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Christine Korovilas
10/3/2009 03:37:11 pm

Retirement
• Posted by Christine Korovilas on June 14, 2009 at 8:30am

(This is a repeat of a blog I posted on another site)

Sunday June 14, 2009

Well, I guess it is officially over. 34+ years and I have found the one area at which CPS is most efficient, Friday was my last day and Sunday morning I find I am locked out of CPS land. I cannot log in to my e-mail which I used since the first day it was rolled out, and also CPS@work where I checked on my paycheck since that service was available to us. I don't appreciate the CPS@work lock out since they still owe me a few checks and now I have to wait for the paper check stub to arrive in the mail.

The fact that I am retired has not yet found a space in my brain. I was not ready to retire. The school I was assigned to for over 33 years was "turned around" and all my efforts to secure a new position were futile. Many positions I applied for and interviewed for were filled by teachers without the degrees and endorsements I hold. I was in effect being showed the door.

Maybe it is time to retire I just wish I would have had the opportunity to make the decision of my own free will. Retirement is also very bittersweet for me because although I was fortunate enough to have enough years of service to retire, there are so many good tenured teachers with whom I taught for over 20 years who were terminated. Teachers who received excellent and superior ratings for 20+ years who are not old enough to retire at full pension were casually kicked to the curb. Teachers who still have mortgages to pay and families to raise. Men and women who were loved by students and who loved them back, showing it by spending many hours they were not paid for and by spending money out of their own pocket to help when they needed their teacher. These men and women are teachers who continued their education, mostly without any financial assistance from CPS and now have student loans to pay back. These teachers showed up to work when there were 20 inches of snow on the ground, below zero weather and no parking spaces and also when it was 93 degrees in a classroom without air conditioning. These teachers taught without enough books and without enough desks in the room. These are the teachers that CPS terminated. So today as I sit here, tears are streaming down my face, I don't feel the "happy" that I expected I would feel when my career at CPS ended. I don't feel relieved that I will not have to go back to work when school opens in the fall even though I have pension payments to support me. My friends and colleagues do not. The positions left open by their termination were filled by less experienced and often not certified teachers.

I do not have a problem with the new teachers, everyone has to have a beginning to their career and I have learned quite a bit from their new fresh minds. I do however feel that CPS is making a big mistake in throwing away all the accumulated years of experience of tenured, seasoned teachers. When we started out there were so many experienced teachers that we learned so much from. They mentored us without a formal mentoring program. They helped us through the rough spots, they showed us the ropes and they supported us. They helped me stay in the teaching field when I was ready to give it up.

I salute you my colleagues, I value you and I appreciate you all, even though our employer does not.

Reply
Ann Cata
1/13/2010 01:08:15 am

Just to keep you updated this process may take a while but it does work.
On July 1, 2009 I filed an age discrimination claim against CPS with IDHR. On January 7, 2009 an investigator from IDHR left messages on my home phone and emailed me.
I now have an investigative hearing set for February 22, 2010. This is the fact finding portion of this claim.
It took six months from the initial filing until it was given to an employee of the State of Illinois to proceed with the investigation. Six months is not so bad. Let us see how long after 2/22/2010 it takes for CPS to comply with providing the information requested TRUTHFULLY AND HONESTLY.

Will update on DARTS website of information.

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me
2/22/2010 12:30:06 pm

what about those teachers who get "satidfactory" or "unsatisfactory" reviews. it's all a big political mess...If CPS were honest about it all I wouldnt care..but it makes me sick they way the speak of change and reform?? Principals who are political hacks still stay on..while teacher who make far less and dont play the "game" are sent away to "displaced land" never to return to their own classrooms again!!

SADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDd

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Mary Jane Maloney
7/16/2010 11:36:15 am

Back to School, Back to Teach"
WILLIAM AYERS, Distinguished Professor of Education at the University of Illinois, Chicago, will visit Barbara's Bookstore, on Thursday September 2nd at 7:00pm* for a reading of his latest book, a graphic novel interpretation of TO TEACH: The Journey, In Comics. A discussion on the state of education will follow the reading. Don't miss this opportunity to pick the brain of one of our nation's most progressive and passionate leaders of education!

*Please note, the date and time of this event was set-up with concern to the CPS Fall schedule, per the request of Bill Ayers.

Back to School, Back to Teach with William Ayers
Thursday, September 2nd, 7:00pm
Barbara's Bookstore
1218 S. Halsted
Chicago, IL 60607
312-413-2665

This event is FREE and Open to the public.

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11/9/2010 02:09:34 pm

The journey of life, The future too far, Also very dark. However, Do not be afraid, Afraid of before men just have a road.

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1/7/2011 02:46:32 pm

Happy new year

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1/10/2011 09:11:09 am

We realize the true worth of happiness when we are in sorrow.

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4/11/2012 05:32:16 pm

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5/25/2012 12:47:24 pm



The life of people, always has to avoid ups. Not always such as sun dongsheng, also won't always was painful. Repeated a float a heavy, to a person, it is tested. Therefore, float on it, and don't have to pride; Under the sink in, don't need more pessimistic. Must be blunt, modest attitude, optimistic and enterprising, forward.

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6/17/2012 04:27:58 pm

Happiness is accompanied by sorrow, and the rain should have the clear sky. If rain remains after rain and sorrow remains after sorrow if. Please let us face this calmly leave after the departure. Smiles and it is impossible to find one of you!

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7/23/2012 05:36:55 pm

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Reply
7/23/2012 05:43:42 pm

Your article is very interesting and humorous. From your article, I can see the true meaning of the word happy. This article, I believe many people are helpful. Very fortunate to share this article to your. Look forward to your updates.

Reply



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