D300- ISAT tests taken by students in the spring show boys typically score lower than girls in reading. The boys-only book club is an innovative way to bridge the national gap in reading skills between boys and girls.
Elgin-based USD 46 -Proposed by district Supt. “The 10 Boys Initiative” involves 120 admin, each volunteering to work with 10 boys considered at risk of academic failure. The program mentors boys from 4th - 12th grade.
WVHS-Members of 100 Black Men of Chicago, a group that mentors at-risk youths, came into the class on a regular basis throughout the year and talked about everything from team-building to starting a business.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/1857792,3_1_EL01_BOOKCLUB_S1-091101.article
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/mar/12/local/chi-elgin-mentors-nzone-12-mar12
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=214692
118 comments:
And in our district we have BoysIIMen, an organization which has provided positive role models for our students and encouraged their achievement. Kudos to Mr. Muhammad for initiating and sponsoring this group (and its sister organization, Diamonds).
My questions are these: has BoysIIMen redefined itself as a service organization instead of a fraternity? And if so, how does it qualify for "business partner" status? Also, how is this organization reaching out to include Caucasian students as well as those of African and Hispanic descent?
I believe those questions will be answered at tonight's meeting. Come hear for yourself.
I speculate answers to be
Yes
"community partner"
Yes
How is running an illegal organization a poitive role model?
How is discriminating against caucasions, native americans, orientals etc. a positive roll model?
How is telling kids not to trust the police a positive roll model?
How is having a web-site for children that endorses illegal substances a positive roll mosel?
How is closing that web-site to the public after you are exposed a positive roll model?
How is recruiting members during district time and on the districts dime a positive roll model?
How is helping destoy an excellent band program a positive roll model?
I am sure that only one side will be heard tonight. Just as we can tell from the title and substance of this thread of the blog that Rayanne has no intention of hearing anything tonight. She has already been gotten to by the administration and her position set.
Why do we even bother to have board meetings? The decisions are made long in advance of them when Roberts dictates to the board what will happen. This board is becoming just another rubber stamp for this administration.
In other words it doesn't matter what it's true substance really is, as long as you say the right things.
Rayanne, go back to changing pictures in the board room and quit screwing with our kids. You simply aren't qualified to handle it.
It amazing what an obedient little whore (or in this neighborhood, Hoe) Rayanne has been since her little legal problem with the teachers union. He'll, she's practically the administrations new spokesman.
Well, thank you for the acknowledgement. I guess I am "movin' on up....on the eastside"
I started out as a foe of the board and have reached the status of administrative hoe. Woohoo! What more can a girl ask for?
I don't get out much, don't rub elbows with anyone important, don't do any significant work to earn accolades or media recognition, so it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to have disgruntled bloggers pay attention and give me undeserved credit.
Gratitude and blessings to you.
You make this board position all the more worthwhile.
I am sure you don't rub many elbows in your position. Rubbing your knees is more like it.
And you are wrong, you deserve all of this credit.
Hey, hey, hey. Now we know why Jerome and Clayton are smiling all the time.
Rayanne, I can't help but notice that you go out of your way to emphasize the POSITIVE in your blog--and there is quite a lot in our district that we can be proud of!
Thank you for doing what you do. There will always be haters & detractors, as well as those who are disgruntled that things are moving in a direction of openness and accountability. Please know that I and many others appreciate your countless hours of unpaid work on our behalf!
I thank all the board members for their time and service to this district. No matter how you feel they all do this for no pay and try to do the best for this district. Next year will be hard with the state, city and district not getting the money they got this year lets see how it works out because their will have to be decisions made that some might not like. No one board member stands out from the rest and some break the rules of a board member and if we let this happen nothing good will come of it.
A sincere thanks for your kind words.
Boys II Men was OK'd unanimously by a board concensus to be accepted as community partner.
:o)
I was at the board meeting tonight and saw just how incompetent our board actually runs. The big issue was the Boys II Men Fraternity. Johnson spoke at length about how she did her own personal research on Boys II Men and she personally believes it's a good organization.
Rayanne spent several minutes comparing the Boy Scouts to Boys II Men. She absolutely ignored the fact that the Boy Scouts has to accept everybody and the one time they didn't, they faced a multi-million dollar lawsuit.
Clayton has publicly stated that Boys II Men discriminates against anybody who is not black or hispanic. You can also only become a Boys II Men member if you are voted in by the Boys II Men Leadership. That is one of the main reasons that they are legally a fraternity.
Three of the board members had no clue what they were talking about and basically stated that Clayton is a nice man so I'll vote YES.
The only person who sounded halfway sane was Dee Weaver who stated that the board had absolutely no documentation on Boys II Men and thought that the board should cover themselves regarding this issue. She also stated that Clayton had changed the groups legal name to Boys II Men Inc. but is still calling the group the Boys II Men Fraternity on it's public web site. Then she ignored her own words and voted YES.
The most interesting moment to me came when Dee asked Clayton to speak about Boys II Men. You could tell Clayton was unprepared to speak. He stumbled over his words many times but he stated this.
He said it was regrettable that he called Boys II Men a fraternity but when Boys II Men was first getting going, he was speaking to a college president. He had told the college president all about Boys II Men and the college president stated to him that Boys II Men is set up exactly the same as a fraternity. That's why he called it the Boys II Men Fraternity.
There is no question that Boys II Men is a high school fraternity and that high school fraternities are illegal in the State of Illinois.
This board clearly showed their incompetence and have opened the district up to great liability with their association with this group. I will be interested to see how they defend themselves when the Illinois States Attorney is brought into this.
I found it interesting that the board members spoke about the test scores that came out this week. They actually stated publicly that we should not judge the district by the test scores. Apparently the schools are excellent despite the fact that the children can't pass a minimal basic skills test.
