Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Change is inevitable...let's make it a GOOD thing for our students!

220 comments:

«Oldest   ‹Older   201 – 220 of 220
Anonymous said...

Here's a link to the current West High bell schedule:

www.sd129.org/west_intranet/forms/bell schedule.pdf

SEVEN official class periods.

Anonymous said...

There are no studies that show that adding a few minutes to the class period will in any way improve education and certainly not test scores. However, there is abundant research that shows removing children from elective courses dramatically increases the drop out rate at a school.

As everybody knows, we already have a significant issue with the drop out rate at East High. Anybody who would propose this change is either a complete imbecile or they have an agenda to reduce the number of teachers at East High. They are only looking at dollars and cents.

While we know that Annette Johnson's first priority is dollars and cents (the children are far down the list for her), I don't understand why anybody in their right mind would support this. It would be catastophic for many of our children.

Simply put, they can't learn to read and write if they are not in school. They will be a burden on the community for years to come if they don't complete school. Somebody please wake up and realize how insane this really is.

Anonymous said...

Read the information carefully. East is proposing 6 classes - not 7. They already have 7. There is a group on Facebook where people are gathering to "Oppose the 6."

Anonymous said...

I don't know why you are so stupid 10:53 - West Aurora has 8 periods.

HERE IS THE OFFICIAL LINK to the West High Bell Schedule

http://www.sd129.org/westhigh/bell-schedule.asp

Anonymous said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q

If you want to know why education in America is the way it is, watch this three minute clip. It is absolutely true. This is the root cause of all of the education problems in America. Education is power and certain interests do not want the massesd to have that power.

Warning: This is George Carlin. If you are offended by profanity, don't watch (and grow up).

Anonymous said...

I work at a northshore school, some of the best test scores in the state. We have 8 50 minute periods, except 5 minutes are added to 3rd period for announcements. There are some classes that are a period and a half (primarily lab courses), and those students have a half period for lunch. Otherwise there's a full period for lunch. Typical schedule is 6 classes, lunch, and study hall. Some students take extra classes and then don't have a study hall or lunch.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if there will be any follow up on the scandals and corruption that have been revealed at the Central Office over the past year? Recent articles have shown that, not only was there corruption by top level administrators but that the board was aware of the administrator corruption and either turned a blind eye or covered up that corruption. Further, certain board members may have committed offences of their own.

We have the credit card scandal. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are still not accounted for. Even where crimes were obvious, nothing has been done. Denean Adams was taking out cash advances at Atlantic City when she should have been at a convention in Pennsylvania. This was a convention that she was being paid by the taxpayers to be at. Instead of being arrested, she was allowed an extended FMLA absence to complete her doctorate and returned to her same position.

We also had the insurance scandal. This had been known to the board for years as the information had been put out publicly at board meetings years before action was taken. Certain people received free health insurance for years that were not entitled. Only after the Beacon FOIA’d the accounting documents did the district do anything.

Then there is the maintenance scandal. According to Annette’s own words in e-mails, she was aware that certain staff members in the maintenance department were taking bribes from contractors, yet did nothing until it was revealed in the Beacon. Today two of the employees put on administrative leave last week are already back at their jobs and Nestor has been sending e-mails out to staff members for days. Apparently, this was all done just as a show for the election. Once again, there is absolutely no accountability.

Administrators who beat up kids with no consequences, Annette bribing board members for their votes, just one corrupt deal after another with no accountability and people wonder why education suffers in District 131.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to everyone who has figured out that every other high school in the area has seven classes. Not figure out that EA wants to have SIX! They currently have 7.

Anonymous said...

beaconnews.suntimes.com/19442330-417/east-aurora-to-issue-record-keeping-manual-in-wake-of-janitorial-contract-dispute.html

Anonymous said...

4:47,

Schools in the area have 7 periods, and thus 6 classes (they have to eat lunch sometime). East is looking to do the same thing.

Anonymous said...

Welcome back Nestor we truly missed you. We all knew you would return because you are such an asset to this district. The athletic director, coaches and all the athletes were lost without your leadership. We are all elated that we can retain your services at the bargain basement salary that d131 pays you. Thank heaven for your timely return!

Anonymous said...

Denise Crosby! Get to work on exposing District 129! Go after the board members like you did in Dist. 131. Neal Ormomd and James Rydland are beyond dirty! What's holding you up? Dist. 129 just bought new soap and paper towel dispensers. Is this just a coincidence? I think not. I also think exposing a cover up of a sex offender is more important that some of the issues you have been covering with Dist. 129. Why did stop pushing the Orland cover up?

Anonymous said...

6:42

Count again.
http://www.sd129.org/westhigh/bell-schedule.asp

Anonymous said...

