PDS Visitors

On Thursday my PDS had some visitors in the hallways. RESA and the State Department were in the school observing because my PDS was named a focus school due to the gap in achievement in special education students and general education students. These visitors were observing the whole day and then they will take what they find and make suggestions for how the school can improve. I see how this can be helpful for my PDS but I also see how people could get the wrong impression of how our school is run. For example, we knew that these people were going to be in the building on Thursday; so everyone had the opportunity to plan "exciting" lessons, put art on the walls, and dress professionally. I think if they wanted a clear picture of how the school is really run, they should have come on a day in which the teachers didn't know what was going on. During the day we had people coming in and out to observe teacher and to interview students. Each grade level was required to meet in one specific room during their planning period. A representative came in to interview everyone. This person asked many questions about how my PDS is run and what teachers would like to see change. Many of the teacher expressed that they really do like the way things are run and that there is a good administration/teacher relationship. Everything was running smoothly until the topic of Special Education was brought up. Not everyone was "happy" about how inclusion is run in the 5th grade. However, everyone just pointed fingers at the special education teacher. I agree that the way this person does things isn't the greatest, but I also believe that if you do not like the way things are going then you should have a conversation about it. Instead, this particular teacher was thrown under the bus. I'm really nervous how this all "plays out". The RESA people are going to give a report to our administration and then they will give staff the information in November. I think that this is a good thing for my PDS but I just think they way people went about their concerns was not the most professional. If you aren't happy with something then I believe you should take proper steps in order to make the situation better. Throwing co-workers under the bus isn't the most appropriate way.