In other words, we are again supposed to ignore the factual documentation and believe their own personal feeling.
I tell you, this board is a joke.
I noted that there were at least a dozen different votes taken tonight. There was not a single NO vote all night. If this board has not become a rubber stamp for this administration, I am a monkey's uncle.
I really enjoyed how the new board member publicly stated that she didn't know any of the issues, that she was just getting her feet wet. She then voted YES to everything.
I wish I could say the other board members knew more about the issues than her but it was obvious that they didn't.
By the way, after only a minute or two you realize that Stella Gonzalez is the senile old woman that you would never let speak to company if she were your grandmother.
It's OK. It'll be great to have a board that votes YES to everthing when we discuss a big raise for the teachers. Board, keep voting YES.
Not only did I notice Clayton's verbal screw up stating that Boys II Men is set up like a fraternity but I noticed how Roberts tensed up when he did it.
It was obvious that Roberts knew Clayton screwed up and was waiting for the reaction from the board. Unfortunately in their incompetence, the board didn't even notice that Clayton stated that his group is set up as a fraternity.
The problem with that board is Johnson. She is a much better debater than the others. She wears the other board members down and always has her yes votes lined up. When Weaver tried to bring up facts Roberts leaned forward looking at Johnson the eye contact between the two read the following (when are you going to shut her up). Johnson jumped in and did because she knows how to twist the facts to make herself believable. Clayton probably did clean up the legal issues only because he had to. Johnson actually turned the words fraternity around to make it sound great. She is the one to watch Roberts and her are very close. Roberts now has a board member in Johnson that makes him sound great. The other board members want positive recognition from the staff so they follow along. Listen to Clayton twice he gave credit to Johnson and to quote him yes and the other board members as well.
Then Johnson actually made the negative test scores sound good and that was some performance.
Watch her after a meeting she was the first to hug Clayton and Roberts hung around to talk with her. Roberts would always run everyone down in the parking lot.
Remember union members she is Roberts person for the contract and she is no Carol Farnum. At least Rayanne and Dee argued with the old board.
Johnson should become the community speaker and Clayton can now go and run Boys II Men
When we elected our new School Board members, a big concern was voting in people who would make decisions in our children's best interests; the previous board showed that it cared more about supporting personal vendettas than about doing what was best for students (as with the band issue--still disastrous after several years).
Last night's decision to make BoysIIMen a community partner was definitely an example of a choice in our students' best interests! This organization has proven to be a positive force in so many young people's lives. And it was made clear last night that the group has been evolving from its original exclusive "fraternity" model into a service organization. I'm sure that Mr. Muhammad is quite aware that we will be looking closely at how BoysIIMen expands to include more youth from all ethnic backgrounds--but the bottom line is that it's a force for good that has the potential to impact many Black, Brown, and White young people!
The boy scouts WON. They are allowed to exclude homosexuals from their orginazition. Just so you know.
You are all sooooo stupid. You have no clue what is good and what is not good in this district.
Your news about the scouts is nearly 10 years old. Come out of the closet and see the light.
Stupidity is not being able to accept change nor see things from another view point.
Looking over the test scores from East High I have a concern. The test scores have went down since Barwa left as principal. Why did he leave? This group of administrators need to stop the downward spiral of test scores.
Barwa didn't leave, he was removed. They wanted to fire him but since he was first a tenured teacher in the district, they had to keep him on. They gave him a small office at Waldo where he did nothing and continued to collect a salary for years before he retired.
YES THIS WAS POSTED EARLIER
"Rayanne spent several minutes comparing the Boy Scouts to Boys II Men. She absolutely ignored the fact that the Boy Scouts has to accept everybody and the one time they didn't, they faced a multi-million dollar lawsuit. "
But the Boy Scouts WON their "multi-million dollar lawsuit." So how is that a problem.
Learn how to read, learn how to get good examples, and learn how to be educated.
The Boy Scouts are not a high school fraternity, Boys II Men is. High school fraternities are illegal in Illinois, the Boy Scout are not. Boys II Men is illegal and those running it are criminals.
The Supreme Court didn't say it was acceptable for public entities to discriminate, they stated that with the first amendment, it was legal for private groups to discriminate. It's the same reason that the government can do nothing when it comes to groups like the Ku Klux Klan.
It is entirely different when a public entity like a school board makes a group known to discriminate (The Boys II Men Fraternity), a partner with that public entity. It is illegal for the school district to make such a group their business partner.
Public schools can not legally endorse Illegal Fraternities or Racist Groups. This board has shown, once again, jusy how incompetent the leaders of this district really are.
It used to make me proud to look at board policy 115, the boards non-discrimination policy. "Respect for individuals regardless of economic status, intellectual ability, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, marital status, sexual orientation or age...". I recalled that District 131 was the very first school district in Illinois and that it has been desegregated from day one. For more than one hundred years, we have worked together depite our racial differences.
Then I recall Clayton's own words to every local newspaper that would listen to him. He was bragging about the "Fraternity" that he had started for just "Blacks and Hispanics".
The board spent a half an hour last night twisting the truth to try and legitimize Clayton's racism.
It is the darkest day this district has ever seen.
It was the brightest day of the district when they honored one of their own, You may say it was illegal but then all the schools like D204, and d129 use this program in the schools. So everyone else will have to be sued along with d131 know.
Didn't your mama ever teach that just because others are doing something wrong doesn't make it right when you do it.
Grow up and do what's right.
Racism has a horrible stench to it. It doesn't matter how much perfume you pour on it, the stench comes through.
You can call it Boys II Men Inc. instead of Boys II Men Fraternity, you can add the words "mostly" or "predominately" black and hispanic instead of "Just for" black and hispanics but it has the same stench as before.
