Last week we learned how the School Department recommended a $1.5 million grant for UP Academy Charter, although other more deserving traditional schools were skipped over.
This week the Sunday Globe published a story describing how UP Academy will do a wonderful job, essentially, by bringing in all new staff. The Globe reported that UP principal Scott Given said:
“. . . it is unlikely that even a single veteran teacher at the Gavin will be rehired at UP Academy come fall. It is likely instead that at least half of the 40 teachers at UP Academy will have connections to Teach for America, a program that places top-notch college graduates in urban and rural classrooms for two years. After flying around the country to see his prospects in the classroom, Given said he is not even remotely concerned that they will be too green.”
Granted, most, maybe all, of the professionals currently at the Gavin do not wish to stay at the new UP Academy. That’s their choice. But the arrogant, negative, we-don’t-want-you attitude of the new principal comes through loud and clear. Here’s what’s wring with this picture.
The UP charter school management team, with virtually no experience, comes into town under a no-bid contract and proudly announces that it will clean house. Where is our central leadership to defend its training and nurturing of the very individuals about to be discarded by the we-know-best UP principal? Let us remind everyone that the Gavin was not designated a ‘poorly performing’ school; in fact, it had the third highest math results for all middle schools in the city last year.