Oh, The Horrors Of Teaching

From the Seacoast (NH) Online Teachers are learning this week if they will be asked to return to Winnacunnet School High School for the 2012-13 school year, and there may be a battle brewing behind the scenes over how many classes they will be required to teach each day.

The Winnacunnet School Board voted 4-1 on Wednesday night to accept the renomination list as recommended by Principal Bill McGowan and SAU 21 Superintendent Robert Sullivan....

 Several teachers were at the public meeting concerned about nominations and rumors they had heard regarding a change in the teaching schedule that would require staff members to teach more classes.

Currently the majority of teachers are working a 4-3-3 schedule in Winnacunnet's five-block day, meaning they teach four classes in one trimester and three classes in the other two trimesters.

That leaves each teacher with one block for duties such as lunch or study hall coverage, one block for professional development and three blocks for class preparation. The current teachers' contract calls for one planning period per day, and some past and present board members have said the teachers are falling short of the terms of the contract. The consensus opinion of the current board, which has two newly elected members, has not yet been made public....

ndy Gushee, president of the teachers' union, previously told the Hampton Union there could be repercussions if the School Board changes the teachers' schedule.

"We would consider it change of working conditions and therefore an unfair labor practice," Gushee said.

Numerous WHS staff members attended the meeting Wednesday, including college counselor Doran Morford, who wanted to speak out against the change of schedule. Skoglund, however, would not allow Morford to speak, stating the issue was not on the meeting agenda.

Morford told the Hampton Union he wanted to speak because there have been rumblings in the hallway about changes to the teaching schedule. He said teachers don't have free time and often use their planning periods to give students extra help, communicate with parents, serve on committees, and for class preparation.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20120413-NEWS-204130365
Oh, the horrors that the teachers have to use their planning periods to help students, talk with parents and other education related duties.
Isn't that what planning  periods are used for?  What exactly will they do with their free time, then?  These teachers must think they work for the GSA.