Popp and Crespo are responsible a large lawsuit that is getting filed. The board should understand if they are not removed more will be coming our rights and safety have been violated. We do not want to take money away from students but Crespo needs to get sent a message.
The only lawsuit that conceivably should be filed is against the teachers and staff who are in Ralph's merry band of nitwits who do and say nothing to those in charge about all the scandals and corrupt activities that the teachers, maintenance workers and staff are involved in. It is sad that this incompetence has been allowed to go for as long as it has. But if the route of a lawsuit is what is needed to put Ralph and his thugs away, so be it. The rights and safety of our whole district community are being violated every day by these nitwits. You really wonder how many of them live in our district. Their acts are beyond reprehensible.
To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131 May 18, 2016 From: Ralph Padron Subject: Discrepancies in Alexander Di Mare’s application (Part 1) EA Dist 131 & North Chicago Dist 187 (documents obtained via FOIA)
Upon review of Mr DiMare’s application as Director of Bldg & Grounds with his application from North Chicago Dist 187, questions arise concerning many an area. (See attachments)
Dist 187 Dist 131 Date Company 1980 – 2011 Hammer Nail Construction Wilton Industries 31yrs ( 2 different companies with different addresses are both residences )
1979 – 2006 Glenwood Police Dept 27 years Deputy Chief of Police
Glenwood has a population approximately 9,000 His EA 131 application states he managed 30 sworn officers 15 non sworn officers 35 support staff This is a very very large police force for such a small community.
Comments Comparing his applications Alex states he worked 2 full time jobs simultaneously for 30 years More detailed summary to follow on his work history.
Matt please do your job and stop writing about teachers and staff. Please send your time getting your resume ready. The staff at SSC has heard Dr Popps comments about us. He stated in a loud voice for everyone to hear that if teachers at Waldo weighed less maybe they would not be such big targets for students. Then he said just joking. That is not a joke when someone is injured. Dr Popp has shown his lack of ethics, skill, and leadership.
Large lawsuit coming involving Crespo they will have no other choice but to fire him.
Also, if the group is so qualified why have they not found jobs. Oh that's because nobody will hire Popp, Glozii the nazi, Thuckenbrod, Handley, Waddell, and Crespo.
This blog will always be a permanent record of their reign of terror.
Finally, the end of another idiotic year at district 131. Hopefully between the end of this year and the start of next school year we can fire over two thirds of all the teachers. Fire all the maintenance staff and outsource the janitorial services. Fire half of the staff an get rid of a couple administrators. Then we can actually build a team of professionals that want to get district 131 out of the dark ages. It would be the start of making 131 great again!!! Just think of it....teachers actually teaching, staff and administrators being appreciated for standing against political correctness. Students actually learning and those that are disruptive sent packing to the nearest youth detention facility never to return. Ralph would not have his merry band of nitwits as they would be gone, so things could actually get accomplished just like other districts and he would have to go and play by himself. And this blog would be responsible for the turnaround as it does document the permanent record of insane stupidity of the teachers, staff and maintenance workers. So pat yourselves on the back for bringing the asinine behavior of the rank and file to the light of day!!!!!
EA is in the best place possible. I am very happy with our meeting with Dr Hoyda she has experience and knowledge in curriculum. We are happy to have her and we have not had such an experienced grounded leader in years. I can't wait to meet Dr McDonald he has had rave reviews with friends at d129. Thanks BOE for getting it right and looking forward for their new leadership.
They finally got it right! I am hoping they will keep them at least three years. Hoyda is already making a impact in Curiculum very professional. She is certainly a women of few words but we have learned more from her than the last five years of administration.
It is good to see people coming into to the district with years of experience and that is something that has been lacking. They need to get involved in hiring. We have had a history of attracting administration with no experience that had always been afraid to hire experienced people that had more qualifications. These people came in with a agenda to resume build one pet project after another. They changed direction on teachers daily. Who in our district had experience ; look at Popp a 204 cast off. Glad to see four board who are willing to take criticism by a small few but make the right changes. I am retired now but wish I could be apart of the positive changes coming.
Date: May 20, 2016 To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131 From: Ralph Padron Subject: Compare the Facts High School Principal Anthony Crespo Questionable Hiring
Please review the attached documents gathered via FOIA & ISBE website Again the facts raise serious questions/concerns on another questionable hiring by Superintendent Michael Popp.
Crespo has ONLY AN ADMINISTRATIVE DEGREE In 2014 he applied for several positions at EA to no avail YET in 2015 he is hired with ZERO experience as a principal adding to that East High has a very large staff & enrollment Crespo has NO TEACHING DEGREE resulting in not understanding the concerns And problems on a daily basis of the teachers and staff at East High Simply he has no experience “walking in their shoes” resulting in an atmosphere of a non-experienced Principal being allowed to lead a very difficult scenario resulting in CHAOS How many truly dedicated staff have left and continue to leave as a result of his lack of leadership.
