And wouldn't it be a shame if these young musicians (and their classmates talented in art or drama) get to high school and can't continue in fine arts classes because of the proposed 6-class bell schedule?
SPEAK OUT. Don't let our kids lose the opportunity to pursue their passion!
Why are they switching some administrators from schools and at the last minute? They say there here for the kids and what's best...LIES, LIES! If that was the case they would see the wonderful things some administrators have done in their current buildings. Our administrator has brought staff moral up and kids love them! THIS IS WRONG!!!
It's not Bob Green. Apparently, a student (and their parents) have filed the civil rights lawsuit against District 131. Probably another case of poorly handled bullying.
Adam Harding sent out an e-mail to the entire staff asking for donations of old band instruments for the new magnet school.
Apparently, the board budgeted no money for the new band program. They didn't even add a band room when they remodeled the building. The Magnet School Band is supposed to be run out of a small classroom.
Annette publicly boasts about how she is a supporter of the arts and sports but only when she is asking for donations from the community. It makes a person wonder where the $165,000 is the district was raising.
How can a director build a band program with no band room, no instruments, no instrument cabinets, no music and no budget? This district is a complete joke.
If I were the parent of a Magnet School kid, I would be screaming.
So why doesn't Ray Hull raise the money for he band instruments ? After all he should be able to get enought support from the district vendors. But he is to busy lining his pockets.
Or maybe Kristen could get some of the people who donated to her campaign.
All that money wasted and they still did not get control of the board our kids could have benefited.
Hello 9:36am...when I was in school we payed to rent instruments. Every single one of my nephews who play instruments (4) rent their instruments as well. Each one is in a different school district. The people in the East administration need to stop with the hand outs. ENOUGH!
I guess that's the districts idea of dealing with incompetent and corrupt administrators. Just transfer them around the district. God forbid we repplace them with competent, ethical people.
6:53am Annette, you need to stop making accusations without proof. Soliciting district vendors is unethical however you would not understand that Annette. Personally, I think you are jealous of Kristen. Your reign of terror is over Annette.
Last time I checked Kristen does not have 4 votes. Why would Johnson be jealous of her. All she is and will ever be is a minister who feeds off the poor families of d131. She then has nerve to pat herself on the back and say gee look what I am doing for the poor.
No I am not,Annette I am one of her many supporters and a band parent who will be ever so happy she ended the reign of Marin.
However, Annette time to get busy and raise the money for the band because Ray and Kristen are to busy lining their pockets.
10:43 a.m., Kirsten Strand is also a band parent. She (unlike Annette) has "skin in the game"--she has a vested interest in making sure our KIDS have the best education possible. As a parent myself, it's one reason I voted for her.
I do agree with you about being happy Marin is gone, but I don't think Annette had much to do with that. I have nothing against Annette, but it would be nice to have a new board president since she has had a couple of terms as president already.
10:43am Annette: "Kristen does not have 4 votes" Does this reference that your "Puppet" Board will vote along side with you on all your positions. If so, just proves that you are UNQUALIFIED as a Leader.
Our EA band program has had SO many instruments donated to the program over the years. Families and students without a vested interest in a rented or purchased instrument do not take care or return instruments when they quit or move. We have had boosters and others who have serviced or paid for the repairs of district instruments. Just the last few years district money has been invested in the program to make it look as if we have a board and admin who care about the arts....huh! Now the finger is pointed at them again for their lack of support and see how quickly the fingers start pointing in lots of other directions. Geez, who could possibly feel the need to distract?
No matter if no one else has a majority vote to take the presidents position from Annette. Annette is still jealous because others have something she cannot have, no matter how many board members vote for her, and that is integrity and the respect of a large part of our community and surrounding communities . Anyone who has had contact with Annette either do not trust her or fear her wrath. That is a far cry from respect and support.
That is the problem she moved from Naperville to build a church. Puts her kids in Magnet and uses her influence to do so. Her husband works for the district and she is not only a influence for her children but her husband. She should cut all financial ties with the district and her non for profit and get off the district benefit programs put her kids in the real school then I would give her creditability.
Annette used the taxpayers money to promote herself in the Highligtner just before the election. It has been at least a year since they have done one and they pick right before the election and have a spot where the president talks about what she and the board has done that is campaigning.
12:29 p.m., so what have YOU done lately to make this district better?
Criticizing Mr. and Mrs. Strand's decision to put their kids in our magnet school program is ridiculous. You must not be a parent yourself (or a clueless one) if you see taking advantage of whatever programs are available to fit a student's needs as a bad thing.
Why should someone as a parent have influence of what children learn in school most district strive for that. As far as her husband being a teacher remember when they vote on the contract that the Superintendent is suppose to negotiate it is for all teachers not just her husband. The only time there would be a conflict of interest if it was just for him. Here is what lawyers say about that subject. Please read what the law says.
Annette Johnson has never purchased a house in Aurora. She is cheating on her property taxes by receiving the exemptions her mother had as a senior citizen. CHeater!!!!!
I went and saw my child at the Fine Arts Festival this weekend. The kids did a great job but whoever organized it should be ashamed. Or did the district forget to have someone plan things again. No one had the correct information, the signs to find things were impossible to read and it felt like everyone was scrambling. Again great job to all the kids and the teachers that I know put in a lot of time to make this happen. I just wish the district supported them all better.
Not one but two lawsuits? Both over bullying and the district leaderships poor response to it. How many hundreds of thousands of dollars are these lawsuits costing the taxpayers.
I wonder if the Simmons kid was the Special Ed. student who's mother and aunt begged the administration and board repeatedly for help or if it's another kid who couldn't get help?
It just makes you wonder how many programs could be funded with all the money that we waste because of the poor decisions made by our administrators? We could have easily funded the new band program at the Magnet School with all this money. Maybe even funded all the fine arts programs in the district.
Annette keeps aying that we can't afford to fire Roberts because we would have to pay off his contract (something we wouldn't have to do if the board knew how to negotiate a superintendent's contract) butwhat is it costing the district having an incompetent superintendent?
The reason Annette doesn't want to get rid of Roberts is because as long as Roberts is the superintendent, Annette runs the district. Unfortunately she runs it very poorly.
As always, the children suffer for the board and administrators poor decisions.
Central Office knows Annette Johnson self reported herself and is looking into why the proper adjusts are not made on property taxes. I heard this last week and by far is the most honest person I had the pleasure working with. Because of her government accounting is getting cleaned up. It sounds like you are jealous of her. Intregrity is the current board.
Nestor was in charge. Or supposed to be. He did practically nothing. Then he had the gall to send all the fine arts teachers an email recommending what could they should do for next year! Most everything on the list was stuff that HE was supposed to do. It was insulting.
The reason it is still on there is that she didn't report it to the Tax Assers Office. Here is another thing they got Senior Assessment Freeze up till 2011 and for that it states you can only make $55,000.00 for that and since her and her mothers name is on the property they committed fraud since Annette likes to boost about how much she makes.
Why are you feeling oppressed? Everyone at all levels is being asked to do more and thonk differently. Administrators are asking you to do what is best for kids. Be specific. Are you working hardvor are you trying to do just enough to get by? Check to see if the most effective teachers in your building are feeling that same pressure. If they are not...you need to think about whether you have enough training to do what is expected of you. When there is doubt - take a good look at yourself. What can you do to improve your student tesults? You are being asked to think about analyzing student data and thinking of how to create interventions with your team. You have to work as a team to figure it out. Stop blaming your administrators. They are doing what they are expected to do!
10:31 you need to grow a thicker skin if that email was "insulting" - I don't disagree that Nestor did a bad job and that most of the stuff on that list was his responsibility but it was far from insulting.
She self reported herself when he realized others can check on her property taxes, like she has been doing to others. Is this how you spell integrity, 9:59 pm....d..i...s...h..o..n..e..s..t..l..y?
Here is what it says for the Senior Assessment Freeze.
What is included in household income? Household income includes your income, your spouse’s income, and the income of all persons living in the household. Examples of income are listed below. (For specific questions, see P. 3, Part 2)
May 1 9:23 a.m. It is often not who are the most effective teachers that feel no pain but those who are most favored by the administrative cliques at their respective schools. These are the teachers, not through hard work but through favoritism,who get left alone. The rest of us are constantly harassed, observed, written up for minutiae like having the wrong date up on their whiteboard, or taking too long to enter attendance or for not offering enough "higher level" (the buzz word ding for this year's bad evaluations, last go around it was "not enough differentiation" not enough use of technology, no evidence of parental contacts or too little, or no evidence of close rapport with students) activities for kids in remedial classes. Each year they switch initiatives --now key train, no more key train, now read 180 no more read 180 switch attendance, teach PBIS , change schedule, etc. so your head is spinning. I have no problem with 'giving more" or trying harder" I have been working my ass off for years. Not once have I ever heard, job well done- you're a good teacher nice working with you. Not that I need to hear it, but you do hear constantly the litany of your faults. Is this the effective way to treat people who deal with our most precious commodity- our children?
Next I was hoping for help refreshing my memory. Didn't Ms. Johnson say she held our property taxes down this year. Mine went up, which I don't mind paying my fair share for those things our taxes support. I just don't like being deceived. Approx. 65% of my total increase is going to the EA D131. Exactly what was Johnson referring to in her comments about doing us a favor with our property taxes?
Annette is an idiot! She's a liar! She's corrupt! Take the "loss" and get rid of Roberts! He does nothing! He doesn't even show his face in the schools! The real "LOSS" is the 10,000 students of East Aurora! They continue to lose with the inept people that are somehow able to continue taking the district down the drain. Nestor is a complete waste! Wake up Annette! Someone please make a decision in the best interest of the kids! Why are the "leaders" in the dark, or do they not care. Nestor must have a photo of Annette and Jerome at the Super 8 after a few drinks at Bally Doyles for them to continue to employ him. He was clueless with B&G and corrupt, and the new gig has been a joke. He is never seen, he forgets to get the word out for major events, camps and the district loses money because the community is missing out. They pay this guy six figures for nothing. If we are stuck with Annette I at least hope she redeems some respect by getting rid of the waste. Jerome and Nestor would be a good start! At least try to help the kids by doing that! We need new leadership! Someone ask around, investigate, get some answers, survey...Find out what people think, what they know, get enlightened. Nearly half a million dollars are going to two people that do nothing not to mention the loss of revenue and progress they are causing the district. LISTEN to the teachers and the informed community members! If one or two people were bitching and whining I would understand ignoring them, but send out a survey and see how many people are not happy!
Call the county. Fact...East can levy anywhere up to5% *OR the CPI which this year was 3%. It can levy no more than the lesser of the two. So the Board knowingly voted to raise your tax levy to the maximum allowed by law without having to go to the voters for a referendum. Nice!
No the problem is Aurora we have lost so much value on our properties because of crapy schools and a crapy city the. percent is higher because we were all stupid enought to vote for the referendum and the park district and everything else.
Call the Assessor, I did and found out the district did lower our taxes but the county needs to raise enough to cover the tax base.
Elgin and all h Kane ounty did not loss th property values we did.
And yes I did gt a decrease of $ 200 but I can not refinance or move. Crapy schools mean crapy real estate values.
Yes Jonhson did not levy a increase but she did nothing the schools either.
10:13 your information is incorrect. You need to call the County Treasurers office. The county does not have the authority to raise a school districts tax rate "to cover the tax base". This authority is only promulgated to the school districts. You are giving totally incorrect information. 6:51 is correct. I called the County this morning. East chose to raise the levy and voted to do so. As for your comments about crappy schools your 100% correct.
Values are so down in Aurora that is why the percentage is up. Called the county today and found out its the tax increases that the City votes on apparently they do not need voter action and all the building bonds and the latest tax referendums 131 voted on. Now the property values don't support the debt. So while the district brags about the money they have it borrowed and they are like everyone else upside down on their mortgage.
The district did lower are taxes that was true but we got it in a different way. I do not like the current board they have done very little to improve the schools and my daughter did not win the lottery for Magnet but Strand and Peryea would have raised our taxes with another school
It is a shame that the parents in this district or non parents don't want another school. Most of our schools are at least 100 years old and in poor shape. The classrooms are overcrowded and with students today sending a note home saying that their children are misbehaving in class and disturbing other students doesn't mean anything to parents as it did before. Until we get better school parents that care about their children's education will not move here. We see where we live getting ran down and more activity and that is because this part of town has a poor school system.
The focus should not be on the board but the city of Aurora which has done nothing to aleavemany of the overcrowding conditions all over Aurora. This does not help the schools.
My daughter did not get into the magnet either but I am hopeful. I can tell you that I can finally put my head on the pillow at night and know that the current board being led by its president is doing more than any other previous board to make positive change happen in 131.
So it doesn't bother you that the board president cheats on her property taxes, bullies employees and makes retired teachers pay back for insurance that some did say they where still having insurance taken out as an employee and not a retiree but just fires someone who also didn't pay for hers. Let us also remember it is not just the board president that does things it take a whole board and a superintendent to run a district.
The agenda packet for next Monday's School Board meeting is posted on the D131 website. This may be our last chance to have our say before the final decision is made about the new bell schedule.
