Morningside Principal Joseph Curtis explained the development of a teacher evaluation system to the School Committee on Wednesday.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Morningside Community School Principal Joseph Curtis hailed a recently developed system for evaluating performance of educators in the district, in a presentation to the Public School Committee on Wednesday.

 

Curtis told the committee development of the evaluation process had begun several years ago, as he had worked with former Superintendent Howard Eberwein and teacher's union representative Scott Eldridge to establish a system that was palatable to both teachers and administrators.

 

The process stresses candid observation, as well as self-assessment and documentation by teachers, with a focus on four core standards: curriculum planning and assessment; teaching to all students; reaching family and community; and professional culture.

 

A major part of this evaluation consists of an "evidence binder" in which teachers document their progress, and their accomplishment of these four standards.

 

"It's evaluation package that really brings some self assessment to the process," Curtis told the committee.

 

Another new precedent is the establishment of unannounced classroom observation periods.

 

"At any given time, an evaluator can go into a classroom and complete an observation," said Curtis. "The purpose of this is not to be punitive, but to establish a dialogue with the educator."

 

In addition to these observations, teachers are asked to assess themselves in both professional practice and student academic performance, and to set a measurable personal goal in each category.  Curtis said some teachers are evaluated on a one-year cycle while others are on a two-year cycle.

 

"This is a massive effort to organize all this information," said Curtis. "It has been very time consuming."

 

"I know of no other profession that undergoes this level of rigorous evaluation," said School Committee member Cynthia Taylor, who asked how much time teachers have to work together collaboratively on development toward these goals.

 

Curtis said there is time for this, but they are always looking for more ways to provide such opportunities.

 

"That has to be time above and beyond the usual preparation time," acknowledged Curtis.

 

"There is room for each teacher to pursue this as part of a group," agreed Superintendent Jason McCandless.

 

Principals of each school will be the primary final evaluator of educators, said Curtis, who has assisting in training principals throughout the district.