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Description
From the Philadelphia City Council Committee on Education held Monday, November 28, 2016:
Kensington Health Sciences HS Teacher Angela Iovine testifies on the challenges of teacher retention and recruitment in the School District of Philadelphia.
View the full hearing here: https://youtu.be/zfTHKrvMFTQ
A
A
I'm
a
ninth
year
teacher
in
the
Philadelphia
School
District
at
Kensington,
Health
Sciences
Academy
in
September
of
this
year.
We
had
so
much
going
for
us
for
the
first
time
in
nine
years
since
I've
been
an
English
teacher
at
KHS
a
we
started
the
year
with
an
almost
full
staff
of
returning
teachers.
This
meant
that
we
could
Institute
department-wide
policies
and
set
expectations
for
proficiency
in
each
of
the
four
english
courses.
A
Finally,
I'm
also
the
self-appointed
ninth
grade
teacher
leader
and
for
four
years
I
have
tried
to
coordinate
a
week-long,
freshman
orientation
or
boot
camp
as
I'd
like
to
call
it
in
which
we
introduce
students
to
the
expectations,
both
academically
and
behaviorally
of
KHS
a
it
was
the
first
year
that
we
could
fully
implement
implement
this
program
this
year,
because
it
was
the
first
time
we
had
all
of
our
freshmen
teachers,
freshmen
teachers
in
place
at
the
start
of
the
school
year.
The
first
time
in
previous
years.
A
We
had
had
vacancies
that
prevented
us
from
being
a
unified
team
to
welcome
our
incoming
freshmen
with
key
positions
filled
with
competent,
dedicated
teachers.
We
were
at
an
advantage,
but
there's
so
much
more
to
the
story.
Our
principal
James
Williams
has
actively
pursued
partners
such
as
the
University
of
Pennsylvania
and
Community
College
of
Philadelphia,
and
under
his
leadership,
we've
committed
to
engaging
in
rigorous
professional
development
with
the
help
of
Penn
futures.
A
We
have
instituted
instructional
rounds
in
our
common
planning
periods
and,
as
a
result,
have
helped
to
construct
a
model
for
teacher
to
teacher
collaboration
and
exchange
of
innovative
teaching
strategies.
We
started
this
last
year.
We
have
also
partnered
with
CCP
and
just
last
week,
all
of
our
juniors
and
seniors
were
assessed
in
order
to
determine
their
academic
weaknesses
and
thus
our
instructional
weaknesses
from
there.
A
Our
teachers
will
work
with
CCP
professors
to
craft
a
plan
to
address
these
needs,
with
the
ultimate
goal
of
having
our
students
leave
our
school
with
associate's
degrees,
I
feel
like
I'm
bragging
at
this
point,
but
there's
one
more
important
accomplishment
to
mention.
Over
the
summer,
we
received
the
distinction
of
being
named
a
community
school
by
the
mayor's
office,
a
plan
that
was
fully
supported
by
City
Council.
Now,
all
the
great
stuff
going
on
has
not
gone
on
gone
unnoticed
by
the
Kensington
community.
A
As
a
result,
in
the
first
week
of
school,
many
new
students
registered
parents
have
heard
about
the
level
of
care
and
support
our
kids
receive
from
the
personal
attention
they
receive
from
the
administration
on
down
to
the
support
staff.
So
by
the
end
of
September,
the
overcrowding
in
the
freshman
class
was
becoming
impossible
to
ignore
our
largest
classes
had
52
and
49
students
on
the
roster,
and
we
didn't
have
enough
desks
to
accommodate
them.
The
leveling
process,
which
has
long
handicapped
success
at
our
schools,
citywide,
took
place
in
the
middle
of
October.
A
We
learned
when,
when
it
happen,
we
learn
we'd,
be
getting
for
new
teachers,
but
to
date
only
one
has
come.
It
is
now
almost
December
we're
well
into
the
second
marking
period,
and
a
quarter
of
our
freshmen
are
still
waiting
for
teachers
42
out
of
there
for
classes
fifty
percent
of
their
day.
They
have
a
substitute
in
front
of
them.
The
junior
class
hasn't
had
a
permanent
drama
teacher.
This
means
that
most
juniors
are
without
a
consistent
teacher
for
twenty
five
percent
of
their
day.