Racism is an absolute evil and this board through their incompetence has disgraced this district. It's a stain that we can never erase.
It was one thing to have an individual employee that was a public disgrace, it's another thing entirely to have our school board honor his disgrace.
There are many mentoring organizations out there as the board showed last night. There was no reason why they had to choose this one.
They could have helped our students and honored us. Instead, our district is shamed.
What is wrong with this board?
They knew what the problems were with Boys II Men. They are aware that high school fraternities are illegal. They know about Clayton's public statements of how the group was just for blacks and hispanics.
This group is the best they could do for our kids?
This board is a disgrace!!!
The whole board should just resign and let Roberts run it. The President can never get anything done. Stella talks in circles. Trusa voted on things she did not have a clue on. Wells never learned how to speak. Lewis finds the whole process a big joke. Rayanne talks on and and can not be heard maybe a good thing. Johnson big mouth that always gets Jeromes way. It is to bad because the others can never shut her up so they throw up their hands and agree. Why because they are all Females.
9:55, you're obviously prejudiced against women--which is just as bad as racism! The board members you mentioned may or may not be competent, but their gender is irrelevant.
On Monday, the same day the board was screwing up the Boys II Men issue, the teachers were sitting in a faculty meeting at Simmons where Michelle Patterson and the other administrators were forbidding us from reading or writing on this blog.
They weren't saying that we couldn't look at it during school hours. They said that we were not allowed to view it or contribute to it at any time, personal or otherwise. Apparently, they haven't heard of the First Amendment. As long as we know it to be truthful, we have a right to speak our mind, even if our leaders may be embarrassed by or not like it.
Not only were we told we couldn't write on this blog by the administrators, the administrators brought our union leaders in to tell us the same thing. Valerie French (our local building rep) and Craig Rhodes (our district union president) came to Simmons and told us that we were embarrassing the Simmons Administrators and that we were not allowed to post any longer on this blog.
They administrators didn't want to address any of the problems at Simmons, they simply want us to keep the problems hush, hush. The message was clear, shut up or else. It was also clear that the union was representing the administration not the teachers who pay their salaries. It may be time to start looking for new leadership, both the Simmons administrators and the union.
That's a LIE. You are so full of shit.
That last comment was written so eloquently,
"That's a LIE. You are so full of shit."
Such a persuasive writer, must be a Simmons Administrator.
The Administrators at Simmons were also telling the teachers to quit writing so many referrals. Apparently, dealing with student behavior has been taking up too much of their time. It must be cutting into their morning coffee and donuts time. Almost every morning Wilson goes out (during school time) and returns for the refreshments that is only for certain office personnel.
They didn't want to discuss how we could change student behavior so there were less referrals the correct way, they just want the teachers to stop writing them. Again, don't fix the problem, just sweep it under the carpet so that the administration looks better.
Now that Boys II Men is a business and is providing mentoring services to the district, how much money are Boys II Men Inc. and Clayton going to be making from the district? Five figures?...Six Figures?...Seven?
I'm sure they didn't go to the time and expense of incorporating to work for free.
I don't know who you are supposedly sounding off for Simmons, but you are incorrect and misguided on your comments. Your interpretation on what was said during the faculty meeting is very different from the way I interpreted it. I think your built-up anger is tainting your view on things. I am sorry that you are so worked up emotionally that you cannot see things as they truly are and instead have a skewed view. You do not speak for all of us on the Simmons faculty nor do I think you speak for the majority. You need to find a different outlet than this to vent. I might suggest a professional.
How amusing, that admin have nothing better to do than worry about a blog.
Clean house and you don't have to worry who may be peeking in and giving anonymous electronic reviews.
9:50pm, why don't you give your slant on the meeting and what was taken so out of context. Speak for your "majority."
You notice, even the critics don't dispute that this blog was the topic of discussion during the Simmons faculty meeting, they claim they interpreted Mechelle's message differently.
All the students at Simmons are passing the state tests? There are no problems at Simmons? They have time to waste discussing this blog during faculty meetings.
If this isn't a huge sign that the only thing the Simmons Administration cares about is their own image, I don't know what is. They didn't spend faculty meeting time discussing student performance or how to improve behavior. They told faculty not to post on this blog and stop writting referrals.
Have you also noticed that no one disputes that the administration is going out daily during school hours to get coffee and donuts for the office staff?
First let us begin by getting our administrator's name correct. It is Mechelle, not Michelle. Next, we were not forbidden to do anything. She said that if you have a problem you are more than welcome to speak to her at anytime instead of airing it here on the blog where nothing will get fixed. The union then reiterated that sentiment by saying that if you would like to bring problems to either our building rep or the union president you could. They even made it easier by saying you could give an anonymous written complaint to the building rep and she would bring it to the attention of the administration during her scheduled meetings with them. At no point did the building administration or the union state we could not be on here. Nothing will get resolved here. There are better channels to go through if there are truly problems and not just the angry ranting from a disgruntled person.
You are DRAMA. If you have a true issue handle it appropriately, like an adult.
Those of us actually working would have no idea whether they brought in donuts or not because we are doing our jobs instead of worrying about what is or is not happening in the office.
By the way, the discussion about the blog was the last five, maybe ten, minutes of the meeting. Again skewing things by your own frustration
The whole meeting was about student behavior! Where were you? An outside person was even brought in to talk about PBIS. We were looking at the data, discussed that the majority were for disrespect and then began discussing how to lower those numbers. What we could do as a faculty to help the students become more respectful. So yes, if you want to look at it in a twisted way, we were discussing lowering referrals. DAH!!!
I don't know what meeting you were at but that's not how it went down. Mechelle brought up the blog because she is trying to cover herself.
Not only did Mechelle not want us on this blog but she said that she had transfer forms for anyone who didn't want to get with her program. In other words cover her ass or get out.
