Dr. Allen Bourff announced Monday, November 30, that he plans to retire as Hamilton Southeastern Superintendent of Schools, effective July 1, 2021. I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Bourff as his retirement was announced. We talked about his retirement and many other issues in this podcast, recorded Monday, November 30.
Great discussion in this podcast. Thanks to both of you for pulling this together.
And thank you to Dr. Bourff for his time at HSE.
Well done as always Larry thanks for bringing this one to us. This has been an exceptionally difficult year to be an administrator of any kind, and certainly of a school district our size. Wish Dr. Bourff the best in his retirement and glad he will be remaining a part of our community.
I am a parent of students and a teacher who has taught in the district for over 15 years.
This past week, there were massive celebrations in the buildings of the announced retirement of Dr. Bourff. HSE is a disaster due to the incompetent leadership of Combs and Bourff who are both leaving. For the first time in years, there is HOPE that the staff is surviving upon.
HSE is going to put a public spin about the loss of students falsely blaming students leaving on covid for our budget problems. For years, we have been losing students to private schools like Brebuf, Cathedral, Guerin, and university high school because our schools do not listen to the stakeholders and surveys of the public. HSE likes to make its decisions on European research that does not apply to American schools and puts their public vision over the needs and wants over the parents and families of students. The superintendent and board no longer represent the majority of families and students. The proof is demonstrated by the recent approved new start times for the 2021 school year. Staff and parents voted in a great majority against the adjusted start times for 2021 that are now approved.
Secondary students who participate in activities will get home later than ever and late bedtimes will lead to decreased sleep. At the jr high level, after school activities will now need to take place between 4-6PM. I refuse to work this late and students have no interest in being in school buildings this late from my own surveys that I have conducted. We are already seeing resignations at this level and cancellations of after school activities. There is a large amount of data that shows schools that have transitioned to late schedules for secondary have seen over a 50% decrease in participation from students for after school activities.
Staff and Parents in a large majority are against the change in start times yet the incompetent board and Bourff are unresponsive to families and stakeholders of the district.
The culture in the buildings is toxic. When I first started teaching in HSE 15 years ago, I was told by admin…what can we do to support you? Now it is down to an authoritarian approach with little regard of the needs of staff. As the shortage of teachers grows in IN, you will see a massive number of teachers retire or begin to transition to neighboring districts that are far more understanding and responsive to the needs of teachers.
Right now, teachers are required to teach virtually from school buildings. There is NO collaboration happening which was the original reason for why teachers were expected to d o their jobs from school in empty school buildings. We have now had multiple staff members die of Covid and there is still no testing program for staff, yet we are required to report to empty buildings to do our job that could be done safely from home. This is all about the optics of teachers working harder instead of safer from home. Dr. Bourff’ s refusal to meet teachers in the middle and requiring them to report to school buildings that offer no testing is costing staff lives. Deaths are now on his watch because he cares more about the image of HSE that the health of its employees.
We pray daily that those in charge of the hiring process will be responsive to HSE families and staff when choosing a new super. If the current path is maintained, you will continue to see a massive amount of students leave the district leading to funding shortfalls and staff leave to move on to neighboring districts that hear their teachers and are responsive to their needs and are willing to pass legislation that the majority of surveyed staff and families approach. This hiring process is the last chance for this district to correct the poor choices of the last 6-8 years and point the district back into the direction that lead to the high rigor and success we saw 10 years ago. If not, you will see a mass movement of families and staff leaving this district for other options.
The choices made in the coming months will lead to a rejuvenation of HSE or its long-term downfall if the current path is maintained.