I apologize to those who asked for information concerning the answers I received from my FOIA request of D131 and in response to questions presented at the board meeting concerning additional positions being added to the payroll.
It would not be feasible to post the questions and answers due to the length of content. If anyone wishes a copy, my email address is accessible from my blog profile. I will glady send a copy via USPS.
In the mean time, please continue to share your POV.
191 comments:
Simmons Sucks!!!!!
Here's a conversation-starter, from the previous thread:
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Shouldn't we be getting maximum value for our money? Why are some teachers being coddled and paid full-time salaries for considerably less actual work than others?
Here is another conversation starter.
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This blog, why it doesn't matter!
Nope, it doesn't matter to 8:03 that corrupt administrators put their own personal vendettas ahead of our kids' best interests.
It doesn't matter to 8:03 that certain pet projects are funded to the max while many classrooms have to scrape by and do without.
It doesn't matter to 8:03 that thanks to this blog the community can find out about and discuss many things that were previously swept under the rug.
Good luck, 8:03, convincing us that exposing and discussing corruption doesn't matter!
Other Districts all have the same problems government sucks period.
Here's something POSITIVE going on in our district:
Our high school band & choir students have been participating in a local solo & ensemble festival for the past 3 years. Students play for a judge (usually a college professor or private teacher with at least a master's degree) who gives them a mini-lesson. This festival has been canceled this year because the host school, Naperville North, is undergoing repairs. But instead of just skipping the experience Mr. Liska and Ms. Nadel have arranged to bring in judges for our OWN mini-festival, at East High. Our kids will still get the benefit of preparing their music, performing it in front of their classmates, and being critiqued by professional musicians in a "master class" setting.
Good call, Ms. Nadel and Mr. Liska! Thanks for going the extra mile for our high-school musicians!!
As an employee of the district, I would rather not contact you personally. Can you summarize their answers to your FOIA question.
how about doing a foia on the total number of illegals that attend 131 schools and that this is the reason 131 asked for a tax increase, and the schools are rock bottom in the state academically and the facilities are overcrowded, etc. etc. etc. The illegals are the problem in 131 and the district and the City could care less. In fact West is sending their degenerates over to 131.
1:09, racist much?
I know quite a few immigrant families in our district. They came here for the same reason my great-grandparents did: to provide a better life for their families. The immigrants that I know personally are ALL hard-working, family oriented people. Children of these immigrants usually make a special effort to work hard in school, because they very much want to achieve the American dream.
Why don't you get to know some of your immigrant neighbors? You'll probably find, as I did, that there are many more similarities among us than differences!
Why don't you FOIA student discipline. You'll find that the vast majority of all the discipline problems in our schools are from the African American students. They, as a cultural group, are the biggest barrier to education in our buildings. They comprise about 10% of our student population and about 70% of the districts discipline problems.
The only real problem with our imigrant students is the language barrier. If it wasn't for all the emphasis on state standardized test score, they wouldn't be an issue at all.
1:31 I think 1:09 meant ILLEGAL immigrants.
If 1:09 knew what he is talking about, they would know that the state does not allow us to ask about a students immigration status when they register for school. There would be no point in trying to FOIA immigration status, there is no record.
The main part of my request was:
Under the Freedom of Information Act I am requesting the following documents.
Please provide all records, in paper copy, as they pertain to the attendance of those representing School District 131 at the most recent 2009 Triple I conference in Chicago, IL.
I would like this to include, but not be limited to: Registration forms, reservation requests, registration for all conference activities, hotel accommodations and dining, and confirmation as it pertains to all the above. Also, reimbursement requests, and a detailed, itemized payment history for all the above including travel and meals made in other forms other than through reimbursement requests.
The response to my request included:
request for reimbursement from 3 board members with copies of receipts and reimbursement checks.
Ranging in amount from approx. $27-$92.
Registration listing:
7 Board members
7 employees from the SCC with 6 spouses attending(complimentary)
Jack Canna, D131 atty.
The total on the page shows 14 paid @ $340./each
Total-$4760.00
(Sorry, There were actually 4 members requesting reimbursement.)
Also, enclosed were two pages of a bank statement with both pages almost emtirely blackened with a marker.
One page had one entry left visible. This was the payment (amount listed above) for the conference.
The other page left visible 2 transactions with the headings of Morales, Lisa- including a transaction --Sheraton Hotels Chicago $98.00
The other heading- Roberts, Jerome-transcation- Sheraton Hotels Chicago $98.00
and Riva Ristorante $405.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were no other charges showing for no other individuals. No other reimbursement requests.
No notice of cancellation of individuals not attending.
I know at least 2 board members did not attend at all. One board member came for one partial day.
She shared with me her desire to learn what food fund raisers were available. She wanted to learn how to optimize a fund raising business plan she was working on dealing with cookies and pizza.
Even if you are an employee, you are entitled to answers. You may call me if you do not want to put into writing your request for future personal responses.
I wonder why Jack Canna was paid did you ask.
I didn't ask.
When I totaled those paid registrations versus those listed, it was 15 listed, 14 paid. I am unsure which was considered unpaid.
I tried to think back if Canna was our attorney when we went to the conference.
I thought we had a new lawyer not Jack.
The Triple I conference is INSPRA (Illinois Chapter National School Public Relations Association).
The mission of INSPRA is to strengthen support for Illinois public schools and improve education for students through responsible public relations.
So the district paid thousands of dollars to send board members, the superintendent, his secretary, other central office personnel, their families and the school lawyer to go learn the job they are paying Clayton Muhammad to do.
How the hell is this in the best interests of the students. It seems to me if Clayton doesn't know how to do his job, you either send him to the training or find someone who actually knows what they are doing to fill his position.
It seems to me that the district could do much better PR wise by replacing incompetent administrators (and the racist PR man)and actually spend the districts money in the classroom.
OMG r u still talking about this? Y r u all so stoopid? get over it.
You or the district can not ask about Illegal immigrant status. Yes, many came before and followed the rules and fitted in. As far as my neighbors I have tried but they only speak Spanish and they have lived her 8 years. There kids still speak Spanish mostly even though they are going to school in this district. They have no respect for their neighbors they don't keep their home up and their children have no respect for their neighbors property. Yes, there are some that do not not by me.
Wow, you are criticizing the immigrants english ability? Take care of your own grammar problems before criticizing others.
You would think in this day that everyone is asking about open government that the district would be happy to show what they spend. I'm sure some of them wonder how their taxpayer dollars are spent. If they have nothing to hide why not show it all and in fact with the new laws I do believe they are suppose to. Although the government has given public bodies time to get the FOIA new laws learned and implemented. Again another law started but not enforced.
So anybody at the school board meeting?
Yes, there were people at the meeting, if you had been there you would know.
So much for what Lewis, Johnsom and some others said about not going and staying for many of these conferences. These two are doing a good job of not doing what they said they would do. Johnson is really making a farce of the school board meetings and the school board. Remember that rooms were booked for some that did not stay and this disctrict had to pay for them. Hope Stella Gonzales had a good time with her family. She is anouther one who did not go that was supposed to.
I wasn't able to make the board meeting but I know that Simmons made a presentation. Did Patterson show up? Because she has been non existant at Simmons! God help us during ISAT, Hamilton couldn't schedule anything right if his life depended on it. Our students are the ones that suffer, but let's keep !