A
Since
our
school
uses
block
scheduling
of
four
periods
of
a
day
in
a
small
school
such
as
ours,
with
fewer
than
500
students,
one
teacher
vacancy
meet
a
huge
difference
and
the
climate
and
culture
of
the
building,
the
Philadelphia
School
District,
should
be
focused
on
addressing
Philadelphia's,
unprecedented
vacancy
issue
and
a
leveling
process
that,
for
too
long
has
hindered
our
work
to
be
clear.
Our
teacher
vacancies
are
due
to
over
enrollment
positions
are
not
vacant,
because
staff
left
our
staff
had
stuck
by
our
students,
and
we
will
continue
to
do
so.
A
Despite
the
absence
of
a
contract,
teachers
have
very
financial
financial
incentive
in
real
terms
and
Eric.
Almost
everyone
has
alluded
to
this.
It
means
teachers
who
have
struggled
through
their
first
for
very
challenging
years,
as
teachers
in
the
city
still
have
not
seen
a
pay
raise
and
are
subject
to
a
flawed
teacher
and
student
evaluation
system.
A
As
Eric
was
saying,
many
of
us
find
satisfaction
in
knowing
that
we
are
working
towards
something
bigger
than
ourselves
when
I
look
at
the
amazing
young
educators
that
have
joined
our
team
in
the
last
two
years,
when
I
look
at
my
colleague,
Eric
I'm,
afraid
he's
going
to
leave
and
I
can't
say
that
I
blame
him
as
we
face
the
possibility
of
restructuring
through
one
of
five
provoked
proposed
intervention
plans.
Teachers
are
aware
that
their
jobs
are
on
the
line.
A
We
know
that,
like
hundreds
of
others
through
the
last
few
years,
fifty
percent
of
us
or
more
can
be
fired
with
no
rhyme
or
reason.
There
is
no
data
to
support
destabilizing
a
school,
but
it
is
particularly
troubling
that
a
school
that
has
worked
to
create
a
stable
and
supportive
environment,
in
spite
of
the
challenges
we
had
been
given,
could
be
undone
in
the
name
of
reform.
A
It's
my
fear
that
these
younger
teachers
can
easily
walk
away
and
reinvent
themselves.
They
are
talented
and
resourceful,
and
we
need
them
desperately
here.
But
what
do
we
have
to
offer
them
at
this
point?
We
only
have
uncertainty,
so
here
we
are
left
with
poorly
paid
talented
teachers
who
are
working
their
butts
off.
I'm.
A
Sorry
excuse
me,
I'm,
trying
to
make
a
difference
in
any
way
possible
if
they're
lucky
enough
to
work
in
a
school
like
KHS,
a
where
there
is
a
feeling
of
movement
towards
an
attainable
goal
that
has
already
been
put
in
place
by
the
mayor's
office
and
with
the
full
support
of
City
Council,
there's
hope
and
a
lot
of
it.
But
in
an
environment
where
resources
in
the
form
of
people
power
are
hanley
denied,
yet
results
are
still
being
demanded.
It
seems
to
be
a
losing
battle.
A
The
majority
of
our
students
come
to
us
in
ninth
grade
three
or
four
years
behind
grade
level.
Yet
our
success
is
measured
not
in
the
progress
we
make,
but
in
whether
or
not
we
can
move
students
to
the
next
level,
practically
ignoring
the
fact
that
they
started
out
years
behind.
How
can
we
be
held
accountable
when
the
district
has
failed
to
provide
us
even
with
teachers,
to
addict
least
a
power
school?
A
The
examples
I've
given
here
are
only
the
tip
of
the
iceberg.
Talk
to
teachers
and
students
across
the
district
and
they'll
tell
you
about
vacancies
that
have
lasted
all
year
long.
My
school
has
been
recognized
by
the
mayor's
office
of
Philadelphia
as
a
community
school
which
in
itself
is
an
intervention.
The
good
work
we
have
been
doing
has
been
acknowledged
and
with
that
acknowledgement
has
come
a
pledge
of
support
and
change
through
the
school,
the
Community
Schools
Initiative.
A
We
know
we
need
help,
and
we
know
that
help
is
coming
to
be
placed
on
the
table,
for
intervention
shows
that
there
is
no
consideration
in
the
work
we
have
already
done
and
real
faith
in
what
we
can
achieve.
I
ask
that
the
City
Council
stand
with
our
community
recognize
a
significant
progress
that
we
have
made
and
contact
the
district
to
make
it
clear
that
ripping
our
school
community
part
is
not
solution.