Let's not forget that the last building union rep quit as building rep because he was being harrassed by the administration for standing up for the teachers and the Union Leadership would not support him.
If the union were representing the teachers, they would have spoken to the teachers to find out what the problems are between the teachers and the administration. They wouldn't be there telling teachers not to write on this blog. the union was there for no other purpose than to help cover up for Mechelle.
I hope everyone that reads this blog can now see how one individual is twisting information about Simmons. I am sorry that they are wasting your time.
A big part of the meeting was simply telling teachers to stop writing referrals. The main reason given was because it was taking up to much of the administrators time dealing with them.
After reading some of the posts on here, the only conclusion I can come up with is that the Simmons Administrators are on here trying to cover up what they did on Monday.
I don't believe any of the teachers, let alone most, would spend two words on here defending Mechelle, Stephanie or Wilson.
It saddens me that so called "professionals" are posting things of this nature...I am embarrassed and ashamed.
It saddens me that so called "professionals" are unable to function within their position as administrators. I am embarrassed and ashamed for those teachers who have to take the brunt of the criticsm for the mismanagment of our school.
We will have no change in administration Roberts will never mover Patterson and the school board will never move Roberts. It is clear the President Weaver tried for change but does not have the backing of the board. Gonzalez is a windbag who is visiting schools to get info for Roberts. Trusa lives 10 doors away. Wells has backed administration and is as dumb as a post. She is not likely to change after 17 years. Lewis can't make up her mind and just wants everyone to get along NOT. Rayanne will never back Roberts but never got anything done for 2 years. The one that stood in the way of change was Johnson. She is so pro administration and they feed her enough facts that everyone else does not get that she stops the board in their tracks. Maybe Roberts needs to send Johnson over to Simmons she can make shit smell good. Just look at Clayton.
Don't be so quick to back Weaver. She created havoc that stopped progress.
The old board gave Roberts an extension on a contract that hadn't expired and the old lawyer worked with Roberts to create a contract to please him. He was disappointed when the board did not give him the 5 years he wanted.
It won't be long, he will be looking for another extension. This time he will have to work with a different board and a different lawyer.
Yes but Roberts appears to be quite masterful in manipulating school boards. The old one was in line when he took over and this only took him a few months to get them voting YES to everything Roberts wants.
He is either much more suave privately than his public persona or this board is a bunch of bumbling idiots that he is manipulating with ease.
You can decide which.
Simmons is falling apart and Johnson said things are great in the schools. It is clear she and Roberts are up to something. She was the one behind Clayton. She is Roberts choice for the teachers contract. She stopped the President from making any changes. She hired the lawyers who will now screw the teachers. One could look at it two ways either Roberts is smarter than he looks or Roberts got smart after the lawyers were hired to fire him and worked out a deal with Johnson.
The biggest problem with Weaver is when she was with the old guard she always brought up issues and voted against them. She seemed to like the spotlight of being negative. She is now in the spotlight just give her the gavel and she will never speak against the new board. In fact now she is proud of the board quoting her. Everyone knows she opposed Clayton but now because it is a popular cause she is for it.
Lesson to old members give her a gavel and like a kid who is at the center of attention and she will shut up.
As a member of my local school board, I will do my utmost to represent the
public interest in education by adhering to the following standards and principles:
1. I will represent all school district constituents honestly and equally and refuse
to surrender my responsibilities to special interest or partisan political groups.
2. I will avoid any conflict of interest or the appearance of impropriety which could result
from my position, and will not use my board membership for personal gain or publicity.
3. I will recognize that a board member has no legal authority as an individual
and that decisions can be made only by a majority vote at a board meeting.
4. I will take no private action that might compromise the board or administration
and will respect the confidentiality of privileged information.
5. I will abide by majority decisions of the board, while retaining the right to
seek changes in such decisions through ethical and constructive channels.
6. I will encourage and respect the free expression of opinion by my fellow board
members and will participate in board discussions in an open, honest and
respectful manner, honoring differences of opinion or perspective.
7. I will prepare for, attend and actively participate in school board meetings.
8. I will be sufficiently informed about and prepared to act on the specific
issues before the board, and remain reasonably knowledgeable about l
ocal, state, national, and global education issues.
9. I will respectfully listen to those who communicate with the board, seeking to
understand their views, while recognizing my responsibility to represent the
interests of the entire community.
10. I will strive for a positive working relationship with the superintendent, respecting
the superintendent’s authority to advise the board, implement board policy,
and administer the district.
11. I will model continuous learning and work to ensure good governance by
taking advantage of board member development opportunities, such as those
sponsored by my state and national school board associations, and encourage
my fellow board members to do the same.
12. I will strive to keep my board focused on its primary work of clarifying the district
purpose, direction and goals, and monitoring district performance..
6. The Board Takes Responsibility For Itself.
The Board, collectively and individually, takes full responsibility for Board activity and behavior – the work it chooses to do and how it chooses to do the work. Individual Board members are obligated to express their opinions and respect others’ opinions; however, Board members understand the importance of the Board ultimately speaking with one clear voice.
The School Board’s role as trustee for the community is unique and essential to both the district and community.
While the Board must operate within legal parameters, good governance requires the Board be responsible for itself, its processes and contributions. Board deliberations and actions are limited to Board work, not staff work.
The Board seeks continuity of leadership, even as it experiences turnover in membership. The Board accomplishes this by using written Board policies to guide Board operations, by providing thorough orientation and training for all members, and by nurturing a positive and inviting Board culture
To bad Weaver never followed any of these rules when she has with the old board. This women never had respect for staff or board members I am told see never respected the new board either. That is why she has a position in name only.
As a staff person attending meetings I can see 6 of the members do respect us and understand the difficult challenges we face so thank-you first off to Johnson who started the ball rolling and all the other board members for the kind works.