I agree, Simmons Sucks! Who is too blame for this but our leader, Patterson. She turns her head to the same mistakes happening again and again, (scheduling with Morales and Hamilton) while she keeps working on her Doctorate! She will never get rid of Morales because his wife is the famous Lisa Morales, second hand to our famous Roberts!
All three administrators at Simmons need to be replaced. Patterson and Mitchell just need to go. Get them out of the district. Morales could perhaps do an alright job in an elementary building as an AP. Some place with less scheduling and discipline issues. He could also get a fresh start with a new staff. Just make sure it is with a strong principal, he will need the guidance.
Hamilton is just in over his head. The building counselor should not be in charge of the school schedule. That's the administrators job. He should be focusing on his counseling job and he would do fine.
Oh Crap, did you say that Patterson is working on her doctorate? They will probably move her up to central office. That's frequently what they do with principals who can't do their job.
Our district has no business paying for hotel rooms for administrators attending a conference in CHICAGO! Many of us commute downtown to work daily--there is no reason not to attend the conference during the day and take the train (or carpool) back home at night.
Times are tough, and money is tight. Why do certain administrators think THEY deserve to waste money when our kids have to do without?
Why do the board and central office administrators need to spend thousands of dollars to learn how to do Clayton's job?
Holy cow! Dr. Roberts spent $405.00 (of OUR money) at Riva Ristorante??
This could only be justified if it was the bill for at least 20 people to have lunch--otherwise it's a HUGE waste of funds. I'm not saying our admins should eat at McD's, but what's wrong with one of the affordably-priced cafeterias downtown??
Anita and Annett have no problem with spending our tax dollars, Annett should practice what she was teaching the kids about saving and start saving the tax payers money. Oh by the way annett was also a big part of the say no to the referendum along with her mother. Annett also claims she has political ties, but when you talk to her political ties they have no comment.
Annette Johnson has no political ties. She is the classic example of the kid in school who nobody was friends with and now as an adult has gotten a little attention for being on a school board (of one of the, if not thee, worst districts in the state) and she thinks she is a player. The politicos are only getting close to her for their own selfish reasons. They would stab her in the back in a heartbeat. She needs to wake up and do what she was elected to do. Nobody is focusing on the real problems in 131. 1) lack of diversity, 2) no economic development engine, 3)no busing, 4)deplorable academics.
I would put academics #1
HEY HEY, BIG BREAKING NEWS. This may be the first time ever for this to happen in Aurora Illinois. A member of the community has placed academics as a #1 priority. We are sending a news van out to Aurora and will keep you updated on this late breaking story.
You are sooooo correct put Academics first. If the teachers and admin were so interested in our students why are they not stand up people???????? In this time of poor economics, high unemployment,people loosing thier homes, taxes not being paid on empty homes, all they can think about is themselves me me me al for me, if i don't get what i want I'll leave. Don't let the door hit you in the ass. I see they don't the balls to stand up and say can we put our raises on hold until this situation makes a turn around or only ask for a 1% increase. Admin why don't you say we'll pay 10 to 15% towards our health care.
Healthcare paid by the admiinistrators! I think that it's ridiculous that the more money you make the more perks you get! The assistants who make the least amount of money pay the most for health insurance, then the teachers have to pay, but the administrators pay nothing! Along with getting iphones! Where does this end!! How can Roberts spend that much out at a restaurant when we only have a $20.00 limit on meals, where is the checks and balances in this district!
Hamilton doesn't do much counseling at Simmons, he's too busy kissing Patterson's ass! As far as Morales, he couldn't run a building if his life depended on it! The only thing that saves his job is his wife working for Roberts!
Breaking news we just recieved the notice for parent teacher conf. today is 3 2 2010 now they are either LATE or Early but i thought they were last thursday, because we were there. Way to go super, admin and central office. Maybe annett for got to mail them since she had roberts on her??????
That's funny because I didn't see anything about parent teacher conferences maybe you are behind in your reading of things.
What has this school board done to better the education of the students and help teachers in the day to day job? NOTHING. they have given the superintendent a good raise, praised the administration, given the administration IPhones but what have they done to better the day to day live of all the others and what have they given back to the taxpayers for the vote for the referendum they passed. You are a poor excuse of a school board.
Annette and Anita said they would not stay in Chicago if there were conferences there. I am not sure about Anita, but Annette registered to go and to stay, but only showed up for alittle bit and we were stuck with the bill for the hotel room and the things she signed up to go to but did not go to. Hope she found out what she wanted about her cookie and fund raiser buisness she just took over or just started. All on D131 dime(s).
Where are all you posters that critize this school board, but do not stand before them and speak. Pecking here is cheap, stand before them and say your due as Rayanne did last night, Sharon Jacobs and others of us have done in the past. Get some male appendages and quit putting your tail between your legs and pecking here.
I have reviewed check registers and never seen a check for Annette Johnson. However checks did get issued to Carlson, Weaver, Lewis and Wells. I questioned Johnson & Gonzalez about not attending. Johnson did attend. She, did not stay for the evening because she was sick that day and all the people members knew that. Gonzalez was called out of town and someone else used her pass. I do not remember any of the members coming back and talking about what they learned something that Weaver and Carlson promised. See things on this blog are always not as portrayed. It just sounds like sour grapes on someones part.
Did you ever stop and think nobody attends meetings because they are happy with the way the District is run. I think Carlson gave a speech about just that. She stated people attend meetings if they are angry. Well is guess everyone must not be angry.
It is funny how Carlson and Weaver can't get their stories straight because Weaver admitted it and was happy about the changes with the positions. Carlson was just angry.
Oh what a mess again yesterday at Simmons. ISAT testing began and so the school had to follow a new schedule. Students and teachers running around without a clue where to go. It made testing a real challenge.
Half the school was assigned to the same lunch period. It was amusing listening to the panic in the administrators tone as they were being called to deal with the mess.
The first call was great, "HELP, there are already more than 400 students in the lunch room and more are coming, what should we do?". "Maybe we can put some in the library, how about in the gym, are there any classrooms open". "Get ready to make an announcement that this period is going to have to be extended into next period so that we can get all the kids a lunch".
Just another day in the lives of the teachers and students at Simmons. Does knowing how to schedule make a difference to education? You're damn right it does.
Of course, it helps if the administrators are even in the building. Wilson running around for donuts and who knows what. Mechelle took off three days recently. A wekk before ISAT and she's no where to be found. It really is a testament to the teachers at Simmons that the place runs at all.
Simmons was a mess yesterday, my daughter was so upset! You would think with such an important test, the administration would be able to handle the scheduling! She did say it was a little smoother today, she only sat in the lunch room an hour and a half today! No wonder we are on the state watch list! I just wish the principal would step up and run the building, it seems like she doesn't have a clue!!!!!!
If one had listened to what Carlson said at the meeting about the change in position, it was about the reason some wanted to have the change done, not about the change itself. This is the reason she was angry, the reasoning for the change. There never was a discussion on this change as the last meetings agenda stated. The lawyer had already been contacted about this without prior knowledge of all the board. The proof is the in the agenda itself. Disscussion means it will be talked about and then contacting the lawyers about the legality of it. If anyone bothered to read and check on this it is supposed to be done in the odd years, after the election in research on this. Ask Weaver, Carlson, Lewis, Wells, if they were issued checks and what they were for. I am sure at least a couple will answer you if this happened and why or you can always FOIA. My understanding was that Johnson let someone use her pass and not sure about Gonzales. Also, who used the passes? Oh well, it will all come out in the end, now won't it?
