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The L-S Housemasters, Eleanor Burke (South), Iain Ryrie (West), and Leslie Gray (East), present an assessment of their supervisory model amidst rising student supervision ratios. Despite being historically efficient, the increase in supervision demands has shifted their roles from proactive engagement to reactive management. This presentation explores the positives and negatives of house reductions, emphasizing the strain on relational aspects, student oversight, and teacher support. The insights reveal that while workflow improvements exist, the quality of support for students, parents, and teachers has diminished.
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Housemasters’ Presentation to the School Committee L-S Housemasters: Eleanor Burke - South Iain Ryrie - West Leslie Gray - East
AN EFFICIENT MODEL OF SUPERVISION School administrators supervise both the students and teaching and learning. Even before North House was closed, L-S was a model of administrative efficiency. • *One for each of the 7 teaching departments: English, History, World Language, Math, Science, Art, and Wellness (Health & Fitness)
A MORE EFFICIENT MODEL? When the student to supervisor ratio escalates, something needs to give. During the 2009-2010 academic year, the supervisory ratios at L-S are much higher than those at comparable area schools. • *One for each of the 7 teaching departments: English, History, World Language, Math, Science, Art, and Wellness (Health & Fitness)
Housemaster Job Description • Hybrid of Assistant Principal/Principal role • Manage & oversee students: academic, social, and behavioral • Big Picture stuff: hiring, building management, programmatic decisions • Liaison to two or more departments • School-wide administrative tasks (e.g. Night events, Faculty duties, class advisors, AP exams) • Faculty support, supervision, and evaluation
Positivesof House Reduction • Smooth physical transition West House to North House space • Addition of 3rd campus aide • Detentions more effective • More enforcement of class cuts, off campus violations, etc. • iPass enhancements have streamlined workflow and e-notifications to parents have saved $ due to less postage costs
Negative Impacts of House Reduction Relational Nature of the Job • Relationship-building suffers (HM and HA) • Less time to get to know students, pre-empt problems, put academic & social supports in place • Can’t make all P/T meetings, returning phone calls takes longer, have to use e-mail more, more triage/less proactive and personal touch • Less time to support teachers; triage in lieu of ongoing proactive consultation
Negative Impacts • Supervision of students has eroded • Less administrative presence in halls • Academic needs—harder to keep up with overview, warnings, supports needed • More time spent on discipline (30%60%) • Less discretionary time to check in with specialists: clinicians, special education liaisons, program directors
Negative Impacts (continued) • Evaluation process • Fewer classroom visits—more teachers to supervise (21 this year/ 16 previous 2 years) • Less feedback to professional status teachers • Less coaching time for new teachers • House system • Counselors & clinicians split between houses • House assistants—130 more families, all 530 expect same attention & service as before
Conclusions • There has been an inevitable increase in the Houses’ workload, without a decrease in community expectations. • All 3 HM’s feel the job is significantly more reactive than proactive this year. • Students, parents, and teachers, we feel, are not getting the same quality of support we used to provide.