25 year old assistant principals however is just going to make things worse.
And yet, our "WONDERFUL" School Board (cue the eye rolling please) extended his CONTRACT for another 3 years before this abysmal FSA data came out. It is times like this when I really want to say WT......!!!
ReplyDeleteThese green administrators make up for their lack of knowledge with bossiness. They can't answer a question, but they can back you off with bitchiness.
ReplyDeleteHsahahahaha - he's not even using shells anymore in the three shell Monte game. The table is just empty. So glad I'm retired. DCPS have the worst public relations from their current and former teachers. The powers that be in the Chateau behind the Lines are beyond clueless. 25 year old Asst Principals. Really? Of course. It's Duval County. What a train wreck of a school system. This former DCPS employee is so glad I sent my daughter to a private school.
ReplyDeleteVitti has got to be kidding. Is this a late April Fool's joke? 25 year old Assistant Principals? Come on Vitti, who's fooling whom?
ReplyDeleteWow that's awful as I'm sure most of these people will have terrible people skills. 3 years of experience in the classroom is not enough and let alone being 25 as most would be hardly mature enough at that age, I have 16 years in the classroom teaching grades 2-8 11-12 and I feel that I would make a great principal as I actually have good people skills
ReplyDeleteThis is simple, just like young teachers, young administrators are easy to control, less expensive and easy to replace. Although, Vitti loves to give the admins infinite chances because of point one and two - they are easy to control and don't cost him much.
ReplyDeleteWhat he and many other leaders and legislatures are hoping for is a complete turnover in the education workforce (excerpt for the top brass) every 3 - 5 years so they don't have to pay retirement nor the higher medical premiums of older teachers./ They also can eliminate the accumulation and use of sick leave days.
It is the ideal situation for them. The only problem is it looks like many college graduates are figuring out that education is a short term, dead end job and they are majoring in other areas.
However, if the job market can be kept low and unemployment high then teaching will be always be available for the desperate. These people will be used and then discarded. And the students will suffer but not the students of the rich who will go to elite private schools.