I wish all three administrators at Simmons would step up and resign. It is obvious they have no clue how to run a school building. The students are the ones who pay the price.
The IASA (Illinois Association of School Administrators) came out today and spoke about all the cuts there have been in education. Teachers, programs, etc. They also stated that the only place there have been no cuts was in superintendent salaries. There has been steady increases in that area.
They also pointed out that the average salary for a superintendent in Illinois is $151,000. I found that number amazing when you factor in that Aurora East is paying their superintendent more than $200,000 this year(and until at least 2014).
This district really is upside down.
I can't believe Roberts makes that much in a district that can't pass the state tests. It's obvious he's not worth the money. We have the most corrupt district in the state! It's the only district I know of that rewards the and promotes the idiots!!!!! We can bitch all we want, while Roberts just sits and smiles all the way to the bank. This school board sucks, along with Roberts!
The sad part about this is we the voters voted the people sitting on this board in. Yes, there where some that left and the people we voted in voted the others in that only cares about the superintendent and administration more than the children in this district. If I knew when I voted that this would be the way it was I wouldn't have voted any of them in. As for the community and parents of this district that don't seem to care this is what you get and if you really believe we will be better off than most of the districts that are running into hard times you live in a different world. The only thing that most of these board members are worried about is who will be the next president of the board and they are talking about it you better believe among themselves right now which is a violation of the OMA which no one is this district cares about. The parents of these children must ask what is this board doing for our children? It seems they would rather fight among themselves about who should be president of the board and how our superintendent is so great and his administration is great also while our children suffer.
Not all the board members were for Roberts contract. no one mentioned about the innuities that Roberts also gets. Do not state all members of the board was for it. But, I do agree that all members of this board should go. The current president tries but with no support from the other members get nowhere. If she is afraid of more trouble from certain members of the board, she should be aware there there still could be trouble if she is president or not. I thought there was hope for Hull until he voted for the resolution without looking into this whole thing and not bringing up the fact that this was not truly discussed as the first meeting on this subject was held. Again, letting someone else run the show in my opinion. Also, where were the community members when they renewed Roberts contract? Everyone and anyone in this community had the right to go and state what the thought at the meetings before it was done again. If anyone thought that his contract was snuck by they certainly had the right to voice this also. People just keep pecking here on this blog, but no onw has the kawhonees to stand up on do anything, so we are reaping what we sowed. No Lincoln, Martin Luther King or anyone like that in this community. No one wants to stand up for what is right for fear of being alone in this as these men did and another example would be Christ.
It's interesting that each of the examples you used of great men standing up for what is right, both were assasinated for doing just that.
The problem is that great individuals are always surrounded by idiots who would like nothing better than to see the grat ones fall.
In this district the idiots are in administration and on the board.
Not one single school in the 131 made AYP. Not One! Yet, the board renews a deadbeat super's contract, has not sought a single resignation, and sits and plays petty politics.
You are forgetting that the board does not care about the children they only care about how good the superintendent looks, the administraiton and if Boys II Men can become a business partner.
I say just let the board and administration have its way. Let them rip off the system. Then when things get so bad that all the families with kids move out of the district, perhaps to the west side, there will be no need for either the school board or the administration. I believe that most of the families that really, truly care about their childrens education have already left. I know I would if I still had school age children.
Don't forget there newest decision to make Officers of the Board to 1 year and you can bet some of them are talking to themselves about who to pick for what spot which is a violation of the OMA.
Don't you think that the person on the board that is starting a fund raiser buisness(or trying to)will be not only the next president of the board but the next buisness partner with this type of buisness. Talk about no ethics and conflict of interest.
My perspective on the examples of the choices the person picked for doing what was right is, even though they were assinated, what they stood for have lived on through the ages. Standing up for what is right can mean assination in other ways, as being given a hard time and making ones live miserable, if in the end what is wrong is righted, then what the peoson or people have done has made the suffering worth it. Rosa Parks comes to mind. Sister Teresa, Bernadette.
They email between themselves, which is still the same voliation.
Talk about unethical one of the officers that was just gave up her term got her kid a job in Linda Chapa Lavia's office. Before the election her family was out spreading lies about Linda's brother see they had gone to school together. She stated Linda's brother was involved in gangs and drugs not true. After becoming a officer of the Board she used her position to get the job promising certain changes in the District she could deliver.
Then she had a unemployed husband Now guess where he works for a company doing alarm work for the District. This company also is a business partner. Her husband had been at meeting that contracts with this individual had been reviewed.
So before you say you live in a glass house you better not throw the first stone.
This person is always the first to call our fine administrators unethical.
I wonder after April how she will far with Linda and Ed
Learn how to write a thought.
Here is how a district really works and where a Superintendent talks to the community. I have only been to a few board meetings but I have never heard our superintendent talk like this or even treated the community with respect. Yes, this is from the west side and if this url doesn't work for you you can go on their website and get it. This is how a real school board works.
http://sd129.org/vision129/budget_discussion.asp
It seems like all the board members would rather fight among themselves call each other names than do the business of the district. They spend more time pointing their fingers at each other than get down to what is going on.
The West side also picked the wrong type of referendum so listening to their advice is fruitless. They are also on financial watch. They also approved their superintendents contract in the middle of the night before a holiday. Is that how a Board works.
Remember those glass houses
Well that might all be true but at least you hear a superintendent talking to a board with respect and telling of things that might happen. You say his contract was done in the middle of the night but that is what you say where is the proof. The district and the board still seems to listen to him and he did go to state for his district did ours?
In all of the talking on this blog do you hear anything about the better education of the children? You hear how the board can't get along and name call anyone and you hear how some love the administration and the superintendent but nothing about what matters most here and that is the education of the children.
By the way we are on finical watch also with the state.
See this is how business is done on the West Side. Superintendents contract approved in Special Session at 12 in the afternoon in Executive Session. But I know some on this blog are so impressed meanwhile they lay-off teachers and close buildings. Many can say what they want about the Board and Dr Roberts in my mind they are all honest people who they their best with much harder students to educate. Please comment all you D129 fans. the truth speaks for itself.
RESULT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Mr. Toynton moved that the Board of Education approve the renewal of West Aurora’s Superintendent, Dr. James Rydland’s contract from 7/01/09 through 6/30/14.
Mr. Bradford seconded the motion and same was adopted by the following vote:
AYES: Bradford, Herget, Toynton, Wood, Ormond
NAYES: None
March 4, 2010 7:14 PM - I know this is the same disgruntled board member who tried to feed me these stories so I would help her kick Dee out so she could become president.
I won't describe all the untruths in this persons comments.
I can tell you, I went to Linda's office and found out this was all untrue. Dee's daughter applied for an internship thru her college and no one at the office even knew she was related to an EA Board member!
By law they can do that in special session so there is nothing wrong with it and I bet if those people on the West Side didn't like it they would let them know. For you just being able go pull that from their website shows that they are open about things. Our side I believe did have a special session to talk about the superintendents contract which I believe most of the board talked among themselves before the meeting the just chose to do it a different way it wasn't secret.
As for the Presidents husband used to work for Ed when he had Dictograph after he got out of school my husband worked with him so she did not get him any work it was because of his friendship with Ed so after April I don't see where there will be a difference.
