From Ryan Burbey, President, Harford County Education Association:
What a difference a year makes. Last year, our county budget process was obscured by controversy and mired in a lack of transparency. Our teachers, school employees, county workers and sheriffs sat on the outside wondering when or if Harford County Government would ever value their dedication as provided in their contracts. Rather than offering solutions our county executive issued only excuses and insults. That all changed with the election of County Executive Barry Glassman.
Simply put, the Glassman Administration’s common sense approach, has brought transparency and trust back to our county government. Gone are the excesses of the previous administration. Mr. Glassman’s focus on efficiencies and human capital has set our county finances back on track, as well as, rewarded our loyal public servants for their service and sacrifice. While much more work still remains to be done, both our community and public servants can have confidence that the our government is working for all the citizens of Harford County rather than just a select few. I am proud to have voted for Mr. Glassman and look forward to his continued leadership of our county.
Ryan Burbey
President – HCEA
Finally, I agree with Ryan Burbey on something. I’m buying a lottery ticket.
Now that everyone has been paid how about cutting the grass/weeds on county property as in the median strips? I’ve not seen them ever look this unkempt. Plus, the trash along our county roadways is accumulating and it’s disgraceful.
They are too busy propping up the trash cans at WAWA.
It’s Hickory Jim in his stealthy but practical ’92 Mercury Grande Marquis, keeping a watchful eye on the patrons of WAWA, recording his data on his clipboard, and reporting on the Dagger! You are THE MAN, Hickory Jim! Keep those WAWA reports coming in!
reasl nasty custodians at patterson mill
There’s a more environmentally healthy and financially responsible way of thinking about mowing – you can see it at golf courses, along boulevards and other roadways…it’s called naturalizing and it makes so much more sense. You may want to call it unkempt but a bunch of wildflowers that you might want to call weeds is a happy home for nectar loving insects and birds, plus more deeply rooted areas typical of naturalized locations help control erosion much better and best of all, save tons of money. Can’t speak for the trash because I agree with you about how dumpy the county is starting to look but I blame the onslaught of urban new arrivals that we’ve invited in who clearly don’t care about fouling where they live. I might suggest as I’ve done many times – instead of assuming government is there to fix almost everything take a plastic bag and pick the trash up yourself.
I’ve been saying this for two week…that I’ve never seen it so overgrown and neglected. It seems every corner, median, etc. is knee high making it dangerous…like at Falkland and Laurel Bush!
Most of the roads with a Median Strip are State Roads. K they do have adopt a road programs where you could pitch in and cut the grass yourself.
Would I get a tax credit?
So county employees that have gone without a funded payplan for eight years should be ecstatic that we got 1000 bucks versus the missed colas and contracts.
The teachers got steps and a cola so sure they are happy but I doubt the remainder of the county employees would agree with your glowing politically motivated letter.
It’s all politics as usual. Does anyone really believe teachers are “happy”? I guess teachers don’t deserve raises because society is truly dumbed down to the point of buying this nonsense. The step and cola offered makes 6-7 year veterans competitive with 1st year teachers in surrounding counties. Don’t spend it all in one place.
I am one of the teachers who has been frozen and who has lost over $30,000 in income due to the salary freeze. I get the frustration. However, this is a good first step. Much work remains to be done but we are finally moving forward thanks to the Glassman Administration.
I’m a bit surprised at your naivety, Ryan. While I appreciate your hard work, are you aware of what the raises cost classroom teachers? The money came from the massive position cuts effective next year. My classroom size will be at least 34 in all classes due to the loss of a position. This is best case scenario. There are many such cuts across the county. Please don’t expect us to be thankful to the school system; and certainly don’t suggest there is now transparency in their decision-making. Its all just politics and trying to get us to believe someone at the top really cares about improving things. We all know the money is there and exactly where the waste is taking place. Instead they pull this childish move.
The money for teacher salary steps and COLAs did not come from classroom position cuts. More than enough money was realized through our healthcare changes, which preserve benefits while lowering costs and through additional money. More must be done but the county executive has been abundantly transparent. I am thankful for Mr. Glassman’s honesty and integrity.
And as far as the county leaders valuing my dedication and hard work… stop by my classroom next year and have a look. Just don’t expect to actually come in, there won’t be any room. So much for the student’s best interest being a priority.
To be clear, nothing was cut to fund teacher steps and raises. There was more than enough money available through additional funding and health insurance changes. HCPS must shift priorities; creating a sustainable budget which ensures that the public is not presented with the false choice of honoring teacher contracts or maintaining valuable programs and services.
