HOW DO YOU GET A JOB IN THE PLUM BORO SCHOOL DISTRICT?????
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I am just curious to the criteria of how new teachers and coaches are hired??? I had heard of many accounts to were new coaches and teachers were brought into the district when Plum had already had suitable replacements.
For the 2006-2007 school year, a mysterious Social Studies job opened up at the high school. The man who was hired for the position was interviewed in shorts and a t-shirt. The reason he did not have a formal interview was because they didn't post the job. If you don't know, there is an aide at the high school who has that certification who is more than qualified for the job. That person has been an aide for over 3 years!!! I guess that the aide just didn't have the right connections.
Plum High School had advertised for a head basketball coach for the 2007-2008 school year. The assistant basketball coach had been with the team for 8 seasons. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to assume that he would be the logical choice. This man is also a teacher in the High School. For some odd reason, the school district decided to hire from outside the building. Weird!! I guess you have to be related to the Mayor to coach basketball in this district.
For the 2007-2008 school district, Plum advertised for a Health and Physical Education teacher. This position was for two of the elementary schools. During the 2006-2007 school year, they hired a long-term substitute teacher to fill in for this position from November to June. This teacher was also a football coach and a baseball coach for the district. This teacher did an outstanding job both in the classroom and on the playing field. The only thing this teacher needed to do was to be best friends with the principals son to get the job. Unfortunately, thats what it takes to get the Health and Physical Education position in Plum.
I do not understand why the district continues to hire the "friends of the program" and not people who are already qualified in the system. These are just three cases that I know of. I am sure than through the years, there has been many more cases just like these.
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Coach W, did you ever look at the credentials of the Basketball coach they hired. If I recall correctly, he has coached some very good teams and brought them fairly far into the playoffs. Could you please provide me with how well the basketball team has done in the last 8 years? Just because you "pay your dues" does not mean you are guaranteed anything. I'm not questioning the assistant coaches character, he may be the nicest guy on the planet. But can he coach..? Also, you say that he is the logical choice because he is a teacher at the high school. I'm sorry, I never knew this was a credential for a coaching position. Maybe the district needs to do more outside hiring in order to stay competitive in other sports.
And now to the aide. Don't get me wrong he or she could be a great teacher, but why are they still here after 3 years? Many districts are hiring everyday and if they are so qualified, why didn't they get hired at the other districts?
"But can he coach..? Also, you say that he is the logical choice because he is a teacher at the high school. I'm sorry, I never knew this was a credential for a coaching position"
Perhaps some teachers could chime in here...
I DO beleive that current teachers are to be given priority in the hiring process of the coaches. In other words, all things being equal, a teacher that applies for the job is to be given preference for the job over an outside applicant. Once again, all thing being equal...
As a third party observer, I’d like to answer the question as to what the basketball team accomplished the previous eight seasons before the arrival of the new coach.
1999-2000 23 wins, 5 losses (Best record in school history. Graduated Matt Magnusen who went on to become on of the best players in Allegheny College history. Graduated Carlo Dorazio, who went on to walk on at the University of Pittsburgh. Andy Dakin went on to play at Robert Morris.)
2000-2001 17 wins, 8 losses (Team returned 1 starter and still made the playoffs)
2001-2002 15 wins, 9 losses (Team missed the playoffs by 1 game)
2002-2003 24 wins, 6 losses (2nd best record in school history. First team in school history to win a state playoff game. Team graduated Bobby Franklin who became the school’s all time leading scorer. Went on to play at Clarion. And John Koch, who became the all time leader scorer at W&J. Eric Gillis and James Booker went on to play at UPJ.)
2003-2004 7 wins 16 losses (only losing season during these eight years. Team returned zero starters from the previous season).
2004-2005 16 wins 8 losses (Graduated 2nd all time leading scorer Mike McKee who is now playing for Kent St. and Josh Rulnick who is now playing at LaRoche.)
2005-2006 17 wins 8 losses (made playoffs and Graduated Mike Fisher who is playing at Penn St. New Ken and Dyllan Grazier who is playing at Laroche)
2006-2007 13 wins 9 losses (team missed the playoffs by 1 game, but things were looking bright due to the fact that 4 starters would be returning for the 2007-2008 season).
So during the past eight seasons, Plum Basketball had one team with a losing record (2003-2004). Numerous kids from these teams went to play in college, who have gone on to have very successful careers on and off the court. Plum Basketball went to being a laughingstock to one of the most respected and feared programs in Western Pennsylvania.