Compare his credentials with those Principals A Former East High Spencer Byrd & Sheila Conrad B current Middle & Elementary principals Mechelle Patterson & Noah Little
1 NOT EVEN CLOSE, yet Mike Popp does the unthinkable- 2 Hires Crespo for $ 11.5 K more than advertised 3 Totally disregards the lack of Teaching Degree’s and Experience 4 Ignores he could not even be hired as an Asst Principal at 131
Did anyone notice his application stated 3 yrs experience as Principal
I ask this Board of Education to please review the documents and judge for yourself that Superintendent Mike Popp has been guilty of hiring unqualified administrators resulting in lowering the education standards at East Aurora.
Old timer you can be a part of the changes. If you are retired and live in the district....run for the board. If not, there are still volunteer areas in our schools helping teachers and the students or sub positions, if you are a teacher. You can still be a part or help create positive change thru being a helping hand.
An international business degree from ramapo college does not qualify someone to be principal!!!
Mr. "All in" couldn't even show up to the sports boosters picnic tonight. Guess he doesn't care about sports. Speaking of which when is he going to have football coach interviews since he has a hard on for Becker. No interviews set up and sports camps start in 2 weeks. If I were football coaches I wouldn't do anything until they know who the head coach is.
Crespo has now pulled all students who are failing all or a majority of their classes and sends them to the in school room to get an online credit business class. Guess the international businessman wants kids to go into his field. A half credit in a dumbed down business online class that some kids are finishing in 2 days is really going to help them!
We are now down 2 counselors and a dean......who's next to leave due to crespos incompetence?!?
continue to send emails on Friday night and over the weekend. How often must we get email alerts on our phones hearing from Popp, Crespo, Waddell.....the professionalism of sending emails to staff on Friday night at 9pm??? I'll be sure to stop what I am doing and sign up on my learning plan on a Friday night Sarah. If it is something important, shouldn't you send it out during the school day? It is embarrassing that these administrators continue to be unprofessional and are still employed.
Crespo. Popp, Waddell, Thuckenbrod, Glotzbach, Hanley, Tyler are all looking for jobs. If they are so qualified why are they not getting hired. Gee is it because they are so under qualified that nobody will hire them. You go Ralph exposing the garbage. Thanks BOE for getting rid of most of them. If they did not have the Laesch chaos machine they probably would have gotten all the trash cleaned up.
To inexperienced administrators: No, you don't have to stop what you're doing. All it means is that the sender was working on something at that time, and got it sent out. Just because they sent it and you received it then doesn't mean you have to respond then. I often will send out an e-mail that I don't expect a response to right then. I've just sent it off, and figure the other person will respond when they get to it. If it's something that needs an immediate response, I'll send a text message.
I'm grateful for getting these emails -- rather get them Friday than Sunday night when I'm trying to get ready for the work week! There's no professionalism about sending emails; it's still up to you to answer them or not.
It clear to the staff Dr Popp is attempting to paint Crespo and Himself as the victim. The way our students are used in this article by Crespo and Popp are racist. Blame it on busing as to why Crespo failed. It is interesting that he quotes Byrd's graduation rates as improving. We can see Hanley was working well into the night to repair Popp's imagine. Oh is is tried, yes Dr Popp we are tried of you. Why not tell the Daily Herald you took money away from students and gave it to your 204 pals. Now the qualified group of nitwits can't find a job. Whats the problem Dr Popp now you have to advertise yourself as a saint. Wow, just leave us alone and take Crespo the racist with you.
To Duh: Yes the seniors just graduated. They know the current numbers and they are far lower than last year. As usual, if the news is bad, you will wait a long time to hear about it.
No, the seniors have not graduated. They graduate Friday, May 27 at NIU and grades are not officially due for seniors until 10:00 am today, May 23. They might have some prilimary numbers but no, they do not have the official number of graduates.
You are wrong, and have no idea what you are talking about.
What 200 kids not graduating according to the Daily Herald (Crespo) should be fired on the spot. The hiring of friends and under qualified administration has proven the failure of the Popp era. Now they will inflate the numbers and tell you more graduated because of summer school. The blame for this latest fiasco starts with Popp and ends with Crespo. They removed a plan Byrd had that tracks seniors graduation plan. Teachers would receive updates. The first update that was given was March. Again, another failure by Popp for hiring someone that is not qualified as a teacher. Yes our principal does not hold a teaching certification. He can't advise students because he can not pass basic requirements himself.
Popp/Truckenbrod forged the principal evaluation paperwork and gave him a great review. Forging the process should remove Popp and Truckenbrod in a fair world from ever administrating again. Here's hoping the blog plays a role when other school districts do background checks. Here's a horrible nightmare they may end up as teachers.
You are a joke Dr Popp and the entire staff knows it your novel that Matt Hanley got one of news friends to write for those who experienced your reign of terror only shows what a jerk your are. The article should read Dr Popp and company exploit the poor.
