Teachers are a huge concern. Same too with principals.

Article link from Pgh City Paper @ schools.

"I'm not trying to minimize their concerns, and I'm not saying there aren't any, but I haven't been besieged with concerns," Roosevelt adds. "For all of the public turmoil, there is also a lot of excitement."

The above quote is taken from the article "Class Trip" in the May 29 edition of City Paper (see link above). I do admit to taking the quote out of context. The article deals with the very real issue of teacher assignments which I know I, and several others, especially Jen, have brought up. With a son who is entering the diploma programme in the fall, I do not have to worry much about teachers. Teachers who have IB training have preference over non-IB trained. However, if this article is true, there is the possibility of teachers with higher seniority "bumping" non-IB teachers. More experience doesn't necessarily mean better teacher. We are already having to deal with the chaos of a new school; do we need to have a staff that is not used to working together? Sometimes change can be good but too much too quickly can lead to disaster.

Mr. Roosevelt does not think that he has been besieged by concerns. Maybe we need to speak up a little louder, write a few more letters, make sure that we are heard. There a far too many details that have NOT been worked out. Please don't experiment with our children. Plan first, before taking any action.

amy moore

I'm going to 'pile onto this concern and talk a bit about principals. Why on earth would the city hire a new principal for a new school and pick him from a leadership position directly from the worst situation ever?

I'm not sure if the Assistant Principal at Woodland Hills, a place where one teacher this year has already had to break up 60 fights within the school, is fit for a leadership position in a new school in Pittsburgh -- in the Hill District.

Generally, discipline falls onto the shoulders of the "assistant principal." Clearly, the school year at Woodland Hills has been a disaster. Good for him for getting out. Bad for us for getting a promotion here.

So, there are no problems with hiring teachers?

Connect the dots.

The district has already lost too many battles in the front lines of the war with 'trust.' Discpline was to be the battle cry for the year too. Yeah, right.