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Chesapeake teacher urges board to reduce new initiatives, saying staff time is strained
Summary
A Chesapeake teacher told the board that multiple new systems this year are overwhelming staff and diluting instructional quality, urging the district to prioritize fewer initiatives.
Mary Faith Williams, a Chesapeake teacher, used her allotted three minutes during the hearing of citizens to urge the board to reduce the number of new initiatives placed on teachers this year.
"Less on our plates, more for our students," Williams said, summarizing her appeal that the district limit new systems and initiatives to protect classroom instruction. In her remarks she listed recent rollouts that she said had increased staff workload: a new Synergy emailing system, new Canvas requirements, a new pay system that launched with accuracy issues, a new substitute request program and multiple "major clarity initiatives."
Williams said the cumulative effect had arrived before teachers had a chance to establish routines with their students and asked the board to consider a district motto of "Less on our plates, more for our students." The board received the remarks as part of the public comment period and did not debate the specifics during the meeting; staff said concerns would be evaluated and responded to if appropriate.
The board's procedural practice, as stated at the meeting, is to receive public comment without entering into dialogue during the public hearing portion; the superintendent's office said staff would follow up as appropriate.