East Aurora to issue record-keeping manual in wake of janitorial contract dispute
By Kalyn Belsha kbelsha@stmedianetwork.com April 12, 2013 2:26PM

0




AURORA — East Aurora School District maintenance personnel who were put on administrative leave last week pending an investigation by the district involving missing paperwork and mistakes on a janitorial bid are back in the office.
A maintenance supervisor and secretary are both off paid administrative leave and Director of Student Athletics and Activities Nestor Garcia, who served as the director of operations until April 2012, will be back in the office next week, School Board President Annette Johnson said Friday.
A second maintenance supervisor involved in the same investigation chose to retire last week.
The district’s investigation into the janitorial contract came after The Beacon-News published a story detailing a year-long battle over who would provide East Aurora with janitorial products. That dispute included accusations of tens of thousands of wasted taxpayer dollars, district personnel payoffs and preferential vendor treatment.
Upon review of the janitorial contract, the district found it had made costly mistakes, such as ordering 600 cases of batteries for $22,000 instead of 600 individual batteries.
The district also could not locate a 2009 contract with Aurora-based Janco Supply that gave the company the right to supply the district with paper towel, toilet paper and soap dispensers for five years. The district installed new dispensers from another supplier last year for $81,000.
Johnson said the mistakes and missing paperwork were due to a “lack of procedures” and record-keeping “sloppiness.”
Johnson couldn’t say much about the employees who were taken off administrative leave due to personnel confidentiality rights, but she did say that for now, the district will focus on trying to find missing paperwork and drafting formal record-keeping policies instead of pursuing individual mistakes.
“We have to just put it aside,” Johnson said. “You can’t necessarily blame anybody if you don’t have it in writing. I don’t think it’s just that (maintenance) department.”
Johnson said by the end of the month the district will issue a comprehensive procedural manual to all district personnel who keep records that will outline how documents should be processed and saved.
District personnel who fail to follow the procedures in the new manual could be subject to termination.
Johnson said she would assist the superintendent in compiling best practice accounting procedures, since she is an accountant.

Anonymous said...

So here's what bothers most people. I'm all for people making money. I think it's great when people work their way up to a prominent and prosperous job. However, with all the corruption and complete lack of competence in the administrative realm, i struggle with understanding why these people still receive pay checks. Building administrators...pay them,,,they actually do something, but keep these numbers in your head. First teachers (some of the lowest salaries around:
1st year BS $38,529
10 years MS $52,099
20 years MS+16 $65,491
Maxed out 30 years PHD $92,936
ONE MORE TIME!!! 30 YEARS PHD and your a nice used car away from 100G
Now lets look at the jobs where all the corruption and/or incompetence occurs:
Denean Adams $158,344
Christie Aird $167,390
Nestor Garcia $132,997
Joan Glotzbach $157,617
Jerome Roberts $269,240
And many more! Now if someone is doing their job and visiting the schools and kids and staff and making a DIFFERENCE!!! than I don't mind the paychecks, but there are too many dollars thrown away on people who our a waste! While a teacher who is on the front lines every day for thirty years and highly educated doesn't get close in salary to positions like Mr. Garcia's that was made up after he screwed up B&G. And a superintendent who hides all year while collecting 1/4 of a million.

Anonymous said...

Thank God for Annette Johnson she will not back down. There are plenty of long faces this week. With ten of thousands spent to beat her she still managed to get herself and Stella elected.

Anonymous said...

To 7:36 PM...I agree that anyone guilty of covering up a sex abuse case needs to be fully exposed. However you need to remember that d131 didn't even bother to cover up their sex offender case, they simply promoted the offender to assistant superintendent. I guess if Orland had married his victim all would be forgiven.

Anonymous said...

6:42. Most schools in the area have 8 periods thus 7 classes. East currently has 7.5 periods thus 7 classes and a half period lunch.

They are proposing a 7 period schedule this having 6 classes and a half period lunch and a half period study hall.

You people who keep commenting are the problem because you have no idea what you are talking about.

Anonymous said...

Salaries of teachers are not the lowest paid d131 ranks 186 out of 709 public school district according to a Sun Times article. You also conviently quotes the admin salaries with all the benefits rolled in. A teacher with benefits costs the district for a one year $55,200.
Your current board has worked to bring the wages up while holding the line on secretaries and maintenanace personnel.
Most of the anger and lies are because of these people. With salary and benefits a central office secretary makes $75,000 a year. Please refer to the past board who got you in this trouble. Namely the board of Farnum who allowed Salinas to vote on his wife's contract. Another hateful group is the administration how fills the teachers heads with lies. They got forced to pay the same benefit costs as teachers. No more free insurance and big vacation benefits.
Change is happening but maybe everyone should ask more questions instead of jumping to conclusions.

Anonymous said...

Okay Annette how about bringing Bob Green back since he was wrongfully terminated. Well maybe Bob does not want to come back. He will collect his pension and money he will receive after he wins yet another lawsuit. Get ready Jerome and Annette because this seemed like a personal issue you have with Mr. Green therefore I think Bob should sue each of you individually.

«Oldest ‹Older   201 – 220 of 220   Newer› Newest»