The shake down is happening! Teachers are being told if a student is close to graduating just graduate him/her. Nobody has the real numbers and even with the grade scam of moving grades up not down they will still fall far short. A teacher who had her grade book set up properly went in over the weekend to find grades moved up. There is no explanation. Why all of this? Is it a plot to make Crespo look good.
Now I get why graduation numbers increased under Byrd. Bring him back with the interims and everyone look good with a group that can't figure out a weighted scale
Remember more scores went down than up but Popp only changed the grades that went up. Therefore more students graduated under Crespo than should have. I call it convenient!
Wow. A newspaper actually writes articles that bring the real issues to light in District 131 and you vile, disgusting, pieces of poop still cannot seem to get your heads wrapped around the fact that our district's problems have everything to do with poverty, illegal status and the associated issues. Why in god's name are we still teaching English to immigrants the way we do!!! Maybe start taking a look at that and come up with teaching English (and only English) for a year so the kids know it and then put them in the mainstream with all classes being taught in English. Or something!! All you do is gripe about someone going to Spain. Care to bring up alternatives???? Dunces!!! Someone speaks the truth about the kids homelife and financial struggles and you just whip up the hate speech against individuals in charge. Real class acts, just real class, so special. It is as if most of the teachers come to our district to hide and not want to teach. They just find a place to do as little as possible so they can get their undeserved pensions and coast for their whole lives. How evil is that. When administrators come here and try to improve this place the teachers with their knee jerk reaction just crap all over them. You just summarily do everything you can to stop any decent progress in these kids lives. (At least teachers can't screw up the JNROTC program). So, stop your reign of terror, quit being rectal cavities, stop looking like Richard craniums and get off your butts and start doing some of the real lifting around here instead of claiming victim status. You are just disgusting cry bullies. Yes, this blog is a record for the incompetence of the teachers who walk around insisting everyone bow down to them as if they were the next coming when in reality you are a large part of the cause of the misery on top of the poverty at this district. Most professionals in the education arena around the state know that you are the cause of the insanity in the district. How can you not see that??? Since you don't live here, what is the matter??? Afraid that your own real estate taxes may go up if the state actually based school funding on real needs??? Once again just looking out for yourselves and not our kids?? Our failures at 131 have nothing to do with diversity as there is no diversity here and the problems have nothing to do with perceived "bad" administrators. It has to do with impoverished people who really don't understand that in America education is the key to success and the lack of our teachers involvement in getting the kids to learn. What a bunch of losers. maybe over the summer you can get your heads out of your respective butts.
Hey, Chip -- speaking of "hate speech", read your own post. You'll find plenty there. And while you're doing that, read back and alternatives to recruiting teachers from Spain WERE given, i.e. recruit locally, work with local colleges, etc. You are right that is no diversity here, but to say the problems have "nothing" to do with the administrators is patently untrue. The problems have most to do w/ the non-school factors you brought up (poverty, lack of motivation, parents, kids, etc.), some with some of the teachers, and some with some of the administrators.
Chip Munk has hit the nail on the proverbial head. Want some more "good news" The attached link will allow you to see all the teachers at 131 who make over 100,000 a year. And our poor babies are underpaid.
Way to go Chip Munk. Maybe not the Shakespearian way to say things but it needed to be said. Have to admit that a couple admin people are at fault here as are Ralph and his merry band of nitwits and some members of our crack maintenance staff. Sad, but you do realize that the teachers who make over 100,000 in salary will be receiving way over 2,000,000 in retirement benefits over 30 years (even 25 years). Way over 2,000,000. As there is an automatic minimum 3% raise every year. Totally unsustainable.
Anyway. Those articles were good. It is rally amazing that the only focus for people like Ralph in making straw man arguments instead of focusing on the real issues. Ralph, it has been said before, you would be more helpful if you went after Naperville and Dupage county and force them to get in compliance with low income housing requirements to spread some of the pain around. maybe you could tell them that you would pursue busing 131 kids to Naperville district schools if they don't comply.....
To Anonymous Some more thoughts said...and Maybe I.m Amazed
Why dont you guys check your facts first.....There arent any teachers in EA that make over $100K. Just useless people like Matt Hanley, Crespo and a few other bonehead admins. Do your research before you coming spewing nonsense!
Yeah all those teachers in the East School District making over $100k a year how dare they make that after 31 years of working with a degree, a masters, and 48 extra college credit hours. Or 33 years with a masters. Pathetic I tell you.
The numbers are in and Crespo was shaking down teachers up until the last minute to graduate students that did not meet the requirements. The grade fiasco moved about 50 into the graduation column that would have not ordinately graduated. It makes you wonder if Popp and company knew all along the system was not functioning and had to announce this to look like Crespo was not a complete failure. They could have listened to teachers and fixed the system long ago. Even after rigging the system still 200 students will not graduate because Crespo failed to watch their proformance but focused on harassing a few PE teachers.
Hanley the only piece of poop is you and your undeserved raise for farming out all of your work. You have no idea how hard teachers work or what work is for that matter. Happy Trails dunce!!!!!!
