El Camino High School Coach Jake speaks to wages and quality teacher retention

South San Francisco, CA    April 1, 2015   Open Letter by Eric ‘Coach Jake’ Jacobsoncolts logo

I know many around the Peninsula have heard or read stories about El Camino High School this year, and unfortunately not many have been positive stories. Many question El Camino’s leadership, and think the school is falling apart. Many think the teacher’s are not receiving the support they need. Well I guess I’m speaking for the silent majority at EC cause here is they way I see it.

We as a teaching staff, and student body have not missed a beat. There are several reasons for that, but I’ll give you my TOP 4.

#1 The kids who go to EC are flat out hands down Awesome kids, & young adults.

#2 The Administration (Vice Principals’) across the board at EC have done a great job making sure the school plugs along.

#3 Our Security team, Secretaries and Counseling have done a great job of being there for the kids and if you have never been to EC it would look as business as usual.

#4 The teacher’s at EC do their job and we don’t look for or need support from anyone but our peers. As a teacher/coach all I want to do is make a difference with my students, and I want to be a positive role model in their life. I don’t think that a teacher cares who the principal is as long they don’t see them coming their way.

The biggest job the principal has is to hire quality teacher’s to fill vacant spots each school year. If that principal cannot get quality teachers to apply because they are driving to the SMUSD to make more money what choice do they have. We get what is left over to apply and they are not always the best choice. Many of my colleagues at EC cannot tell whether we have a principal or not because if you do your job, and you are good at what you teach you don’t need support.

I have been teaching 18 years now and have taught at Parkway & EC. In that time I have worked for and with 5 different Principals, and the best Principal’s have been the one’s who surround themselves with quality teachers. To the average teacher the last person he/she wants to see is the Principal because that means your in trouble, or a parent is upset with something you did or did not do. Teacher’s don’t look for pats on the back, because you just don’t get them.Nobody calls the principal and says, “what a great job Mr. Doe is doing with my kid, my kid loves his class and I can see what a difference Mr. Doe has made in my child’s development in higher learning”.

Teacher’s are self supporting people who want to be a positive role model to all of their students. The fact is I and most of my colleagues are barely scraping by teaching and living in the Bay Area. If you what to make the teacher’s feel supported pay them what there worth. In order for our district to improve in every way is for the SSFUSD to increase the pay on each level to keep the excellent teacher’s we have and to recruit top notch young teachers who will energize EC and our school district.

This will all begin with the hire of our next Superintendent. He/She needs to be a leader and in it for the long Haul. A lady who loves our district like Barbara Olds would make an impact immediately. Then comes the job of hiring of our next Principal at EC.

The new Superintendent has got to hit a home run with that hire. I hope the Principal the Superintendent hires has the eye for what a quality teacher looks like, and wait’s until that teacher comes along to fill that position instead of just filling the spot. Supported, yes teacher’s would love to be supported, and the district can do so with a significant raise in pay come next contract.

Finally the teacher’s at EC are tired of reading reports in news paper’s about how life is at EC. They seem to interview everyone but the people who know what is really going on that campus. Then when you call the reporter to clarify some things they have said they don’t return your phone call. Don’t worry folks E C will survive 2015.– COLT PRIDE

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