Dec 14, 2021 | News
Dear BCPS community,
Over the past two years, schools across the country have faced circumstances that none of us could have imagined. But even in the face of these unforeseen challenges, the devoted teachers and staff at BCPS have continued to stay committed to our vision of success for every student. I know that this work isn’t easy, but I couldn’t be more proud of our staff for all they’ve done to make sure students feel valued and supported.
I also know that this time of high stress is creating challenging work environments for our devoted staff members. We are committed to supporting our staff and ensuring they feel heard.
There are clear guidelines for behavior outlined in our code of conduct, which we are committed as a district to upholding. Throughout the transformation, we’ve introduced new supports and practices to support these guidelines and to create positive environments in our school communities. Supports available within schools include behavior interventionists, Bearcat coaches, success specialists, and a host of community partners who are all on our team to help students who might be facing challenges.
We heard our staff who shared about the challenges they have been facing at the Board of Education meeting on Monday, December 13. While we are disappointed that these concerns were not brought to our attention before the meeting for collaborative problem solving, we know that this letter was submitted because there are individuals who are feeling unsupported. We are taking immediate action. I am meeting with several groups of teachers this week to hear more about their concerns; we will be redeploying additional district staff to support our teachers at buildings where teachers are feeling stretched; and we will be meeting with school leadership at these buildings as well to create action plans.
I am grateful for the love and commitment our staff members show the Bearcat family every day — and I share their commitment to creating positive experiences for everyone who enters our schools. BCPS should be a place where people want to wake up every day and come to work, where they feel like their voices are heard, and their experiences are valued. I look forward to hearing more from our staff members about their concerns and collaborating on resolutions.
Thank you,
Kimberly Carter
BCPS Superintendent