Weddingbee boards

Hi all,

My fiance is a teacher in a low performing, urban school district...he has been in the same school teaching for the past 3 years.  This year he received an unsatisfactory rating on his final evaluation for the year.  A good chunk of teachers from his school were notified about being let go prior to the school year ending.  My fiance was never told that he was being let go(he is tenured and has always had good reviews up until this point and he was confused as to why he suddenly got a U) but that a personal improvement plan was to be developed with the prinicipal.  He got his evaluation 3 days before the last day of school, so he assumed that this would be part of his initial planning meeting during the next school year.  He left and checked out for the end of the year and no one said anything to him about him not being asked back.  For everyone else that this happened to, they initiated the termination process very early on, in april or may and they were notified verbally and in writing.  So, imagine our shock, surprise and devastation when he received a letter in the mail from the district office telling him he has to show up for a meeting at the end of THIS WEEK to discuss the district's intent to terminate his employment.  There was no reason given, so he has been spending the past 24 hours trying to think of anything that may have happened outside of the 1 bad evaluation.  He works so hard to plan creative and engaging lessons,spends countless hours with his students to try to help them get more engaged in learning and school, and participates in after school activities at the school as well.  Not to mention that the district provides minimal supplies so he has spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars over the past 3 years to decorate his classroom, buy paper to make copies, and provide the kids in his class with art supplies, notebooks, pens, etc.  My fiance is in utter disbelief, there have been other teachers who receieved unsatisfactories but they were given the opportunity to improve with at least a 6 month probationary period.  We are beside ourselves as we cannot afford to live on my salary alone, and it is really difficult to find another teaching job where we live right now, especially without a good reference from your prinicipal.  I am so upset, he is in shock, but is trying to look at the bright side and figure out the next steps.  He is also taking as much comfort as he can in the fact that his principal has let go other teachers who he knows are dedicated, hard workers, and who get results with their kids too,so there may be something else going on behind the scenes that they are all unaware of.  He has left messages from the labor relations office in his district as well as his union representative.  We are originally from New York where teaching jobs are hard to come by, hence the move to our current location, but are seriously considering moving back in with his parents to get back on our feet if he does not find anything before the school year starts. I am terrified too because this would mean that I have to leave my job 4 months away from being able to earn my advanced license in my field and go to a state where it would take me at least 6 months to a year longer to get the equivalent credential.   I just really needed to vent, he has asked me not to say anything to anyone we know in real life until he finds out more information about what is going on..but i feel like i am bursting at the seams and ready to cry at any given moment because I simply have no idea what we are going to do if he really gets terminated.  Thanks for listening..

Thanks to all of you for your responses...this sucks, plain and simple, and the worst part is that we have no answers as to why its happening yet, so there is just this overwhelming sense of confusion.

@bunnyfoofoo:  My fiance's principal is not the type of principal where he could simply ask her why, according to all of the teachers we know from his school, this principal has a reputation among the staff at the school for playing favorites and picking people that she "hates", unprofessional behavior (that no one can prove of course) and faking observations..my fiance was never even observed at all his first year teaching at that school and it was his first teaching job ever!  This year he had one observation and it wasn't even by the principal.  She is scary and there have been some horror stories about her, but most of her staff is so afraid of what would happen to them if they spoke up, they just keep their mouth shut.  My fiance is one of those people who does not make a big fuss, so he is even more confused about how he got on the wrong side of this situation...he has no idea who's decision it was, all the letter said was show up to this hearing about our intent to terminate you on friday, call the union if you have any questions..so he is trying to get some answers currently...

we are trying to look on the bright side, this was not a great situation for him, and he has learned more about how to negotiate with a crazy principal than how to be a better teacher, and he has been looking for a new position for quite some time now, we also have been wanting to move lately so this might be the perfect excuse.  It just all sucks that this is happening now that wedding planning for us kicked into full swing!  We have no idea what we can expect to be able to afford now if the worst case scenario comes true...yikes.

@cherryblossom80:  That is an idea we have not considered teaching abroad..he is looking into subbing and adding a special ed certification--he already has  secondary social studies and secondary language arts certification, if he is unable to get a different job.  Where did you find out about teaching in korea? I am a social worker...do you have to have a teaching degree to do this job? How often were you guys able to get back to the US?

@bunnyfoofoo:  I will pass some of these suggestions on to my fiance..they really gave him less than a week to prepare so hopefully he will be able to gather the necessary information to make a case for himself..he absolutely does not want to work in the same school again, but would be open to a transfer to a different school (its a huge district)...obviously he wants to leave on his own terms, not be forced out the door!  He was never put on an action plan and had received satisfactory reviews and observations up until this past school year where he had one unsatisfactory observation at the end of the year and and unsatisfactory overall performance review, nothing was put in to place, but a teacher improvement plan was recommended in the principal's comments section on the evaluation.  He has never had the 2 required formal observations in a school year, they are lucky if they do 1 all yearand he teaches 2 subjects!  Thanks for your help, you are very knowledgeable..hopefully he will have a similar reaction if people find out who is working for..not sure how out there her reputation is..

@Ladyjenn: that is really terrible!  I hope you find (or have already found) something you love to do that has some staying power and security!  I hate this feeling of being in the unknown!

@Mamasita2004: thank you so much, you have no idea how much that means.  You all are so wonderful and supportive!

@Beelieve:  I am sorry that you're having a hard time getting a teaching job!  We actually moved down to baltimore from NY because of the same reason.  Update on the situation is that he has contacted his union representative and the office of labor relations for his district and they have played phone tag today..he hopes to at least find out the reason for the intent to terminate so that he can come to the meeting prepared..also, after receiving a letter yesterday stating the meeting is 7/23 at one office, they sent another one today stating that its actually 7/30 and will now take place at the teacher's union office. we are wondering what that is about.  He is getting his paperwork in order now...public schools are in a sad state right now, through all of our research we have realized that there are so many districts and states in huge trouble and layoffs are so widespread that teachers who find jobs now in many places are truly blessed.

honestly, you all are the best...i am trying to respect FI's privacy and not call my mom or my best friend and scream and cry because of all of the stress and tell them all about it, but i promised him I would not say anything until we knew what was really happening. Its so hard for me, i am a social worker and I talk about problems for a living!  We will be ok..i keep saying that to myself anyway and while it might not be easy right now, hopefully things work out for the best. 

nope, not in dcps...I think most school districts around the country are dealing with a lot of insane changes...its sad! Hopefully your FI does not have to deal with anything ridiculous like this at DCPS

@beatriz:  He is definitely getting in touch with the union, he has been playing phone tag with them, but his representative is being very responsive and is aware of the situation that is apprently going on with his school.  My FI also found out that 7 other teachers are being let go from his school.  He never received a pink slip or any type of verbal or written notice of being let go from his job, until he received this letter this week.  Thanks for your advice!  I am not a teacher, so this stuff seems baffling to me!