So we are to believe Linda when she told both Districts at LUDA meetings that the schools would have no financial change in State aid. Now she goes to one meeting and says 5% another 7% another 10% and yet another 15%. Now she is in favor of taxing seniors Social Security and raising State income tax. She was bragging that she is in charge of the school finance committee in Springfield and we are to believe anything that comes out of her office.
As for the Board members husband she never disclosed that and he is a school contractor. So was she transparent.
He worked for them in the 70's so it didn't need to be disclosed.
To 7:14 3-4-10 it's clear you are very stupid. I personaly know the Weaver's and the rumors you spread are not true. If you want the facts, you should contact the Weaver's. By the way Annette you should know the facts, but we know you are just a spoiled, self centered person
Rumors are flying! Who will be the next president? Juanita or Johnson?
Who will Roberts side with? What about Lewis? She will probably be the deciding factor. Juanita has been there the longest and definintely has more sense and finess that Johnson. Johnson wants all control and power. Wonder is the same restrictions will be put on her as the current president? Both of these wanting the position will probably not be running next election. I believe Mrs. Wells is moving(?). Johonson wants to run for Schuler place as alderman. Guess she want that free medical alderman get for life if elected 2 terms as alderman also. Before anyone who might be upset about this posting, please get a thought before you type, take your meds or figure out what flavor Kool-Aid you are drinking.
I don't drink kool-aid. I like cola.
I do believe Juanita should get to be President she has been on the board longest and knows more than the rest. She is a Roberts supporter but she has went against the gain a couple of times.
If Johnson does it just shows that some of the things that where said on here about her being the one to push this is true. She can wait a year she has only been on the board not even a year yet and needs more time to learn how to be a board member.
Wells qualified please the women can hardly speak and thinks all the residents who did vote for the referendum are racist. Why would that matter looked who got the job last time Weaver another loser in life.
And you can hardly type. You know, punctuation was invented for a reason.
Check yourself before you start criticizing other people.
The blog is run a a uneducated loser so I am only writing in a language she understands.
Some of the worst damage in this district has been done by those who have the most formal education: two examples that come to mind immediately are Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Radakovich.
And 4:51 is displaying their own stupidity when they say Ms. Wells thinks that "all the residents who did vote for the referendum are racist". Ms. Wells was a stalwart supporter of the referendum--why would she think those who voted her way were racist?
Unless, of course, 4:51 is too ignorant to proofread their own comments and really meant to say "did NOT vote for the referendum".
Either way, ignorance on display bigtime.
A big AMEN to you March 5, 2010 7:25 PM.
WRONG
March 5, 2010 8:22 PM is right. The person making statements about how some on the blog are uneducated can't even write a decent sentence.
Wonder what will happen when Roberts backs Wells? Let us see how the other one who wants the president position will act. We who read this blog knows who is the one making all the negative comments and spews untruths. She only has 2 other members that would be for her to be president. The deciding vote would be Lewis for the tie breaker. I wonder what the States Attorney would feel about that resolution since it was not done at the proper time? Or is it the ISBA that I should contact?
Would that cola be regular, diet, cherry, vanilla, cherry vanilla, lime or lemon flavored?
We know the only two writing positives about Wells are the two Board members that lost the the support of Lewis & Johnson. Both discovered that they has been told lies about the way the school system was being run. That was been a pattern for Weaver. She promised voters that she against the referendum and know she voted for it. Recently Wells called the voters naysayers for not supporting the schools. When in fact these are the same residents like five of our Board members that pay double and triple the
taxes to support the schools. A resident was at the meeting who heard this, and it started a fire storm. This resident and many of the naysayers happens to have the one who got Dee & Rayanne elected. So will Dee fail the residents again, probably because that has been her history. What does her or Wells have to lose anyway they are the yes-sayers that don't support the school anyway.
Why is everyone so sure its Wells and Johnson. There may be a dark horse.
If the Board values education and cultural diversity Gonzalaz should be the next President. She holds a Master degree in education and is someone the 80 plus percent Hispanic voters can respect. Wells has been part of the old guard era that destroyed the East Aurora School system she would be my last choice.
Yeah, because this era of school board is doing way better. (sarcasm)
You are wrong about who is writing about Wells. I'm not either of those people and who are you kidding most people in this district have no clue what a school board is.
You do have one member that thinks they are the only one that knows anything and if anyone goes against them there will be hell to pay and they will go after them.
The only reason you say Gonzalaz is that she would let you do the work and we know who you are. She is always saying she doesn't have time to do things so how would she find time for this.
I do not believe Rayanne or Dee failed me as a taxpayer they have voted the way I wanted to on many things and the one big one was the Superintendents contract. Yes, Dee did change her mind on the referendum and I spoke to her about it and I understood why so let's let that go. It was stated on her that you where with a group against the first referendum and got you neighbors to put signs in your yard and from what I hear you said the district should never need a referendum what changed your mind your feelings for Roberts now?
Maybe they are planning to put Stella in the president postition.
Possibly, the newly hired translators aren’t for Hispanics who may come to the meeting, but rather for the Anglos who come, so she can conduct the meeting in Spanish, cause you sure in the heck couldn’t understand her in English
Oh, shut up people. Do I really care if you think Dee is doing a good job? NOPE
March 5, 2010 9:18 PM
You are correct. Annette has been spreading the same fantasy facts since her being elected.
She claims credit for her & her neighbors getting Dee, Rayanne and Anita elected.
Then why couldn’t they get her own mother elected? These women have had community support in larger numbers in their own neighborhoods.
She harps on Dee & the referendum because that is her bone of contention. She feels the NE side of Aurora is superior due to the higher taxes they pay. Her main focus was to get Roberts to agree, in public, that he would not put another property tax referendum on the ballot. She got what she wanted and now they are thick as thieves. Robbing the poor children of EA to support their personal agendas.
Speaking of which-she continues to tie other board members to some things that are years old. The band issue, family members employer. Those subjects are 5-20 years old. She adds her fantasy spin as if they are things that happened recently and attempts to draw attention away from the facts.
Annette came on the Board to keep her property taxes down and her neighbor shows up and gripes about Juanita, the referendum supporter. Stella gets elected as a Hispanic educator, who cannot put together a coherent phrase in English. But, she is a good friend of Marin’s. Stella then brings in her neighbor Turza, who has time to kill and a impressive and clean resume. She is new in the neighborhood and will do what it takes to please her neighbors. N/E-ers.
Annette’s purpose has been served so she must attempt to discredit those who continue to fight for the good of the 131 children. She sings a song of being positive, while turning a blind eye to the negative. Dee is interfering by continuing to be outspoken about things. Annette wants to clip her wings, so she makes moves to remove Dee as board president.
Hopefully, those members who truly have worked for the good of the children can survive this sinking ship.
Dee, Rayanne, Anita and Annette all had been elected because they did not support the referendum.o So, if Annette got Roberts to say he would not support another referendum then bravo to her.
The way this district keeps spending money they will need to get another referendum.
LOL that Anette could stop Roberts from asking for another referendum she is his yes lady now.
For the person who wrote:
I wonder what the States Attorney would feel about that resolution since it was not done at the proper time? Or is it the ISBA that I should contact?
Go ahead and contact the States Attorney you will find nothing wrong you are just blowing wind.
Just what referendum did Dee vote for? For the record, when she ran for the school board she did state that there might be a time when she would vote for a referendum if she felt the district needed it.
