VPerspective
From isolation to collaboration at IS 59
Jan 17, 2008 12:33 PM
It started as a familiar visit to IS 59 in District 29, Queens, one that I’ve made a number of times as vice president for middle schools.
Chapter Leader Maura O’Sullivan and District Representative Joyce Schwartz always kept the staff up to date with current UFT information. Meetings at the school were informative and well-attended by an enthusiastic staff.
This time, however, there was a palatable difference. Staff members were upset and many wrote notes, detailing dissatisfaction with the school. By the end of our meetings, more than 30 letters were collected. Many were lengthy and detailed concerns ranging from the physical condition of the building to problems with student discipline to lack of respect for teachers.
So, who was at the helm of this apparently sinking ship? None other than Carleton Gordon, who arrived at the troubled school four years ago. After Gordon’s arrival, safety conditions in the building improved and best practices were put in place. Gordon gave the credit for the school’s turnaround to the IS 59 staff. So, what had gone wrong?
Following the staff meetings, the UFT team met with Gordon and expressed its concerns. After listening to the issues presented on behalf of the teachers, Gordon shared his own problems and concerns. It was easy to see that while there were two sides to a story, there was also ground for mutual understanding. Entrenched behaviors had begun to cripple IS 59 and both parties recognized that the pattern had to change. Seizing on that, and the fact that everyone at the table had the interest of the students in mind, some innovative strategies were established.
To get the improvement process started, it was agreed to establish a process of team building — outside the school — by having 10 to 15 staff members meet with Gordon monthly. With the goal of creating a more collaborative environment, the group discusses school issues, like improving curriculum, student achievement and administrator/teacher relationships.
As communication improved through open dialogue, the atmosphere in the building began to change. With a new open-door policy, teachers are now free to sit with Gordon and discuss issues immediately so that problems no longer fester and grow out of proportion.
The chaos and general ill will began to dissipate. People started to listen. People stopped yelling. People became calmer and more respectful. Morale began to improve, as all shareholders felt that they were connected and making contributions to the school. A retreat is scheduled for the entire staff. And, as the team-building sessions continue, trust between the staff and administration is beginning to take hold.
And so, we salute the staff of IS 59. Their dissatisfaction provided the energy needed to initiate change. We salute Chapter Leader Maura O’Sullivan for leading her colleagues from an atmosphere of confrontation to one that fosters collaboration. The staff looked past some of its immediate concerns and accepted the challenge to try to create a long-term solution that would build an educational community.
And, finally, we salute Principal Carleton Gordon for his collaborative and innovative leadership and for his determination to make IS 59 a community of teachers and learners.