This thread started with someone (probably a band parent) posting a link to a video of our middle-school band students' performance at last Saturday's Fine Arts Festival. The flute soloist in one of those pieces was Shelby Cassidy, whose older brother Tanner plays in the EAHS bands. Tanner has organized a group of his fellow students on Facebook to "Oppose the 6" (proposed new bell schedule). Over 700 people "like" (support) this.
Tanner's younger sister deserves the same opportunities to continue her band experiences through high school as her brother had. Unfortunately this may be more difficult for Shelby & her classmates if they can't fit band into their class schedules.
And that's only the band kids...countless other Tomcats will have to forgo pursuing their interests in drama, choir, or art (at least during the school day).
NOW is the time to speak up against the proposed new bell schedule, and in favor of our kids having the same opportunities their older siblings enjoy!
This is not the first time that the administration and school board have ignored the wishes of the students, teachers and community regarding fine arts. This is so much like when they replaced Kevin Kaisershot.
What was the bottom line from the last time the community was ignored? The entire school board was replaced and most of the administrators are gone.
It was a scandal that left an open wound on this community that has never healed. I can't believe that the board would even consider such a poor proposal.
They're not just killing the band program this time but also choir, drama, art and every other creative pursuit for the children of East Aurora.
If you look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Learning, you will see that the board is considering removing every opportunity students have for higher order thinking skills. The research does not support this decision.
Perhaps the students should join together in a class action lawsuit against the district and sue for educational malpractice. If the board is going to ignore the research and destroy these children's education, they should be held directly responsible.
Unfortunately, the Aurora community has not yet figured this out. The only thing administration and boards care about is dollars. The only reason they do the right thing is because there are consequences when they don't. If you go to Naperville, parents frequently bring their attorney's to meeting with the district. that's how they ensure that they receive all the services they are entitled to.
Lets see if this board, who has claims of being better than any boards prior, will make a decision for the students. More bells (and whistles) aren't always a valuable improvement, but rather some people's idea of distraction for the purpose of deception. Is there proof this change is going to make a marked improvement in the education of the students at EAHS?
Everyone should see this NBC News Clip before the next board meeting, especially our board members. This truly shows the power of the arts. An once of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It's clear that they would not agree with a six period day.
If Leonard, Stella or MaryAnn nominate Johnson for president again that means they don't care if she and her mother committed fraud. For the Senior Freeze Assessment you have to sign a statement and have it notarized saying no one living in you house makes more than a total income of 55,000.00. We all know that is a lie with how Johnson is quick to point out how much she makes.
The other exception they used has only a 65+ living in the household and a owner. It was said on this thread from someone she was going to call about that one and sometimes I bet others have forgot to call but I bet if no one had posted she had it she wouldn't of done anything. She is really not very good at following through on things so from what I hear a community member contacted the Tax Assessor for her and reported her. It will take awhile for the investigation but she will not get away with committing fraud.
Wow!!! I don't believe it. You mean, not every administrator is completely incompetent?
There was a perfect example of poor administrator after poor administrator driving a school system into the ground and then one person with vision opening the minds of children to a world of possibilities. The arts transformed the school system into a true place of education.
The six period day is for no reason other than to cater to a meaningless test. The only reason the administration considers this to be a feasible option, is because their evaluations are linked to the ISAT's. They are not making the decision in the best interest of the children, they are making it in the best interest of themselves.
The board needs to wake up and put a stop to this. The community is watching and the board will be held accountable if our fine arts program is decimated.
The leadership complains that we don't have enough parental involvement. At the fine arts festival, thousands of our parents and community members came out. The arts are the main way we get parental involvement. Only a fool would suggest limiting it in any way.
The only people demanding a new board president are Christy Airds supporters. Rumor is she is rallying the troops. It is about her not education. Ms Johnson god speed. Leonard, Turza, and Gonzalez you are in our prays this weekend.
Why would they even consider any major change proposed by Jerome?
For those of you who don't remember, Jerome was Assistant Superintendent in charge of secondary and a month away from becoming the superintendent when the decision to remove Kaisershot was made. Most people knew that it was Jerome making that call and Radakovich taking the heat since he was leaving anyway.
Now Jerome wants to completely destroy all the fine arts programs in our district. When is this community going to stand up and demand better for our children. Enough is enough.
Our highest achieving students are in the arts programs. We should be madating arts education, not destroying our programs.
"Jerome was Assistant Superintendent in charge of secondary and a month away from becoming the superintendent when the decision to remove Kaisershot was made. Most people knew that it was Jerome making that call and Radakovich taking the heat since he was leaving anyway"
WRONG.
Jerome Roberts was not hired as D131 superintendent until at LEAST a year after Kevin Kaisershot was deprived of his high school teaching position. It was Radakovich who had brought in his Minooka crony, Rick Johnson, as EAHS athletic director (Roberts fired him a couple of years later). Radakovich had a proven record of getting rid of fine arts teachers in at least two previous districts, which is why many of us refer to him as "Serial Bully" Radakovich.
Could Dr. Roberts have done something to bring Kaisershot back to the high school? Maybe...but it's clear to most of us old-timers that Roberts was definitely NOT behind his removal.
But all this happened eight years ago, and everyone who was directly involved is now gone from our district. It is in the best interests of our students to rally around the current EAHS band director, Mr. Liska, and support our kids' ability to continue playing in the band through their high school years.
12:44, you are so far removed from what is happening in our community. Are you actually a part of it, or do you just reside here? Most people in the community do not know who our administrators are. There are still a silent majority, those who did NOT vote for Johnson ( evidenced by her low total vote results) who do not want her as president. She has people who have NO vested interest in our community or our children. these board members have no independent thoughts and follow her like the pied pipers rats.
The community in EA and the schools know how she has killed the EA spirit, causing people to seek employment elsewhere and feeling defeated in trying to give our children a quality education.
You are probably one of the same people who attempted to throw Dr. Aird under the bus for the boards short comings. I am not a supporter of hers. I am a community activist who pays attention and sees and hears the need for change and help within the ranks to allow teachers to do their job with qualified leadership ASAP.
You can pray one weekend for a few, but our district needs many to pray daily for our students as long as Johnson is allowed to lead.
Have any of you looked at your scores or graduation rates? It should be more important no urgent that kids can read and actually graduate. Anyone thinking about ALL the students would realize this comes first. Instead they try to protect their own interests. Tell the hundreds of dropouts who can't read its OK since your kid got to play the flute in his and will probably never play out again. There are still other options for zero hour etc. What option does a kid have who can't read or drops out? When your patient is bleeding to death you don'tgive them a nose job. Get real EA is a very diverse ccommunity whose students need yo learn the basics so they can read and.graduate
Much money was spent to unseat Johnson by special interest groups that are part of the crony system. She still won not to mention the negative press of the district.
Our district does have hope, we need a end to he crony system and Johnson will bring that. One can only hope she and the entire board clean house and remove administrators like Roberts, Nestor, Glozbach and Aird.
She has the support of many good teachers who care about the district
As far as short coming why Ard was allowed to terrioize Principals that did back as she made a choice that did not seek input from others just shows what has been going on for years with he Curriculum.
Some statements here can tell some community members do not know the law. It is not Johnson job to clean this up it is part of her job to hire a Superintendent to run the districts like almost all in the State of IL do and by the IL School Code. Then you have where she has committed fraud in how she pays her property taxes. You do have to put the blame on some of the administrators though they are too weak to report it to the State. Let's see what happens when the Kane County Tax Assessor sees how Johnson and her mother played the system.
Students spend over 17,000 hours in school through 12th grade and have gone through dozens of teachers. If a child has gone through all these years and can't read or write, it is by choice. They have chosen not to learn and they do not have the family structure to help them through school.
Another 100 hours in the classrom won't matter if we don't inspire and motivate the children. The arts do inspire and motivate. That is why study after study shows that students involved in the schools fine arts programs do far better than students who are not involved in school.
For those of you out there who still don't get it:
9:32 a.m., why not have the kids who can't read use the "zero hour option" for tutoring? Why take away a class period from our brightest, most talented kids and deny them an opportunity to follow their passion?
If the new bell schedule is implemented, don't be surprised if some of our more involved, supportive families send their kids elsewhere.
So, 7:29, you want to get rid of the new board members before they have even had a chance to do anything? How open-minded. When are you running for board member?
Hey 9:32 am, maybe you should go back to school and learn how to construct a proper sentence. Look up the word "diverse" in the dictionary. When your community is 90% Hispanic you are far from diverse. Why are students who can't read old enough to drop out? Here's why, because the district continues to socially promote students and does not hold them accountable. These students go through middle school carrying GPA's under 1.0 and miraculously make it to the high school. These kids quickly become frustrated and lost. These feelings eventually explode into defiance. Within the first month of high school many of these students become discipline problems and they end up disrupting the entire education process. This cycle continues year after year after year. What is the solution? Simple...blame the teachers!
Looks like we have a 4-3 split on our new School Board.
Annette should send flowers and a thank-you note to Marin Gonzalez. If it weren't for Zach & Jacki Montroy's connection to Marin, a few more of us might have voted Zach in along with Kirsten and Lou. Then the balance would be 4-3 in the other direction.
You people that didn't vote for Zach because he knew Marin are fools. Did you ever talk to him about it or did you just read this blog and believe what it says. At least Marin would be better than the Superintendent we have. The people with those thoughts have helped to stop change in this district.
Johnson had the term brought to one year to get rid of Weaver and now she wants to get it to two years because she must be afraid that things might change with the board and after next year she will get voted out.
Board do your one most important job and hire a Superintendent to run the district like the law says.
You've got to be kidding blaming the teachers for poor discipline and social promotions. That's entirely the administration.
Just look at Simmons. For years with just a couple of weeks left to school, Wilson Morales has an assembly for the hundreds of 8th grade students receiving 3 or more F's. He tells them they have to do their homework and make up for the 38 weeks of doing nothing. The teachers are then told they have to do whatever to get these kids passed.
They next go to the high school and wonder why they are failing.
The problem is the principals don't care if the children are being educated, they just want the numbers to look good. they screw with the PBIS numbers, they screw with the grades and some even know they screw with the ISAT numbers. They do whatever it takes to keep their jobs and bonuses coming.
The fact that students are supposedly functioning at an 8th grade level in 8th grade and a fifth grade level when they get to the high school should be a wake up call to somebody at Central Office.
It was evident in the crowd last night at the board meeting, people were moaning and complaining about Annette getting in as president again. I heard a few say, they could have at least showed good faith and let one of the others take a position rather than follow their orchestrated path to vote all Annette's followers in. To me that just showed all 4 have no intention to try and make any new positive change for the future. Annette sat and regurgitated her spiel on the IMAGE campaign. Wake up, Annette, the image will not change until their is measurable change in the education of our children. You have wasted 4 years with your empty attempts. Let the educators lead the way on education for our students!
The image of our district will not be improved if the new proposed bell schedule goes into effect. Instead, many of our best & brightest students will go to high school somewhere that allows them to continue to participate in fine arts, advanced placement, or technical skills classes during the school day for credit.
I have to agree a district is suppose to educated our children and while image is good it doesn't mean anything if our one most important thing is giving our students the best we can give and that is a good education. From reading what Johnson has said she is more focused on financials then the one thing a district should do is to educate our children. Also it is not the president of the board that should be running a district it is the superintendents job and it seems the four members of this board seems to think that it is the Johnson's job. she may have a MBA but what does that have to do with education?
Central news has it that Glotzbach is going to be principal of EA, Garcia AD, Curriculum is going to be Warren, and freshman principal is going to be Crystal England from Cowherd. Annette is running the show.
Just watched the 10:00 news and saw the bullying story. Where is Christie Aird? Why isn't she fighting for the rights of these two girls? Oh that's right, they're not gay. D131 ships these girls off to another school instead of dealing with the bullies. Who fights for these kids. Their parents did the right thing, they got a lawyer.
to May 7th 9:44. Where are you getting your info from. I dont believe none of what your saying. why would Glotzbach and England want those headaches? stop spreading false rumors. I'll believe it when it comes from the horses mouth. that's just too much info to take.
10:32- the district has done this for longer than you have been paying attention and Dr. Aird is not rsponsible for any of this, final say gets board approval. I am not supporting Aird, just stating the facts.
10:32 PM I am not a Christie Aird supporter HOWEVER your comment is very inappropriate even for a mind like yours. Cheap shots is what you enjoy to make yourself feel better about your inadequacies.
It seems the rumors are true. They did move everyone around. Hr position is posted online and so are the other jobs. When a school is truly looking for a candidate they don't have an end date. EA end date for administrator roles are only 10 days. Meaning they already know who they want for the job. There will not be change in EA just reshuffling the deck with the same players.