It should also be noted that Plum won 66% of their games during this 8 year period. If you want to compare resumes, you can take a look at Quaker Valley from 2003-2007.
2003-2004 5 wins 18 losses
2004-2005 27 wins 3 losses
2005-2006 23 wins 8 losses
2006-2007 9 wins 16 losses
Total - 64 wins, 45 losss (59% winning percentage).
I think the point that Coach W was only pointing out that Plum Basketball has become very successful in the 2000’s, and has made our community very proud. I don’t want to speak for him, but like a lot of us, I think he was hoping that the school would continue in that direction by promoting their top assistant, who was a big part of the rise of the program.
And that is what I am trying to say here. The district should be promoting the people who are devoting so much time and energy to the district. Obvioulsy anyone who coaches knows that we don't do it for the money!! We do it because we love our kids, the game and the district.
Plum should be extending their gratitude to these people. Not hiring outside. The basketball coach, the aide and the Health and Physical Education teacher all deserve the jobs they were passed over for.
I am just saying that political influence should have no influence on these jobs, but unfortunately, in PLUM BORO, it does.
I could be wrong but if my memory is correct the 1977-78 basketball team had a pretty good record as well at 20-4.
In your post you stated, "1999-2000 23 wins, 5 losses (Best record in school history", you then went on to write, "2002-2003 24 wins, 6 losses (2nd best record in school history".
With that being said, clearly you are identifying the team with the best winning percentage as the quantifier for the best team otherwise you wouldn't rank a team with 24 wins behind a team with 23 wins in your chronology.
I'm not trying to debate who was or wasn't the best team, I'm simply pointing out that the 1977-78 squad had a better percentage record than the two that you mentioned.
"Plum High School had advertised for a head basketball coach for the 2007-2008 school year.
The assistant basketball coach had been with the team for 8 seasons. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to assume that he would be the logical choice.
This man is also a teacher in the High School. For some odd reason, the school district decided to hire from outside the building. Weird!! I guess you have to be related to the Mayor to coach basketball in this district."
Not as weird as you'd think...the assitant coach your referring to was not even the first assistant. I believe that position was held by Ron McNabb who also did not get the job. So, it would have been somewhat of a reach to have taken him over the first assistant. At the end of the day, the adminitration wanted a clean break from the previous regime, simple as that.
When do they give the head basketball coach a teaching position in the Plum Borough School district??? It's my understanding that he's still teaching at Quaker Valley.
Well I truthfully can say that maybe you just didn't pucker up enough or maybe you know to much on the district or someone in it. This has happened so many times where good , knowledgeable and caring Coach's have been replaced because someone or something in the district was offended by it. And it doesn't help when we have 2 AD"S neither one is a teacher either. In fact Mr. Alpino was in charge of marketing at his prior job at Duquesne. Can someone tell me what he has marketed here other than himself. So maybe we need to start there because he is here on some kind of a political butt kissing you can be sure. HMMMMM I just wonder who"s.
Well I truthfully can say that maybe you just didn't pucker up enough or maybe you know to much on the district or someone in it. This has happened so many times where good , knowledgeable and caring Coach's have been replaced because someone or something in the district was offended by it. And it doesn't help when we have 2 AD"S neither one is a teacher either. In fact Mr. Alpino was in charge of marketing at his prior job at Duquesne. Can someone tell me what he has marketed here other than himself. So maybe we need to start there because he is here on some kind of a political butt kissing you can be sure. HMMMMM I just wonder who"s.
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After leading Plum's boys soccer team to the best record in school history, a WPIAL championship, a PIAA semifinal appearance, and back-to-back section championships, the former varsity coach left after the following season. Why? All the man wanted was the opportunity to teach in the district. Two phys ed positions were available but yet a man who had done great things for the school and boro in only three years was passed over, even though he was more than qualified as an educator. Why would the school not hire someone who had achieved all that he did.
How can you be sure that the coach is as good a teacher as he is a coach? You can't. He may not be as good of a teacher as he is a coach. Plus, it's not only the coach that produces a winning team, you have to remember about the team itself. It's a 50/50 effort.
You have to take a chance and pick who you think will be the best at the job. Until he/she begins working, you won't know what kind of a teacher he is like. And why should an AD be a teacher? They aren't teaching, they are running and facilitating business and administrating.