As someone who had first hand dealings with Weaver it will take your entire term to change my mind.
Johnson only kicked the ball that has been rolling.
She may toot her own horn the loudest, but her works are not original efforts.
Someone is a Weaver hater and Johnson boot licker.
Who would have the most to gain from making negative comments about the president and praising Johnson? Not to mention keeping the board split?
If the ball was rolling why did Weaver not kick it. She tried but failed to stop the Magnet School saying she did not have data. The staff now supplies monthly data much more on this than other programs. The program show great results but yet no comment from Weaver.
I have yet to see Weaver work on any program in get it past the Board. All she is good for is making the staff work on reports she never reads. If someone comes up with a great idea she is the one negative voice. The Board is not split it is her she stands alone.
The Board member staff is most impressed with is Carlson. Once given reasonable Board members to work with she was become a real asset to the Board. She shows the ability to debate and reason. That is what good Boards are about.
Johnson moved some programs along that just sat. My guess is her work experience probably gave her that ability. You have to give her credit for that
Is is certainly better to wake up and work in D131 with the new and improved school Board.
Way to go ladies minus one.
Why shouldn't the staff supply data about the Magnet Program or the Pre School so the community and the board can see the progress. The Magnet School at best is just a program for the children that don't need all the Bilingual support and those children would do quite well in a classroom like before where so much focus is spent on children learning English.
When you get down to it this board is a joke and so is the administration.
Read the Board Packet the info is posted. You must be a Weaver supporter considering you don't know how to read or ask for information you have no intention of reading.
Beware those with little or no faith. Things are not always as they seem and those who are silent in public may very well be working silently in the background so as not to be noticed.
Didn't your mother tell you to be careful of the silent ones?
If your referring to Weaver she could not organize a one car funeral.
Why is Wilson Morales going out every day to get coffee and donuts? And why does a secretary (Sandra Monarrez)need to go with him. It certainly doesn't take two people to carry donuts for the 6-7 office people who get to eat them. They are gone for an hour, to an hour and a half every day.
Dunkin Donuts is right around the corner from the school. I've never spent more than about five minutes in any Dunkin Donuts. In short, fifteen, maybe twenty minutes at most. What are they doing together for an hour and a half every day???
The administration has the nerve to come into a faculty meeting and tell the teachers to stop writing so many referrals because they take to much of Morales' time, yet he has time to disappear with a secretary for an hour and a half every day.
Between the two of them, they are paid for at least 15 hours a week for time they are not working. The district is paying the three administrators in the building a quarter million dollars a year. Does anybody feel as though we are getting full value for our dollars???
Lisa has Roberts and Sandi has Wilson just a little office gossip do you really think they are getting donuts. The same with Doc and Lisa.
Eeewwww!
Doc & Lisa......that's an icky thought.
And it's comments like the last two that make this blog COMPLETELY WORTHLESS
My oh my what a wonderful day? Last weeks meeting dedicated to the blog? Hour and 1/2 donut runs? Stop writing referrals? I recommend the following- stop worrying about the blog and do your job- Simmons Admins. Keep writing referrals and get the screwoffs out of the classroom- Simmons Teachers. Get the Bavarian Creme, not the Tuna Taco- Mr. Morales. To coin a phrase, "Its a 20 footer". "25, and 3 tons of him." It means this whole thing is spinning out of control. And wheres the 20 bucks from all of the fall athletes??
Actually comments like those make the blog entertaining at times.
What makes the blog completely worthless are board members and administrators who read the blog and don't bother to investigate or act on the allegations revealed within.
A great many things are exposed here and the vast majority are at least partially if not completely true. With very little effort, they could be investigated and remedied.
If admins spent time "investigating" things brought up on this blog, they would be stupid. This blog is stupid.
Administrators would never investigate the things brought up on this blog. Most of it would mean investigating themselves.
If some have problems with the administration then they should go to them or the union. It is not the boards role to take action on these things even though most on this board thinks so. The boards responsibilities are to make board policies and hire the superintendent to follow those policies and hire his administration to follow the rules. It is not the role of any board member to get close to the superintendent or staff which this board seems not to want to follow this.
So post all the complaints you want no one board member can make a difference. I would watch out for the superintendent and some board members because they think they can.
This district deserves better than what we have.
So what you are stating is that the board is absolutely ineffectual. The only power they have is to enact board policy and fire the superintendent if the policies are not followed.
The policies are not being followed by our administration and the superintendent has an extended contract, which means that the board has no leverage to ensure that their policies are followed.
Since our board does nothing but vote yes to everything the administration brings before them, I say get rid of the entire lot of them. They are absolutely worthless.
No that is not what I'm saying. Have you really looked into the responsibilities of a board? I didn't at first but then I did. they really should not get caught up in the day to day things of the district. Take the time to look up the roles of a School Board and you will see that they don't even do half of there job which is to make policies and make sure the Superintendent follow them.
What a Board can do is if things aren't going right is fire the Superintendent but there are some on the board that thinks he does such a good job they won't. Some on the Board think he does such a good job with administration and staff they will just turn their head.
They have no problem making illegal fraternities partners with the district.
They can vote NO to any changes the administration wants until they see the changes the board members want.
Apparently they can do more than make a policy or fire a superintendent. They can effect real change if they they collectively have a desire to.
They can destroy a band program with a decision about a district employee other than the superintendent.
They can lose millions of dollars with poor decisions about properties and land deals.
They can look the other way when superintendents use distrit resources for personal uses or live outside the district.
They can stand up to the administration until they have their own legal problems and then spend the rest of their term voting nothing but YES to cover their own rear.
Board members can do more than you claim,they have proven it time and time again.
They can ignore a stupid blog, with people making stupid comments about subjects they don't know about.
