Being a newly hired teacher is both exciting and challenging. When I started my teaching journey in March 2024, I knew I had a lot to learn and adjust to. I expected that my performance might not immediately meet the high standards of more experienced teachers. Given that I’ve only been teaching for a few months, I understand that my grade for the Results-Based Performance Management System (RPMS) and Individual Performance Commitment and Review (IPCR) might be lower than others. I am fully prepared to accept a lower grade because I’m still learning and adjusting to the new environment.

However, what confuses me is the requirement to submit documents and fulfill requirements for the 1st to 3rd quarters, even though I wasn’t hired until the 4th quarter. I wasn’t employed during those earlier months, so how could I possibly submit the Classroom Observations (COs) and other necessary paperwork from those quarters? I understand that these documents are important, but I simply wasn’t there to complete them. It feels unfair that I’m being held responsible for something beyond my control.

I’ve already completed the necessary requirements for the 4th quarter, which is the period when I began teaching. But despite this, my school head has given me a below-satisfactory rating because I couldn’t submit the documents from the previous quarters. This has left me feeling frustrated and confused. I’ve worked hard since I was hired, and I want my performance to be evaluated based on the time I’ve actually spent teaching, not on missing documents from a time when I wasn’t even employed.

What makes this situation even more complicated is that, as far as I know, the Schools Division Office (SDO) requires a full cycle year of documentation if I want to use the evaluation for promotion in the future. Since I was only hired in the 4th quarter, I won’t be able to use this incomplete evaluation for any potential promotions. I might also not be eligible for the Performance-Based Bonus (PBB), which requires employees to have completed a full year of service. Knowing this, it seems even more unreasonable for me to be required to submit the earlier quarters’ documents.

I am now left with a difficult decision. Should I attempt to create documents for the 1st to 3rd quarters, even though they wouldn’t be truthful? This idea makes me uncomfortable because I want to be honest and transparent about my work. At the same time, I don’t want to face consequences for not meeting the requirements that I couldn’t possibly fulfill. It’s a challenging situation, and I feel unsure of what to do next.

I hope for understanding from my school’s administration. As a newly hired teacher, I want to contribute positively to my school and follow all the necessary procedures. However, I believe it’s important to be fair and realistic in evaluating new teachers who haven’t been around for the full school year. I believe that my hard work and dedication during the 4th quarter should be recognized, without being penalized for the time I wasn’t yet hired.