March 6, 2010 8:57am this is March 5, 2010 9:18pm
I like your statement about thick as thieves, it does resemble them in my book. I like your whole posting and cannot wait for the next chapter of what is happening with this school board, sperintendant and administrators. When it comes for the vote for who is going to be the next president, it will be interesting. If it is just between Wells and Johnson, Lewis will probably be the deciding factor. Stay tuned to this channel for the next chapter of the most disfunctional school board in the state of IL.
It is dysfunctional and you all voted for it. That's what you wanted. You got it.
March 6, 2010 6:37am
You really need to preview what you post. Your posting really does not make sense, it conterdicts it's self. Instead of clicking on Publish Your Comment first, click on Preview so you can edit anything that needs it. Sometimes I have to edit 2 or 3 times before I will publish mine.
8:57 says that the band issue is 5 years old. Very true--and you can bet that some of us will keep bringing it up, because that decision was based on a personal vendetta and was just plain WRONG.
As long as any of the bully administrators who pushed Mr. K out of his high-school teaching position are still working in D131 (supposedly for us), those of us who care how good teachers are treated in this district will not be silent.
If Marin Gonzalez and Joe Harmon are still working in this district 10 years from now, you can bet that we will still be reminding this community about the blunder they made (and continue to defend). Bottom line: despite hundreds of people marching, writing letters, putting signs in their yards, etc. a handful of bully administrators thought they could get away with punishing a teacher who had the guts to refuse to kiss their behinds. We may have lost the battle, but we will win the war when the bullies are finally GONE!
6:09 am-your comments are very true, too. Certain Board members, myself included, have been accused of having one agenda, and it being the band. No matter what issues I tried to address, there was always this blinder on the other board members and certain admin, that my sole purpose for running for the board was the K fiasco.
Admittedly, it was what got me paying attention to the workings of the school board, but it was not why I chose to run for the board and ultimately volunteer much of my personal time and money to trying to bring some changes to how the board did business.
The 131 teaching community has not forgotten how one of their own was treated either. I think this has been cause for some disgruntled senior employees throughout the district work force, who have not forgotten.
You know they do accuse some of having a agenda Rayanne and the thing is the other ones one the board also do and it is very clear what the agenda is.
Make Roberts look good even though we are on 8 years academics watch. I will place part of the watch on NCLB.
Other Board members don't think they need to read the information the Administration gives them since those members think the administration knows everything.
They really don't have much respect for teachers (except the golden ones that kiss butt).
Roberts could of worked with K and the other band director to work some kind of arrangement for both of them to work at the High School levels. It just shows you he doesn't care about most of the community although he did help make sure Boys II Men got to be business partners. He is part of the problem he is their employee but some on the board treat him like a friend and not an employee which is never good with employee and employer. He also should be trying to get the board to work together and he is not doing that. You can see he is playing Anette and Stella to get his way.
I have only been to a few board meetings and have noticed this and so has many others. No, I am not happy with how things are going but going to the board meetings are a waste of time. First you have to sit and listen to the stupid board comments and then listen to some think they know more than others and not much board business gets done. The board talks more about what they have done than discusses the things the committees bring in.
Central office rumor is Weaver is pushing Wells. She is the one that has spoken many times against the Band. She also in public stated that Band parents encouraged the kids to play the star mangled banner. If this Board returns to the old guard days District 131 may as well be taken over by the State. She also backed the bully administration that lost 20 plus million of the District money
For all of this talk of who will be President, I am hoping Lewis steps up. She shows sometimes,she can think independently. However, Wells made stupid hateful comments
like she does often, and now Johnson and Roberts are worried. So it now looks like Gonzalez spent the day with Marin getting her up to speed on educational policies, and changes that will come about. They are trying to make her better. Good luck.
For all the talk about Johnson, she likes working from behind. As President you get blamed, but have little power. They are now very uncertain about the future with the State. Many have stated the offices do not have to change.
Also, Roberts is keeping up on new Superintendents openings after he claims no layoffs. I today's paper Geneva is laying off. They have big amounts of cash surplus. Please note they are adjusting the budget accordingly. Roberts is heard all day long telling everyone "We are the only District not laying off".
You figure it out but my bet is Gonzalez. Johnson will remain Secretary that was the old plan, so we will see until Wells acted up.
You are all so stupid. Like any of this matters who is president. The school board is a bunch of stupid people who can't get anything done because they don't care about education. Most of them are jaded and only ran to see what a mess the district is, not try to fix it.
Interesting comment about Marin helping Stella Gonzalez. She must be assigned to Central Office Clean-up.
She was headed to UNO big Chicago Magnet job. She even bought a Condo in Chicago Now she is staying. Patterson is working with her, and Roberts on her Doctors thesis. So Roberts leaves for more money. Marin becomes Superintendent and Patterson gets her job.
Sounds good.
Roberts leaves, the state takes over and Marin and Patterson are left holdig the bag when the state ousts those at the helm.
Great housecleaning plan!
One other little known fact about Roberts, the Board only gave him 4% certainly his buddy Johnson could have done better than that. Now Doc faces very expensive divorce. But Doc on his resume does not want to let other Districts think he got fired. Many Districts are firing or going to be firing their Superintendents. Look at Oswego 3 in 5 years.
So, for next year we are great no matter what happens. Johnson will blame State, one thing for her she sure can spin things. That is why Dee and Rayanne hate her to the general public they would believe everything is great. When they speak of the truth it looks like sour grapes.
So back to Roberts, he saves on his wife's payout. For those who don't know her, she is very financially dependent on him. He moves on (big contract) because he is the big financial fixer.
Johnson wins because either Juanita or Stella will be holding the bag. She looks great because she now brags around town he is the lowest paid Superintendent. The teachers get screwed because the State is screwed and the administrators will get big money.
My predictions based on certain facts I know working with these vipers as long as I have.
What a joke they would never elect Lewis because she is by far the most honest and that is not saying much.
Roberts is not the lowest paid Superintendent in the State. He might of got a 4% raise but he also got a 2% annuity I believe and if he is getting a divorce his wife will probably see some of that. He also got travel expensive and some other goodies so he made out alright.
Johnson will not make out alright because she is the one causing most of this and it will all come out in the end. I really feel sorry for who ever gets the President spot because Johnson will tell tall tales about that person and some on the board will believe them without asking the new President. She will bully everyone like she does now. Lewis is hopeless she flip-flops too much. Plus she is Johnsons pal and will do what Johnson says.
The problem with this board is everyone wants to be buddies instead of doing the job they are suppose to do and give the children of the district a good education.
If you were a staff member of Simmons and actually knew Patterson, you could not imagine a worse choice of a person to move into any position of authority.
Ellison is the only administrator who was half as vindictive as this Bitch. Even Marin Gonzalez didn't stab half the number of people in the back as Patterson has. Except for the few kiss asses in the building (and they will kiss the ass of the next administrator just as enthusiastically), no one supports her.
The district really needs to can her ass.
Actually, Simmons has always been a good place to be and work. I can say this as someone who has had many many years experience at that school. The majority of students have always been great and the majority of the staff, at all levels, has been dedicated and hard working as well. Simmons, like most any school, has had its ups and downs but it survives and thrives thanks to those with the right focus....the students. There are always the disgruntled few who like to rant and rave and that negative energy probably spills into their classroom. Those of you with a positive attitude and who are focused on doing your job, hang in there and please, don't read this bog too often.