Only in this district and as far as the band program the Superintendent and administration decided on this and the old board members went along with it. If you think they have so much power than why when there are board members on the board now has this person you thought was so great not been brought back on? Are you saying they don't think he was so great so they decided to let it go.
I'm saying we have one loud mouth boardmember who wears out the others (Johnson) who is in the superintendents pocket and six incompetent bimbos who wouldn't know how to wield their power if they even knew they had it.
Why don't you go talk to Johnson about the old band director and she will go to her friend Roberts and they can work something out like they did for Clayton.
Because anyone who has been around the district for a while knows that it was Roberts who wanted Kaisershot out but didn't want to take the heat for it.
That's why it was one of Radakovich's last acts to get rid of Kaisershot. It was a favor from Radakovich to Roberts.
Johnson put Clayton back because it was the political thing to do. Many people in the town feel Clayton is a great leader. Case in point read the Beacon.
She worked with the Magnet parents and the Alternative program. All programs the town backs.
She also picked a very well connected Aurora Law firm.
I have heard her speak and she is so well versed on what ever it is she wants if the board does turn against her they will only look foolish. Not to say they won't, but you can tell the other Board members don't stand up.
So why back Roberts what is in for her.
9:05, Dr. Roberts had very little to do with Mr. K. being bullied out of his high school teaching position. That was mostly Radakovich and his Minooka crony Rick Johnson, with help from Larry Malaker (School Board president at the time), who were supporting Gordon Postlewaite's personal vendetta. And it didn't help that Ms. Farnum & Mr. Muhammad idolized Radakovich (Ms. Farnum fawning all over him at meetings; Mr. Muhammad writing glowing editorials in the Beacon).
I do know that there have been quite a few parents and alumni who have approached administration with concerns about the current EHS band program; those concerns have mostly been brushed off or denied by EHS administrators and those in the central office. Dr. Roberts has more important issues facing this district, and probably doesn't want to rock the boat. Meanwhile, the kids get the short end of the stick.
It is true that Radakovich was Supt. when K was removed. Marin Gonzales was at the high school as principal. I was NOT on the board then. I and a few band parents waited until the principal and the supt. had been changed, gave them time to settle in and approached them for re-consideration on the HS band director.
As alumni & boosters, we had sat in the stands at the football game and watched and heard the national anthem being destroyed.
I had old time band alumni telling me how horrific the band was, and spectators referred to it as Star Mangled Banner. I was embarrassed as an alumni when other schools heard us and more embarrassed for the marching band whose members knew they sounded terrible.
So when we approached Dr. Roberts and explained all this, he chose not to shuffle the directors around to put K. back at the HS.
Our meeting with him, I had kept secret-So, now you know :o)
I knew his stand on the band issue before I ran for the board. So those of you who have insisted I ran for the board to get K. back, is an insane assumption. I have no such power as a board member. We only hire the supt.-he is the boards ONLY employee.
A previous poster is correct, when the board stands together they can do many things. 2 years ago when I came on, I was segregated along with Dee. We were not welcomed as equal board members. But, we didn't quit.
This new board has been going through many changes and whether on 131 school board or on any "team," it takes a while for them to work together, as such.
I have hopes for the new team. If it does not work as the public wishes, you have a chance to change it again in less than 2 years.
What strikes me about the band situation is the way Clayton Muhammad (presumably speaking for district administration) declared that the whole issue is over. And yet, almost 5 years later it keeps coming up for discussion!
At least 4 of the current board members were elected partly because of people's dissatisfaction with the way K was treated. One of those board members (who had a "Keep Kaisershot" sign in her yard)is now board president. And there is more openness (check register; complete minutes being posted online)--probably to counter the cynicism a lot of us developed during the reign of "Serial Bully" Radakovich.
"The whole issue is over"? Far from it--as long as there are some in this district who will ask how the band decision has proven to be in our kids' best interests.
So Rayanne the Board fixed the Clayton situation. Why not bring it forward and fix the band situation. I know at least three of you are big supporters of the band. The Board seems to work as a team you always vote together. So why not bring it up for debate. The community as K supporters like myself would want that. Or is it that none of you know how to get anything done and it is not a issue for Johnson. She seems to get things done for Roberts maybe she can ask him real nice.
You are right if it isn't something Johnson wants nothing will happen and she thinks Roberts can do no wrong. So since Rayanne said the she talked to Roberts and he stated that he didn't want to move people around you know nothing will come of it.
Good point about Clayton's Boys II Men.
I wouldn't agree that the Boys II Men issue was fixed, I would say it was broken and just made worse. Keep an eye on the check register to see how much money starts getting funneled to Clayton.
Anyone who thinks the band issue is over just needs to Google "Kevin Kaisershot". There are more than 25,000 hits (probably because he's known worldwide for his compositions & musical arrangements, including the recent award-winning "Teachers March"). The 5th most frequently-read site mentioning Kevin Kaisershot is from the Openline blog in 2005: "Students Make Noise for Music".
You can bet that thousands of people have read all about how this district's administration has treated one of its best employees. Who knows how many good potential teachers we've lost when they read about this?
If the board wanted to bully Roberts into fixing the band they could. End of story. Rayanne, Dee, and Anita all back the band. Rayanne said she talked with Roberts before she was on the Board. Are we to assume they are on the Board now and can not speak to Roberts. Is that why nothing gets done. They seem to have a pattern. Clayton was the same issue some are for some against. But nobody talked about why if the Board cleared him he was not in the schools. The Board stated it was the old Board well they are gone so why not take up the issue.
No more excuses.
WIlson Morales was out again getting coffee and donuts with his new girl friend Sandra Monarrez. The District knows this is going on but nothing gets solved. Valerie French was running around again today telling us to take complaints to her. It shows this blog has hit a nerve with Roberts. Marin is running around at Simmons but again Wilson is out picking up donuts with his new girlfriend.