8:15 I did not say Christie was responsible for the situation. I said where is her support for these girls? Pay attention! Notice how quickly the non-Christie supporters (8:15 and 10:32)responded to that comment. 10:32, while you were not supporting Christie you called me inappropriate and inadequate, then made some inane remark about my mind that made no sense.I stated a fact. She was right there to support the gay/transgender students, even going so far as to write new policy, but is silent in her support of these girls. FACT! You two get really testy when anyone says something about Christie. What would you do if you were her supporters? Minions, LOL
3:22 I am 8:15. I am saying Christie does not decide what policy to write and bring it up when she thinks it is time. Even more so now that she was put under the bus for the boards inefficiences, she has been silenced in her support for students,as her punishment. I get "testy" when anyone is targeted unjustly. This minion would even defend you! xo
Would it be surprising if the Glotzbach and Nestor rumor was true. They realize Nestor's position is a waste and that just like B&G he doesn't have a clue. The AD job would be safer. Maybe he can revisit the early morning swim with some young girl. He'll be close to the pool and locker rooms once again. How much for this job? Thanks Annette and Jerome for keeping Nestor safe and employed even though he was rooting for Montroy and Strand when he thought (like everyone else) that you two would be out the door. Apparently no one wants to be principal at East. Who would want to deal with these people. Joan if this is true good luck! The high school is on life support as of now. My gosh we need to get the parents informed and get the teachers together grab the pitch forks and torches and run these people out of town. What an embarrassing debacle. Someone mentioned shaking hands at red and black day, how about if no one showed up. That would be a message sent.
The East Aurora School District needs to be desegregated. It would benefit all of Aurora if that was the case. Unfortunately people cannot see this and think its just an east side problem. This is where a strong leader in the City would help make this happen. Too bad we do not have one.
That job position is NOT Glotzbach's job. It is the position vacated a few months ago by Ms. Gentile only the position has been beefed up a little. Glotzbach is Super of HR
maybe someone should ask questions before spreading false rumor.
Joan took three positions in her department and consolidated to one a Director job. She saved $16,500 and upgraded her department a thank you in order. Maybe everyone needs to ask questions
Glotzbach's job is not posted on the website. She is the Assistant Sup. for HR. The job posted is for a Director that reports to the Assistant Sup. Look and see for yourself. http://www.applitrack.com/d131/onlineapp/jobpostings/view.asp?category=Administration
Neither job is Joan's. One is a director that reports to Joan and the other is a co-ordinator that also reports to Joan. Face it she ain't moving anytime soon!
You are right. Glotzbachs job is not up. it was the way they printed it. She Is the reporting supervisor. Whew!!! Please dont send Barrazza to the Middle school, that is not his passion and forte. He has no love for it, the student's/ teachers, and especially not the Fine Arts. Too Cold, Like a fish!, If it were up to him there would be no Fine Arts, he doesn't get it. What a shame to be so educated, yet so culturally deprived. "What good is life; if you don't know how to live it?," All rumors aside "How does the city and teacher's welcome our Board Pres. on Red and Black Day next week? With boos and hisses? I wouldn't even want to go to that podium, ps.. and please, please dont keep us there all day and feed us those NASTY SANDWICHES FROM SODEXCO made 2 days before. Are you kidding me? WE will go out before we eat that!! So Admin. plan lunch out time!!!!!
Why not have Warren as principal of East? Oh yeah...thats right...how could she when she has never even been an assistant principal? Why does she have a director job with no admin experience??
Who is going to be the new principal next year at East? Might be a good idea to get one now. No one wants the job. It will be an interim. What percentage of the staff is leaving yet again? District 131 at its worst in 50 years. Have fun Warren on putting together an entirely new administration at EA. Be ready to take the fall when it goes South which it will.
It is absolutely amazing to me, just how many layers of administration we are creating and what it is costing the tax payers. 10 years ago when we had a teacher turnover rate much higher than we have today, John Struck did the entire job with one secretary.
Now look at what we have:
$157,617 Administration/Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
$106,000 Administration/Director for Human Resources
$66,900 Administration/HR Coordinator for Classified Staff
$330,517 total just for these three administrators.
In addition, they have a whole building full of highly paid secretaries (Many of whom get paid significantly more than the teachers are paid).
What exactly are we getting for all our taxpayer dollars? Does it really take over half a million dollars a year just to hire some teachers and janitors?
Does anybody in this community really have any doubts where the disfunction is the school district lies?
It was channel 2 that this was on. The lawyer is doing it pro-bono. Makes one wonder why the sent the girls to Simmons since they like to pull down students underwear.
Tomorrow is the Annual East Aurora Elementary Boys Soccer Tournament. This event is a collaborative effort with Triple Threat Mentoring. Join us at EAHS at 9:00!
Most the dropouts do so by choice. Why should we punish the thousands of grest kids in the district just to support the few that are too lazy and lack the dedication to their own lives. By reducing option a handful of these kids may and i stress the may, graduate but at the expense of hundreds of kids loosing higher level classes that help their college prospects. Adjusting our expectation to suppprt the worst in our school diesnt help anyone.
The changes in the Bilingual program are due to Ms Childress pushing for the children and allowing reading classes in English. It is part of the change the Board always talks about. I think many positive things are on the horizon. Dr Aird and Dr Gonzalez are dinosaurs that needed to be put to pasture. The past Board had that courage lets hope Strand, Hull and Peryea stay out of the way and allow positive change.
I think Strand, Hull and Peryea stay out of the way and allow positive change. Give them a chance at least I know they will follow the law. Strand and Peryea wasn't on the board when Childress started the new program so how do you know how they would of voted.
5:57 the changes haven’t taken into consideration these children’s rich background. I, as a sheltered teacher feel that this model is truly and unfortunately subtracting my students’ ethnicity. Dr. Aird wanted to offer a dual language model many years ago and the Board did not approve it…talk about being progressive 8 years ago. Sadly, our children will be just like Mrs. Reyes Childress, formerly the head of our bilingual program, coming from a Mexican family and not able to speak a word of Spanish. And you think we are doing the right thing? You might want to think again. Is this the way to prepare our children for a global economy by disconnecting them more from their heritage, by making them feel ashamed of their roots? How about hiring effective bilingual and bicultural teachers for our children and effective bilingual and bicultural administrators for our parents and community and offer a dual language program for all our students, just like 203 and Schaumburg? Then we will be talking about being progressive, not narrow minded.
There ia norhing wrong with any student speaking their native language, but please remember that their are other students from different countries and they would like to speak their language also. Children in school should speak the language of the country they are in. If the parents do not keep up their native language at home that is the fault of the parents, not the schools.
May 12, 2013 there are many things going on all year long for the particular ethnic group you are referring to. If anyone in this particulare group cannot keep up with their heritage it is not the school's fault. What about the other ethnic groups and their heritages? Where is the monies going to come from for what you are suggesting. Dual langauge does not refer to English and Spanish tho many think so. There are many languages that could be taught. Let us be fair across the board. NO one is trying to make them feel ashamed about their ethnic roots. In fact the 2 girls that had to be removed from the schools they were going to due to their ethnic background are supposedly being bullied by this very same ethnic group being referred to. Let us all be fair to all the students and see that they all get a good education-everyone of them no matter what ethnic group they come from. We are all the same in the eyes of the Creator.
May 12, 2013 at 5:48 PM one or more generations ago, when immigrnts came to the USA, such as my gandparents of European roots, they were coming to the land of oppotunities. They were excited and grateful to be here. Many wanted their children to be "American." That meant speaking English. My Aunts and Uncles were not taught the native tongue of their parents, regrettfully. Many Hispanics I went to school with in the 60's did not speak spanish. Like my grandparents, their parents wanted their children to become Americans. That doesn't mean they are ashamed or have forgotten where they came from, they just felt this new country had more to offer their children and wanted them to acclimate to the fullest. I am not saying this is the best scenario, but it is how it was.
Now we are seeing the reverse. Many(not all) who arrive in the US, have a feeling of entitlement. Our schools, businesses and government should offer to cater to their needs for communication. Not Hindu or Chinese or German or Swahili but Spanish. I would have liked dual language classes for my children, but not necessarily Spanish. What is truly the best case?? I don't know, but I don't see change coming soon to EA. Our district cannot even get our students to meet standards let alone exceed with new additional class work.
The immigrants coming to this country are only here because our businesses want them for cheap, exploitable labor. That is the ugly truth. They would not come here if the welcome mat wasn't being put out for them. Before Reagan, we fined businesses who hired non-citizens, but now it's (un)official business policy. I don't think we should blame the people who come here because there are jobs here to be had. I also don't think we should blame them for being less than enthusiastic about America. They are being exploited for their labor and they can't complain about any way that they're treated for fear of deportation. Not exactly the same atmosphere that immigrants had in the 60's. Times have changed.
Someone really needs to look into Simmon's Adm. Morales & Patterson are a team she has no actual time to come in when she does come in she spends her time in Wilson's office doing nothing.Mean while Wilson plays on his camera's instead of doing his work.SSC should really do surprise visits bet you would catch them. They only cover for each other!!!!
Joan G. really has her head up her butt WOW she is something b\very rude not professional at all.Jerome seems to be on a short leash cause you never see him visiting any buildings Annette trained him well. Wonder why the MORALE is so bad @ D131 just look around you idiots of Administrators!
I went to school in the 60's with hispanics that are still my friends. Spanish was spoken in their home and even tho I might not have understood the language, I understood what was being conveyed. My friends was encouraged by their parents to learn the language, but at home spanish was what was spoken. Also, the parents kept up the Spaninsh traditions. Parent now speaks English, but at her home Spanish still is what is spoken. Their father is no longer with us. To this day I respect them and their traditions as they respect the traditions of this country. Yes, they are legal and did it the right way.
Wilson Morales is the biggest tool in the district! He is as dumb as a box of rocks! Really, try having a convo with him. He's an idiot! He looks even more like a tool, when he's with his wife, Lisa. He holds onto her hand so everybody knows he's with her.
My community is catered to for the sake of business. We live in a capitalistic society which is driven by money; follow the money. McDonalds and others want the Hispanic dollars so they put their menu in Spanish. Hispanic grocery stores don't bother to put their signs in English because Americans are not our target market. Hispanics are the largest ethic group in the country. When you have the economic spending power we have businesses and everyone else better acknowledge our needs. We provide a work force for all sectors of business. The hospitality and service industry will come to a halt if we go on strike for just one day. Once my entire community recognizes the economic power we possess and begin to register to vote things are going to change a lot more. BTW the "heartland" was purchased from King Louie but the western portion of America was taken by force from Mexico. We are taking our country back slowly but surely while you are stuck watching the Muslims. HahHa Go ahead force us to speak the language that will help expedite our peaceful and quite reclamation project. Its a good thing Europeans know what is best for us; thanks again.
Looks like it's official...the new 6-period bell schedule will go into effect this fall. What a disservice to our best & brightest high school students!
Parents, it's not too late to investigate other options. Area Catholic and Christian high schools may still have openings for the fall. Some families homeschool their kids and bring them to East High for extra-curriculars (band, sports, etc.) Or late spring & early summer is a great time to move into a school district that supports your child's opportunity to pursue their interests and passions!
Going to a six period day will destroy East Aurora's fine arts program. The community has been very clear that they don't want this. If the board ignores the community and goes forward with this ridiculous plan, it will be remembered at the next couple of board elections. Make this decision at your own peril.
I am happy that the new bell schedule passed! I know our kids need access to electives, but I'd rather they were not "jacks of all trades, masters of none," based on most anti-new schedule arguments. Exploring interests happens in grade & middle school, and you start to hone in as the years wear on. Furthermore, you can use your non-school time to pursue interest. I was both an instrumentalist and vocalist when I left middle school, but when I came to HS, I had to choose due to the block scheduling my HS had. I appreciate the fact that I was made to focus on one- I ended up getting a scholarship for said focus.
The following is an excerpt from the proposed Board of Education Policy Manual, presented at yesterday's special board meeting:
"Members of the Board of Education should be free from commitment to any special group, interest, or pressure. Furthermore, it is suggested that the best interests of the school district are generally served if no member of a Board member's immediate family is regularly employed by the school district"
To 5/16 9;50 am. I am so disheartened that you would say that. what's the point of having Band. Music, and Drama in middle schools, develop children who discover those talents, and then don't have the classes in EA to refine them. I have student's who want to go into Drama, for their life career because I worked my ass off to cultivate their talents. and they know that it's their calling; and they are academians as well. Our students need every opportunity that is given them to succeed, but thats okay I will talk to those students and tell them to pursue their dreams no matter what EA offers. so now I know they have no opportunity to pursue their life's choice thanks to the lovely supporters of this Hot Mess.
I Love Red and Black Day, or at least I used to. Tomorrow is a joke. We have to be there all day to do BS workshops on stuff that should have been done in the beginning or middle of the year. Gang Awareness, Classroom Mgmt and Stress Mgmt.? It's the end of the year ! Too late for that, who cares now! Are you kidding me? Once again who is running this Comedy of Errors? The best way to deal with stress mgmt is not to do this! that would solve that. LOL! and let's not even talk about parking, handicap parking, something you all never consider. If I have to walk a mile to get to the doors, you all can forget me! this is such a waste of time and money, Oh let's not forget about the gourmet bologna and cheese sandwiches, stinky oiled tuna and wilted lettuce. If you think we are this stupid Think again. We're not.SPEAK OUT TEACHERS! SHOUT OUT! This is not how you bring a District together! What a slap in the face.Team Building? Seriously? The year is over, the only team were building is our own family's. Put a fork in it it's done! OMG! Get a clue Central. yes we desperately need leadership. And you wonder why we are considered "ghetto" cause we are!!!!!!!! We're not even "Ghetto Fabulous"!!!!!!! Pull UP! EA
Children today who come here from Africa dont speak Swahili LOL! that was a kwasi- white man made up language from the 60's/ 70's. Like the American practice of Kwanza. get your facts straight before you post. But I get your point! and i agree with you all the way!!!!
