District sees challenges ahead
Report lays out issues to be addressed as Schenectady students return to classes
An assessment commissioned by city school leaders lays bare a litany of pivotal issues the district faces that range from a school system roiled by too many priorities to a chronic culture of mistrust and fear.
Even as school leaders consider the implications of that report, they are making plans for the tentative return Wednesday of middle and high schoolers to the classroom for in-person day long instruction for the first time this academic year.
The students will be taught virtually by their current teachers in so-called learning pods where they will remain in the same classroom with teachers and paraprofessionals offering on site support.
The learning model is intended to limit movement when the spread of the coronavirus continues to be a worry.
Acting Superintendent of Schools Aaron Bochniak said last week that learning pods that feature small clusters of student provide a “safe space” for students in the same grade or age range to receive instruction virtually as well as a tutoring, intervention, and social work help.
“It’s not meant to be a replacement for school; nothing is going to replace that in-person learning experience, but
this is at least going to give access to some crucial support that kids wouldn’t necessarily have,” added Bochniak.
Learning pods for elementary students, some of whom have been taking classes through the hybrid learning model, are slated to start March 10.
As a result, the district is continuing to rehire staff who were cut last year in anticipation of a nearly $29 million loss in state aid caused by revenue losses from the pandemic. It forced the district to cuts of hundreds of employees and some administrators. The district also closed some school buildings and offered online learning for grades 7-12. The start of pre-kindergarten programs were also delayed.
In the meantime, the analysis by Capital Region BOCES offers a host of recommendations, including hiring at least three assistant superintendents to preside over curriculum and instruction, technology and accountability, and operations. The recommendation is intended to ensure clearer channels of communication.
The study also pays homage to the district’s talented and dedicated teachers, saying they will be an asset to help the district address some of the shortcomings identified in the report.
“That’s the magic of making changes in the district because people really want to do the right thing for children and the district —they love Schenectady,” BOCES District Superintendent Anita Murphy said during a recent Board of Education meeting.
Bochniak told the school board that the district has already started making some changes outlined in the report, which is based on interviews with about 150 employees at schools across the district of about 10,000 students.
In some instances, he said, Schenectady may need to fine tune what it currently has in place and look to cross-train staff to ensure a seamless transition when an employees leaves.
Bochniak and Murphy also talked extensively about the critical role teachers play in helping the district fulfill its mission and that Schenectady schools needs to do a better job
of communicating the rational behind any decisions particularly if the decisions will have direct impacts on employees or their departments.
Murphy said certain positions the BOCES team suggested in the report such as instructional coaches or teacher leaders could be part-time jobs, and that organizational structures need to be more clearly defined to avoid any confusion.
BOCES also identified what
Bochniak characterized as a chronic culture of “mistrust and fear” and a district that is an “incredibly flat organization” for a long time. Murphy elaborated. “We’re not saying your organization is too flat so create layers where something comes down from on high and it’s impossible to implement because you don’t have boots on the ground or people that are doing that work on the ground,” added Murphy.
Bochniak revealed he is currently working on a “roadmap to POST-COVID rebuilding ” that lays out short-, mid-, and longterm goals.
He said the district plans to hold virtual Town Hall style meetings to solicit input about the action plan from staff.
Another key recommendation calls for developing an intranet system accessible only to school district employees that Murphy said is an “incredibly powerful tool.”
“For a district our size, 1,500 to 2,000 employees and 17 buildings spread out across the city, it is one way to be able to connect people together, and then also to get them to know how to get things they need and not have to hunt for them,” Bochniak said.
The acting superintendent said the district is in the second year of its five-year vision and strategic plan that it needs to stick to.
“We have to align our resources and staff to support those priorities, we have to be careful of not setting up too many priorities, and allow that vision to be that place that provides clarity around what we do,” Bochniak said.