Senior Class awards update. Funny how our valedictorian did not receive any awards last evening? He used his mothers position on the school board to elevate himself but our staff would not nominate him for anything. It is questionable that Strand is even valedictorian. We are glad to see the self proclaimed Crespo spy who would try to catch hard working staff on camera not doing their job gone. Maybe his mother Kristen Strand will follow.
The entire grades issue smells to high heaven. Remember teachers claimed for a long time the grade module was not working. Everyone should wonder what the.big Popp proclaimation was. I will increase graduation! Last year he copied off of Byrds paper and proclaimed Byrds graduation success his. This year grades got adjusted up not down. Is it a coincidence or not? Inquiring EA staff want to know?
The article said the grade fiasco goes back to the spring of 2013. I thought Popp became superintendent in spring 2014. Didn't mr byrd become principal in fall of 2013 - 2015?. Didn't graduation rates climb every year under me Byrd? I believe 2014 was the largest in over a decade. Aren't the teachers responsible to input grades. Are the teachers declaring that they just received a record increase and now stating that the entire increase in 2014 / 15 was manipulated by Roberts first and then Popp. They forced Byrd / Crespo who forced the teachers. Was Byrds numbers real and Crespo was not? If a tenured teacher was forced to change grades by either principal they should come forward at a board meeting like you did for the contract. Let me gues you're afraid of Crespo . Can you have your Union come forward or contact the newspaper.
To Help me understand: Your questions are right on the mark. But you will not get any real answers from the teachers on this blog as they just want the powers that be to look bad and accuse them of "scandals,corruption, etc". If anyone in charge came up with the cure for cancer these prize peaches would find some way of not allowing it to get to patients. It is more important for them to cut down those in charge than to actually help improve things. lets put it this way...If stupid could fly, the teachers would be jets. They don't realize they are not presenting themselves in a good light with the graduation rate. - They are so focused on belittling those in charge to actually see that.
Here's what happened to 131. I'll explain it this way....If you look at district 204 just east of us, this is what you see. You have Chinese, Japanese, Pakistani, Indian, Spanish, Black, White that are real melting pot. Everyone speaks fluent English to each other. Driving around neighborhoods in 204 you have the names of businesses in English even though there is a diverse mix of people from around the world in the district. - Again, the proverbial melting pot.- People who want to assimilate. And assimilate does not mean lose the culture of your country of origin. So, here in 131 you have what 85% Hispanic population where there are huge areas where the signs of businesses are just in Spanish, we can't get kids to learn English because we allow the kids to be taught in their native tongue kindergarten thru senior in high school and not immerse them with English initially. (and like idiots wonder why they fail tests, duh). English is an afterthought. We allow houses that are meant for 5 people to house 20. (We are a land locked district, we should not be seeing huge increases in enrollment. This abuse of housing has gone on for decades with the city of Aurora's blessing as some of the slum lords are in key positions in the city's division of housing regulations!!! We are not a diverse district in our population, and there is a significant part of that population that does not want to assimilate into the United States. We are not the great melting pot that was 131 in most of the 20th century. We have teachers who think that just because they got their masters degrees 30 years ago that the district should keep paying them a premium for that and they keep doing things the same way thinking the results will be different (wasn't that the definition of insanity??) And to be fair, if a teacher does mention some of the above they would be labeled a racist so we are in that proverbial catch 22 since nothing does change. Hell, some mental midgets complain when people on the school board verbally dress down employees who make major screw ups!!! So, we have an impoverished population who will not assimilate, an educational system set up with enough political correctness that positive change cannot happen and a lot of district employees who need to be fired because they came here to take advantage of the situation. We also have counties like Dupage and cities like Naperville and Wheaton who do not meet their minimum quotas of low income housing and that keeps districts like 131 from getting ahead. I think any input would be appreciated.
King Crespo yelled at the secretaries today that he is the principal and flashed his business card. Shame on them for attempting to save money. Many tears and again more reign of terror. What Crespo does not get is in 5 weeks his protection goes away.
Teachers are a cure for cancer, Hanley only you and idiots like Popp don't let them work their medicine. We have to give PAARC, spend a couple of months on ridiculous and meaningless Danielson evaluations which are good if you have a nice and fair evaluator like Moses, Hill, bad if you have Bell, many other admins who make it up in 5 minutes and have never spent 1 minute in a classroom and have no idea what real teachers go through. Just like you Hanley throwing shade at hard working people that actually deal with children and work their asses off- unlike you dunce- who got an undeserved raise and farms out yo0ur work to others.
