YEARLY TEACHER EVALUATION

At a faculty meeting this Tuesday, we reviewed the SPRE (Staff Performance Review and Evaluation) requirement for each teacher.

Each year, teachers are evaluated by the principal. Generally, here's how it works:

1. If you are a probationary teacher (in the first three years of teaching in the District), there are three formal observations of your classroom by the principal.
2. Each tenured teacher has a one formal observation every five years. Therefore, if you are a tenured teacher on the "five year cycle", you will be observed once this year.
3. Every other tenured teacher who is not on the "five year cycle" will not have a formal observation.

All teachers, whether probationary or tenured, are require to complete a professional goal for the year which is reviewed by the principal.

However, the SPRE requirements and observations listed above are the minimums. If the principal feels that a teacher needs more assistance or a teacher asks for more assistance, additional observations can and do occur.

The purpose of observations is to improve instruction, share ideas and grow professionally as a teacher.

Tech Enrollment: This Year

First, let me make it clear that Tech is healthy and well and will continue to be so into the second and third decade of the 21st Century and beyond. We have the same core of excellent and motivated students that have been here since I arrived in 1999.

Over those past ten years (1999-2009), our student population has fluctuated between 1500 and 1900 students. (Yes, about 5 years ago Tech had over 1900 kids.) This year is the lowest it has been. As of Friday, September 18, we have 1404 students.

It is not because kids are going other places more than ever before. It is not because parents have suddenly decided that Tech is a bad place for their kids. (In another memo, I will share our successful testing information as well as the quality classes we have for all of our students.) The short answer to why there are fewer kids: there are fewer kids.

We have 73 fewer 9th grade students this year than last year. Coupled with a large graduating class last year and normal attrition, Tech ended up with 1404, whereas last year we had 1535. Last April, my assistant principal and I predicted that our total students this year would be around 1400. This small 9th grade class has been moving through the St. Cloud system since they were in first grade. There are now here, and their low numbers will be here until they graduate. (Apollo also has a much reduced freshman class this year.)

But whatever the size of a class or the student population as a whole, the most important number is the number 1. No matter where you come from in our school district, region, state, nation or world, you are welcome here. Tech High School and its staff stand ready to help you as you grow into an adult and are ready to face the future.