But they didn’t maintain valuable programs and services. While entire programs were not cut (as far as I know) positions were on a wide scale thus compromising the quality of learning. So, if not to fund raises, why the wide scale position cuts? If they came up with the money they needed without sacrifice, why the cuts? It seems like quite a coincidence…
I am not sure I would categorize it as wide scale cuts. 37 teacher positions, 4 paraeducator positions and 10 custodians is hardly a wide scale cut. It is my understanding that all the cuts will be realized through attrition. All I can say is that the cost of teacher salaries, steps and COLA’s were more than offset by healthcare changes and increased funding provided by the county.
Well, according to a Harford County teacher that is posting on here, the minimal number of students in the classroom is going to be 34 next year. So what is 37 multiplied by 34? Don’t stress yourself. I’ll do the math for you. Its 1258 students. If those 37 teachers were not cut from the budget the average classroom size would be much smaller. Its a well known fact that fewer students in classrooms produce better results due to personal attention being provided to a larger number of the students. Just keep cutting teachers and watch your children become less educated…….
It is completely in accurate that there will be an average of 37 students in a classroom minimum. Neither I nor you can dictate how HCPS allocates staff. HCPS has made decisions that they feel are in the best interests of children. The questions should be asked of them.
Well, the number I referred to was 34 not 37, but that’s an understandable mistake. However, what do you think about the personalized and individual teaching of students that are struggling being decimated by the significant reduction of teachers?
“What do you think about the personalized and individual teaching of students that are struggling being decimated by the significant reduction of teachers?” There has not been a significant reduction n teachers. I do not think this is happening or will happen next year. It is all about how staff are allocated, how monies are spent and what the system views as priorities.
Do you have any information about where the reduction in educators is happening? I mean, is it in elementary schools, high schools or just plain all around?
Since no one will answer, I’ll leave you with this…..http://www.abc2news.com/news/region/harford-county/300-teachers-leave-harford-county-schools-district-working-to-fill-vacancies
http://www.indeed.com/cmp/Harford-County-Public-Schools/reviews?fcountry=US
SoulCrusher, thanks for providing a link to a story that’s nearly a year old and, while it was important last year, has nothing to do with the discussion at hand (i.e., the source of funding for the pay increases for the upcoming school year).
The MASS exodus of teachers leaving last year. The 37 teachers whose positions were eliminated this year. Summer is almost here. You have to wonder how many will leave this year by their own accord. Seems to me that the Harford County Schools may have a problem. Once again, how much of a Concerned Teacher are you? But, you are right, you are always right. PS – Once again the DAGGER censored a link to another relevant link that was covered on WMAR2 this year. I tried to make it available, but I guess Cahill doesn’t like that story either……..
I am very concerned about how many teachers will leave this year. We cannot continue to lose 200-300 teachers a year. It is creating an unsustainable dynamic which will negatively affect the quality of public education.
@Ryan. You should be concern with the number of teachers leaving this year. As I move forward to my 7th year of teaching, the salary I anticipated was $52,675, but I’ll only be receiving $46,799. My actual contract amount ($52,675) minus my current salary ($45,437) totals $7,238. Instead of receiving this amount my step increase is only $1,360. Where is the remaining $5,876? Do you really feel that increase is enough to celebrate? Complaints have dwindled because we know the cause isn’t worth fighting for or will remain unheard. Most have decided since the county refuses to invest in us, we will no longer invest in them. We have no dog in this fight over wages because we are leaving for other counties that willingly invest in their teachers.
Where’s everyone’s concern about the costs associated with a comprehensive academic failure known as Common Core and its associated money pit tests known as PARCC? SILENCE…..no sounds from anyone about that debacle. Everyone just watching the calendar until retirement.
When you say “everyone just watching the calendar until retirement”, who are you referring to?
Maybe not wide scale, true. But those cuts impact more than just the numbers you cite. I’m no mathematician, but if you take those 51 positions and assume they each make a low average of $30,000 a year that totals just over $1.5 million. No small change. Any idea where that money went? With a transparent leadership it should be easy to find out. No rush…
HCPS has made the decisions. The questions should be asked of them.
Mr. Burbey, your dancing with words is admirable. You speak in positive tones, but only praise the CE for his “transparency” during the process. You repeat this phrase in response to at least two comments. In my mind, all that means is that you are praising the man for telling you why HCPS isn’t getting any more money, in contrast to the previous CE who blew you off whenever you asked any question challenging his right to rule his kingdom his way. I don’t think that this is worthy of the public display of praise you give him.