Date: May 27, 2016 To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131 From: Ralph Padron Subject: PT 2 Alex Di Mare Application Discrepancies Attached: FOIA Dist 187 N Chicago & Dist 131
Alex Di Mare’s employment history at Dist 187 per School Year
Sept 2011 Middle School Safety Officer $ 53,593.00 Nov 2012 (Salary Increase) 63,000.00 July 2013 Promoted to Director of Safety Operations 64,575.00 New Job Description
July 2014 Promoted to Director of Safety AND Operations $80,000.00 NEW JOB DESCRIPTION
Alex Di Mare’s employment application submitted to EA 131 indicates North Chicago 187 Employment date, position & salary
Oct 2010 Director of Safety and Operations to 2015 $ 95,000.00
See Attached Contracts (Dist 187) defining job description/responsibilities for his various positions, starting as Safety Officer at Neal Middle School.
See attached application to SD131 stating his employment, position and salary at SD 187
Mr Di Mare’s EA 131 application has several discrepancies brought out in PART 1. These discoveries raise additional questions about his experience:
1 Why was his start date @ SD187 of September 2011 represented on the EA applications as October 2010? 2 Why did he list his Middle School Safety Officer position of 2011-2015 and the Safety Operations Director of 2013 at SD 187 as “Director of Safety and Operations”? 3 Why did he state that his salary was $95,000 when the 1 year contract was for $80,000? 4 How can he list “Experience in Similar Positions” as 15 yrs when his contract was for 1 yr?
His SD131 Application appears to be misleading. PART 3 IS FORTHCOMING
EA needs to get a refund from Northern nobody could hear and the place was a sweat shop. I wonder how much they paid to treat us like a bunch of animals Hirding us in and out like cattle. I am sure they did not treat the white schools like that.
I agree whole heartedly with the Observer. Our city leaders have allowed our properties to become run down. They allow businesses and home properties alike not to be held up to standards. They don't need to rebuild anything, just enforce the laws that are already in place. If those that have been hired to do this, cannot do their job, then remove them.
Our programs for teaching/ learning English have been a joke since Marin Gonzales was at EA. It seemed it was a financial advantage to keep students in classes for learning English as long as possible. The admin played the system. The higher those numbers the more money could be gotten by 131 from government and grants. When that "free" money doesn't get paid or dries up, 131 starts crying how poor they are.
EA has forever been a been a melting pot. Each community had their businesses and families of different ethnic groups. I am speaking of back in the 1920's and 30's. People back then were proud of their heritage, also. They celebrated their cultural holidays. They were proud to be Americans, too. Many did not teach their children the language of their home country. Over the years people have realized you can become an American without losing your heritage or yr native tongue. Yet, we have over extended the acceptance and have turned to accommodating here in East Aurora? As the Observer mentioned, we have not created the community of ALL,the people, but rather accommodated the minority to change the standard of what we should be acceptable. Our overall standard for living, which includes the education of the children has been allowed to deteriorate. Elected officials are a big part of the problem. From the BOE to the Mayors office, changes need to be made. In the mean time we allow and accept mediocrity.
Aurora made the East side schools bad. There also was the BOE of fifty years ago that did not provide busing from the far north side and south side. Whoever is saddled with the BOE today can not fix the problems. Look at the crumbling vacate building around the Eat side. I have always said the BOE needs to advocate for East Aurora along with administration. When one of there own gets attached by the Mayor they should take out a full page ad explaining why the City has left the East side down. The Daily Herald article did a good job exposing Aurora.
As an alumni I am embarrassed to even acknowledge that I went to East. The articles in the Herald have exposed East to the collar counties. It's not about the students and their social economic challenges I get that. The adults are responsible for 99% of this situation. All the changes to the administration by Johnson and the board majority have now placed responsibility squarely in their laps. The interims are just that. They will not give up their pensions to take a permenant position; it's probably not even possible. Why allow an interim to make decisions they will walk away from .
To: Board of Education Dist 131 East Aurora May 31, 2016 From: Ralph Padron Subject: East High Purchasing Violations?
On Aug 17 2015 East High Principal Anthony Crespo had been on the job for 90 days yet makes a purchase for $ 10,265.00 for Graphics throughout the HS.
Where is the APPROVAL LOG with this purchase? School Policy requires Crespo’s supervisor Mark Truckenbrod to approve then Elise Clever (Purchasing Agent) would generate a Purchase Order.
Question: Did Truckenbrod approve this? If not why ?
Did Elise Clever question this? If not why did she proceeded to approve the Purchase?
Are the areas to be under construction, affected by these installed graphics thus wasted $$$
A summary during this time period MANY purchasing violations were discovered which Principal Crespo was at the center of
Veterans Event 25 K + Paid Speakers 5 K Cervantes Woodworking 10 K Bannerville USA 10 K
Here alone is 50 K and am sure much more is still out there
Christ Tyler specifically selected Elise Clever (since resigned) to prevent these violations yet they continued.
