Public Advocate: Parent coordinators don't pick up their phones
Parent coordinators are increasingly unavailable by phone, according to a report released recently by the Public Advocate's office, where staffers called 100 parent coordinators after school hours, only to leave messages for the vast majority of them. Many of those messages — 71 percent of those left by staff members posing as prospective parents, according to the Post — were never answered. When the Public Advocate's office conducted a similar study in 2005, 50 percent of parent coordinators responded to calls.
Parent coordinators are supposed to be available around the clock, and the DOE is supposed to provide them with a cell phone that should remain on all evening and on weekends. But over time, parent coordinators have lost their phones, their phones have broken, and departing parent coordinators have failed to hand their phones over to their replacements. I've had little trouble reaching parent coordinators during school hours by calling schools' main numbers and asking for them. But reaching them after school or by cell phone exclusively (if indeed that's what the Public Advocate's office tried to do) sounds like a different beast.
Of course, the real issue is that which a District 4 parent advocate notes in the Post: "You talk to a lot of answering machines when you deal with the DOE. ... No return calls, no-pick-up calls - it's true."
20 comments:
Called a Queens elementary school to find out about G&T kindergarten and after school programs, and school secretary said, "That has nothing to do with us..." and dumped me to the Parent Coordinator's voice mail. Finally got a phone call back 4 days later -- which is more than I can say for the District 25 Office, whom I called and left messages for 4 times, and NEVER got a phone call back!
I feel that there is only so much that a parent coordinator can handle. I know at my son'd school the role of the coordinator has changed drastically over the last couple of years.
Since the majority of these positions are political placements, what would you expect. I have applied for the position of Parent Coordinator at seven different schools in my community. I've had five interviews. I've been told at interviews that
1."I was too pushy, to assertive"
2."I don't know how the Caribbean community at this school would deal with an American"
3. "Don't worry about your duties, just follow my lead"...and worse.
I don't disagree with the above comments, however, I think it unrealistic to expect anyone to be available at all times. I don't know how much parent co-ordinators get paid, but I'm sure it is not the type of CEO money that expects a 24/7 commitment. That said I think the system should re-think the positions. In most schools it is useless.
I am a Parent Coordinator for the last two years. Not one time was I ever told that my cell phone is to be on 24/7. I don't get paid to be on call after my paid 7 hours. There has never been anything that urgent that I should be receiving phone messages on my days off or in the evening when I am with MY family. A good Parent Coordinator should respond within 24 hours of receiving a phone message- Mon-Fri. Some people have no idea the work load that some P/C do. In my school I handle G&T - everything, I mean absolutely everything. I sit on 4 committees, I handle 99% of all parent complaints, I provide info on housing, medical, testing info. I handle all 5th grade graduation activities. I assist PTA in all functions. I produce a monthly newsletter. etc..etc..etc I dont have enough room on my resume to list all the daily tasks I conduct. For those individual P/C that are not returning phone calls or doing their job, they should be ashamed of themselves. They are giving those who work extremely hard a bad name. Make a complaint about the P/C in your individual building, maybe you'll get somewhere.
As a Parent Coordinator ( and I have been since the inception in 2003, as well as a DOE /Board of Ed employee for many years prevoius to becoming a Parent Coordinator). I am highly insulted by this article. I always return all phone calls, whether they are on my cell phone or school land line, in a timely fashion--usually in the same day, most times within an hour maximum.I even answer emails over the weekends and evenings.
As for on call 24/7---are you kidding me??!!! We are not doctors, do have our own families, and are definately not paid enough. With this said--I throughly enjoy my job and feel that I address the many questions and concerns of the parents.I know that I speak for myself and many of my colleagues who all perform a valuable service on our schools.
As another "original" PC (since August 2003), I am very resentful of all the negative press we receive because of the deadwood that exists in many schools. I have my phone on all the time and do answer on weekends and nights. I also work extremely hard at my school,serving everyone - parents AND school staff - who comes to my office. Sometimes, I am asked to do other things in an emergency - it's what school staff should do because the KIDS COME FIRST.