I cannot believe that the high school has made this choice. The Fine Arts is the best thing going at East. Mark my words this is a closer move toward privitization and having private republican companies come in and plop kids down in front of computers, collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars, manipulating scores. The total aim is to get rid of teachers. Note that Heather Kinkaid spearheaded this for us, and is leaving for St. Charles. Thanks Heather!! getting rid of creativity is in our kids best interests!!
7:08 I am not sure who your comment was directed, but I have to LOL at your "facts." You are correct about kwanza. It is not celebrated in Africa or by Africans. My daughter- in- law is from Kenya and they do, in fact, speak Swahili.
To may 16 9:51 I stand corrected on the Swahili comment. I apologize to those who speak Swahili. I just remember it being the only language that people thought people from Africa spoke Some of our African students come from Liberia, Ghana, Ivory Coast they speak French and other tongues, but whatever thanks for the correction.
I know for a fact our enrollment will suffer because many kids come just for these classes instead of the dry boring "worksheet-only" punishment served up every day in all of their other classes.
No decision is ever one persons decision in D 131. If you think that was Heather's decision, then you need to go go college for another 4 years. Kincaid has a supervisor named Christine Warren. Obvious why Heather is leaving.
The largest minority ethnic group in America is Asians not Hispanics. We may also have to take Mexico by force to since the citizens and politicians of that country think its ok to kidnap, murder, and have shootouts when people are on vacation.
The law says a board member can have a member of the family work for the district. Remember when a board member votes for a teachers contract they are voting for the whole. It is only when a contract or vote about a single employee there is a conflict of interest. Doesn't this board have more things to worry about like grades.
7:04am, no problem. A little added info, many people also have a "tribal" language they speak. So they are actually raised tri-lingual. It has been communicated to me that it is a privilege to attend school at a higher level( this being high school). Some who are afforded the opportunity, go away to a boarding type school. They are given meager meals and living conditions are nothing to brag about, but they are very appreciative for the educational opportunity.
Many of the stories shared made me feel so selfish and greedy, along with wasteful for all we receive or have available to us in the USA, yet we don't take advantage or complain we are not given more.
http://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/populations/REMP/hispanic.html According to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates as of July 1, 2011, there are roughly 52.0 million Hispanics living in the United States, representing approximately 16.7% of the U.S. total population, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or race minority Its a good thing you know whats best for us, Einstein. To my point; keep focusing on the Asians of whom many Muslims are a part of.
Adam Harding did a great job today at Red and Black. Congrats to Crystal England for the team building exercise, and Eric Curtis from Simmons Middle School on their performance, and The Noodle Company on Farnsworth provided a fabulous lunch for those of us who went and indulged. Can't wait till next school year. EEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
What are you smoking. Adam Harding was the most lame MC we have ever had. Those ridiculous Haiku's were torture.
Robert's was as good as a sleeping pill just like always. We got to listen to the same old story about how the State keeps cutting funds. His story about how we are holes through which the wind blows was just way out of left field. I guess that was his way of calling everybody a bunch of E "A holes".
The only real highlight was the Jazz Band. The Jazz Band did an excellent job.
8:22 p.m., you mentioned the Jazz Band. Too bad the new 6-period schedule will probably prevent half those talented kids from being in Jazz Band next year. They will be in regular band (marching), so they can get a PE waiver.
And the effect on our choir kids will be worse, since they don't have the option of a PE waiver (although they should...as a singer I can tell you that singing is definitely an athletic activity that involves a lot of physical coordination & breath control).
Actually neither choir OR band should get a PE waiver. All 3 of my kids had a PE waiver all thru school, and the only one physically fit was the one who's waiver was because of NJROTC because they did physical training. The others didn't get fit until after they graduated high school.
I would like to say that the news clip on the two young girls who were bullied was sad in many ways. I know we are working hard at Cowherd to educate our kids on the horrors of bullying. We are seeing some great things. Students are writing about how they once bullied but don't anymore. Students are telling teachers about a fight that is planned. I feel fortunate to be in a district that realizes we have hurdles but there are many people who are taking jumping lessons to get over the hurdles. If we look at the glass as half full, we will see some of our own kids walking us around the halls as part of the ROTC group.
8:22 a.m., your kids all had the 7-class schedule at East High. This fall our students will not have that extra class period to fit in an elective. I do agree that being physically fit is important, but kids can go to the gym, play a sport, or participate in a park district program outside of school hours. There are not as many options outside of the school setting for jazz band, choir, art, or drama as there are for PE/sports.
My question is what is going to happen to the teachers because of the change in the bell schedule? Will the fine arts teachers still be employed at East?
I'm friends with one of the EAHS fine arts teachers, and I can tell you that they're not very concerned about whether they will keep their jobs (they're all tenured teachers). Administration has been asking them "what other areas are you certified to teach"--if they're not certified in another area they would cover a study hall.
What they ARE concerned about, however, is whether students will be forced to drop out of activities like choir, band, or drama simply because administration decided to override the 700+ students who clearly expressed (through signing a petition) that they opposed the 6-period bell schedule.
1:12 you're overlooking the fact that numerous studies have shown that a period of physical activity (i.e. PE) DURING THE SCHOOL DAY improves academic performance. Yes, little Johnny does better in math after taking PE. You don't get the same benefit from sports or other activities after school. You also get improved academic performance after taking music classes. That's why the 6 period day is an educationally very UNsound move. It WILL harm our kids, and no doubt will be eventually overturned.
People need to realize why they did the bell schedule change. had nothing to do with fine arts or more class time. It simply allows more students in large study halls for a longer period of time. This will not improve test scores but it does allow the district to cram more students into less classes. This was a poorly informed decision by the board to push a building issue down the road at the expense of the students.
The board has not learned the lessons of the past. In the 1980's, the district cut programs because of financial concerns. They restored programs within a year or so but the programs suffered a serious blow. Some programs have still not recovered. Just look at our football program.
Educational programs are easy to destroy and very hard to rebuild. I fear that by the time the school board realizes what a poor decision they are making, it will be too late.
The programs will have to rebuild from scratch and our best families will have found other schools in which to send their children. Our best will be gone and even those who stay will drop out at record levels because there is nothing at school to inspire and motivate them.
Research has proven that drop out rates increase when options are reduced or eliminated. How can this school board be so blind?
For the person(s) questioning African studies and tribal languages, I am not an expert, but I take time to listen to people. Speak with people, we have more than just Mexican immigrants in Aurora. There are lots of interesting facts about our world if you quit fearing your neighbors and chat with them. Google tribal languages. Again, don't be so narrow minded, educate yourself. Native Americans are not the only tribes of the world. Better yet volunteer at the world relief organization. You'd be amazed at how many people are immigrating here from places all over the world for a better life.
11:58 p.m.-- you are clueless, ignorant, and/or a moron if you really think that teachers' names "will be put into a national lottery to teach at other schools in America".
I can't believe the district would even consider bringing Randy Ellison back to our district. If they do bring him back, it would be a strong indication of what direction the district wants to take at the high school.
When Ellison was at Simmons, the first thing he stated to the staff was "It's my way or the highway". There was absolutely no collaboration with the staff. It was one mandate after another with Ellison bullying and harassing the staff. Nothing improved.
In addition, Ellison robbed every account in the building. There was a big battle over the sports account. Over $10,000 was taken by Ellison. This was money raised over years from concession sales, pop machines and fund raisers and was intended for the sports programs. Nowadays, teams at Simmons play in T-Shirts the children have to buy because they don’t have uniforms. When the long time athletic director protested, he was removed and eventually transferred to another district building. That's how we ended up with Jessie Barraza as AD. He was a first year teacher and Ellison's "Yes" man. It wasn't just sports, every team saw their budgets raided.
The man would literally yell at staff members in front of other staff and even students. He was completely unprofessional. I personally witnessed one where Ellison was screaming at a bilingual teacher. Ellison had been placing multiple levels of students in his classroom. The teacher first tried to speak to Ellison, of course an absolute waste of time. The teacher then went to central office. The superintendent had then gone to Ellison and told him to rectify the situation. Even when Ellison was completely in the wrong, that didn't stop him from intimidating his staff.
He would make off the wall comments like “I believe about 80% of the staff are worth a damn, the other 20% I’d like to stick in a barrel. Then I’d like to blow up the barrel”. If a teacher made a comment like that they’d be fired on the spot.
When Ellison left, no one was sorry. Just about the time the district was trying to get rid of him, he had an accident. He claimed that he slipped and fell on some ice outside the Service Center and filed a lawsuit against the district. It was convenient as Ellison already had a bad back from his years in sports. The district had to pay for all those expenses. Bringing Ellison back would be a catastrophe.
Where is it shown that they are changing the bell schedule. I know it was talked about and a committee formed, but I don't see anything on the board agenda that it is being voted on?
9:18 a.m., the new bell schedule is a "done deal". I know because I'm good friends with one of the EAHS fine arts teachers, and I heard it directly from that person (who has been asked by administration "what else are you certified to teach?").
Thanks to sources like this blog, things can't be kept under wraps until certain people in administration decide the public deserves to know.
Special Board of Education meeting this Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. Here's the agenda:
I. Roll Call II. Discussion on the Board Committee Structure III. Discussion on the Superintendent Search Process IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS/QUESTIONS V. Adjournment
228 comments:
1 – 200 of 228 Newer› Newest»For those who couldn't be there on Saturday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-3KmZ8BAmI
A grEAt performance by our combined middle-school band students!
8:30 a.m., I agree it's a great performance.
And wouldn't it be a shame if these young musicians (and their classmates talented in art or drama) get to high school and can't continue in fine arts classes because of the proposed 6-class bell schedule?
SPEAK OUT. Don't let our kids lose the opportunity to pursue their passion!
Can we please get new administrators at Simmons so the oppression might stop and we can come up for air!
Why are they switching some administrators from schools and at the last minute? They say there here for the kids and what's best...LIES, LIES! If that was the case they would see the wonderful things some administrators have done in their current buildings. Our administrator has brought staff moral up and kids love them! THIS IS WRONG!!!
There will be at least one bilingual administrator in each building with the changes.
And Jerome Roberts continues to be employed.
It's not Bob Green. Apparently, a student (and their parents) have filed the civil rights lawsuit against District 131. Probably another case of poorly handled bullying.
Adam Harding sent out an e-mail to the entire staff asking for donations of old band instruments for the new magnet school.
Apparently, the board budgeted no money for the new band program. They didn't even add a band room when they remodeled the building. The Magnet School Band is supposed to be run out of a small classroom.
Annette publicly boasts about how she is a supporter of the arts and sports but only when she is asking for donations from the community. It makes a person wonder where the $165,000 is the district was raising.
How can a director build a band program with no band room, no instruments, no instrument cabinets, no music and no budget? This district is a complete joke.
If I were the parent of a Magnet School kid, I would be screaming.
beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/19797660-418/east-aurora-middle-schoolers-raise-thousands-for-sick-students.html
Way to go, Simmons students & staff!
To: April 29, 2013 at 9:36 PM
That sounds just like Annette. She wants everything, she just doesn't want to pay for it.
She's a great supporter of of education until a check needs to be written.
As always, it the children who suffer for the poor decisions of our leadership.
Which administartors are being switched? all of them, I hope.
So why doesn't Ray Hull raise the money for he band instruments ? After all he should be able to get enought support from the district vendors. But he is to busy lining his pockets.
Or maybe Kristen could get some of the people who donated to her campaign.
All that money wasted and they still did not get control of the board our kids could have benefited.
Shame on them.
Hello 9:36am...when I was in school we payed to rent instruments. Every single one of my nephews who play instruments (4) rent their instruments as well. Each one is in a different school district. The people in the East administration need to stop with the hand outs. ENOUGH!
I guess that's the districts idea of dealing with incompetent and corrupt administrators. Just transfer them around the district. God forbid we repplace them with competent, ethical people.
6:53am Annette, you need to stop making accusations without proof. Soliciting district vendors is unethical however you would not understand that Annette. Personally, I think you are jealous of Kristen. Your reign of terror is over Annette.
Last time I checked Kristen does not have 4 votes. Why would Johnson be jealous of her. All she is and will ever be is a minister who feeds off the poor families of d131. She then has nerve to pat herself on the back and say gee look what I am doing for the poor.
No I am not,Annette I am one of her many supporters and a band parent who will be ever so happy she ended the reign of Marin.
However, Annette time to get busy and raise the money for the band because Ray and Kristen are to busy lining their pockets.
10:43 a.m., Kirsten Strand is also a band parent. She (unlike Annette) has "skin in the game"--she has a vested interest in making sure our KIDS have the best education possible. As a parent myself, it's one reason I voted for her.
I do agree with you about being happy Marin is gone, but I don't think Annette had much to do with that. I have nothing against Annette, but it would be nice to have a new board president since she has had a couple of terms as president already.
10:43am Annette: "Kristen does not have 4 votes" Does this reference that your "Puppet" Board will vote along side with you on all your positions. If so, just proves that you are UNQUALIFIED as a Leader.
