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Massena School District approves remote work option for teachers

Posted 5/1/22

BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI  North Country This Week  MASSENA — Massena School District teachers will now potentially be able to teach remotely, following a policy approval by the Board of …

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Massena School District approves remote work option for teachers

Posted

BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI 

North Country This Week 

MASSENA — Massena School District teachers will now potentially be able to teach remotely, following a policy approval by the Board of Education, but some members are not keen on the change.

Board Member Kevin Perretta was critical of the decision in a recent Board of Education meeting, saying the expectation is teachers will be in classrooms, not working from home.

“From a board perspective, I feel like when we hire someone, we have the expectations that at that point that person is going to be in the school and we’re going to be accountable in school. I feel like we should know that they’re not in the district, if they’re working from home, and there should be some mechanism that brings it to the board level,” Perretta said.

Some board members, including Patricia Murphy, pushed back on the sentiment, saying there should be no need for a teacher to inform the board of their choice to work remotely, if approved.

Perretta suggested the policy did not cover some aspects of remote work, like the board being informed of a reason for approving such measures like remote work.

“You were a teacher. Would you think it’s effective for you to teach art at home or in the district,” Perretta inquired.

Murphy pushed back against the idea that the board should be notified in instances that a teacher is given permission to work remotely, stating that other instances of teachers movements are not required to be reported either.

“We don’t say, like, Jenny has to work in the 200 wing because that’s where all the social studies teachers work. That’s not part of our job. So, I’m just asking, why do you feel like the board level needs to know if he (Superintendent Pat Brady) does,” Murphy said.

Board President Paul Haggett suggested Perretta present a language change to better address the situation and policy, stating the role of the policy committee was to simply review the policy and draft some language associated.

“If this is something that you feel strongly enough about that you want to propose some language and bring it to the Policy Committee, you’re welcome to do that,” Haggett said.

Haggett formerly served as the policy committee chair.

Officials approved the policy unanimously, though a language change is likely to be discussed in a future board meeting.