Who backed the old bully administration that lost the 20 million dollars? It sounds like you mean Weaver but that is certainly not true. Was that paragraph meant to mean Weaver was backing Wells, but the rest of the statements about Wells?
Actually your whole posting does not have the ring of truth to it at all. It leads me to believe that the poster is a certain board member that really does wants to be president and it is not Wells or Gonzales and I know that Lewis would never want the position. Guess who that leaves.
I am someone who is tired of reading the postings about Mr.K. Yes, what happened was not right, but could not all of you find a different way of getting your message across? The postings are written the same way all the time and it is boring and repetitive, repetitive, repetitive. Please find a different way of posting how you feel. This is why people are tired of reading and hearing about this, because it is the same words over and over again, repetitive. These same words have gotten you nowhere as of yet so, please try some new ones and in a different approach. Thank you in advance for this.
The message is important and that's why it's repeated. People need to speak out in the best way they can. That's the purpose of blogs.
The reason they use the same words is because it is the same person posting all of those posts.
Simmons has some gifted and talented students and staff. People should remember that. There will always be disgruntled people speaking their minds. But isn't that the purpose of free speech?
Yes, it is the same theme Roberts, Simmons, the old Guard, Serial Bully, the New Board and of course 5 long years of the Band. Do you think the person who runs this blog needs a life.
Amazing how when the band issue is mentioned the repetitive nonsense posts start up again. Someone is really bothered by us reminding the community that bullying Mr. K was wrong--probably an administrator.
Oh, wow, like we have never heard that post before. Way to be original.
We will stop talking about the band issue when the bully administrators who were responsible are GONE from the district!
Until then, it's important that everyone be aware of exactly how those administrators chose to treat a respected teacher who refused to kiss their behinds. Anyone who might be considering applying for a teaching position in D131 deserves to know what happened to one of our finest.
Those who are unwilling to learn from history are doomed to repeat it!
9:33, way to cover up for the bullies.
Kill yourself you stupid moron
What a classy suggestion from someone who can't think of a meaningful response to 9:40's intelligent, articulate comment!
You must be a bully, an administrator, or both.
March 7, 2010 9:09 PM says-
"Do you think the person who runs this blog needs a life."
Being the administrator of a blog takes little time. All comments are sent to the administrators personal email. They can be read -whenever they choose to make time. Periodically, a new topic is posted.
So if you think someone is sitting, waiting for your next comment-maybe you should consider finding a life, as you suggested.
Why do you come and read the blog if you say it just has the same old thing.
10:11 p.m., like dropping the f-bomb is at all intelligent.
To the person who says the posts about Mr. K are too repetitive:
Go back to previous threads and you'll see that most of us who feel strongly about this subject have been careful lately to put the blame squarely where it belongs, on the handful of ADMINISTRATORS who were involved at the time and who still work (supposedly for us!) in this district. The community deserves to be reminded exactly who was responsible for this bullying, so that it doesn't happen again!
I have not seen anything negative about the current EHS band director on this thread--in fact, someone went out of their way to mention some positives (Mr. Liska and Ms. Nadel bringing in clinicians for an in-house solo & ensemble festival; the EHS jazz band receiving a Division I rating at the UIC Jazz Festival).
It is in our students' best interests for our community to be aware of both the positive and negative choices made by D131 administrators & staff--and whether those choices were made for excellence or for arrogance.
So enough about Mr. K for now.
With money tight everywhere, why are we paying a full-time salary for someone teaching less than 4 hours per day? Especially when there isn't much individual preparation or grading papers involved?
Maybe because the administration was so desperate to fill that particular position and keep a teacher happy, so it wouldn't look like they had made a blunder.
How many bands were at east when K was around. Three (3). Just checking. Was he full time. Yeah, I think so.
Let's see, 8:50--during the last 5 years or so that Mr. K was at East High there was a freshman band, a concert band, a wind ensemble, and a jazz band. That's 4 bands, by my count. Oh, and he also taught a music theory class, and was fine arts department chair (which requires quite a bit of time as well).
But during the first years that Mr. K was in D131, he split his workday between the high school and middle/elementary schools. I believe that he was at the high school in the mornings and traveled to other schools in the afternoons.
At that time the jazz band was not part of the official curriculum (during the school day). You can bet that Mr. K worked a full day for a full day's pay.
I'm sure it's much easier for you to make assumptions than to bother to learn the facts, 8:50. Fortunately, there are enough of us "old timers" around who can set the record straight!
There was no wind ensemble. Mr. Liska created that his 2nd year at east. He only every taught music theory every other year.
Oh, excuse me--the top group that Mr. Liska calls Wind Ensemble was called Symphonic Band under Mr. Kaisershot.
Different name; similar group. Same number of bands.
Wrong. There was a Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and a Jazz Ensemble Mr. K's last year at East. That's it. Three bands. Stop trying to hide your hypocrisies.
1:40 says "he only taught music theory every other year"
When did Mr. Liska ever teach music theory?
Who cares you guys point out every tiny thing that Mr. Liska does "wrong" but much of what Mr. Liska does is exactly what Mr. K did. You just all of a sudden don't like it.
No, we don't like paying full-time pay for less than full-time work.
Ok hypocrite
What about the central office administrators who don't do jack except screw with people. They don't even work part time.
Ok slacker
True, there is not a lot of grading papers involved in a band director's job, but there is considerable preparation. Plus, what other department has teachers who have concerts, festivals, gigs, etc. that keeps them after school well into the evening multiple times per month? I'd say that's full time!
I also wonder about the central office administrators, though - it would be interesting to see how many hours per week they work on average.
Is it true that the folks in the central office don't have to pay for their health insurance?
If so, how fair is that??
How come there is nothing on the districts website about who to contact for FOIA inquiries yet? Also isn't the Superintendents and administrations contracts suppose to be on the website also?
Liska receives a seperate stipend for being the band director which covers all the evening and weekend hours. On top of that he recieved a stipend for the musical. I've been in the district for twenty years and Liska takes home more money than I do.
The administration is certainly taking care of him. Basically Bribing him to stay in his position.
This puts East Aurora in a good light!
AURORA -- A pair of East Aurora High School students decided to pull a prank while on a school bus Monday afternoon. But the State Police weren't laughing.
The bus was returning from a field trip to the Holocaust Museum in Skokie around 2 p.m. According to State Police, two students decided to amuse themselves on the long ride home by writing signs and flashing them at passing drivers.
» Click to enlarge image
Illinois State Police pulled over this school bus on New York Street in Aurora, just west of Farnsworth Avenue on Monday.
(Marianne Mather/Staff Photographer)
One sign read "Please help us," and the other said "We were kidnapped," according to police.
Some concerned drivers saw the signs and called State Police, who pulled the bus over at New York and Kendall streets in Aurora around 2:20 p.m. Police removed the two students from the bus and spoke to them on the side of the road.
No charges were filed, police said, but parents and school administrators were contacted.
Clayton Muhammad, spokesman for the East Aurora School District, said the students would be disciplined.
"We understand it's a joke," Muhammad said, "but it could be taken seriously."
You know it was a stupid stunt and a few years ago people would probably figure that out since it was a school bus. The kids made a bad decision. My question is was there no adults on the bus watching what was going on?