All presidents should have term limits. It's the only way to ensure that needed change happens.
Our EA band program has had SO many instruments donated to the program over the years. Families and students without a vested interest in a rented or purchased instrument do not take care or return instruments when they quit or move. We have had boosters and others who have serviced or paid for the repairs of district instruments. Just the last few years district money has been invested in the program to make it look as if we have a board and admin who care about the arts....huh! Now the finger is pointed at them again for their lack of support and see how quickly the fingers start pointing in lots of other directions. Geez, who could possibly feel the need to distract?
No matter if no one else has a majority vote to take the presidents position from Annette. Annette is still jealous because others have something she cannot have, no matter how many board members vote for her, and that is integrity and the respect of a large part of our community and surrounding communities .
Anyone who has had contact with Annette either do not trust her or fear her wrath. That is a far cry from respect and support.
The story of Kristen
That is the problem she moved from Naperville to build a church. Puts her kids in Magnet and uses her influence to do so. Her husband works for the district and she is not only a influence for her children but her husband. She should cut all financial ties with the district and her non for profit and get off the district benefit programs put her kids in the real school then I would give her creditability.
Annette used the taxpayers money to promote herself in the Highligtner just before the election. It has been at least a year since they have done one and they pick right before the election and have a spot where the president talks about what she and the board has done that is campaigning.
12:29 p.m., so what have YOU done lately to make this district better?
Criticizing Mr. and Mrs. Strand's decision to put their kids in our magnet school program is ridiculous. You must not be a parent yourself (or a clueless one) if you see taking advantage of whatever programs are available to fit a student's needs as a bad thing.
Why should someone as a parent have influence of what children learn in school most district strive for that. As far as her husband being a teacher remember when they vote on the contract that the Superintendent is suppose to negotiate it is for all teachers not just her husband. The only time there would be a conflict of interest if it was just for him. Here is what lawyers say about that subject. Please read what the law says.
http://www.iasb.com/law/FAQsConflictofInterestIncompatibleOffices.pdf
Annette Johnson has never purchased a house in Aurora. She is cheating on her property taxes by receiving the exemptions her mother had as a senior citizen. CHeater!!!!!
I went and saw my child at the Fine Arts Festival this weekend. The kids did a great job but whoever organized it should be ashamed. Or did the district forget to have someone plan things again. No one had the correct information, the signs to find things were impossible to read and it felt like everyone was scrambling. Again great job to all the kids and the teachers that I know put in a lot of time to make this happen. I just wish the district supported them all better.
beaconnews.suntimes.com/19817553-417/alleged-bullying-incident-prompts-fed-probe-at-aurora-school.html
April 30th 10;43 a;m Annette talk about transparency!!! this is so you!!
Not one but two lawsuits? Both over bullying and the district leaderships poor response to it. How many hundreds of thousands of dollars are these lawsuits costing the taxpayers.
I wonder if the Simmons kid was the Special Ed. student who's mother and aunt begged the administration and board repeatedly for help or if it's another kid who couldn't get help?
It just makes you wonder how many programs could be funded with all the money that we waste because of the poor decisions made by our administrators? We could have easily funded the new band program at the Magnet School with all this money. Maybe even funded all the fine arts programs in the district.
Annette keeps aying that we can't afford to fire Roberts because we would have to pay off his contract (something we wouldn't have to do if the board knew how to negotiate a superintendent's contract) butwhat is it costing the district having an incompetent superintendent?
The reason Annette doesn't want to get rid of Roberts is because as long as Roberts is the superintendent, Annette runs the district. Unfortunately she runs it very poorly.
As always, the children suffer for the board and administrators poor decisions.
Central Office knows Annette Johnson self reported herself and is looking into why the proper adjusts are not made on property taxes. I heard this last week and by far is the most honest person I had the pleasure working with. Because of her government accounting is getting cleaned up. It sounds like you are jealous of her. Intregrity is the current board.
Nestor was in charge. Or supposed to be. He did practically nothing. Then he had the gall to send all the fine arts teachers an email recommending what could they should do for next year! Most everything on the list was stuff that HE was supposed to do. It was insulting.
I looked it up and Annette does get a $4000.00 senior exception. Who is transparent now and who is cheating the government.
The reason it is still on there is that she didn't report it to the Tax Assers Office. Here is another thing they got Senior Assessment Freeze up till 2011 and for that it states you can only make $55,000.00 for that and since her and her mothers name is on the property they committed fraud since Annette likes to boost about how much she makes.
Why are you feeling oppressed? Everyone at all levels is being asked to do more and thonk differently. Administrators are asking you to do what is best for kids. Be specific. Are you working hardvor are you trying to do just enough to get by? Check to see if the most effective teachers in your building are feeling that same pressure. If they are not...you need to think about whether you have enough training to do what is expected of you. When there is doubt - take a good look at yourself. What can you do to improve your student tesults? You are being asked to think about analyzing student data and thinking of how to create interventions with your team. You have to work as a team to figure it out. Stop blaming your administrators. They are doing what they are expected to do!
10:31 you need to grow a thicker skin if that email was "insulting" - I don't disagree that Nestor did a bad job and that most of the stuff on that list was his responsibility but it was far from insulting.
She self reported herself when he realized others can check on her property taxes, like she has been doing to others.
Is this how you spell integrity, 9:59 pm....d..i...s...h..o..n..e..s..t..l..y?
Here is what it says for the Senior Assessment Freeze.
What is included in household income?
Household income includes your income, your spouse’s income,
and the income of all persons living in the household. Examples of
income are listed below. (For specific questions, see P. 3, Part 2)
Here is the url for that.
http://www.kanecountyassessments.org/SeniorFreeze.htm
Senior Assessment Freeze 26,304.00 1/1/2011 12/31/2011
Senior Citizen 4,000.00 1/1/2010 12/31/2010
Owner Occupied 6,000.00 1/1/2010 12/31/2010
Senior Assessment Freeze 30,087.00 1/1/2010 12/31/2010
She has been doing this since 2001.
May 1 9:23 a.m. It is often not who are the most effective teachers that feel no pain but those who are most favored by the administrative cliques at their respective schools. These are the teachers, not through hard work but through favoritism,who get left alone. The rest of us are constantly harassed, observed, written up for minutiae like having the wrong date up on their whiteboard, or taking too long to enter attendance or for not offering enough "higher level" (the buzz word ding for this year's bad evaluations, last go around it was "not enough differentiation" not enough use of technology, no evidence of parental contacts or too little, or no evidence of close rapport with students) activities for kids in remedial classes. Each year they switch initiatives --now key train, no more key train, now read 180 no more read 180 switch attendance, teach PBIS , change schedule, etc. so your head is spinning. I have no problem with 'giving more" or trying harder" I have been working my ass off for years. Not once have I ever heard, job well done- you're a good teacher nice working with you. Not that I need to hear it, but you do hear constantly the litany of your faults. Is this the effective way to treat people who deal with our most precious commodity- our children?
First, I want to say Amen! To 11:36am.
Next I was hoping for help refreshing my memory. Didn't Ms. Johnson say she held our property taxes down this year. Mine went up, which I don't mind paying my fair share for those things our taxes support. I just don't like being deceived. Approx. 65% of my total increase is going to the EA D131. Exactly what was Johnson referring to in her comments about doing us a favor with our property taxes?
Annette is an idiot! She's a liar! She's corrupt! Take the "loss" and get rid of Roberts! He does nothing! He doesn't even show his face in the schools! The real "LOSS" is the 10,000 students of East Aurora! They continue to lose with the inept people that are somehow able to continue taking the district down the drain. Nestor is a complete waste! Wake up Annette! Someone please make a decision in the best interest of the kids! Why are the "leaders" in the dark, or do they not care. Nestor must have a photo of Annette and Jerome at the Super 8 after a few drinks at Bally Doyles for them to continue to employ him. He was clueless with B&G and corrupt, and the new gig has been a joke. He is never seen, he forgets to get the word out for major events, camps and the district loses money because the community is missing out. They pay this guy six figures for nothing. If we are stuck with
Annette I at least hope she redeems some respect by getting rid of the waste. Jerome and Nestor would be a good start! At least try to help the kids by doing that! We need new leadership! Someone ask around, investigate, get some answers, survey...Find out what people think, what they know, get enlightened. Nearly half a million dollars are going to two people that do nothing not to mention the loss of revenue and progress they are causing the district. LISTEN to the teachers and the informed community members! If one or two people were bitching and whining I would understand ignoring them, but send out a survey and see how many people are not happy!
Call the county. Fact...East can levy anywhere up to5% *OR the CPI which this year was 3%. It can levy no more than the lesser of the two. So the Board knowingly voted to raise your tax levy to the maximum allowed by law without having to go to the voters for a referendum. Nice!
No the problem is Aurora we have lost so much value on our properties because of crapy schools and a crapy city the. percent is higher because we were all stupid enought to vote for the referendum and the park district and everything else.
Call the Assessor, I did and found out the district did lower our taxes but the county needs to raise enough to cover the tax base.
Elgin and all h Kane ounty did not loss th property values we did.
And yes I did gt a decrease of $ 200 but I can not refinance or move. Crapy schools mean crapy real estate values.
Yes Jonhson did not levy a increase but she did nothing the schools either.
Our district now has new Facebook and Twitter sites:
http://www.facebook.com/EASD131
http://twitter.com/EASD131
10:13 your information is incorrect. You need to call the County Treasurers office. The county does not have the authority to raise a school districts tax rate "to cover the tax base". This authority is only promulgated to the school districts. You are giving totally incorrect information. 6:51 is correct. I called the County this morning. East chose to raise the levy and voted to do so. As for your comments about crappy schools your 100% correct.
Values are so down in Aurora that is why the percentage is up. Called the county today and found out its the tax increases that the City votes on apparently they do not need voter action and all the building bonds and the latest tax referendums 131 voted on. Now the property values don't support the debt. So while the district brags about the money they have it borrowed and they are like everyone else upside down on their mortgage.
The district did lower are taxes that was true but we got it in a different way. I do not like the current board they have done very little to improve the schools and my daughter did not win the lottery for Magnet but Strand and Peryea would have raised our taxes with another school
It is a shame that the parents in this district or non parents don't want another school. Most of our schools are at least 100 years old and in poor shape. The classrooms are overcrowded and with students today sending a note home saying that their children are misbehaving in class and disturbing other students doesn't mean anything to parents as it did before. Until we get better school parents that care about their children's education will not move here. We see where we live getting ran down and more activity and that is because this part of town has a poor school system.
The focus should not be on the board but the city of Aurora which has done nothing to aleavemany of the overcrowding conditions all over Aurora. This does not help the schools.
beaconnews.suntimes.com/19841385-417/east-aurora-tries-more-english-earlier-for-bilingual-students.html
My daughter did not get into the magnet either but I am hopeful. I can tell you that I can finally put my head on the pillow at night and know that the current board being led by its president is doing more than any other previous board to make positive change happen in 131.
My property taxes went down over $700 this year.
Of course the house is now valued at what we paid for it -- 20 years ago.
So it doesn't bother you that the board president cheats on her property taxes, bullies employees and makes retired teachers pay back for insurance that some did say they where still having insurance taken out as an employee and not a retiree but just fires someone who also didn't pay for hers. Let us also remember it is not just the board president that does things it take a whole board and a superintendent to run a district.
The agenda packet for next Monday's School Board meeting is posted on the D131 website. This may be our last chance to have our say before the final decision is made about the new bell schedule.
SPEAK UP NOW, for our students!
This thread started with someone (probably a band parent) posting a link to a video of our middle-school band students' performance at last Saturday's Fine Arts Festival. The flute soloist in one of those pieces was Shelby Cassidy, whose older brother Tanner plays in the EAHS bands. Tanner has organized a group of his fellow students on Facebook to "Oppose the 6" (proposed new bell schedule). Over 700 people "like" (support) this.
Tanner's younger sister deserves the same opportunities to continue her band experiences through high school as her brother had. Unfortunately this may be more difficult for Shelby & her classmates if they can't fit band into their class schedules.
And that's only the band kids...countless other Tomcats will have to forgo pursuing their interests in drama, choir, or art (at least during the school day).
NOW is the time to speak up against the proposed new bell schedule, and in favor of our kids having the same opportunities their older siblings enjoy!
This is not the first time that the administration and school board have ignored the wishes of the students, teachers and community regarding fine arts. This is so much like when they replaced Kevin Kaisershot.
What was the bottom line from the last time the community was ignored? The entire school board was replaced and most of the administrators are gone.
It was a scandal that left an open wound on this community that has never healed. I can't believe that the board would even consider such a poor proposal.
They're not just killing the band program this time but also choir, drama, art and every other creative pursuit for the children of East Aurora.
If you look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Learning, you will see that the board is considering removing every opportunity students have for higher order thinking skills. The research does not support this decision.
Perhaps the students should join together in a class action lawsuit against the district and sue for educational malpractice. If the board is going to ignore the research and destroy these children's education, they should be held directly responsible.
Unfortunately, the Aurora community has not yet figured this out. The only thing administration and boards care about is dollars. The only reason they do the right thing is because there are consequences when they don't. If you go to Naperville, parents frequently bring their attorney's to meeting with the district. that's how they ensure that they receive all the services they are entitled to.