Questions which were never answered 1 Why was it allowed to continue? 2 Was Christi Tyler not subject to accountability for the multiple violations during her tenure? 3 What about Mark Truckenbrod & Superintendent Mike Popp not taking any action This is “Old News” yet it certainly appears that all had a “Free Pass”
Was the Purchase of the Graphics for the HS a NECESSITY or a WANT
Finally: Could these TAXPAYER DOLLARS been spent more productively directly in education needs ANSWER IS YES
Again I ask why Anthony Crespo has been given “Special Treatment”
Actually 74, the interims have the advantage they can tell it like it is without worrying about being fired next year. I see this as a good thing. We've got TWO experience school administrators, with different strengths, who can potentially straighten out (or get us on the road to straightening out) some significant problems the district have. We've had problems for years, but the Popp (experiment/fiasco/experience) and his minions have NOT fixed the problems we have, and if anything added on new ones due to their inexperience, especially with our kind of district. They weren't even "stars" in the kind of district they had many years in, there was no way in hades they were going to shine in 131. Getting them out is IMO a definite start on the road to improvement. What really counts is what happens now with what seems a good interim team, and what the BOE does with this time to find an experience administrator who is a good fit for EA. Personally, I'm glad they didn't choose Byrd as an interim; I think he could be a strong candidate for the future.
Ea parent, I've got sources and this is what I e found. Here are the changes in the recent years to central administration, board, and the high school. Conrad, Byrd ,Crespo, Aired, Brown, Latz, Mohammed, Adams, Feltes, ,Demare, Garcia, Finley, leadbetter, barazza, numerous AP at HS, Augustine, Mcclusky, Clark, Tyler , Johnson, Gonzalez, Rodriguez , Carlson, Lewis , Peryea , Gonzalez,Hull, Turza, Hill, Leonard, Arroyo, Leasch, Strand, Hatchett , Roberts and Popp and the results is the only constant. To continue to do the same and expect different is called insanity. As this Padron guy continues to question purchasing issues I have to ask how many changes have there been in that area . Change for the sake of change is not good.
Yes, the changes that have taken place were at the behest of the teachers and Ralph and his merry band of nitwits. You are spot on with the changes. I think the board and the new admin coming in have now recognized that the real issues all along were the attitude of the teachers (as so many have come to our district to "retire in place" just do the bare bones minimum to get by until it's time to get the undeserved and unrealistic pensions), staff that do nothing - even teachers say this and the teachers are really good at not doing their jobs and the insanity of Ralph. You many not know, but Ralph's credibility is pretty much shot as he is just an individual who has an ax to grind with the district. you see, his wife was one of many retired teachers who were receiving an unauthorized steep discount in the price of health insurance premiums. Ralph pretends to "audit" various items but has never "audited" the retired teachers to see how long they knew they were screwing the district before the issue came to light. Ralph's merry bank of nitwits don't report any "misuses of funds" to the proper chain of command, they just give the info to Ralph so Ralph can give the illusion that something is wrong from his "audits". So, the rank and file have finally been outed. The graduation rates have been horrible and the only constant is the teacher group, so the blame rests squarely with the teachers. Someone above mentioned Byrd as a future boss and that might be a good idea. Since he has experience outside of 131 now, that is a really good potential move. Referendums come and go. No amount of increases in real estate taxes will fix the attitudes of the teachers and staff. There has to be some major firings of teachers to accomplish that. The only way there can be money in the budget for bussing is that you decrease the salaries of the employees of 131. No need to ask for more money from the taxpayers as they have been long suffering. All employees of the district and that includes teachers, staff and admin should be protesting the city of aurora for letting the housing standards go unenforced. We would be able to eliminate any overcrowding issue with proper enforcement of standards and thus save the district millions, which could be another source of revenue for needed projects.
So yes, 74, you are spot on. For 131 to continue to do the same things as they have in the past is truly the definition of insanity!!!!!
74, you have no clue. I retired from 131 and the administration mentioned above should have been fired. Thank goodness they did not let Popp stay around. As a sub this year with Popp and crew had, will be the most destructive ever. Johnson and company got this one right. They sent Hoyda on a listening tour. The teachers leaders in all building had group meetings with Hoyda who took detailed not and gave experienced answers. That has never been done by any administration let alone a superintendent. Everyone is excited the district is moving in the right direction.
Now you are thinking...is this you Matt? Or possibly Johnson? Either way, if Ralph is accomplishing nothing and has no credibility and hangs with nitwits, then why are so many comments coming up over and over trying to put him in negative light. If this is Matt, why didn't you listen to the community that has been complaining about declining property standards for years, when you had a position as a reporter, that could have exposed many things. Ralph at least continues to try and bring to light things, in a small arena. Reporters for the Beacon sugar coated things that happened in Aurora, to pacify an Editor that didn't allow truths to be told about many things going on in Aurora. The good reporters moved on to real reporting positions elsewhere. All this teacher bashing and Ralph hound dogging is a small group of real "nitwits" who give themselves more credit than they deserve. You are small fish in a bitty pond. Why don't you lead the way exposing all these things you claim to be going on in our schools, district and community?
To: get a life: Hey, Ralph needs the constant reminder as he does hang around with nitwits and that is not teacher bashing it is constructive feedback so the teachers can improve their behavior.