Here is something else that was in the Beacon. I think we should be more concerned about next year and the money we will have.
Stimulus money used up
In East Aurora's Early Childhood Program, there are 1,090 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled, funded by $2.8 million from an Early Childhood Block Grant and a Preschool For All Grant.
The School District used federal stimulus funds to keep four preschool teachers and four assistants at work this school year, said Christine Aird, assistant superintendent of elementary programs. Without those funds, the positions would have been cut.
"A lot of districts were able to patch together things this year to lessen the impact," Carpenter said. "We're going to see a lot more impact if the 10 percent isn't restored."
Chapa LaVia said that schools won't be able to count on stimulus money to fill in budget holes any longer.
"I don't see any more stimulus money coming for this," Chapa LaVia said. "I will be fighting for education period, and I see it as a valuable tool."
Although education is a top priority in Springfield, Chapa LaVia warned that the budget will force lawmakers to make tough decisions.
"Everyone in Springfield is going to be fighting for something," she said. "These are drastic times, and it may cost us the education of the kids."
According to Carpenter, Aurora already can't meet the demand for an additional 5,600 families of at-risk kids who cannot afford preschool.
West center may close
Wednesday's budget announcement will also determine the fate of the West Aurora School District's preschool program, the Todd Early Childhood Center. If the state pulls funding altogether for state-funded preschool, West must close the center, cutting all preschool programs except for the legally obligated (and federally funded) special education preschool, district spokesman Mike Chapin said.
The district said 320 West Aurora preschoolers would lose service.
The center was set to close last year until last-minute political wrangling promised money for it two weeks before classes were set to start.
Wednesday's news can only be bad — if Quinn cuts early childhood education, Todd is gone; if he keeps it, the district is "in limbo" waiting to see if the legislature finds funding for it, Chapin said.
"We would love certainty, one way or the other, I guess," Chapin said.
Carpenter said that until Wednesday, he can't predict what may happen to state-funded preschools.
"I've long stopped trying to predict the future. It could be even worse," he said. "This is the least amount of recovery we've ever asked for — getting the 10 percent back is our best case scenario."
It's interesting, you blamed the drives for taking it seriously and you blame the teachers on the bus for not supervising properly, but you don't blame the students. What a moron.
You are wrong I did say something about the students and I didn't say anything about the teachers I said the adults. I don't know about now but before they used to have parents help out on these trips.
You know it was a stupid stunt and a few years ago people would probably figure that out since it was a school bus. The kids made a bad decision.
Meanwhile, the Batavia teachers voted to take cuts in their pay & benefits to save 50 jobs. How many of OUR staff would help their fellow teachers by giving up some of their own money?
And would our administrators keep bribing a teacher to preserve the illusion that they had made a good decision 5 years ago?
And with the pay cuts in Batavia and the pay freeze in Naperville and even if you give the East Aurora teachers a 10% pay increase in each of the next three years both of those districts teachers would be making more money than the teachers in East Aurora.
The teachers in East Aurora are way underpaid compared to the other teachers in Kane County and the greater Chicago area.
The average teacher salary in Bativia is $70,319 ours is $53,203.
Although we do have teachers making over $100,000 I think we need to see where we can make more cuts than teachers.
It is time to start thinking of contracing our jobs such as maintenance, central office and some secrectaries in the schools. From what I hear maintenace and central office make good money with thier beniftits either paid in full or part. The district needs to start looking a ways to cut cost and not programs and teachers. We hear all the time how classrooms are overcrowed so why cut teachers.
Ms. Nadel (the EHS choir director) is retiring this spring. She has been an outstanding teacher, and will be very difficult to replace.
Why is there no mention of the EHS choir position on the teachinkane.org website? Could it be that the corrupt administration is planning to fill the position with someone of their choosing, without giving other qualified applicants a chance?
There are many ways to bribe a teacher and keep them happy; one way might be to hire their family member under the table.
Thank God she is leaving.
Maybe they haven't posted ANY teaching positions yet, because the are going to post them all at once. If you look at most school distrcts hiring pages there are not many positions posted anywhere. YES THERE ARE SOME, but not many. Way under what is typical for this time of year. Budget cuts might be preventing them from posting prematurely
Ok back to the fact that not a single school made AYP in 131. Yet, there are those of you who think the teachers in 131 are underpaid. Based on the graduation rate and state and national test scores I would say they are way overpaid. Lets not forget the Super. Roberts who has continues to bamboozle the Board and its inept cast of characters.
Maybe, if they actually paid the teachers a decent wage, the district could retain the excellent teachers they need to help the students pass the test.
What decent teacher would deal with the problems these kids bring into the school, the corrupt administration and a low wage.
Why are you blaming the teachers for the low scores they are part of it but who desides what to teach it is the administrators and Superintendent. Most of the board think that those two know everything about teaching children and they are sooo wonderful so our children should be doing much better than they are.
12:07, Ms. Nadel is one of the best teachers ever to work in our district! I have been so proud to join my fellow alums onstage at the end of her concerts. Whoever replaces her has a tough act to follow!
And I do remember that the district started advertising Mr. K's position at the end of February in 2005. I've seen plenty of teaching positions listed as open in the early spring, when the job will not actually be available until the next school year.
Hopefully this district will find a choir director with plenty of experience and maturity, as Ms. Nadel had. Our kids deserve the best!
Our kids deserve the best, but lets cut teacher salaries, cut benefits, make them work in buildings that are falling apart, without enough books for every kid. Yeah, that sounds like the best to me.
As things get tight with money from the state and we really don't know if this district budgeted for what the state was giving us next year we still have some commenting about Mr. K. and and choir director. I don't mean to be cruel but there are more things I think as we go on are more important. If the district did not budget in the money the state isn't going to pay are we even going to have a choir? Is the district going to have to cut teachers while the administration has IPhones and our maintenance people and central office get good paychecks?
If you that keep bring what has gone wrong only post on this blog and not start standing up to the board, superintendent and administration it is for nothing. In any other district they keep it up. Yes, this district can lash out at people but sooner than later someone will listen.
What about all the children in the district that get left behind. I think the district likes all this talk about Mr. K because it takes away from all the other things that are going on and they know that the citizens will not stand up to them again because they lost on that situation. What was done was wrong but until the person that it happened too stands up you need to let it go because you are not getting anywhere because the board, superintendent and administration knows you only complain on a board and not nowhere else.
get rid of the illegals and the problem is solved.
Yes, our children in the district deserve the best and they need the tools to do it and so do the teachers but as long as the community doesn't do anything then nothing will happen.
We have a PTO what do they do to help with this? Why have one if they don't stand up for every child in this district.
You have a "PTO" that nobody attends. They don't do anything because there are like three members.
You keep hearing how some will keep talking about what happened to the band director and how some community members voted for some board members they thought would make a difference and change things and maybe they tried but where where all of you with support for them. You let them go out there and speak for you but you gave no support. I have been to some board meetings and I have not seen one of you up there supporting them. They went out there and tried to make a difference for you but no support. They have been talked badly about, pitted against each other but all you band people stand in the background and just post on this blog and think something is going to change. There is one on there now that didn't like what happened to the band director that sits there now and just follows what another one says.
So instead of posting on the different blogs get together as a group go to the board meetings and speak your mind and support the ones that want to make change because until you do complaining on blogs will not get you anywhere and it just shows you never supported the people that you put on the board to make a change the can't do it on there own unless the other board members know they have the backing of the community.
