Rocky View Schools Career Development FAQ

Pros

This is a great company to work at. The base salary is low and there is not much room for advancement. I was at the top salary for 10 years and never got a raise until the year I left. I left because I wanted advancement in my carreer and chose to go back to school to pursue other avenues. The people you work with are mostly great, want to help kids and get along well with staff and administration. The job satisfactin depends on how admin treat their staff and if there is recognition and support for the work done. Hands are mostly tied and decisions are not entirely your own. Depending on the needs of the students, you are placed where they need you.

Cons

Low pay. little support in some schools. Cliques among the staff. Some kids are so challenging that the support needs to be increased and when the budget is cut there are no supports. Kids suffer, staff is burnt out.

Advice to Management

support the people who work hard. Let them be heard. Be present at staff meetings. Really Listen to concerns and try to deal with them promptly.

Pros

Good PD opportunities. Supportive principal.

Cons

HR can be difficult to deal with

Pros

- teachers treated like professionals - clear communication from superintendent and admins - many resources - pay is comparable to surrounding divisions - benefits are good - limited meetings - support professional growth - PD funding

Cons

- new teachers all the time - high staff absences - HR difficult to work with (i.e. no responses for weeks to email and calls) - nepotism in hiring - permanent contract teachers get away with extreme unprofessional conduct - treated like a number not as a human being by central office - EAs not used effectively - no mentorship programs for new teachers - people with no related experience or education in "specialist" positions

Advice to Management

- include HR in interviews to avoid nepotism - add nepotism policy that represents the entire definition of nepotism not just "family" - ensure your school has an equal balance of experienced and inexperienced teachers; RV schools are too heavy with inexperienced teachers

Pros

-Work with lots of different technology

Cons

-Current training for new employees is insufficient compared to previous years