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Teachers Are Hit Hard with LayoffsA West High gym teacher explains his side of the storyANCHORAGE - School's out for summer, but for one teacher at West High it could be permanent. Chris Ruggles, 27, his wife Colleen and 1-year-old daughter Rylee landed in Anchorage on January 1 from Utah. “We were excited about the adventure, the idea of coming to Alaska,” said Chris Ruggles. “We heard a lot of great things about the education system up here, especially Anchorage.” But the P.E. and Physiology of Wellness teacher was told on Tuesday that he had been let go. "I understand how it works, not that I agree, but I understand how it works. “What am I going to do now? I came up here with my wife and daughter we've moved three thousand miles away and exhausted our finances to do it.” Colleen Ruggles said the transition to life in Alaska wasn't easy. "We got the call that he got the job, we had two weeks to pack up our entire house and figure out how to come up with the money to ship everything up here and get up here.” Now, the young family is waiting, with hope and faith, that Chris finds another job in the district. "It's disappointing, but Chris is a hard worker and he'll do whatever it takes to support our family whether it's teaching or not, but I sure hope it's teaching because that's his passion,” said Colleen. |
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ROBO said on Monday, May 21 at 6:06 PM
Before I moved 3000 miles for a job...I'd want some sort of contract for a minimum time-frame, so as to ensure financial security for the family...suggest he look to private schools, they manage their staffing and finances better than the government enity. Hopefully, the new supper will be better than the old and the district will make some smart decisions in the future.
91492416spot on said on Saturday, May 19 at 8:57 PM
Spot on raven
91353885Dept of Education said on Saturday, May 19 at 7:18 PM
The reason the MSBSD is looking is the Dept of Ed is investigating them - specifically Houston Middle School and Houston High School for violations of conduct in school, specifically Special Education... So call 206-607-1604 to report MSBSD violations!!!
91349226raven33 said on Saturday, May 19 at 4:07 PM
If you heard "Great Things" about ASD... you're not qualified to be a teacher!
91339274Anonymous said on Saturday, May 19 at 2:42 PM
Matanuska Sustitna Borough School District needs teachers all the time...and if you are a sub you can make good wages if your certified - if your laid off then your certified. Sign up online today! We have many teachers that need to be fired or retired!!!
91335356Alaskan said on Saturday, May 19 at 12:18 PM
If you understand how it works, then don't worry. Like always, they wait until school is out and then lay off a lot of people and then say 'if we don't get more tax dollars, we won't have these teachers" then when they get more money, everyone gets hired back when school starts. Notice they don't lay off administration or assistant to the assistant principles
91328185ge money said on Saturday, May 19 at 10:34 AM
student enrollment fall so should the number of employees,but should start in the distict office first!!!
91322396What am I going to do now? said on Saturday, May 19 at 6:39 AM
Get another job like anyone else would. But it seem you have figured out. Get in volved in where you work to cut the waste we all know is there, that way there will be money to keep teachers. If not just drone along like the other sheep and keep worrying about your next lay off.
91307356Thom said on Saturday, May 19 at 6:02 AM
Perhaps the school disctrict should get rid of some of the dead wood employee's that work with it through the Totem union. Case in point: support employess that sid behind the front desk at the schools, such as the attendance secretarys and such that choose to sit at work and shop on the computer through the home shopping network, employees that consider the office phones "their own phone that no one else is to answer", employees that enjoy spending working time talking to "friends" on the phone instead of working as they are hired to do. Would be a good start.
91304354EA, Kenai said on Friday, May 18 at 10:29 PM
Oh, so a little research would make you telepathic about what the school district was going to do? Gosh, no need to be harsh, give these people some encouragement instead of saying something to make them feel stupid.
91290026Sorry to hear said on Friday, May 18 at 9:21 PM
but a little more research should have been done before the move.
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