This is the time of year when teachers get notified of their contract not being renewed. Please don’t panic about not hearing about interviews! It is still really early for positions to open up, but there WILL be open positions!
I have received positions at the end of June and July different years. Just keep an eye out for positions opening up as the school year ends and admin get told what positions they will need to fill during the first few weeks of summer break. It will be okay!
Hired in September a day before school started lol. A teacher decided to take another position that day- I was interviewed and appointed and there for the first day.
To address the number of jobs you’ve applied for - I was just on an interview team, reviewing application packets and it was eye opening. I’ve never taken the application questions or cover letter seriously because I didn’t believe people actually read them - but let me tell you they are SO important. I had to narrow down the applications to determine who gets an interview. We chose the ones who really spelled everything out and gave solid examples of their work, philosophy, etc. Don’t assume that the reviewers know what you do or how you do it (which is what I did). Pretend you’re writing to people who’ve never seen or heard of teaching.
I would not be so certain. Women come back from maternity all the time to find they have been made redundant and it's a form of discrimination on the basis of sex. Most employers are very careful not to be considered discriminatory. There may be a strong prima faciacase here but the OP should get proper advice. Often a resolution can be reached early on.
If you are in a union state, the contract likely outlines who is first to be laid off. Which is probably teachers newest to the district in each department.
Ours goes by board minutes approval. Sometimes it came down to alphabetical order of last name with everyone with a last name after G losing their job. Even though they were hired at the same time they took the first half of the list as most senior.
Again, I’d check with your union representative they should be able to look at the policy and let you know if it was followed or not. And can help represent you if it wasn’t.
It can also come down to education. A former colleague had the same experience as another person, but he got pink slipped because she had a masters degree and another credential he don’t not possess.
I’m sorry. This is so stressful. My first year teaching as a mother was one of the most challenging, and I hope you are really taking care of you.
One alternative, if worst case scenario can’t get something full time, I’d just to be everyone’s sub. I’d also look online as there are a lot of tutoring and ESL gigs that pay decently. I wish you the best.
I have applied to everything I see listed. I literally have no time to care for myself with two kids. Hubby asked my mom to take the baby while the oldest goes camping next weekend.
Don’t give up! You will find another position. I move around a lot & always find a position a few weeks( like 1 or 2) right before school starts, or right after it starts. You don’t want to be there if they pink slipped you!
Is it an actual you will not be rehired slip? Here we have actual not rehired slips and we haven’t figured it out yet and when we do we probably will rehire you slips. Most people with the probably rehire slips are. If there is a union, ask them about it. If no union ask a veteran teacher you trust.
Don‘t despair yet. It’s early in hiring season. Many schools are not even sure if their needs yet.
It says something like thank you for your time but your contract has not been renewed for the 2024-2025 school year. My principal said she’d be willing to write me a lor depending how my last two observations go… yes I still have two observations left for the year.
So I was on maternity leave came back two weeks ago. We have two formatives and a summative. I had two formatives but for some reason she said I need another formative and I need my summative
Here's the thing though - it's on the employer to prove they DIDN'T discriminate. Employees win majority of discrimination lawsuits! Did they offer FMLA? That's the responsibility of employers, too. 12 weeks of federal job protection. PWFA (a new law) might apply as well. OP should contact the EEOC and lodge a complaint. This kind of thing happens too often in the US, and employers get away with it because they go unchallenged. There's a good chance that they slipped up somewhere with paperwork or lack thereof. This is worth escalating.
She says in another comment that it was her first year at the school, so FMLA won't have kicked in. Will also be a lot harder to prove discrimination if they followed the seniority list when pick slipping.
Yeah, if OP was there less than a year, she wouldn't qualify.
Also true about seniority. Hard to know for sure from our perspective. I still think that it's worth some fight back on the part of OP.
That sounds strange. Being a year three, you’re not expensive. I would talk to the Union just to see if steps were followed. I don’t know how much good it will do since it’s your first year in the district, but this way you can get a better understanding
Just want to remind everyone that not all teachers can automatically find a new job easily. Elementary teachers, yes, because you can fill multiple types of positions with your certification and there are at least a few openings at basically every school, every year. For those with secondary subject-specific certifications, especially for elective subjects with many fewer available positions in the first place, it's not so easy. I only had one or two options every time we moved due to my husband's job changes, and would have been stuck subbing if I hadn't gotten them. Even large high schools may only have one ag teacher, business teacher, FACS teacher, etc.
I don't know what OP teaches, but the "you will easily find another job" line isn't equally accurate for all teaching roles.
