Page 2 | News | thesamohi.com | Sep. 29, 2016
Staff turnover causes a big impact Continued from page one but also both the district superintendent Sandra Lyon and Samo principal Eva Mayoral stepping down, leaving SMMUSD scrambling for some forms of stability before August 22. “It can be unsettling because we had no principals or superintendents,” Foster said. “However, the timing of [Mayoral] and [Lyon] was coincidence.” The district hired two interim-superintendents: Dr. Sylvia Rousseau and Dr. Christopher King. They also hired a new principal for Samo, Dr. Antonio Shelton, who could not be present for the first few weeks of school. Due to his absence, they had to hire an interim principal: Diana Garcia. Community & Public Relations Officer Gail Pinsker is optimistic despite the instability and lack of permanent leadership. “We have been fortunate enough to have former SMMUSD principals come back to fill in while we hire replacements for the [Samo] and [Malibu High] principal positions,” Pinsker said. “Ms. Diana Garcia, interim principal at [Samo] and Ms. Pat Cairns, interim principal at [Malibu High] are very familiar with our district, our staff, community and our goals around Excellence through Equity.” To Vazquez, this is not a lack of leadership, but rather a time of “soul-searching” and revamping the system so that SMMUSD can “take on 21st century education.” However there is something else that Foster believes is a bigger problem in the district. He is far more concerned about Malibu High School, where they are having their 5th principal in four years. “That level of turnover is unnatural,” Foster said. According to Richard Ingersoll, a University of Pennsylvania professor who studies teacher turnover and retention, the main reason that teachers leave is because of school conditions. For many, one of the main factors is the idea of having a voice and a say, and being able to be influential in important decisions that affect a teacher’s job. Ingersoll also stresses the importance of
supporting beginning teachers, because research he had generated showed that around 40 or 50 percent of beginning teachers are gone within five years of their arrival. Ingersoll explains that there are certain actions that help new teachers as they are acclimating to their environments. “The term ‘induction’ is often used for beginning teachers in the first couple of years,” Ingersoll said. “To help them learn the ropes and get better and survive. The percentage of teachers that get some kind of induction has doubled over the last couple of decades. So that’s one example of trying to pay attention to retention instead of just ignoring it.” This teacher and faculty attrition in SMMUSD brings into question the importance of staff retention. In situations like these, questions about the quality of school culture arise. Is the school supportive of teachers’ professional growth? Is there ample and structured time for meaningful teacher collaboration? For what reasons do these teachers leave, other than retirement? “There has been some tension between teachers and administrators over differing understandings of ‘collaboration,’” Foster said. “But I wouldn’t think that would have an impact on teacher turnover.” No matter the situation, teacher retention has proved very important in school districts everywhere. Creating environments in which teachers feel the most comfortable and heard is key in encouraging teachers to stay. Not to mention, mass teacher and staff turnover is very costly to any district. Foster is on the same page as Ingersoll about the importance of teacher influence and involvement. He believes that teachers should be supported just as much as Ingersoll did. “We have to support our teachers and respect their craft,” Foster said. “We have to involve them intensely in the decision making of the district.”
lyamashiro.thesamohi@gmail.com
Plans for a new softball field cause controversy Joseph Kean Staff Writer
Last spring, SMMUSD officials came up with a plan to bring back a softball field at Samo. It was decided that the softball field will be added to Sealy Field, the Samo baseball field, which has brought conflict to the softball team and the baseball team over division of playing space. The construction will begin mid-November and the new field will hopefully be ready for the teams to practice in January. According to Carey Upton, acting Director of Facility Improvement Projects of SMMUSD, the project is not an ideal fix for either softball or baseball. “Practices will be difficult. Only one sport’s game can be played at a time,” Upton said. “This will mean both baseball and softball teams will have to travel to Memorial Park to practice and play games.” Back in 2010, SMMUSD officials made the decision to move forward with the Innovation Building, a $55 million project that would force the softball field to be destroyed. This project included the addition of a new $4 million softball field. But when the SM-
MUSD officials decided that this would be an inefficient use of tax money, the softball field plans were halted. For the past five to six years, the Samo softball team has been scrambling to find venues to play at, making it difficult to carry an audience to watch them. They played most of their home games at Memorial Park on Olympic Blvd. Former Samo softball coach Debbie Skaggs has faced abysmally low turnout at games, even through several incredibly successful years for the varsity team. “Just getting the transportation and getting the kids over there could be a dilemma if you didn’t have a lot of parents who could pick kids up.” Skaggs said. “We were in the CIF championship game back to back years and we barely had people at our game.” With this addition of a softball field also comes some controversy from the Samo baseball program. The softball field will be placed in baseball’s centerfield, meaning the two programs will have to share field space for the first time in Samo history. A temporary fence will be put along baseball’s first base, third base, and pitcher’s mound. This will shorten baseball’s centerfield
by a little, while still meeting CIF standards. The adding of a softball field will not only shorten the baseball field, but also change the layout of the outdoor basketball courts. The courts will be changed from three small courts, to two full sized courts and one half court. Many of Samo’s baseball players are frustrated by this new tighter layout. According to Samo baseball player Michael Finkelstein (’18), it is unnecessary for the space to be taken from baseball territory. “I don’t really like how we have to share the field with softball because there is so much unused room at Samo,” Finkelstein said. Despite the delays and the prospect of sharing a space with the baseball program, the softball players are eager to get a field back. Samo varsity softball player Jasmine Gomez (’17) sums up what seems to be the overall consensus on the project. “I’m excited that we’re finally getting [a field] but it’s kind of a bummer that we’ll have to share one when we’ve waited years for our own.” jkean.thesamohi@gmail.com
Photo courtesy of Carey Upton
TWO CAN PLAY AT THIS GAME: A blueprint for the new Samo softball field, designed by Chan Young Architects, planned to open in January 2017.