If parents are unhappy with the quality of the PC, it is the current principal that must be accountable, whether they hired the PC or not. The PC is the face of the school to parents, and if a PC is not doing his/her job serving their clients, then the principal should replace them. If PCs want their jobs, they have to DO their jobs!
I am also a parent coordinator in the position since its inception in 2003. Many of us undertake numerous duties and responsibilities that are not covered in our job description. We also perform the many tasks that are required of us for our parents and their children. My parents can readily reach me by telephone (school or cell phone), by email, or by coming into my office (no appt. necessary). I also return email and phone calls on weekends as well. Many of us come in early and stay past our work hours with no compensation, but we do it because we have a "passion" for parents. There may be some PC's who are making the "big bucks", however, many of the dedicated ones are making the minimum salary. If there are PC's that are not performing their job then they should be replaced. I, for one, can hold my head up high knowing that I have a bond with my parents. I am proud to be a parent coordinator and equally proud of my colleagues who perform the same services that I do for their parents as well.
I adore the parent coordinators at both my children's schools (one elementary and one middle). They are extremely accessible to me by phone, by email and in person and I can't imagine how we managed before this position existed. I'm very grateful to them and they should be getting praise, not criticism -- they handle a lot and do it well.
I am also a parent coordinator since the inception of the position since 2003.
It is up to the principal on how active and involved a parent coordinator can be. The principal has to share information and include us at meetings in order for the PC to know what is going on in the school. Most of the PC's are fantastic individuals. We return calls. I agree if you are having a problem with a PC in your school complain to your school.
I personally am a comfort to every parent. I always extend myself to the point that my principal will say that I spend to much time talking to the parents. If I am not busy I try to be visiable in the main office or near the entrance.
If a PC is not returning a call then she certainly is not doing what he/she is supposed to be doing. Being available 24/7 is nuts. We don't get paid for that and have been told to shut our phones when we leave the school. Most of us check them at least once a day on the weekend and in the evening after we have left work. What professional is on duty 24/7 excpet for doctors (who have answering machines) and other emergency services.
Fortunately I have heard the comment "You should have been here when I had my first child"
There may be things to complain about in your child's school but the PC is there to welcome you and to communicate with your school more easily. If he/she isn't you should discuss it with the principal and the PC at a meeting to help straigtening things out.
The Publc Advocate does not know what really the Parents Coordinators' job is. Come to elementary, middle and high schools and see what we do for the little money we get paid...24/7 phone calls have to be answer? Please stop the nonsense...and get real!!!!!!
I am and have been a Parent Coordinator since the inception of this positon. I am extremely disappointed with Public Advocate Office and yet another attack on PC's. My advice is, focus your energies on the real issues schools are facing: budget cuts, no afterschool programs, no community prorams..etc..there are alot of issues facing our schools and the "victims" of these real issues are our children. PC have made such an impact on schools since our inception into the school system..on a daily basis, we go beyond the call of duty, I don't know any PC's that just stick to their job description..my job description changes day by day...and as stated before, if PC's are not answering the phone than call the schools...we are available during our work hours and the cell phones that most of have don't have reception within the the school building...so please, GIVE ME A BREAK...WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN!!!!!
I am a parent volunteer for district 4, reading this article and especially what Mr. Hector Nazzario had to say about the Coordinators of this district makes me sick! His interview in NO way speaks for us. He is a vicious, lying snake in the grass who has forgotten that half of the coordinators once stood in and still stand in our shoes. Many have children here in the same district in which they work.Nazzario should stick to the real fact and state the real reason the coordinators aren't able to complete the task Klien has given to them. The problem lies with the Principals & so called Politican back stabbers!
3:07 p.m.--Your comment has some interesting and useful information, so I approved it. But let's all remember to be respectful of people and civil in tone.
I wonder why the Public Advocate is spending so much time scrutinizing cell phone use among parent coordinators, and if the folks conducting this random study even thought to call the school directly to ask to be connected with the parent coordinator? Cell phones should be a back up at this point. They were put in place to assure that every parent had a way to reach their parent coordinator. I don't even use my cell phone except to check messages every few days. 99.9% of the time I have no messages on my cell phone because my parent constituency knows they can reach me directly, which is where most schools should be at this point. It's really up to principals, not PC's. The energy should be spent looking at equity in the way parents are served and the through line mechanism that is in place to serve them. We have come a long way in five years.