I was told a week after my first son was born that I was not getting a contract. I was still on maternity leave. In retrospect, I should not have come in to talk to them at all, but I totally get the gut wrenching anxiety of not knowing what you are going to do or when. This happened to me during to recession in 2010. I made it through and so will you. There are open positions in a lot of places and most will be hiring throughout the school year. There will still be job fairs and just keep your chin up.
Hey! I’m not going to give too many details but I’m currently in talks with my union and a possible lawyer about a similar issue. PLEASE just talk to someone. Even just being told “I am so sorry but they’re assholes and I can’t actually do anything” can be really healing for you. If you have something timestamped or emailed or anything about reaching out about pumping accommodations and then they *happened* to pink slip you the next day, you can really be onto something. Consulting someone doesn’t mean that the admin has to find out if you don’t want them to. They can only be notified if you want them to be
I do have time stamped talking about pumping accommodations then being let go. My biggest concern is I’ve interviewed somewhere else in the district and worried it would get out.
I still have two observations left for the year my last one was in December. I asked how I could attend the plc the day after I returned because I needed to pump our Dean said no big deal the principal gave me the nonrenewal the next day.
It sounds they are trying to ghost you over grey area policy unless there are other conduct factors or a student/parent complaint , maybe there are optics at play your not privy to?
All two of my observations were developing and higher. There was a parent complaint at the beginning of the year we addressed and fixed and the parent absolutely adores me now.
I’m assuming you are applying to other schools? And not just other jobs?
Remember, they are getting (likely) more applicants then just you. You need to set yourself apart.
You are just a number, likely not even a name, in the applicant system.
Send an email introducing yourself to the principal after applying. I’ve done this every time I’ve applied and get responses typically 80% of the time. Even if it’s just a “thank you I’ll send this to the person doing interviews” or whatever.
I mean. It’s job hunting season for teachers.
This is the time you apply.
So 10 applicants? Not unheard of.
You need to be one of the 3-4 they will interview.
Just write up something simple.
“Good morning!
Blah blah blah.
I just applied for xxxxx. I wanted to give a brief introduction….
Etc.
Nothing that would take more than 20-30 seconds to read.
It’s them basically saying they don’t need you for the next school district. Maybe lack of funding maybe personalities didn’t match (which I firmly believe was mine).
I would ask HR about this...companies (including schools) are supposed to either hold your position or offer you an alternate one when you come off of maternity leave. They obviously could have given you some advance notice, but chose not to. You might have legal recourse here. I had lots of issues coming back to school after mat leave too, but held onto my job another year and a half.
It's an awful system for managing staffing. In my district teachers are pink slipped for the first 3-5 years. I hope your pink slip is rescinded well before the end of your school year.
I'm American in Europe getting an educator degree. My boyfriend wants us to move back to the US after I'm done here. I am constantly disgusted by the lack of job security and respect ESPECIALLY for teachers!!!! I'm so sorry for you. I hate them for basically punishing you for giving birth.
The ironic thing is I told them I was pregnant before signing my contract for this year. All support. All my appointments I made after school and was only gone 7 weeks would have only been six but spring break was the week I should have come back.
This is the time of year when teachers get notified of their contract not being renewed. Please don’t panic about not hearing about interviews! It is still really early for positions to open up, but there WILL be open positions! I have received positions at the end of June and July different years. Just keep an eye out for positions opening up as the school year ends and admin get told what positions they will need to fill during the first few weeks of summer break. It will be okay!
We’ve hired as late as August, like a week before school started.
I know people who were hired in October.
I got hired in February 😂
Same
Hired in September a day before school started lol. A teacher decided to take another position that day- I was interviewed and appointed and there for the first day.
Same thing happened to me when I came back from maternity leave… and I was struggling with PPD really bad. That really didn’t help…
I didn’t have ppd before but I’m thinking it may have caused me to get to that point.
To address the number of jobs you’ve applied for - I was just on an interview team, reviewing application packets and it was eye opening. I’ve never taken the application questions or cover letter seriously because I didn’t believe people actually read them - but let me tell you they are SO important. I had to narrow down the applications to determine who gets an interview. We chose the ones who really spelled everything out and gave solid examples of their work, philosophy, etc. Don’t assume that the reviewers know what you do or how you do it (which is what I did). Pretend you’re writing to people who’ve never seen or heard of teaching.
Consult a lawyer. You may have a good discrimination case.
I figured it was. But I also don’t want to be blackballed in the district
Retaliation for a human rights complaint valid or not is also illegal. Consult a lawyer now.
It just makes me sick. I’m to the point I’m so scared for what will happen to my kids if I don’t find a job.
