Bay Village Schools host 'A View from the Bridge'

Bay Village Schools employees, from teachers to administrators to support staff, gathered to share job perspectives and passions regarding public education.

It is not often that school districts can get teachers, custodians, administrators, bus drivers, board members, cafeteria workers, tutors, maintenance workers, psychologists and secretaries to meet in one room so that they can all better understand the goals and obstacles faced each day by colleagues in different jobs.

“On a ship, you get the best view of where you’re going, and what’s coming at you, from the ship's bridge," said Steve Farnsworth of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators. "That is why this program is called A View from the Bridge. We want to get everyone up there so we can all see the same long view as we plot our course forward.”

The program is a collaboration of state-level school board, administrators and union leaders; it is facilitated by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). Still in its pilot stage, it is designed to help school districts smooth the way toward future contract negotiations by highlighting the unique challenges of the different employee roles, as well as by demonstrating the common beliefs of people who have dedicated their careers to public education.

Jodie Hausmann is in her first year as superintendent of the Bay Village Schools. “I welcomed the opportunity to have Bay be a pilot district in this program,” she said. “This was a chance to hear different perspectives based on the types of work we do to serve students. Every employee has an important job to do. When we take time to listen to one another, we build understanding that leads to solutions.”

The common theme heard throughout the morning meeting was that the represented groups all valued the collaborative environment in the Bay Village Schools. Each collective bargaining unit in the district (Bay Teachers Association, Bay Individual/Small Group Instruction Teachers Association and the district’s OAPSE – Ohio Association of Public School Employees unit) presented the goals of their respective organizations. Students were at the heart of every statement, followed by the well-being of member employees.

“Many of our members are also residents and parents in our district,” said Lauren Stanislaw, president of the Bay Teachers Association. “We appreciate the perspective of both educators and community members in our association.” Helen Petro, president of the Bay Individual/Small Group Instruction Teachers Association and Jack Heider, president of OAPSE, also talked about the dedication of their members to the students and community.

Bay Village Schools treasurer Nicole Spriggs highlighted the role of the community in the district’s success. “We need to always work toward a balance of using the resources provided by our community in a way that gets the most dollars toward instruction,” she said. “Our community has been generous, but resources are finite. We can make the most of them by being flexible and creative.”

State-level union leaders shared experiences of where districts can stumble when coming together for a new contract. “Bay Village was chosen as a pilot because you have those collaborative relationships in place,” said Lloyd Rains, regional director of OAPSE. “When you approach negotiations as a way to solve problems, those relationships matter.”

“The general goal of the program is to enhance understanding between all stakeholder groups to improve our ability to work together, manage differences, make joint decisions, and bargain collectively, ultimately promoting the educational process for the children in our districts,” said Carolyn Brommer of the FMCS. 

Feedback from the participants seemed to coalesce around an appreciation for the opportunity to listen to different points of view.

“We appreciate all of you, and we are here to listen,” said Bay Village Board of Education president, Steve Lee, personally thanking employees for helping his own children reach their dreams. “Your success is our success, and we are here to help you be successful in your dedication to our children.”