Did the Public Advocate ever consider that Parent Coordinators have to answer walk ins, coorespondence,host workshops, answer complaints, answer school phones, their own private lines, give resource information to parents, write monthly newsletters, attend community meetings as well as district meeting, attend training classes, and assist on days when the school is short on help (everyday) and still have their own life with their families. There is one PC in most school with 300-1000 parents. I like my job, my principal shares information and includes me in meetings so that I can answer parent concerns. The parents are helpful and respectful.
The Chancellor have a no cell phone regulation in which I agree with him, but why should we be expected to walk around the school with our cell phones so that we can answer calls 24/7. My parents have 6 different ways of contacting me, via e-mail,the schools main number, my office number,cell phone number, walking in, and completing a parent concern form.
"OTHERS MAY DOUBT WHAT YOU SAY, BUT THEY WILL BELIEVE WHAT YOU DO.'
Parent Coordinators keep up the good work.
Its astonishing how Parent Coordinators are criticized through random phonecalls, yet no public advocate has ever taken the time to show up at a school, randomly during the school day to see PC's in action. I've been a
Parent Coordinator since 2003 and my job has not gotten any easier. My workloasd includes a variety of tasks, and you better be able to multi-task ...well! No human being is on call 24/7 except doctors and CEO's...maybe. And although I am being paid over 42K, the salary is way below what I feel I deserve. I am that good at my job and I serve the position well! Still at this salary, I have no intention of being available 24/7. If a parent's need is that great during the mid-night hour they should be calling 911 or the police department. Get real...the Principal of a school i s not on cal 24/7. Public Advocates need to re-clarify their duties and intentions.
Just how much overtime did the staff making these phony calls from the Public Advocate's office get? How much tax payer money was wasted making theses phony calls from agency telephones? Isn't it against all NYC agencys' rules to make personal calls? Isn't it really, really silly & illegal to make prank calls. Didn't it take time away from P.C's duties to answer these fake calls? Does our Public Advocate & her staff take lunch everday? Many of us P.C.'s don't get the chance to do so. Does her staff work on weekends, holidays, etc? Do your research- $40,000 a year my foot! The majority of P.C's make the minimum salary,most with no raises in 4 years, Yes, we do work for the Principal, and in countless memos are reminded that we must follow their directives, like in most jobs. We have no job security at all. We are not tenured, do not have a pension fund, little backing of our union, and we still do a great job. I've called B.G's staff a few times & have gotten ridiculous anwers or no answers at all to REAL concerns.There are poor workers in all fields. Nonsense like this must stop! All it does is focus attention away from educational issues that truly matter. Publish your phone bill, Betsy.
This is my 3rd year as a PC. I wish I made $40,000 for all I do in the school. I do my PC responsibilities and then some. Parents not only have my DOE cell #, I have also given some of my parents my personal cell #. We don't get paid enough to be on call 24/7.
Upon the advice of a DoE G&T administrator, I listed an 'up and coming" gen ed on my out of district lottery as our #1 choice: Our child was granted a seat. Having been on the 2nd round of Citywide assessments concurrently, I repeatedly called the PC at the school AND by cell- numerous times-with no response. Truth be told, it's a lovely school on Morningside with a very committed Principal,faculty and excellent enrichment opportunities. We persisted through and past the deadline for acceptance, yet never received any contact from this PC. Finally, I went to the school and asked if the PC was available, was asked to leave her a written message, was assured she's contact me and waited outside on a lovely day. She never contacted us-despite our effort and (alleged) attempts by various DoE persons. This turned out to be a major deciding factor for us; How could there be any hope for cohesive parent involvement or support, which can truly enable a school to develop positively, when the PC in place lacks the responsibility, professionalism and basic courtesy
needed?
In tremendous contrast, We encountered numerous PCs-in other schools- whose diligence, passion and vigor were astounding-given how really underserved their schools were. Just like any other
job, some people really don't have a clue how very important their work can be or simply don't care
enough to work for positive effect. It's too bad the ones whom truly distinguish themseves through their efforts and creativity are working for such a crappy administration.
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