Teachers say they’re not ready for the first day

The president of the Pottsgrove School District teachers union told the school board Tuesday night that elementary teachers “are not ready” for the first day of school due to inadequate computer training.

As a result of a lengthy discussion, the board bypassed the union’s request to push school back by a week, and instead voted 8-1 to make the first four days of school half-days, so teachers can get more training in the afternoons.

Board member Ashley Custer, who said other school districts had pushed the start of school back by a week and did not see

why Pottsgrove could not as well, cast the only vote against the change.

The decision came during a marathon five-hour meeting during which the board also voted 5-4 to allow some athletics to continue despite the fact that all classroom learning is being done virtually.

(You can read about that in The Mercury’s sports section).

It was also revealed Tuesday night that the district plans to start school even though the iPads the district ordered for more than said Shirk. “We did the best job possible within the system and the hand that we’re dealt.”

“Our job at this point is to keep the ball moving forward,” said Shirk. “I am also hearing from parents who say ‘please, kids need structure of school.’ Is it perfect? No. Is it the best we can do under the circumstances? Yes.”

John Shantz, a high school teacher who took over this year as president of the Pottsgrove Education

Association, told the board kids not having iPads is only part of the problem.

“We’re not ready. We’re definitely not ready. The school district is not ready. We are not relaxed,” Shantz said. “General membership meeting had seasoned veterans, with decades of experience under their belt, who were in tears.”

At issue are two online platforms teachers, parents and students must use, but which the elementary teachers are using for the first time and had not yet been trained to use. Zoom is a platform many are familiar with and which was used partially last spring when the coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of all Pennsylvania schools. More problematic is a program called “Schoology,” which has been used for several years by the high school and middle school, but never before in Pottsgrove’s three elementary schools. Shirk said the district decided in mid-July to expand the use of Schoology to the elementary schools. Although there have been “in-service days” for teacher training, some have been an option and not all teachers could avail themselves, said Shantz. Further, the first official Schoology training sessions did not begin until Wednesday, Aug. 26, he said. “We’re asking our teachers to work and to learn along the way with our students and family,” Shirk told the board. “I feel like we were asked to do some crazy stuff. We did so much to do extra pieces for the whole child, and we are diminished in our capacity to help the kids that we love, and it stinks,” said Shantz, who is a Pottsgrove High School graduate. “Having chosen virtual, we want to go all in. We’re

“I am beyond disappointed. You’re setting the teachers, the students and the parents up for failure.”

— Kelly Reighard, parent

simply not ready.”

School board members Bill Parker and Jim Lapic and board President Robert Lindgren remarked on the stark difference between the picture of readiness painted by the administration and the alternative view expressed by the teachers union.

“That’s twice we have been led to believe one thing, and then heard something totally different from the union,” said Parker, who suggested that a union member attend all school board meetings to offer the teachers’ perspective.

“Fifteen-hundred kids do not have devices. It took four years to get high school and middle teachers to use Schoology the same way,” said Lapic. “The first day is going to be hell,” said Lapic, adding that he “came to administration last week and was told everything was fine.

Now we’re hearing that’s not true.”

“It’s hard to square the circle between what we’re hearing from administrators and what we’re seeing in the emails from teachers,” said Lindgren. “We have glowing reports of teachers and professionals from the administration. It’s entirely possible they are both true, but it’s hard for me to reconcile them,” says Lindgren.

At one point Lindgren asked Shantz “what have the high school teachers done to help the elementary teachers with Schoology,” to which Shantz replied “that’s easy. Nothing. That’s not our job.”

“Yes it is,” Lindgren, retorted before Parker intervened and said that is the administration’s job.

Subsequently, Lindgren became more contrite and said he is just trying to get answers.

“We want the teachers to be ready. We want students to be ready. We wanted the computers here on time,” he said “We keep saying to each other ‘can’t we catch a break?’”

“We just keep trudging through 2020 and that’s just the way it’s going to be,” said Lindgren. “I don’t know how to inspire people and I admire the people who can. I don’t really have an inspirational message tonight.”

“We need to come together for the betterment of Pottsgrove,” said board member Patricia Grimm, who first suggested the half-day compromise.

“That’s all we want,” said Shantz. “I did not come here seeking an argument, don’t take this as adversarial. We’re coming here looking for a solution.”

He added, “I’m not coming to you today, just a few days before the start of school. This is a recommendation I made months ago. Also one I made a week ago.”

“We’re coming to you with open arms, not a clenched fist, asking for your help,” said Shantz.

How much help the four extra half days of training that will result from the board vote remains to be seen.

Shantz who was getting texts from teachers as the meeting was being streamed live on Zoom, said teachers need full days of training. “Just getting two-and-a-half hours a day may not be enough.”

Nevertheless, he thanked the board for listening and for making some changes to accommodate the teachers’ concerns.

Before voting, the board members heard from the public.

“I don’t know how you can start school if so many students do not have the technology to connect,” said Jason McHugh, who had applied for an empty seat on the school board but was not chosen. “Hundreds and hundreds of students don’t have this. You’re not going to be able to educate those kids.”

Sarah Becker Fralich, a teacher, told the board “the most important day of any year is the first day, because it sets the tone. Teachers need to feel they are ready and half the community is villanizing them,” she said.

Fralich said she too is getting new training. It’s hours and hours and I’m not even close not even ready. Half days are not enough,” she said.

“This debate started on Facebook early in the day. I started morning and meeting against a delay,” said former school board member Rick Rabinowitz.

“After listening to all this information, I’ve changed my mind. Compromise is better than where we were” Rabinowitz said. “But the fact that that Lower has no machines, pushes me over the edge.”

“The curveball in all this was Apple did not come through with the iPads. We did the best job possible within the system and the hand that we’re dealt.” — William Shirk, Pottsgrove Schools Superintendent