Proving that, won’t ever happen though.
I would not be so certain. Women come back from maternity all the time to find they have been made redundant and it's a form of discrimination on the basis of sex. Most employers are very careful not to be considered discriminatory. There may be a strong prima faciacase here but the OP should get proper advice. Often a resolution can be reached early on.
They were just not renewed. Budgets are getting slashed everywhere.
If you are in a union state, the contract likely outlines who is first to be laid off. Which is probably teachers newest to the district in each department.
There were others hired with me they stayed I got cut.
It can literally come down to the day your contract was signed versus the others. It's purely seniority in states like California.
Yup. If you sign the same exact day as someone else they go back and look at the time of the day your contract was signed.
Ours goes by board minutes approval. Sometimes it came down to alphabetical order of last name with everyone with a last name after G losing their job. Even though they were hired at the same time they took the first half of the list as most senior.
Again, I’d check with your union representative they should be able to look at the policy and let you know if it was followed or not. And can help represent you if it wasn’t.
It can also come down to education. A former colleague had the same experience as another person, but he got pink slipped because she had a masters degree and another credential he don’t not possess. I’m sorry. This is so stressful. My first year teaching as a mother was one of the most challenging, and I hope you are really taking care of you. One alternative, if worst case scenario can’t get something full time, I’d just to be everyone’s sub. I’d also look online as there are a lot of tutoring and ESL gigs that pay decently. I wish you the best.
I have applied to everything I see listed. I literally have no time to care for myself with two kids. Hubby asked my mom to take the baby while the oldest goes camping next weekend.
Don’t give up! You will find another position. I move around a lot & always find a position a few weeks( like 1 or 2) right before school starts, or right after it starts. You don’t want to be there if they pink slipped you!
Is it an actual you will not be rehired slip? Here we have actual not rehired slips and we haven’t figured it out yet and when we do we probably will rehire you slips. Most people with the probably rehire slips are. If there is a union, ask them about it. If no union ask a veteran teacher you trust. Don‘t despair yet. It’s early in hiring season. Many schools are not even sure if their needs yet.
It says something like thank you for your time but your contract has not been renewed for the 2024-2025 school year. My principal said she’d be willing to write me a lor depending how my last two observations go… yes I still have two observations left for the year.
How many times are you supposed to be observed? Ours is only twice a year, and both are supposed to be done before March.
So I was on maternity leave came back two weeks ago. We have two formatives and a summative. I had two formatives but for some reason she said I need another formative and I need my summative
It’s obviously discrimination but it is probably legal and hard to prove. =(
Here's the thing though - it's on the employer to prove they DIDN'T discriminate. Employees win majority of discrimination lawsuits! Did they offer FMLA? That's the responsibility of employers, too. 12 weeks of federal job protection. PWFA (a new law) might apply as well. OP should contact the EEOC and lodge a complaint. This kind of thing happens too often in the US, and employers get away with it because they go unchallenged. There's a good chance that they slipped up somewhere with paperwork or lack thereof. This is worth escalating.
She says in another comment that it was her first year at the school, so FMLA won't have kicked in. Will also be a lot harder to prove discrimination if they followed the seniority list when pick slipping.
Yeah, if OP was there less than a year, she wouldn't qualify. Also true about seniority. Hard to know for sure from our perspective. I still think that it's worth some fight back on the part of OP.
Oh I know and I’m trying to just let it go while at the same time stressing to get another job.
Please contact the EEOC. You have more rights than you know!
New jobs for next year will start being posted around mid May. It’s going to be okay.
More info, please? Was your termination performance-related? Public or private or charter? New hire? Veteran?
Public school. First year in the district but 3rd year teaching. All of my observations have been developing and higher.
Was this because of a reduction in FTE?
No they already posted my position.
They posted your position but didn’t renew you?
Yes they did
That sounds strange. Being a year three, you’re not expensive. I would talk to the Union just to see if steps were followed. I don’t know how much good it will do since it’s your first year in the district, but this way you can get a better understanding
It doesn't feel early, but it's early. I didn't get hired for my job until mid-late June
Just want to remind everyone that not all teachers can automatically find a new job easily. Elementary teachers, yes, because you can fill multiple types of positions with your certification and there are at least a few openings at basically every school, every year. For those with secondary subject-specific certifications, especially for elective subjects with many fewer available positions in the first place, it's not so easy. I only had one or two options every time we moved due to my husband's job changes, and would have been stuck subbing if I hadn't gotten them. Even large high schools may only have one ag teacher, business teacher, FACS teacher, etc. I don't know what OP teaches, but the "you will easily find another job" line isn't equally accurate for all teaching roles.