5:32, shame on you. Has it occurred to you that Ms. Monarrez has official district business to attend to (like, for example, bank deposits)? And to smear the good name of this lady who lost her husband in a horrific accident is beyond tacky.
First off, there is no reason to make bank deposits EVERY DAY. Once a week is more than enough.
Secondly, what happened to Sandra's husband was no ACCIDENT.
Third, Sandra is single (widowed). There is no dishonor in Sandra looking for a new man. If Lisa can't take care and keep Wilson happy, the dishonor lies between them.
This blog is getting to be a gossip blog instead of what it was before.
Insensitive Prick???
I guess I am ready for a job as an administrator at Central Office. Large six figure income and all. Hold on, let me pucker up for some serious ass kissing.
If Wilson and Sandra were disappearing on their own time, it would be strickly gossip.
These things happening during school hours when these two are being paid by the district. That makes it something else entirely.
The real news is Lisa & Doc. Rumor has it Doc is in the market.
The real news would be if Dr. Roberts could still get it up.
Rayanne, please remove the posts with obscenities from this blog.
The secretary at my school only goes to the bank once every couple of weeks. She's there and back in around a half an hour and doesn't need an administrator to hold her hand when she does it.
It does make you wonder what is going on there at Simmons. Whatever it is, it certainly isn't the education of our children. Unless sex education class has a whole new meaning from when I went to school.
By the time a person is old enough to read a blog like this, I am sure they have heard a bad word or two in their life. Grow Up Already! We don't need a chaperone or sensor here.
Mr. Morales is one of the few good administrators in our district. Who cares about whether he gets donuts, or whether one of the secretaries goes with him? There are many important issues & concerns we could be discussing that actually matter to our children's future.
This blog is a complete joke. How is any of the garbage printed above meant to be for the good of the children of District 131. Dialogue? Another joke. This is just another avenue for cowards to spread unnecessary gossip.
No, he is not. He will stab a teacher in the back as quickly as the other two at Simmons. He just has some social skills, so compared to the other two, he looks above average.
Compare him to administrators in other buildings and districts, you realize just how inept he really is.
Months to straighten out his scheduling blunders, discipline is a joke at Simmons, he tries to censor teachers from saying anything about the administration and can be a vindictive little (*&%#^$%) when he doesn't get his way.
Make no mistake, Simmons doesn't have a single administrator worth their pay. The place is falling apart. There is no staff morale. Student behavior is ridiculous. The school is in their 8th year failing AYP. All they can do is try to cover their blunders.
Some of you who live for this blog or so full of sh*t that it makes me both laugh and cry. It is no wonder that the district is failing. You all have not one single ounce of empathy for students and comments on this blog make me feel so glad to be gone! Too bad that all the kids have you are you! No wonder they need Clayton and Boys 2 Men. Some of you will never measure up to be good role models!
If, in your view, the best thing these kids have going is a criminal running an illegal fraternity, then your view of the district is far worse than anybody else on this blog.
Parent of students to this school district( so disappointed)......
Are u kidding me??? To all of you East Aurora Employees or to who ever takes the useless time to write this shit.. I'm a parent of 4 children that go to this school district which 2 go to Simmons.
If you ask me all you low budget paid hoes, cuz that's what you are!
Need to find another job! Cuz your worthless, no wonder this community and school district is labeled as shit,cuz that's what's employed there.
I can't believe my children showed me this website and I'm reading all this stuff about people who either teach or administer a school for this district.
Writing things that are really ridiculous, I mean seriously who's is sleeping with who...who is having an affair, who is available,I mean if it aint your cuchi or ass hoe why do you give a F*&%!
Get your nasty fat asses to work! So damn busy trying to see who is doing what your dam students can't pass their state tests! Obviously ur worried about people doing shit on the clock cuz their getting paid,
keeping tally of how long it takes people to come and go from places,YOUR on the F#@$en clock too! while you taking the time to do all the peeping and who's putting your ass on blast huh...
Where the hell are you suppose to be? I mean really where cuz it aint where you should be...They need to clean house with all your sorry asses!
You want a complaint.you want gossip from the office..I have had a child in many of your schools all of you are the same, lazy!! Rude, bothered that you need to answer the phone or attend to the counter.
All of you are over weight and eating at your desk. Every school your office staff are horrible, I sit and here your asses complaining you don't like get another job...And your ugly too!
Another complaint, change your wardrobe...you all dress so unprofessional,looking like you just rolled out of bed, teachers too.
Shit you have to many other things to worry about than what is going on with donuts or shit or with Doc..or who the hell is Raeanne, what the F!@#! is all that shit about pathetic...
You must all be underpaid, you have no where else to be,than on your time off than at your computer writing dumb shit..
seriously get another job cuz you arent doing my children any good looking at this stuff...and by the way...seriously who in the hell would stoop as low to even try to insinuate
that The assistant principal Mr. Morales would even try have something going on with anyone other than his wife...are you f*&^!
serious????
I mean I have seen him, seriously someone must have made his day by writing that on here, he is not attractive at all I mean by this time his head must be bigger than what it already...getting this attention...
This is probably the nicest thing anyone can lie about him and say about him....real good one, maybe you can take your heads out your CRACKS and wipe the shit off your eyes!
Well got that out of the way, now to figure out who's bright idea it was to create such disaster and tell them a few things.... including my kids teachers...
Never went to a board meeting can't wait to do so..!
I wish the government could see what you guys are all about...you all need to get all your asses fired!!!
Cowards (teachers) always point fingers, and it's ashmae that you have to point things out on others and stir up rumors to get the focus off the real issue and that's the teachers...