Since we’re in this forum, would you like to comment on how HCPS cancelled the Harford Glen overnight program? It seems as if this was the budgetary move necessary to fund the increases the teachers got, not the reduction in staff through attrition you mention in your open letter. How can this be what’s best for students?
In my estimation there were other ways to balance the budget. I will refer you to my comments at the BoE meeting on June 1st.
How’s Harford Tech? Aren’t they having retention issues with trade teachers?
It makes sense, people just need a job that get hired on minimum qualifications, decide it sucks, especially $41,000 pay and then roll out.
The threat of not being rehired, or losing any teaching credentials means nothing since none of them would go back to teaching.
What’s HCPS going to do about that, what’s best for students? LOL
Why thumb me down? It’s the truth.
Most trades pay way above HCPS starting salary, so basically you just get A LOT of applicants (with no teaching experience) who run afoul on “tough times” or bottom of the barrel flunkies of their trade who never got into any criminal trouble or any other “basic” character issues that DQ’s them from HCPS employment.
My friend teaches at Tech and told me that because of all the turnover there are only 3 or 4 teachers left that have been there more than 15 years. Tons of newbie teachers, some don’t last and as far as the trade teachers…some are learning that just because you’re able to do something doesn’t necessarily make you a good teacher. Some of them left not only because of better paying jobs, they realize the pay doesn’t make up for the ridiculous paperwork and evidence gathering that common core and the new evaluation system mandate. Why not leave for higher pay and the ability to just go home at the end of the day-nothing to grade at night, no lessons to prepare. It’s a no brainer.
Harford Tech is screwed the way I see it. With the amount of dysfunction, poor administration, low morale, “teacher workload” of 2015, that place will never have veteran trade teachers ever again, especially for the crap pay.
Yeah, people get hired thinking they can manage but then they find out its not for them after the fact.
In my estimation there were other ways to balance the budget. I will refer you to my comments at the BoE meeting on June 1st.
I certainly hope that those educators that are posting here, who are towing the union line, are NOT in any of my kids’ classrooms. From what I can see when traveling around Harford County is an area in decline. The roads are in disrepair, there is garbage along many streets/roads, and businesses closing outnumbers any starting up. Why wouldn’t our school system follow suit?
What in the blue hell are you rambling about? First off, what does agreeing or disagreeing with the union position on anything have to do with the quality of the teacher in your child’s classroom? I knew union supporters who were great teachers and union supporters who were lousy teachers. I knew union detractors, some of whom were good and some of whom were bad teachers. Secondly, the school system would never follow the example of a business and close during down economic times because the cannot. They are not a business, they are a government entity, and the State of Maryland requires that each county and the City of Baltimore provide a free and appropriate public education to all students until the age of 18. To suggest that looming road construction projects and litter on the highways is somehow related to the solvency of HCPS is ludicrous. In reality, the roads in a state of disrepair could just as easily be attributed to Harford County being a growth area, as the roads are getting more use than they were designed for and as such need some fixing. Whether or not that is true is debatable, but that link is more logical than linking trash on the street to the quality of your child’s teacher.
Oh wise one…..you must be a trained mental health professional in your spare time, based on your colorful analysis of my written opinion. I’m sorry you don’t have the intellectual capacity to understand my correlations. If you are a “Concerned Teacher” then I’m a “Really Concerned Parent.”
“I certainly hope that those educators that are posting here, who are towing the union line, are NOT in any of my kids’ classrooms.”
This was the first line of your post that I responded to. If you do, in fact, have kids in HCPS classrooms, then you SHOULD be a “Really Concerned Parent”. If you do not, then you are a liar and a troll.
“Concerned Teacher”…..our paths may have crossed many times. You are very quick to make accusatory statements about folks that you know nothing about. Relax and enjoy the ride…..
K -You actually believe that people who post here are seriously who they claim to be? Unless you’re using your real name and even that is not certain.
Check the BofE web site and you will see that enrollments are dropping. Less students equal less students per classroom equal less teachers to babysit the students.
Burbey,
Are you trying to convince yourself or what? Teachers got 1.5% cola and a step for the first time in years and you sound like the teachers won the lottery. The teachers didn’t gain anything. They just didn’t lose what is suppose to be given to them anyway. ( I’m talking about the steps and not the cola.) Then you go on here and say that programs were not cut. That the school board got the extra money from new health insurance contracts. Well then tell me why this week alone I have heard the school in my area has lost another teaching position, and now the AVID program at the middle school has been cut. Plus we lost the Harford Glen program. Sounds a little fishy to me. You keep believing what HCPS and the County in feeding you and I will sell you some swamp land near the shore.