Boy, you are not too bright are you??? The cheese must have slid off your cracker
So for what, the third time this year, King Crespo has gone cheap and not purchased enough food for staff at the high school. Every year, we have had breakfast provided by Sodexo, and a lunch or BBQ in our buildings.....NOT THIS YEAR. The king sees the walls closing in and decided to outsource breakfast and have lines snaking through the cafeteria only to have people wait in line for 30 minutes to find no food left.
Also, the king got on his soapbox today and not just to make himself feeler taller....thanks for telling us you used your employee badge to get out of a ticket on butterfield and then presenting us with new information on the last day of work. I am confident all staff will remember everything you went over until August. How much longer until the interims fire his incompetent ass?
Look, he is just doing what Ralph wants him to do and not be so extravagant. If you ran out of food, is it because your fellow workers took more than their fair share??
You get paid as if you had a real 12 month job so suck it up cupcakes if you have to "remember" something for 2 and a half months while you are sitting on your duffs whether it be in a class, at your local bar or in rehab.
We all know your "writing style" and your rehashing of complaints against teachers. If there were no students and teachers, there would be no you. Actually, in most districts, P.R. is a stipend position. This is what it should be for a poor district, not paying some hack to send out the occasional email, and farm out articles, photo and video productions, etc. You have no knowledge of a teacher's reality or of union/pension issues. I work 12 hour days and all weekends; apply that overtime to my summer and I am sure I would just about break even. Oh, and about summers off: between three trainings in June and four trainings in August plus committee work, there is no such thing as a summer off. Yeah Matt, you are right--if I am getting 600 dollars a month taken out for TRS I had better have a pension at the end of my fun ride! How come no one questions pensions in any other line of work but teaching? And how come someone who is supposed to be "spokesman" for an entire district (yes, Matt, that includes teachers) spends most of his "at-work" time writing hateful and spiteful emails about the very people he is supposed to be portraying in a favorable light? If you have such a huge issue with us, I do not think this is the job for you. Move along and apply your "gifts and talents" elsewhere.
To the person writing to Matt: Quit trying to be a victim. It does not work anymore. What a wanker and crybully. You also must be poor at math. Your 600 a month for even 30 years should not equate to a pension of 70% of your pay. Not even with some matching funds (also taxpayer money)The math is not there.
Cry, cry, cry. Victim, victim, victim. Me, Me, Me. It is not just teachers that are singled out, you are just part of the civilian government workforce who know nothing of work. Start expressing some gratitude and start saying thank you for what you have. Or maybe apply your non existing talents elsewhere.
There seems to be "group" of commenters that has similar writing style. Will Power, Chip Munk, Hazel Nutt. Actual name that fits Is "troll."
Urban Dictionary (n) -A depraved individual who sits in front of a computer all day and posts flames of an idiotic or pseudo-intellectual nature on public forums. This person actually becomes emotional about what is said on the afore-said mediums and feel it is their duty to punish those who disagree with them. They too may pursue this object in an obsessive-compulsive manner.
Psychology Today- An Internet troll is someone who comes into a discussion and posts comments designed to upset or disrupt the conversation. Trolls will lie, exaggerate, and offend to get a response. Personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism. Trolls truly enjoy making you feel bad. To quote the authors-"Both trolls and sadists feel sadistic glee at the distress of others. Sadists just want to have fun ... and the Internet is their playground!" The article suggests next time you encounter a troll online, remember: The best thing you can do is ignore them.
I think Chip Monk was right on point. There are issues in this district that really need discussions to take place. I don't think free food for teachers can compare to the seriousness of the real issues in our district. If Hazel Nut is a troll according to your definition, how does one bring the conversation back to addressing the real issues instead of just continuing to berate the administration???? Or are there only certain people who are allowed to say what the issues are??? Hmmm. I wonder if you are just trying to label someone a troll so the free flow of both sides of an issue are not allowed to take place! You sound very childish, self centered and fear honesty. 131 needs open and honest discussions if it is to survive and prosper. Not just one point of view....
As written by a Unit 5 teacher, let me clarify the pension issue in the simplest terms I can. As a teacher, I contribute 9.4% of every paycheck - no option not to. It is a compulsory contribution every teacher makes out of every paycheck without fail. 9.4%. In return, I am not allowed to draw social security when I retire. Illinois law prohibits it. My pension is my only option. The local school districts are required to contribute an additional 0.58% - some contribute marginally more. The state is required, by law, to kick in the remaining 2% (or whatever the statute of the time indicate). They have skipped this payment for going on 30 years - breaking the law. To clarify - the legislature has skipped constitutionally obligated payments for 30 years (imagine what would happen to the public employees if we skipped). And now that these skipped payments are catching up to them, they are trying to rectify it not by sharing the burden as they should (after all, they are elected by the general public, not just teachers) but rather by punishing the only party that has held up its end of the bargain (teachers) and diminishing their (my) livelihood in the process.