Lets see if this board, who has claims of being better than any boards prior, will make a decision for the students. More bells (and whistles) aren't always a valuable improvement, but rather some people's idea of distraction for the purpose of deception. Is there proof this change is going to make a marked improvement in the education of the students at EAHS?
Why don't the students do a rally outside of the Service Center before the board meeting? Then they can go to the meeting and talk to the board.
I think it's time for the community to speak out and demand a new board president!
Everyone should see this NBC News Clip before the next board meeting, especially our board members. This truly shows the power of the arts. An once of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It's clear that they would not agree with a six period day.
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/51739754/?ocid=twitter#51739754
If Leonard, Stella or MaryAnn nominate Johnson for president again that means they don't care if she and her mother committed fraud. For the Senior Freeze Assessment you have to sign a statement and have it notarized saying no one living in you house makes more than a total income of 55,000.00. We all know that is a lie with how Johnson is quick to point out how much she makes.
The other exception they used has only a 65+ living in the household and a owner. It was said on this thread from someone she was going to call about that one and sometimes I bet others have forgot to call but I bet if no one had posted she had it she wouldn't of done anything. She is really not very good at following through on things so from what I hear a community member contacted the Tax Assessor for her and reported her. It will take awhile for the investigation but she will not get away with committing fraud.
To: May 3, 2013 at 9:49 PM
Wow!!! I don't believe it. You mean, not every administrator is completely incompetent?
There was a perfect example of poor administrator after poor administrator driving a school system into the ground and then one person with vision opening the minds of children to a world of possibilities. The arts transformed the school system into a true place of education.
The six period day is for no reason other than to cater to a meaningless test. The only reason the administration considers this to be a feasible option, is because their evaluations are linked to the ISAT's. They are not making the decision in the best interest of the children, they are making it in the best interest of themselves.
The board needs to wake up and put a stop to this. The community is watching and the board will be held accountable if our fine arts program is decimated.
The leadership complains that we don't have enough parental involvement. At the fine arts festival, thousands of our parents and community members came out. The arts are the main way we get parental involvement. Only a fool would suggest limiting it in any way.
The only people demanding a new board president are Christy Airds supporters. Rumor is she is rallying the troops. It is about her not education. Ms Johnson god speed. Leonard, Turza, and Gonzalez you are in our prays this weekend.
Our school board knows:
1)Our superintendent is incompetent
and
2)He is gone as soon as his contract is up
Why would they even consider any major change proposed by Jerome?
For those of you who don't remember, Jerome was Assistant Superintendent in charge of secondary and a month away from becoming the superintendent when the decision to remove Kaisershot was made. Most people knew that it was Jerome making that call and Radakovich taking the heat since he was leaving anyway.
Now Jerome wants to completely destroy all the fine arts programs in our district. When is this community going to stand up and demand better for our children. Enough is enough.
Our highest achieving students are in the arts programs. We should be madating arts education, not destroying our programs.
"Jerome was Assistant Superintendent in charge of secondary and a month away from becoming the superintendent when the decision to remove Kaisershot was made. Most people knew that it was Jerome making that call and Radakovich taking the heat since he was leaving anyway"
WRONG.
Jerome Roberts was not hired as D131 superintendent until at LEAST a year after Kevin Kaisershot was deprived of his high school teaching position. It was Radakovich who had brought in his Minooka crony, Rick Johnson, as EAHS athletic director (Roberts fired him a couple of years later). Radakovich had a proven record of getting rid of fine arts teachers in at least two previous districts, which is why many of us refer to him as "Serial Bully" Radakovich.
Could Dr. Roberts have done something to bring Kaisershot back to the high school? Maybe...but it's clear to most of us old-timers that Roberts was definitely NOT behind his removal.
But all this happened eight years ago, and everyone who was directly involved is now gone from our district. It is in the best interests of our students to rally around the current EAHS band director, Mr. Liska, and support our kids' ability to continue playing in the band through their high school years.
SPEAK OUT..."Oppose the 6!"
12:44, you are so far removed from what is happening in our community. Are you actually a part of it, or do you just reside here?
Most people in the community do not know who our administrators are. There are still a silent majority, those who did NOT vote for Johnson ( evidenced by her low total vote results) who do not want her as president. She has people who have NO vested interest in our community or our children. these board members have no independent thoughts and follow her like the pied pipers rats.
The community in EA and the schools know how she has killed the EA spirit, causing people to seek employment elsewhere and feeling defeated in trying to give our children a quality education.
You are probably one of the same people who attempted to throw Dr. Aird under the bus for the boards short comings. I am not a supporter of hers. I am a community activist who pays attention and sees and hears the need for change and help within the ranks to allow teachers to do their job with qualified leadership ASAP.
You can pray one weekend for a few, but our district needs many to pray daily for our students as long as Johnson is allowed to lead.
Have any of you looked at your scores or graduation rates? It should be more important no urgent that kids can read and actually graduate. Anyone thinking about ALL the students would realize this comes first. Instead they try to protect their own interests. Tell the hundreds of dropouts who can't read its OK since your kid got to play the flute in his and will probably never play out again. There are still other options for zero hour etc. What option does a kid have who can't read or drops out? When your patient is bleeding to death you don'tgive them a nose job. Get real EA is a very diverse ccommunity whose students need yo learn the basics so they can read and.graduate
Much money was spent to unseat Johnson by special interest groups that are part of the crony system. She still won not to mention the negative press of the district.
Our district does have hope, we need a end to he crony system and Johnson will bring that. One can only hope she and the entire board clean house and remove administrators like Roberts, Nestor, Glozbach and Aird.
She has the support of many good teachers who care about the district
As far as short coming why Ard was allowed to terrioize Principals that did back as she made a choice that did not seek input from others just shows what has been going on for years with he Curriculum.
I pray for Nnette and her leadership.
Looks like you need the basics 9:32
Some statements here can tell some community members do not know the law. It is not Johnson job to clean this up it is part of her job to hire a Superintendent to run the districts like almost all in the State of IL do and by the IL School Code. Then you have where she has committed fraud in how she pays her property taxes. You do have to put the blame on some of the administrators though they are too weak to report it to the State. Let's see what happens when the Kane County Tax Assessor sees how Johnson and her mother played the system.
Students spend over 17,000 hours in school through 12th grade and have gone through dozens of teachers. If a child has gone through all these years and can't read or write, it is by choice. They have chosen not to learn and they do not have the family structure to help them through school.
Another 100 hours in the classrom won't matter if we don't inspire and motivate the children. The arts do inspire and motivate. That is why study after study shows that students involved in the schools fine arts programs do far better than students who are not involved in school.
For those of you out there who still don't get it:
THE ARTS IMPROVE STUDENT TEST SCORES.
Take away the arts and test scores will drop.
9:32 a.m., why not have the kids who can't read use the "zero hour option" for tutoring? Why take away a class period from our brightest, most talented kids and deny them an opportunity to follow their passion?
If the new bell schedule is implemented, don't be surprised if some of our more involved, supportive families send their kids elsewhere.
I agree May 5, 2013 at 5:17 PM and 5:47 and we need change in this district and that means the whole board even the new ones.
So, 7:29, you want to get rid of the new board members before they have even had a chance to do anything? How open-minded. When are you running for board member?
Hey 9:32 am, maybe you should go back to school and learn how to construct a proper sentence. Look up the word "diverse" in the dictionary. When your community is 90% Hispanic you are far from diverse. Why are students who can't read old enough to drop out? Here's why, because the district continues to socially promote students and does not hold them accountable. These students go through middle school carrying GPA's under 1.0 and miraculously make it to the high school. These kids quickly become frustrated and lost. These feelings eventually explode into defiance. Within the first month of high school many of these students become discipline problems and they end up disrupting the entire education process. This cycle continues year after year after year. What is the solution? Simple...blame the teachers!
beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/19945234-418/east-aurora-school-board-re-elects-president.html
Looks like we have a 4-3 split on our new School Board.
Annette should send flowers and a thank-you note to Marin Gonzalez. If it weren't for Zach & Jacki Montroy's connection to Marin, a few more of us might have voted Zach in along with Kirsten and Lou. Then the balance would be 4-3 in the other direction.
10:51 am You did not do your part in voting regardless of Marin Gonzalez. Don't try to blame Zach, YOU DID NOT DO YOUR CIVIC DUTY
You people that didn't vote for Zach because he knew Marin are fools. Did you ever talk to him about it or did you just read this blog and believe what it says. At least Marin would be better than the Superintendent we have. The people with those thoughts have helped to stop change in this district.
Johnson had the term brought to one year to get rid of Weaver and now she wants to get it to two years because she must be afraid that things might change with the board and after next year she will get voted out.
Board do your one most important job and hire a Superintendent to run the district like the law says.
I wish is was 4 to 3 in the other direction.
To: May 7, 2013 at 6:10 AM
You've got to be kidding blaming the teachers for poor discipline and social promotions. That's entirely the administration.
Just look at Simmons. For years with just a couple of weeks left to school, Wilson Morales has an assembly for the hundreds of 8th grade students receiving 3 or more F's. He tells them they have to do their homework and make up for the 38 weeks of doing nothing. The teachers are then told they have to do whatever to get these kids passed.
They next go to the high school and wonder why they are failing.
The problem is the principals don't care if the children are being educated, they just want the numbers to look good. they screw with the PBIS numbers, they screw with the grades and some even know they screw with the ISAT numbers. They do whatever it takes to keep their jobs and bonuses coming.
The fact that students are supposedly functioning at an 8th grade level in 8th grade and a fifth grade level when they get to the high school should be a wake up call to somebody at Central Office.
"Marin would be better than the superintendent we have"
11:25 a.m., were you born yesterday or are you just clueless about the history of her record of treating D131 teachers & staff like crap?
I'd take a weak or ineffective superintendent over a bully any day!
It was evident in the crowd last night at the board meeting, people were moaning and complaining about Annette getting in as president again. I heard a few say, they could have at least showed good faith and let one of the others take a position rather than follow their orchestrated path to vote all Annette's followers in. To me that just showed all 4 have no intention to try and make any new positive change for the future. Annette sat and regurgitated her spiel on the IMAGE campaign. Wake up, Annette, the image will not change until their is measurable change in the education of our children. You have wasted 4 years with your empty attempts. Let the educators lead the way on education for our students!
Go Annette!!!!
The image of our district will not be improved if the new proposed bell schedule goes into effect. Instead, many of our best & brightest students will go to high school somewhere that allows them to continue to participate in fine arts, advanced placement, or technical skills classes during the school day for credit.
To11:56 am, that's called sarcasm. Any moron that thought I really meant that blaming the teachers was an actual solution has some deep issues.
I have to agree a district is suppose to educated our children and while image is good it doesn't mean anything if our one most important thing is giving our students the best we can give and that is a good education. From reading what Johnson has said she is more focused on financials then the one thing a district should do is to educate our children. Also it is not the president of the board that should be running a district it is the superintendents job and it seems the four members of this board seems to think that it is the Johnson's job. she may have a MBA but what does that have to do with education?
I was born yesterday. You didn't even wish me a Happy belated birthday. Shane on you.
Not sure how Annette gets support from teachers. Lets see how many walk up to Bigfoot at red and black and shake her hand and say thank you. Zero.
Central news has it that Glotzbach is going to be principal of EA, Garcia AD, Curriculum is going to be Warren, and freshman principal is going to be Crystal England from Cowherd. Annette is running the show.
And "shane" on you, too, 9:37 p.m.!
;)
Just watched the 10:00 news and saw the bullying story. Where is Christie Aird? Why isn't she fighting for the rights of these two girls? Oh that's right, they're not gay. D131 ships these girls off to another school instead of dealing with the bullies. Who fights for these kids. Their parents did the right thing, they got a lawyer.
to May 7th 9:44. Where are you getting your info from. I dont believe none of what your saying. why would Glotzbach and England want those headaches? stop spreading false rumors. I'll believe it when it comes from the horses mouth. that's just too much info to take.
10:32- the district has done this for longer than you have been paying attention and Dr. Aird is not rsponsible for any of this, final say gets board approval. I am not supporting Aird, just stating the facts.
What news station I would like to see if they have a re play I can watch. Good for the parents sticking up for there kids.
10:32 PM I am not a Christie Aird supporter HOWEVER your comment is very inappropriate even for a mind like yours. Cheap shots is what you enjoy to make yourself feel better about your inadequacies.
They didn't interview Glotzbach. T6hey interviewed outside candidates. Glotzbach would be a poor fit for the principal's job.
It seems the rumors are true. They did move everyone around. Hr position is posted online and so are the other jobs. When a school is truly looking for a candidate they don't have an end date. EA end date for administrator roles are only 10 days. Meaning they already know who they want for the job. There will not be change in EA just reshuffling the deck with the same players.
My kid goes to East and he would prefer the revised bell schedule.
8:15 I did not say Christie was responsible for the situation. I said where is her support for these girls? Pay attention! Notice how quickly the non-Christie supporters (8:15 and 10:32)responded to that comment. 10:32, while you were not supporting Christie you called me inappropriate and inadequate, then made some inane remark about my mind that made no sense.I stated a fact. She was right there to support the gay/transgender students, even going so far as to write new policy, but is silent in her support of these girls. FACT! You two get really testy when anyone says something about Christie. What would you do if you were her supporters? Minions, LOL
The minutes from the April 15th meeting are now online.
