Ms Ludkowski retired from teaching yesterday after 34 years. She's got a message she wants to share.

"Stand up for yourselves and your students."

Lill Ludkowski and I taught in the same school district for many years.

One More Rant - Then I Am Done (well, maybe)

I tried to resist taking one more swipe at my former employer, but I just can't. This was an eye-opening year for me in many ways, and I'm happy I will never have to have any dealings with the school district again.

Eighteen dedicated, skilled, and hard working teachers retired from my district yesterday. Many gave 34 plus years of service to the district. These teachers spent several hundred years altogether educating children. Some taught children of their former students. Some live in and pay taxes in the community.

To my knowledge, NOT ONE OF US was recognized or thanked for our service to the children and community by the Board of Education or the Superintendent of Schools. There was no mention of us in the superintendent's end of year letter. No well wishes for our future, nothing.

In my case, I can understand this. Five of my retiring colleagues and I had to negotiate until the last step before our grievance went to arbitration for a retirement incentive that we earned through our hard work and dedication to the district. We prevailed and there may be some hard feelings toward us. Fine.

But not to acknowledge the remaining twelve teachers is reprehensible. Yes, they received retirement incentives that were negotiated between our union and the Board of Education. That doesn't negate the common courtesy to thank them for their service and wish them well.

Frankly, the last two years have been hell for every teacher in the United States. We conquered a steep learning curve of our own and taught both online and in person, sometimes at the same time. We did our best to keep our students from contracting the virus at school. Some of us caught it and are experiencing lasting effects from the disease.

I personally had the best year in my 24 years of teaching in the district if you want to measure that by my standardized MAP scores. 87% of my students met or exceeded district standards in Reading. Half my class qualified for Gifted reading, Math, or both. The couple of students who didn't meet the goal were English language learners and one was absent for about 3 months throughout the school year. 79% of my students met the district goal for Math. I didn't rest on my laurels because I was retiring. I did everything I needed to do to achieve these results. I know my sister and fellow retirees did the same.

The lack of recognition from the upper administration won't ruin my retirement. I know what I accomplished during my 24 years there. So do the parents and the students I taught. Their appreciation and opinions matter much more to me than any administrator's.

Best of luck to all of my former colleagues, retired or still teaching. If you are returning in the fall, now is the perfect time to assert yourselves. With a teacher shortage, you have much more power than ever before. Use it. Don't be afraid. Stand up for yourselves and your students. The district only cares about its own agenda, and you are not a priority on it.

-Lillian Duty-Ludkowski

*Lill posted this on her Facebook page and gave me permission to repost it.