If you’re thinking about leaving: Check with your school district’s pension board office first. If it’s like most U.S. government pension systems, you have to work 30 years to get the maximum pension benefit with a graduated scale for less than 30 years employment. You're in Canada though and pension eligibility rules might be different.

You could apply for positions in other school districts. Check to see if the pension system that you belong to is compatible with other school district pensions. Your pension board office can tell you this. This way when you retire, your pension calculation of years worked can be coupled together just as if you had worked for one school district.

First I want to say that your class is very lucky to have you as your treacher.

Then, I'll say, if you are not happy, go elsewhere where you will be appreciated and heard from the supervisor.

Lastly, report her. How will the chiefs know, if no one reports her?

I too like PD's answer.

I'm afraid I don't have any useful advice beyond that. Working for toxic bosses is a soul-draining experience. You have my sympathies.

Thanks so much for your thoughts and kind words, all!

We are unionized, and complaints have been made, but she’s not doing anything “wrong” exactly. She’s just a horrible leader. I do have the ear of someone in a senior position in our district and have told him everything quietly.

I can move within my district (52 elementary schools, though only 9 within reasonable distance) without any repercussions. I can’t leave the district without starting over.

As I read all your thoughts, I was nodding along. Though “the devil I know” and the amazing staff I work with and the ease of staying in one place are all compelling things holding me back. Im definitely interested to see what positions come open. And perhaps, more than anything, I just needed to vent my frustrations. Thanks for your ideas and for listening!

I'm getting ready to fly out on a two week trip (if flight - and house - aren't flooded out), and only have time to express my great admiration for what you're doing.

I'm so grateful for the all-too rare exceptional teachers like you and however sympathetic and sad I am for your present case load (what else can it be called, really?), I too want to see you avoid burnout. NOBODY can deal with what you're taxed with at present while also being treated as you are by that ghastly leader you describe.

Good for you for still liking her "as a person" - that's a remarkable human achievement in itself.

I hope you can continue to contribute what you do in the classroom for the needy students you serve. All too often I've seen such teaching/human excellence recognized by being promoted to a managerial position (unless they refuse, almost always taking a huge pay loss). However much the leadership would benefit by your being one of them, those kids need someone like you hands on!

(Thinking bitterly of Betsy deVoss and her leadership and how she represents the ultimate
failure to the children of this country. Yes, I know you're in Canada, but I see the educational system there has its own major problems and let-down children. Teachers like you are saints!)

quote:

I just needed to vent my frustrations.

This is a very real thing, just getting some stuff out, saying it (typing it) out loud is always good.

Don’t have any better advice than what you have been given except for a word of caution - Sometimes you leave one set of problems to find another equally frustrating but different set at the new place.