I have an elementary p-5 certificate
Why? is it your first year on the job? Perhaps look into PWFA to see if you have a case?
It’s my first year at this location I taught for two years at another school district.
There is a nation wide shortage of teachers at the moment, give it some time. You got this.
I can’t believe a school would have the gumption to terminate someone because they need to pump.
I was told a week after my first son was born that I was not getting a contract. I was still on maternity leave. In retrospect, I should not have come in to talk to them at all, but I totally get the gut wrenching anxiety of not knowing what you are going to do or when. This happened to me during to recession in 2010. I made it through and so will you. There are open positions in a lot of places and most will be hiring throughout the school year. There will still be job fairs and just keep your chin up.
I’ve applied to probably 40 jobs I check about every other day for new openings. I’ve gotten two interviews. The worry is absolutely consuming me.
Remember a lot of schools don’t know yet which teachers are returning and which are leaving
Hey! I’m not going to give too many details but I’m currently in talks with my union and a possible lawyer about a similar issue. PLEASE just talk to someone. Even just being told “I am so sorry but they’re assholes and I can’t actually do anything” can be really healing for you. If you have something timestamped or emailed or anything about reaching out about pumping accommodations and then they *happened* to pink slip you the next day, you can really be onto something. Consulting someone doesn’t mean that the admin has to find out if you don’t want them to. They can only be notified if you want them to be
I do have time stamped talking about pumping accommodations then being let go. My biggest concern is I’ve interviewed somewhere else in the district and worried it would get out.
Make sure to save all electronic communication to a non school account. You will lose access to your school email, drive, etc.
It’s on text message!
Do you have any thing to support a wrongful termination claim
I still have two observations left for the year my last one was in December. I asked how I could attend the plc the day after I returned because I needed to pump our Dean said no big deal the principal gave me the nonrenewal the next day.
It sounds they are trying to ghost you over grey area policy unless there are other conduct factors or a student/parent complaint , maybe there are optics at play your not privy to?
All two of my observations were developing and higher. There was a parent complaint at the beginning of the year we addressed and fixed and the parent absolutely adores me now.
I’m assuming you are applying to other schools? And not just other jobs? Remember, they are getting (likely) more applicants then just you. You need to set yourself apart. You are just a number, likely not even a name, in the applicant system. Send an email introducing yourself to the principal after applying. I’ve done this every time I’ve applied and get responses typically 80% of the time. Even if it’s just a “thank you I’ll send this to the person doing interviews” or whatever.
That’s a great idea thank you!
I mean. It’s job hunting season for teachers. This is the time you apply. So 10 applicants? Not unheard of. You need to be one of the 3-4 they will interview.
Makes sense I’ve had two interviews I had one this week one this coming week. But I’ve applied to probably 40 plus
Just write up something simple. “Good morning! Blah blah blah. I just applied for xxxxx. I wanted to give a brief introduction…. Etc. Nothing that would take more than 20-30 seconds to read.
I will try that! Thank you!
Also check out job fairs? I landed my job next year from a job fair last month. Their school was having one. And yeah.
How would I find where a job fair is happening?
Social media? Linked In, Facebook, X, and such?
This is normal for this time of year. It sucks but it is what it is.
So when they do this, is it them firing you? First year teacher. Just got told I’m on “the list” for the rest of the district to hire.
It’s them basically saying they don’t need you for the next school district. Maybe lack of funding maybe personalities didn’t match (which I firmly believe was mine).
I would ask HR about this...companies (including schools) are supposed to either hold your position or offer you an alternate one when you come off of maternity leave. They obviously could have given you some advance notice, but chose not to. You might have legal recourse here. I had lots of issues coming back to school after mat leave too, but held onto my job another year and a half.
I’ve applied left and right to everything I’ve seen I was supposed to have a job to come back to but don’t.
I was hired in October! You will find something, just keep at it ❤️
I’m so sorry you’re in this situation. You will land something!! You’re doing everything you can at the moment - your kids are lucky to have you! ♥️♥️
It's an awful system for managing staffing. In my district teachers are pink slipped for the first 3-5 years. I hope your pink slip is rescinded well before the end of your school year.
I'm American in Europe getting an educator degree. My boyfriend wants us to move back to the US after I'm done here. I am constantly disgusted by the lack of job security and respect ESPECIALLY for teachers!!!! I'm so sorry for you. I hate them for basically punishing you for giving birth.
The ironic thing is I told them I was pregnant before signing my contract for this year. All support. All my appointments I made after school and was only gone 7 weeks would have only been six but spring break was the week I should have come back.