I don’t think we won the lottery at all. There is much work left to be done. We are still losing quality teachers due to low pay and unfavorable working conditions.
I did not say that programs had not been cut. Some definitely have. H9owever, programs were not cut to fund our teachers’ contract. Funds for our teachers were provided by the county and through changes to our healthcare.
The choice to cut programs was solely a decision by HCPS. I strongly believe that there were better ways to balance the budget. I will refer you to my comments at the June 1st BoE meeting.
I would think that anyone in your position would know better than to heap glowing praise on any politician for fear that he’ll dust off his hands and say “well, my work here is done”. Besides, applying praise to any politician at all just makes my skin crawl – tell them “thanks” if you’re pleased with the results, but don’t get carried away. Reading your comments here immediately brought to mind the words “lick-spittle” and “toadie”.
Keep it up, Mr. Burbey, and they might let you back in the building someday. You sound like a changed man.
I learned at PTA the other night that teachers cut at my daughter’s school means more students in classes. Science and Social Studies teachers cut next year means no teaming in 8th grade. Class sizes in science and social sties will be 30-35 in each class. Unified arts classes in every grade already have 30 students in classes. That is the impact of teacher cuts at Fallston Middle School.
Thank you for being a concerned parent, attending a PTA meeting, and sharing the information. I cannot understand how the deal negotiated between the HCEA and our County Executive benefits HCPS teachers and their students.
HCEA only negotiaties with the BOE. HCEA does NOT deal directly with county government. It was the BOE that approved the new contract and salary package. The BOE seems to think that the “deal” was in the best interests of HCPS because if they do not provide teachers with salary steps, they will lose their teachers faster than they already are.
My catholic school classes in the 60’s had 30-35 students with one nun teaching. Despite that size, we learned ALOT in that school, and the nuns were in control in those classes. Not sure what has changed.
HCEA only negotiaties with the BOE. HCEA does deal directly with county government. It was the BOE that approved the new contract and salary package. The BOE seems to think that the “deal” was in the best interests of HCPS because if they do not provide teachers with salary steps, they will lose their teachers faster than they already are.
I am a teacher who is leaving this year. I just finished my 10th year of service and I was being payed on a step 5 master’s degree scale. I am going to BCPS and I will be starting on the right step and pay grade. I will be getting an 11,000 pay raise. Droves of experienced teachers will continue to leave. One step in 6 years does not make up for the thousands of dollars we have lost in income.
Leaving (on the next train) Teacher,
Oh no! Droves! Lions and tigers and bears… Oh My! Buh Bye!
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Have a nice life.
I know that sounds callous but if you are in it for the money then by all means go. I predict every open teacher position will be filled and there will be a waiting list on the first day of school at HCPS. I also know that there will be enough non-classroom positions that could be cut and should be cut to make up some of the lost ground for capable and dedicated classroom teachers. HCPS needs a good housecleaning.
I never went into teaching to become a millionaire. I went into teaching because I love working with students and I love the art of teaching. I realize that as a teacher I would not make the highest amount but I do want to have a wage where I ca live comfortably. Yes, I am a very dedicated teacher and I am very good at what I do. Please do not pretend to know me or my work ethic, dedication and experience I bring to my job. HCPS will not attract the best teachers if they cannot pay them what is stated in the negotiated agreement. Particularly the critical needs shortage areas which is my area of expertise.
I have a routine sometimes I refer to as “another day, another toilet.”
I usually like to care of my #2 business in the teachers break room in a certain school I work. I take care of business in one stall, don’t flush, and wipe in another giving the impression that a teacher didn’t wipe their ass. LOL!!
What are you two?
I’m an avid reader of local news. I’m also a technical trade teacher, somewhere.
Basically in a nutshell I retired from “somewhere” with 20 years and a skill set.
Becoming an instructor to add 10 more years of retirement is the greatest thing I could have done and made the most sense.
I just got #1 pick for employment and here I am, waiting to retire, again. I could really care less about anything, co workers, supervisors, I do like teaching the trade to kids but I do just enough work to not get fired.
Get what you pay for
Want my trust? Put the police criminal Marsden in jail where we can give him his just reward. To four corners for everyone to enjoy.