3:22 I am 8:15. I am saying Christie does not decide what policy to write and bring it up when she thinks it is time. Even more so now that she was put under the bus for the boards inefficiences, she has been silenced in her support for students,as her punishment.
I get "testy" when anyone is targeted unjustly. This minion would even defend you! xo
8:35 My goodness you're a Christie Aird expert and champion. You don't have to worry about defending me, I can take care of myself. xoff
Would it be surprising if the Glotzbach and Nestor rumor was true. They realize Nestor's position is a waste and that just like B&G he doesn't have a clue. The AD job would be safer. Maybe he can revisit the early morning swim with some young girl. He'll be close to the pool and locker rooms once again. How much for this job? Thanks Annette and Jerome for keeping Nestor safe and employed even though he was rooting for Montroy and Strand when he thought (like everyone else) that you two would be out the door. Apparently no one wants to be principal at East. Who would want to deal with these people. Joan if this is true good luck! The high school is on life support as of now. My gosh we need to get the parents informed and get the teachers together grab the pitch forks and torches and run these people out of town. What an embarrassing debacle. Someone mentioned shaking hands at red and black day, how about if no one showed up. That would be a message sent.
The East Aurora School District needs to be desegregated. It would benefit all of Aurora if that was the case. Unfortunately people cannot see this and think its just an east side problem. This is where a strong leader in the City would help make this happen. Too bad we do not have one.
Joan Glotzbach's position is now posted on the district web site. Apparently, there is some truth to the rumors.
That job position is NOT Glotzbach's job. It is the position vacated a few months ago by Ms. Gentile only the position has been beefed up a little. Glotzbach is Super of HR
maybe someone should ask questions before spreading false rumor.
Joan took three positions in her department and consolidated to one a Director job. She saved $16,500 and upgraded her department a thank you in order. Maybe everyone needs to ask questions
Glotzbach's job is not posted on the website. She is the Assistant Sup. for HR. The job posted is for a Director that reports to the Assistant Sup. Look and see for yourself. http://www.applitrack.com/d131/onlineapp/jobpostings/view.asp?category=Administration
Actually there are two jobs posted and one is Joan's. Look a little closer.
Hey, we're on the Chicago news:
chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/05/07/feds-investigating-east-aurora-schools-for-racial-bullying/#.UYwPd_eet9x.facebook
Neither job is Joan's. One is a director that reports to Joan and the other is a co-ordinator that also reports to Joan. Face it she ain't moving anytime soon!
You are right. Glotzbachs job is not up. it was the way they printed it. She Is the reporting supervisor. Whew!!! Please dont send Barrazza to the Middle school, that is not his passion and forte. He has no love for it, the student's/ teachers, and especially not the Fine Arts. Too Cold, Like a fish!, If it were up to him there would be no Fine Arts, he doesn't get it. What a shame to be so educated, yet so culturally deprived. "What good is life; if you don't know how to live it?," All rumors aside "How does the city and teacher's welcome our Board Pres. on Red and Black Day next week? With boos and hisses? I wouldn't even want to go to that podium, ps.. and please, please dont keep us there all day and feed us those NASTY SANDWICHES FROM SODEXCO made 2 days before. Are you kidding me? WE will go out before we eat that!! So Admin. plan lunch out time!!!!!
Why not have Warren as principal of East? Oh yeah...thats right...how could she when she has never even been an assistant principal? Why does she have a director job with no admin experience??
Who is going to be the new principal next year at East? Might be a good idea to get one now. No one wants the job. It will be an interim. What percentage of the staff is leaving yet again? District 131 at its worst in 50 years. Have fun Warren on putting together an entirely new administration at EA. Be ready to take the fall when it goes South which it will.
And eating hot dogs makes you feel better about yourself loser
It is absolutely amazing to me, just how many layers of administration we are creating and what it is costing the tax payers. 10 years ago when we had a teacher turnover rate much higher than we have today, John Struck did the entire job with one secretary.
Now look at what we have:
$157,617 Administration/Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
$106,000 Administration/Director for Human Resources
$66,900 Administration/HR Coordinator for Classified Staff
$330,517 total just for these three administrators.
In addition, they have a whole building full of highly paid secretaries (Many of whom get paid significantly more than the teachers are paid).
What exactly are we getting for all our taxpayer dollars? Does it really take over half a million dollars a year just to hire some teachers and janitors?
Does anybody in this community really have any doubts where the disfunction is the school district lies?
May 8, 2013 at 9:53 PM - you are very witty, "xoff" I like that.
10:23 pm Very well researched and spoken. gives us somethng to think about.
We have a new principal for east and he wants the job. Nester is moving on to a new job at east.
It was channel 2 that this was on. The lawyer is doing it pro-bono. Makes one wonder why the sent the girls to Simmons since they like to pull down students underwear.
Saw d131 is looking for a Buildings and Grounds Supervisor. It was in the Beacon.
Saw this on Facebook:
Tomorrow is the Annual East Aurora Elementary Boys Soccer Tournament. This event is a collaborative effort with Triple Threat Mentoring. Join us at EAHS at 9:00!
Some GOOD news, from today's Beacon:
beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/20031956-418/east-aurora-students-make-gains-on-annual-english-proficiency-test.html
Most the dropouts do so by choice. Why should we punish the thousands of grest kids in the district just to support the few that are too lazy and lack the dedication to their own lives. By reducing option a handful of these kids may and i stress the may, graduate but at the expense of hundreds of kids loosing higher level classes that help their college prospects. Adjusting our expectation to suppprt the worst in our school diesnt help anyone.
The changes in the Bilingual program are due to Ms Childress pushing for the children and allowing reading classes in English. It is part of the change the Board always talks about. I think many positive things are on the horizon. Dr Aird and Dr Gonzalez are dinosaurs that needed to be put to pasture. The past Board had that courage lets hope Strand, Hull and Peryea stay out of the way and allow positive change.
I think Strand, Hull and Peryea stay out of the way and allow positive change. Give them a chance at least I know they will follow the law. Strand and Peryea wasn't on the board when Childress started the new program so how do you know how they would of voted.
From this morning's Beacon, a tribute to recently passed away former EAHS band director G. Edward Nelson:
beaconnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/19999491-423/how-a-former-marine-marched-in-to-fix-east-aurora-band.html
5:57 the changes haven’t taken into consideration these children’s rich background. I, as a sheltered teacher feel that this model is truly and unfortunately subtracting my students’ ethnicity. Dr. Aird wanted to offer a dual language model many years ago and the Board did not approve it…talk about being progressive 8 years ago. Sadly, our children will be just like Mrs. Reyes Childress, formerly the head of our bilingual program, coming from a Mexican family and not able to speak a word of Spanish. And you think we are doing the right thing? You might want to think again. Is this the way to prepare our children for a global economy by disconnecting them more from their heritage, by making them feel ashamed of their roots? How about hiring effective bilingual and bicultural teachers for our children and effective bilingual and bicultural administrators for our parents and community and offer a dual language program for all our students, just like 203 and Schaumburg? Then we will be talking about being progressive, not narrow minded.
There ia norhing wrong with any student speaking their native language, but please remember that their are other students from different countries and they would like to speak their language also. Children in school should speak the language of the country they are in. If the parents do not keep up their native language at home that is the fault of the parents, not the schools.
May 12, 2013 at 5:48 PM
Amen!!!!! You took the words out of my mouth!
Others have debated this:
http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-foreign-language-courses-be-added-to-the-u-s-elementary-curriculum
May 12, 2013 there are many things going on all year long for the particular ethnic group you are referring to. If anyone in this particulare group cannot keep up with their heritage it is not the school's fault. What about the other ethnic groups and their heritages? Where is the monies going to come from for what you are suggesting. Dual langauge does not refer to English and Spanish tho many think so. There are many languages that could be taught. Let us be fair across the board. NO one is trying to make them feel ashamed about their ethnic roots. In fact the 2 girls that had to be removed from the schools they were going to due to their ethnic background are supposedly being bullied by this very same ethnic group being referred to. Let us all be fair to all the students and see that they all get a good education-everyone of them no matter what ethnic group they come from. We are all the same in the eyes of the Creator.
May 12, 2013 at 5:48 PM one or more generations ago, when immigrnts came to the USA, such as my gandparents of European roots, they were coming to the land of oppotunities. They were excited and grateful to be here. Many wanted their children to be "American." That meant speaking English. My Aunts and Uncles were not taught the native tongue of their parents, regrettfully. Many Hispanics I went to school with in the 60's did not speak spanish. Like my grandparents, their parents wanted their children to become Americans. That doesn't mean they are ashamed or have forgotten where they came from, they just felt this new country had more to offer their children and wanted them to acclimate to the fullest.
I am not saying this is the best scenario, but it is how it was.
Now we are seeing the reverse. Many(not all) who arrive in the US, have a feeling of entitlement. Our schools, businesses and government should offer to cater to their needs for communication. Not Hindu or Chinese or German or Swahili but Spanish. I would have liked dual language classes for my children, but not necessarily Spanish. What is truly the best case?? I don't know, but I don't see change coming soon to EA. Our district cannot even get our students to meet standards let alone exceed with new additional class work.
The EAHS Spring Choral Concert is TONIGHT, at 7:00 p.m.!
Come and listen to a wide variety of choral music, directed by Ms. Lisa Gawlik and accompanied by Mrs. Nancy Tabb.
Support our hard-working, talented students!
The immigrants coming to this country are only here because our businesses want them for cheap, exploitable labor. That is the ugly truth. They would not come here if the welcome mat wasn't being put out for them. Before Reagan, we fined businesses who hired non-citizens, but now it's (un)official business policy. I don't think we should blame the people who come here because there are jobs here to be had. I also don't think we should blame them for being less than enthusiastic about America. They are being exploited for their labor and they can't complain about any way that they're treated for fear of deportation. Not exactly the same atmosphere that immigrants had in the 60's. Times have changed.
Thanks, to the,comment of the Reyes Childress family .
you seem to know more about my family than I do .LOL!
Someone really needs to look into Simmon's Adm. Morales & Patterson are a team she has no actual time to come in when she does come in she spends her time in Wilson's office doing nothing.Mean while Wilson plays on his camera's instead of doing his work.SSC should really do surprise visits bet you would catch them. They only cover for each other!!!!
Joan G. really has her head up her butt WOW she is something b\very rude not professional at all.Jerome seems to be on a short leash cause you never see him visiting any buildings Annette trained him well. Wonder why the MORALE is so bad @ D131 just look around you idiots of Administrators!
I went to school in the 60's with hispanics that are still my friends. Spanish was spoken in their home and even tho I might not have understood the language, I understood what was being conveyed. My friends was encouraged by their parents to learn the language, but at home spanish was what was spoken. Also, the parents kept up the Spaninsh traditions. Parent now speaks English, but at her home Spanish still is what is spoken. Their father is no longer with us. To this day I respect them and their traditions as they respect the traditions of this country. Yes, they are legal and did it the right way.
Wilson Morales is the biggest tool in the district! He is as dumb as a box of rocks! Really, try having a convo with him. He's an idiot! He looks even more like a tool, when he's with his wife, Lisa. He holds onto her hand so everybody knows he's with her.
Is Annette Johnson playing Center for the Bulls tonight or Goalie for the Blackhawks?
Wilson Morales is the best administrator in the district, and should be the next principal of East Aurora.
I don't think so !
5:41 PM ...Put down that crack pipe!
My community is catered to for the sake of business. We live in a capitalistic society which is driven by money; follow the money. McDonalds and others want the Hispanic dollars so they put their menu in Spanish. Hispanic grocery stores don't bother to put their signs in English because Americans are not our target market. Hispanics are the largest ethic group in the country. When you have the economic spending power we have businesses and everyone else better acknowledge our needs. We provide a work force for all sectors of business. The hospitality and service industry will come to a halt if we go on strike for just one day. Once my entire community recognizes the economic power we possess and begin to register to vote things are going to change a lot more. BTW the "heartland" was purchased from King Louie but the western portion of America was taken by force from Mexico. We are taking our country back slowly but surely while you are stuck watching the Muslims. HahHa
Go ahead force us to speak the language that will help expedite our peaceful and quite reclamation project. Its a good thing Europeans know what is best for us; thanks again.
5:41 That's funny, Lisa.
Looks like it's official...the new 6-period bell schedule will go into effect this fall. What a disservice to our best & brightest high school students!
Parents, it's not too late to investigate other options. Area Catholic and Christian high schools may still have openings for the fall. Some families homeschool their kids and bring them to East High for extra-curriculars (band, sports, etc.) Or late spring & early summer is a great time to move into a school district that supports your child's opportunity to pursue their interests and passions!
How do you know.
Going to a six period day will destroy East Aurora's fine arts program. The community has been very clear that they don't want this. If the board ignores the community and goes forward with this ridiculous plan, it will be remembered at the next couple of board elections. Make this decision at your own peril.
