Dear Educator,
Last night at the PPS School Board Meeting, I shared with the board our recent survey data, illustrating how overwhelmed and strained educators are feeling this year. You can watch the presentation here beginning at about minute 50:00.
The survey results are alarming, and demonstrate that educators are experiencing extraordinary stress and overwork, and many educators are considering options to leave the profession they love.
In order for our school system to continue serving our students this year, we need to retain the educators we have. We are advocating for meaningful workload relief to be implemented immediately.
PAT is organizing listening sessions with our PPS School Board members, so they can hear directly from you. We are planning to hold 3 listening sessions, and invite all PAT members to sign up to speak or to attend to listen:
- Monday, November 1, 5-6 pm
- Thursday, November 4, 5-6 pm
- Monday, November 8, 5-6 pm
Please come share your thoughts on the following questions:
- What examples from your personal experiences best illustrate the demands on educators this school year?
- What immediate solutions could we implement to make this year manageable?
- What long-term solutions can we work toward together to make sure a career as an educator can be fulfilling and sustainable?
Comments will be limited to 3 minutes or less, to allow many voices to be heard.
Please use this form to sign up to speak or listen at any of the sessions. After you sign up, we will send you a Zoom link. If you are not able to attend, you can use the same form to submit a written comment.
Speakers will be limited based on time, and chosen on a first come, first served basis, while also ensuring that educators from many different grade levels and roles have an opportunity to be heard.
This is NOT an official PPS School Board meeting. We are inviting all board members to attend, and expect between 1 and 3 board members to be at each session.
Thank you for sharing your concerns, ideas, and vision for how to make our school system sustaining for students and staff.
In Solidarity,
Elizabeth Thiel
President, Portland Association of Teachers