Members of Community Education Council District 22 (CEC 22) met virtually via Zoom on Tuesday evening, September 6th, just days before the official opening of public schools on Thursday, September 8th. Families were eager to find out what they could expect on the first day of school and received meaningful updates from District 22 Superintendent Julia Bove.
The superintendent acknowledged the current teacher shortage that is affecting schools citywide, across the Nation, and even abroad, but assured families that District 22 principals have been working tirelessly to ensure that every classroom will have a teacher when schools open. She explained that if there is a case where a permanent teacher has yet to be secured for a class, a substitute teacher will be placed there temporarily. If no substitute is available, principals will have to be creative and arrange for coaches, cluster teachers, etc. Bove said that she is optimistic that there will be no need for remote learning whatsoever this year and that this school year will usher in a return to normalcy.
Bove explained that while last year’s scores are out, they are still embargoed, meaning that they have yet to be released. She expects some data in the weeks to come, which she would then share with the group. She also announced that the District has been paired with two exclusive Academic Intervention Service providers and that the mayor and chancellor are currently working to secure two additional providers for the District. She said that unlike in the past, when these professionals were centrally located, they will now be assigned to particular schools where they will coach students for six- to eight-week residencies. Bove explained that while every school would like to have these literacy coaches on staff, she will have to assign them based upon a school’s individual need, which she and her deputy would determine after conducting school visits and principal observations and evaluations. Overall, however, she was excited to have them on board and confident that their services will be hugely beneficial to students.
The next meeting of CEC 22 will be held on Tuesday, October 4th at 6:30 p.m.