Illing Middle School

First of all, where did that 10 students per 1 teacher ratio come from? It's completely false! Each teacher geberally has 20-25 students, sometimes alone, and sometimes with a SpEd co-teacher. Chirus and phys ed classes are HUGE. Illing school does have some very dedicated teachers. Several of them go above and beyond and are willing and available to meet or talk after school hours. They also go into work early before school hours to get work done or meet with parents. That type of teacher at Illing, however, is a dying breed. Teachers are burnt out. Administration at Illing has a high turnover rate which negatively affects the students and teachers due to lack of continuity. Rules are changed and expectations are different with each new administrator. There have been three different principals in the past five years. Also, the trend in Manchester Public Schools now is to hire ONLY BEGINNING TEACHERS to fill vacancies created by resignations or retirements. This practice is done because new teachers "cost less" on the salary scale. They will earn anywhere from 10-20 thousand dollars less than a veteran teacher. The Manchester teachers' contract with salary scales are available for the public to view online. It's published as part of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI). Manchester would not be breaking the bank if they were to ocassionally hire a teacher with 10 years of experience. Yet, the Superintendent flat-out refuses to even think about hiring anyone above mabey step 1 or 2 on the salary scale. Does the Board of Ed pat him on the back when he saves the district an annual $10,000 in salary? Where does the rest of the wasted distric money go? Doesnt the superintendent make bonuses? Doesnt he receive allowence for gas and mileage? Look of Manchester Public Schools online and see how they are misappropriating funds for ridiculous non-academic purposes. Your tax dollars are going toards nonsense instead of quality teachers who can provide a well-rounded, positive and sound education to your kids. Instead, the superintendent chooses to "save money" by hiring inexperienced 20-somethings to fill teaching vacancies. These fresh-from-college kids are left to sink or swim in sometimes-difficult teaching situations. Often, they sink. Thus, several young teachers have quit their Manchestsr teaching jobs mid-school-year or earlier. Is that good for kids? When the vacancies have arisen, though, the superintendent refuses to entertain the idea of hiring dedicated veteran teachers with excellent classroom management skills, natural teaching abilities, years of teaching experience, impressive resumes, and glowing recommendations. Superintendent Geary would rather continue to hire just-out-of-college 22-23-year old teachers because their salaries are at the "bottom step" in the teacher contract. The act of hiring only newbies is a detriment to the students who then receive a poor education from a green 20-something with no skills or experience. The superintendent's practice of hiring only 20-somethings also frustrate the veteran teachers who struggle to work along side these new and poorly-prepared, confused, stubborn and entitled "youths". The hiring of what amounts to "cheap labor" as opposed to experienced well-rounded veteran educators is done to save about $15,000 in salary per year. $15,000 means nothing to a district that reguarly wastes millions of dollars on meaningless things while students go without proper educational materials or teachers who understand the educational process and flow of a classroom. Meanwhile, Manchester Public Schools was recently somehow able to afford a multi-million-dollar state-of-the-art sports field with FIFA-grade fake turf. THIS a priority to the Board of Ed and superintendent of Manchester Schools? What's wrong with a grass fied? Does anyone realize how much that renovation cost the taxayers of Manchester? Why aren't the childrens' educational needs the priority? They spend millions and millions on a new football field, but balk at hiring people who may fall a little higher on the salary scale than a recent college grad. Just watch as your childrens' teachers get younger and younger each year. Look up the salary info and the info regarding the new sports field. It's all available through the Freedom of Info Act. Then ask your kid what he/she learned today from his/her 24-year old teacher who spent the entire period executing futile empty-threat discipline tactics and was unable to get through a lesson. Manchester, your veteran teachers are fed up with the youngsters. They are retiring early. The young teachers have no guidance or admin support, so they're quitting too. Then you replace everyone with more 23-year-olds. No wonder the test scores and morale are so low. Wake up!

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