Early Jump on recruiting?

[shansar]

Wow, jut got a note in my box today asking if we planned on coming back next year or not!!??? We have to sign it and return by September 5th. Doesn't that seem a LITTLE early to have to decide? We are in our 2nd year and still not sure what we plan on doing next year.This really forces our hand. I totally understand wanting to get out and recruit early but we haven't even been in school now for two weeks. I suppose I can't do anything about it?
Just wondering if this is normal? It was my understanding that before winter break was more typical? Sure appreciate any advice. Actually a pretty good school (ISS) but the package is beginning to DWINDLE.
Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom!

[JISAlum]

As pressure mounts for schools to remain fiscally viable I would imagine that we'll be seeing earlier requests from schools. I was always asked in mid-October. Asking in late August seems really extreme, but times are changing.

However I'm now a quasi-Admin in the States, and we're already talking staff plans for the future. Budgetary pressure and the assumption that next year is going to be incredibly tight have our Admin team already formulating plans for possibly staff cuts next year. I'm sure that if they could ask staff, and hold them to it, they would require staff decisions as soon as possible. Maybe not in August though..

However this early decision would make me think twice about the school's administration

[ichiro]

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[old grey wolf]

I find it quite incredible that schools require teachers to indicate their willingness to accept a contract when they have no idea of the salary, terms and conditions.