4th Grade breakdowns

I pull up to school today at 2:55 like I do everyday, only today was like no other day.....


I pull up and see all these kids crying like someone had just stole the most prized possession that ever had owned. I see one of the dads i know and say "Frankie, what the hell is going on?" He said he did not know. Little Frankie (his son, Mary Jo's friend) says to me, hey, look at Mary Jo. I turn to see my daughter bawling her eyes out. I ask her what's wrong and she says that her teacher is leaving. I can not understand a word she is trying to say in between sobs.

I managed to get to Marty's teacher and get the scoop from her. MS TIERNAN (Mary Jo's teacher)GOT LAID OFF!!! It turns out that teaching positions are allocated using a formula that looks at student enrollment. It is separated as follows: Kindergarten, 1st-3rd & 4th-8th.

4th grade has 95 kids - 3 teachers
5th grade has 78 kids - 3 teachers
6th grade has 102 kids - 3 teachers
7th grade has 69 kids - 3 teachers
8th grade has 73 kids - 3 teachers

The budget dept. works with Human resources to select the position number that closes, after that is decided then they identify the quota teacher with the least seniority and that is the teacher that gets laid off. So this is how it worked in laymans terms.

Mrs Cutro's 7th grade position got axed due to lack of students and Ms. Tiernan who is only in her 2nd year here is low man on the totem pole so she gets laid off.

They just told her on Friday the 26th and today Tuesday the 30th is her last day.

Whatever happened to a 2 week notice. They told the kids today at 2:30. How can they be so insensitive to these kids and this teacher.

Can you imagine getting told you are getting laid off effective immediately but have to come back for 2 more days. And remember don't tell the kids in your class until 15minutes before you dismiss them?

Maybe a better way to do this would have been a note home to the parents to let them explain to the kids what was going on. You just don't spring this on a bunch of 9/10 year olds.

The school grounds are usually empty by 3:30, not today, no one really wanted it to end.

You will be missed dearly Ms. Tiernan.