I mean I'm sure you have given up on blaming students for not learning..someone has to be next..so blame administrators for your failing!!!
Mr. Morales keep up the good work, people just dont like you.....at your school there is so much jealousy , hypocrisy, your school is toxic, it's a shame,
Maybe you need to buy the whole school donuts, not just your office staff, I mean I hear the whole office staff puts in there orders when you go,
Maybe you should pick names out of a hat of all the angry women and men staff who are mad that you take one of the secretaries to help u with all the orders,
Or maybe it's the other secretaries in the office that are mad...??? Maybe they want a chance to get out of the office and pick up donuts for a change...
Always know first rule you have to be a team player, be a sport!! Buy everyone donuts!!!!! So they can shut the F@#$! Up I can't take another day in the lounge of this.....!!!!!!!
You're right about one thing, the school has become toxic. It's way beyond the ability of donuts to fix. It's simple though, when a team is not playing well together and hasn't been for a long time, you fire the leaders, the coaches. You bring in new quality coaches and they determine which team players may need to be replaced. It's never all the players who are to blame, it may be a few, but never all.
Another poster was wrong about Wilson being one of the few good administrators in the district. There are lots of really good administrators. You know them because their staffs aren't so intimidated and frustrated as to think this blog is their only way of venting. They have relationships with their staffs and teachers can come directly to them if there is a problem to resolve. They work with their staffs and the children are the better for it.
We are told all the time that one of our many duties is to know who comes in and out of the building. Further we are to confront anyone who comes in or walks around the building without a pass. In addition to teaching we are building security. In fact some teachers and assistants are posted at the doors and it is their only job during that time, to keep records of who enters and leaves the building. How can the staff not see what is happening with the administration and office staff?
All I have to say you whining employee, that staff being posted and stations is in every middle school, I do it to! Shut up, Moron your job is to keep students in their class rooms and not to be wandering the halls.
Having Parents and people sign in and out and to direct them, don't be stupid...and try to act smart, and say you need to keep security on administration and staff...
You know damn well if someone was leaving the building for you to go get something to feed your fat face, you wouldn't be writing stupid shit on here you would cover their ass and yours...
every school staff does what they want.. every school has their own rules...right Administration...
you know who you are... from other buildings...some staff members can leave early, or leave early cause they are going to the bank,
so on Fridays they wait about 1 or more hours before schools out to use the excuse they have to go to the bank, or come late in one morning cuz they went to the bank, some staff can come in late...
And never get docked!! Yeah you know who you are, Make the perfect attendance when you know damn well you missed work...hahahaha what a joke....you know comp time...supposedly..and just so you know your the talk of the school for a while.....I call it brown nose your Principal or head Secretary...those have many privileges..
And be ware of those head secretaries cross them and your done...so you need to kiss their ass too...lol....some of those secretaries in the office hmmm watch out, you know the ones that are in separable...
Some schools staff have longer lunches, some on half a days have long lunches, some on Mandatory meetings at the high school don't have to go...
Come on seriously, to the person who started all this, what did you ask for and get a no to...or what? did you actually have to work or something that pissed you off to start talking all this shit...
I mean, people who don't get their way, will do exactly what your doing and that is so stupid..every building has issues trust when I say, in every building there is back stabbing, in every building their is the favorite staff,in every building when you miss work, everyone talks about you...
if your sick or your kids are sick they act so concern and actually send you home...when your home...
and not at work it's like they have a vudu doll stabbing you left and right of how you always miss work....blahhh,blahh
Then when you come in to work everyone surrounds you and tells you how much you were missed..lol.
I mean seriously to who ever is slandering all these people in different ways I mean seriously
because people are feeding into it you think you have made friends and that they like you,your talked about just as much...your the joke as well..
Maybe you should find another job?? To all of you who are unhappy being placed as security.. I mean I hear lots of retail stores are hiring security people to monitor their stores...This might be the place for you...
However they do have high standards..you might not qualify..
Man that was a bunch of incomprehendible gibberish. Was there a point to that long post other than you wanted to whine?
11:18pm & 3:30 pm
Sounds like ghetto trash talk to me.
Slur, curse, babble, slur, babble, yada-yada, mumble, grumble, babble.
Don't waste your time or ours with all that gibberish nonsense.
Let's move on to discussing the educating of the students in our schools.
Also, a final thanks to all our Veterans, who fought the wars to give us the freedoms we enjoy. Including the freedom of speech to all. Even to those who shouldn't (speak).
God Bless and thank you!
I guess then you must be ghetto if you could give a definition to the trash talking....seems like you understood it very well, I work in the school district and actually that is really what goes on in the schools.
I'm glad someone wrote all of it whether you feel it's nonsense.
It's been hilarious to many and if someone needed to get ghetto as you say, then more power to them!
It's funny how you feel that those comments written were trash because someone cursed or slurred or babbled,but your not commenting against the other comments about staff in the district that are very unnecessary,
Those comments are nonsense and gibberish,ghetto, degrading to many people and your pointing out comments that contained some curse words....????
The shoe must fit tight huh? It's to bad that we have a strong of freedom of the speech behind us...to bad the speech we want to hear is no where near this website...!
Can people please stop writing all of these things about people, Please keep in mind our students or parents read this stuff.
It is so unprofessional, and this is really starting to get out of hand. These accusations are unnecessary to write on here.
Write them a letter or send them a personal message or better yet tell them to their face. Many of us really would like this to come to an end.
Regardless, of how it is in other buildings, which I agree it is different and everyone does things by their own rules.It will always be that way.
There will always be that person that will be the gossiper and will complain about there job,snitch on people.But what can you do....
We need to use this blog in an
appropriate way. Maybe some of you are not happy what building you work at. But some of us are, and we love what we do and just please take consideration for the rest of us.
Thank you......
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