Can we all post in vague comments that really don't mean anything? That's awesome. We need to use the word "some" more. "Some people" "Some Issues" "Some meetings"
And we need to use awesome more. The fact remains the same the people that didn't like what happened to the band director have not stood up and supported the people they voted for to make change. In fact you don't see very many come to board meetings unless it is something the the Superintendent, administration and five board members wanted or what some community members would get something out of.
Some are fools and some are not. Maybe who was posting did not want to name people but they do know who they are.
Some are fools - Mostly those who believe anything posted on this blog.
From the other blog, interesting postings on it:
Anonymous said...
Radakovich was hired to do what he did. So the blame goes to the ones on the school board at that time.
Yes, they all had blackberries. Roberts played with his at meetinga. I am very patiently waiting for the truth to come out about the real position that D131 is in financially. All that glitters is not gold. Whoops, sorry, it could be "fools gold".
Don't forget the translators hired for the school board meetings. I hope other ethnic groups go to the meetings and ask for translators, but the other ethnic groups have the decency to learn the English language and still keep their native ones so they do not need all the extra privileges.
3/10/10 8:41 PM
Hmmmmm this is interesting too. WOW
So before we were complaining that nobody goes to the school board meetings, and now we are complaining about who goes to the school board meetings. Does the USA have an official language....hmmmmmm NOPE.
The above comment was on the other blog also and this was posted under it:
Anonymous said...
We know that the US does not have an "official" language, but English is the one that is the one that is spoken here and to become a citizen one is suppose to have knowledge of it, so therefore it in understood that it is the official language. Who is complaining about people going to the school board meetings? Did not see that anywhere, just a comment about only having interputers for a certain ethnic group and that certainly did not appear to be a complaint about people going to the school board meetings. The only time an interputer would be needed then is when some award or something is handed out and then when that is done, they would leave anyway as the ones who come to see their child get an award always does.
3/10/10 10:49 PM
This also from Openline blog:
Here in Oswego, our superintendent (Dan O'Donnell) is an actual nice guy who works hard for his salary.
He and his wife are former music educators (he's not a former coach who thinks band directors exist to kiss his butt, like Radakovich was). Dr. O'Donnell has only been in Oswego for a year, but he has a reputation for fairness and diplomacy.
Yes, there are some corrupt administrators out there, but there are also some good ones. It's important to acknowledge the good superintendents--they have an extremely difficult job these days!
Lucky Oswego.
The best administrators have always been music people. Research has proven that doing things in real time (Like playing an instrument) forces the brain to create more neural connections when developing. Polls have shown that 97% of America's CEO's (Fortune 500 Companies) were all part of music programs growing up. Further, your music people spend their career organizing large groups of both parents and students. It better prepares them for running a building.
Unfortunately, probably due to standardized testing standards Etc., some school districts like 131 have not been utilizing there best and brightest but instead have been moving up people with bi-ligual, special ed or psychology backgrounds.
It is good to see that Oswego still uses common sense.
Did all the testing wrap up?
yes
OMG this blog is exactly like a soap opera. You could be away from it for five years and come back and the same things are being blogged. Oh yea, you are still talking about the band program. ITS TIME TO MOVE ON!!!
I know what`s coming next:
We will only move on when the "corupt" administrators are burned at the stake, or something like that. It`s total BS.
Someone is always going to post about that issue. It is up to the rest of us to ignore these postings and get on with what is happening and needs to be addressed now. Like with all those Iphones the district got it makes one wonder how many textbooks that money and the money being spent on the monthly bills for them would gotten for the students and still could get.
Whoever said "Ms. Nadel is one of the best teachers ever to work in our district!", you are either geniunely retarded or just uneducated. Ms. Nadel is not only a terrible choir director, she has absolutely no respect from her students or fellow staff. Just go to one of her TWO concerts a year (which is unheard of in other districts, who always have at least three or four) and see how the audience behaves. They're completely inappropriate but no one cares because no one respects Nadel. It's too bad the administration didn't get rid of her when they ditched K, because now we'll have to wait another two or three years before whoever they get to replace her can weed out the crap she's been "teaching" (if you can call it that) and do for the choir what Liska has done for the band - bring it back up to the standards of the surrounding districts and stop being the laughing stock of the state.
Who you need to get rid of is the Superintendent he is the one that has the power to get rid of the administration and he won't fire them.
I have been to Mrs. Nadel's programs and she has students who adore her.They come back and sing with the choir. At every program there is an invitation for alumni to come on stage and sing.
What do we want another Liska joining the ranks of directors who think because they tell everyone how wonderful they are and how bad the previous teacher was, that makes it so?
It is sad to hear someone attack this very genuine lady, who has devoted her career to her students. What motivates someone to make such unprovoked comments?
What motivates someone? It's simple--someone VERY close to the current EHS band director wants Mrs. Nadel's job!
11:22 is ignorant, misinformed, or both.
First of all, the choir program under Ms. Nadel's direction has been a tremendous asset to our district for more than 20 years. Countless alumni remember their participation with pride, and join their fellow singers onstage at the end of every concert. As far as 11:22's criticism that there are only 2 concerts--they must not be aware of the MANY performances given by EHS choir musicians throughout the year at Fox Valley Festival, retirement centers, alumni and community events, etc. Choir members are also the backbone of the musical, devoting an average of more than two months of their after-school time in preparation (compared with just a couple of weeks for the pit, which included adult professional instrumentalists this year)
And 11:22 mentions the behavior of audience members. That's going to be an issue whenever the auditorium is full of students and parents who are clueless about proper decorum in a performance setting (it has nothing to do with it being a choral performance; I've seen worse audience behavior at the student talent show). Mrs. Nadel makes an effort to educate her students about how to behave and even puts an announcement in the program about concert etiquette. Maybe it's not a big problem at band concerts because the audiences are much smaller.
And heaven forbid that someone should "do for the choir what Liska has done for the band"! With maybe two recent exceptions (the Jazz Band's Division I rating--thanks in part to our middle school directors who nurtured those kids into the EHS program, and the in-house Solo & Ensemble festival tomorrow organized by BOTH Mrs. Nadel and Mr. Liska), the past five years have been anything but the improvement promised by bully administration.
But I wouldn't put it past those bully administrators to rush in someone unqualified just to keep certain people happy. And as usual, making decisions against our students' best interests.
ooo, fun! A new can of worms has been opened: let the name-calling and inappropriate comments begin.
10:12, what new can of worms are you talking about? Seems like the last few comments are about things that have been discussed before. And will continue to be discussed, I'm sure!
Now who on earth could 7:08 a.m. possibly be talking about? Someone VERY close to the current EHS band director wants Ms. Nadel's job?
Wouldn't that be nepotism?
And if so, would bully administrators even care? After all, they have a proven record of making choices for arrogance.
Have they fired the administrators at Simmons Yet?
I said "thanks IN PART" to the middle school directors.
Several people (or maybe one person several times) have said that the middle school directors were to blame for problems with the high school band program--after all, the middle schools feed into the high school. If that's true, then guess what? The middle school directors also deserve part of the CREDIT when something goes well at the high school.
And it's truly a shame that some people are unable to express themselves without dropping the F-bomb at least a couple of times in the course of their comment. Great example for our students, 11:12 a.m.!
Why should they Simmons is doing a great job.
Simmons Sucks!!!!!
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