I am happy that the new bell schedule passed! I know our kids need access to electives, but I'd rather they were not "jacks of all trades, masters of none," based on most anti-new schedule arguments. Exploring interests happens in grade & middle school, and you start to hone in as the years wear on. Furthermore, you can use your non-school time to pursue interest. I was both an instrumentalist and vocalist when I left middle school, but when I came to HS, I had to choose due to the block scheduling my HS had. I appreciate the fact that I was made to focus on one- I ended up getting a scholarship for said focus.
The following is an excerpt from the proposed Board of Education Policy Manual, presented at yesterday's special board meeting:
"Members of the Board of Education should be free from commitment to any special group, interest, or pressure. Furthermore, it is suggested that the best
interests of the school district
are generally served if no member of a Board member's immediate family is regularly
employed by the school district"
Hmmmm...
What a wrong move the board has made
why??????
six bell does not make any sense
To 5/16 9;50 am. I am so disheartened that you would say that. what's the point of having Band. Music, and Drama in middle schools, develop children who discover those talents, and then don't have the classes in EA to refine them. I have student's who want to go into Drama, for their life career because I worked my ass off to cultivate their talents. and they know that it's their calling; and they are academians as well. Our students need every opportunity that is given them to succeed, but thats okay I will talk to those students and tell them to pursue their dreams no matter what EA offers. so now I know they have no opportunity to pursue their life's choice thanks to the lovely supporters of this Hot Mess.
I Love Red and Black Day, or at least I used to. Tomorrow is a joke. We have to be there all day to do BS workshops on stuff that should have been done in the beginning or middle of the year. Gang Awareness, Classroom Mgmt and Stress Mgmt.? It's the end of the year ! Too late for that, who cares now! Are you kidding me? Once again who is running this Comedy of Errors? The best way to deal with stress mgmt is not to do this! that would solve that. LOL! and let's not even talk about parking, handicap parking, something you all never consider. If I have to walk a mile to get to the doors, you all can forget me! this is such a waste of time and money, Oh let's not forget about the gourmet bologna and cheese sandwiches, stinky oiled tuna and wilted lettuce. If you think we are this stupid Think again. We're not.SPEAK OUT TEACHERS! SHOUT OUT! This is not how you bring a District together! What a slap in the face.Team Building? Seriously? The year is over, the only team were building is our own family's. Put a fork in it it's done! OMG!
Get a clue Central. yes we desperately need leadership. And you wonder why we are considered "ghetto" cause we are!!!!!!!! We're not even "Ghetto Fabulous"!!!!!!! Pull UP! EA
Children today who come here from Africa dont speak Swahili LOL! that was a kwasi- white man made up language from the 60's/ 70's. Like the American practice of Kwanza. get your facts straight before you post. But I get your point! and i agree with you all the way!!!!
I cannot believe that the high school has made this choice. The Fine Arts is the best thing going at East. Mark my words this is a closer move toward privitization and having private republican companies come in and plop kids down in front of computers, collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars, manipulating scores. The total aim is to get rid of teachers. Note that Heather Kinkaid spearheaded this for us, and is leaving for St. Charles. Thanks Heather!! getting rid of creativity is in our kids best interests!!
7:08 I am not sure who your comment was directed, but I have to LOL at your "facts." You are correct about kwanza. It is not celebrated in Africa or by Africans. My daughter- in- law is from Kenya and they do, in fact, speak Swahili.
To may 16 9:51 I stand corrected on the Swahili comment. I apologize to those who speak Swahili. I just remember it being the only language that people thought people from Africa spoke Some of our African students come from Liberia, Ghana, Ivory Coast they speak French and other tongues, but whatever thanks for the correction.
I think Eddie Murphy in Coming to America spoke Swahili.
I know for a fact our enrollment will suffer because many kids come just for these classes instead of the dry boring "worksheet-only" punishment served up every day in all of their other classes.
No decision is ever one persons decision in D 131. If you think that was Heather's decision, then you need to go go college for another 4 years. Kincaid has a supervisor named Christine Warren. Obvious why Heather is leaving.
You need that mile walk to the door. Probably the only exercise you get all year.
Give them some Johnny Depp movies and call it a day.
There will always be plenty of paste and scissors.
The largest minority ethnic group in America is Asians not Hispanics. We may also have to take Mexico by force to since the citizens and politicians of that country think its ok to kidnap, murder, and have shootouts when people are on vacation.
Worst the kids sounded in years.
The law says a board member can have a member of the family work for the district. Remember when a board member votes for a teachers contract they are voting for the whole. It is only when a contract or vote about a single employee there is a conflict of interest. Doesn't this board have more things to worry about like grades.
7:04am, no problem. A little added info, many people also have a "tribal" language they speak. So they are actually raised tri-lingual. It has been communicated to me that it is a privilege to attend school at a higher level( this being high school). Some who are afforded the opportunity, go away to a boarding type school. They are given meager meals and living conditions are nothing to brag about, but they are very appreciative for the educational opportunity.
Many of the stories shared made me feel so selfish and greedy, along with wasteful for all we receive or have available to us in the USA, yet we don't take advantage or complain we are not given more.
http://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/populations/REMP/hispanic.html
According to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates as of July 1, 2011, there are roughly 52.0 million Hispanics living in the United States, representing approximately 16.7% of the U.S. total population, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or race minority
Its a good thing you know whats best for us, Einstein. To my point; keep focusing on the Asians of whom many Muslims are a part of.
Adam Harding did a great job today at Red and Black. Congrats to Crystal England for the team building exercise, and Eric Curtis from Simmons Middle School on their performance, and The Noodle Company on Farnsworth provided a fabulous lunch for those of us who went and indulged. Can't wait till next school year. EEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
May 17, 2013 at 5:57 PM
What are you smoking. Adam Harding was the most lame MC we have ever had. Those ridiculous Haiku's were torture.
Robert's was as good as a sleeping pill just like always. We got to listen to the same old story about how the State keeps cutting funds. His story about how we are holes through which the wind blows was just way out of left field. I guess that was his way of calling everybody a bunch of E "A holes".
The only real highlight was the Jazz Band. The Jazz Band did an excellent job.
8:22 p.m., you mentioned the Jazz Band. Too bad the new 6-period schedule will probably prevent half those talented kids from being in Jazz Band next year. They will be in regular band (marching), so they can get a PE waiver.
And the effect on our choir kids will be worse, since they don't have the option of a PE waiver (although they should...as a singer I can tell you that singing is definitely an athletic activity that involves a lot of physical coordination & breath control).
Such a disservice to our talented EAHS students!
Actually neither choir OR band should get a PE waiver. All 3 of my kids had a PE waiver all thru school, and the only one physically fit was the one who's waiver was because of NJROTC because they did physical training. The others didn't get fit until after they graduated high school.
I would like to say that the news clip on the two young girls who were bullied was sad in many ways. I know we are working hard at Cowherd to educate our kids on the horrors of bullying. We are seeing some great things. Students are writing about how they once bullied but don't anymore. Students are telling teachers about a fight that is planned. I feel fortunate to be in a district that realizes we have hurdles but there are many people who are taking jumping lessons to get over the hurdles. If we look at the glass as half full, we will see some of our own kids walking us around the halls as part of the ROTC group.
8:22 a.m., your kids all had the 7-class schedule at East High. This fall our students will not have that extra class period to fit in an elective. I do agree that being physically fit is important, but kids can go to the gym, play a sport, or participate in a park district program outside of school hours. There are not as many options outside of the school setting for jazz band, choir, art, or drama as there are for PE/sports.
I highly doubt that any kid at East is fit due to our physical education courses. They suck.
My question is what is going to happen to the teachers because of the change in the bell schedule? Will the fine arts teachers still be employed at East?
I'm friends with one of the EAHS fine arts teachers, and I can tell you that they're not very concerned about whether they will keep their jobs (they're all tenured teachers). Administration has been asking them "what other areas are you certified to teach"--if they're not certified in another area they would cover a study hall.
What they ARE concerned about, however, is whether students will be forced to drop out of activities like choir, band, or drama simply because administration decided to override the 700+ students who clearly expressed (through signing a petition) that they opposed the 6-period bell schedule.
1:12 you're overlooking the fact that numerous studies have shown that a period of physical activity (i.e. PE) DURING THE SCHOOL DAY improves academic performance. Yes, little Johnny does better in math after taking PE. You don't get the same benefit from sports or other activities after school. You also get improved academic performance after taking music classes. That's why the 6 period day is an educationally very UNsound move. It WILL harm our kids, and no doubt will be eventually overturned.
People need to realize why they did the bell schedule change. had nothing to do with fine arts or more class time. It simply allows more students in large study halls for a longer period of time. This will not improve test scores but it does allow the district to cram more students into less classes. This was a poorly informed decision by the board to push a building issue down the road at the expense of the students.
The board has not learned the lessons of the past. In the 1980's, the district cut programs because of financial concerns. They restored programs within a year or so but the programs suffered a serious blow. Some programs have still not recovered. Just look at our football program.
Educational programs are easy to destroy and very hard to rebuild. I fear that by the time the school board realizes what a poor decision they are making, it will be too late.
The programs will have to rebuild from scratch and our best families will have found other schools in which to send their children. Our best will be gone and even those who stay will drop out at record levels because there is nothing at school to inspire and motivate them.
Research has proven that drop out rates increase when options are reduced or eliminated. How can this school board be so blind?
I disagree, 7:10. I think the board was completely informed and still made the wrong choice. Which makes it worse.
They suck because we have fat lazy inactive kids that learn it from home.
2011 was Two year ago Einstein. Look at the current numbers in 2013.
"Tribal" language. What the help are you talking about? The Hopi tribe? Get real.
Are you an expert on African studies?
Because I watched G.I. Joe and knowing is half the battle.
What happened to Hope 165 that Annette promised the district? Transparency? Where's it at?
Central Office News has it that Christine Warren met with Randy Ellison about the principal job at East Aurora.
No. no they will not. Their names will be put into a national lottery to teach at other schools in America.
For the person(s) questioning African studies and tribal languages, I am not an expert, but I take time to listen to people. Speak with people, we have more than just Mexican immigrants in Aurora. There are lots of interesting facts about our world if you quit fearing your neighbors and chat with them.
Google tribal languages. Again, don't be so narrow minded, educate yourself. Native Americans are not the only tribes of the world. Better yet volunteer at the world relief organization. You'd be amazed at how many people are immigrating here from places all over the world for a better life.
11:58 p.m.-- you are clueless, ignorant, and/or a moron if you really think that teachers' names "will be put into a national lottery to teach at other schools in America".
You sound like an Art Teacher due to the lack of the construction of your paragraph and weak vocabulary used.
People immigrating to America? I wasn't aware of this. When did this begin?
We have no Board. We have Annette. It will be rescinded.
I can't believe the district would even consider bringing Randy Ellison back to our district. If they do bring him back, it would be a strong indication of what direction the district wants to take at the high school.
When Ellison was at Simmons, the first thing he stated to the staff was "It's my way or the highway". There was absolutely no collaboration with the staff. It was one mandate after another with Ellison bullying and harassing the staff. Nothing improved.
In addition, Ellison robbed every account in the building. There was a big battle over the sports account. Over $10,000 was taken by Ellison. This was money raised over years from concession sales, pop machines and fund raisers and was intended for the sports programs. Nowadays, teams at Simmons play in T-Shirts the children have to buy because they don’t have uniforms. When the long time athletic director protested, he was removed and eventually transferred to another district building. That's how we ended up with Jessie Barraza as AD. He was a first year teacher and Ellison's "Yes" man. It wasn't just sports, every team saw their budgets raided.
The man would literally yell at staff members in front of other staff and even students. He was completely unprofessional. I personally witnessed one where Ellison was screaming at a bilingual teacher. Ellison had been placing multiple levels of students in his classroom. The teacher first tried to speak to Ellison, of course an absolute waste of time. The teacher then went to central office. The superintendent had then gone to Ellison and told him to rectify the situation. Even when Ellison was completely in the wrong, that didn't stop him from intimidating his staff.
He would make off the wall comments like “I believe about 80% of the staff are worth a damn, the other 20% I’d like to stick in a barrel. Then I’d like to blow up the barrel”. If a teacher made a comment like that they’d be fired on the spot.
When Ellison left, no one was sorry. Just about the time the district was trying to get rid of him, he had an accident. He claimed that he slipped and fell on some ice outside the Service Center and filed a lawsuit against the district. It was convenient as Ellison already had a bad back from his years in sports. The district had to pay for all those expenses. Bringing Ellison back would be a catastrophe.
Where is it shown that they are changing the bell schedule. I know it was talked about and a committee formed, but I don't see anything on the board agenda that it is being voted on?
9:18 a.m., the new bell schedule is a "done deal". I know because I'm good friends with one of the EAHS fine arts teachers, and I heard it directly from that person (who has been asked by administration "what else are you certified to teach?").
Thanks to sources like this blog, things can't be kept under wraps until certain people in administration decide the public deserves to know.
Special Board of Education meeting this Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. Here's the agenda:
I.
Roll Call
II.
Discussion on the Board Committee Structure
III.
Discussion on the Superintendent Search Process
IV.
PUBLIC COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
V.
Adjournment
When Ellison said my way or the highway, did he recommend I88 or 294?
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