I am not trying to be greedy. I am trying to be sensible, and demand what is right and just. The AVERAGE teacher pension in Illinois is $42,782 after at least 35 years in the field of public service and 35 years of prompt, compulsory contributions of nearly 10%. With this as the average, I have to look forward to with no supplement from social security, and I also am not not allowed to draw any on my husbands' social security. This is why I and those who understand this issue are so adamant that we stay on the legislature to work toward a common, constitutional solution to this legislative problem.
You my dear, have hit the nail on the head. This is exactly what's going on. I bet 50% of our students are not eligible to get into a 4yr university. So we keep passing them on. Well at least Waubinsee Comm. College will keep growing , because our students have to repeat HS there to get the education that they should have when they graduated HS. The Hispanc and African American community have to do better with our children. We are all going to suffer due to this lack of blame and incompetence. The Daily Herald article was disturbing. This school district is a hot mess. And there are teachers here who really care. More than people think. But as a teacher you feel hopeless, shoved around, hands tied. We need a school board who is willing to make a radical change here in Aurora. They can no longer do business as usual. They have to put their egos aside, develop a radical plan that reaches the community and elicits change, be it a campaign to rally the East Side. Whatever it takes, and then place board members and admin who embrace a new vision for our childrens future. Right now I dont see that happening with this divided board. Take out all of the garbage as one teacher said. You cant take out half of it.
Oh my gosh! Reason! Facts! Careful, you're going to hurt some of the anti-teachers! Chip's head might explode if he has to actually THINK!! The biggest problem with TRS is that the legislature is involved. That state contribution has ALWAY been the biggest problem. It allows ALL the legislators (including you, Linda!) to skip contributions, AKA steal, from the fund. It's no accident that of all the state pension funds, IMRF, the only one that doesn't get state contributions, is the only one that's performing well.
And to head off the trolls, I'm NOT a teacher or employee of 131 in any way.
Annette Johnson spoke out against the Mayor and he ran a full page ad against her. They have butchered her for standing up for East Aurora. She has been willing to change but the critics blame her for to much change. I hope the interim's who have nothing to lose will make the changes a good school districts needs to make. They need to hire good administration.
The other factor is who is running for Mayor they need to question them on their plan for East Aurora. I hoped Laesch would speak up about the prolems in East Aurora but he just got involved in politics. He and Johnson should put their egos aside and speak up for East Aurora.
Will east aurora even open in the fall? Will madigan and rauner get a deal done?
Remember those people on here defending Popp and his cronies(basically Matt), NONE of them have found gainful employment elsewhere in another school district. If they were so great and good, they'd be fighting off employers left and right. Instead, they are fighting tooth and nail to keep the job, because they have found out NOBODY WANTS THEM! For the tax payers who are ill-informed and need modifications and IEPs.....Popp was going to be fired from 204, Truckenbrod was going to be fired from 204, Waddell is under-qualified and ill equipped to run a department by herself, among the others. Matt makes more money than a teacher with 28 years experience and a doctorate.....Matt has a bachelor's degree, and outsources his work. You, the taxpayer cannot complain about teachers, TRS, and your precious(cue smeagol/gollum) tax money, and protect Dr. Popp in the same breath who inflated his own salary, his cronies salaries, and just recently tried to get the district to pay for him and his cronies to go to a "retreat" aka beach vacation for a week before he leaves office. Popp also overpaid Crespo, who is not fit to be principal. Popp also tried to do what Popp does and "recreate" and "rename" Jennifer Dalrymples job title to "Assistant Director of PD" or whatever the made up title was and give her a 15k raise for simply changing her job title. Mark and Joan got huge raises as well, and if you look at almost any other district, Mark and Joan's job is done by one person, not two. More bloated administration, overpaid administration, and guess what taxpayers.....THE BOARD PAYS THE ADMIN RETIREMENT!!!! THEY EVEN PAY MATT HANLEY'S RETIREMENT AND HE'S NOT EVEN A TRAINED EDUCATOR!!!!!
Stick up for Aurora . I distinctly remember that the mayors ad stated that Johnson called his house and her threat was to pull EA students out of the pathways to prosperity program . West and 204 were good enough to participate but not east. Annette Our students should have been at the front of the line not excluded.
Nice facts, but the elephant in the room is not talked about. Your average benefit of 40,000 per year requires approximately $900,000 to fund that annuity the year you retire. The teacher's contribution over time comes up to approximately $435,000. Even if the state contributed its 2% it would be way short. TRS was never meant to pay out these sums of money over long lengths of time. That is the fact no one wants to talk about. The story is to just point at the state and their missing contribution. Their contribution is not the story. It is that the plans are not sustainable. Yes, you do not get spousal benefits from social security if 2/3 of your own pension is larger than the spousal benefit. You will get reduced social security if you have the credits based on your own work history. We need to amend the Illinois constitution to get this solved once and for all. Here is another set of facts. Average social security payment is 16,000 per year. The maximum one receives at age 66 is 31,700 per year - if my math is correct your average of 40,000 is greater than the maximum social security benefit.. The maximum is achieved only if someone pays in on the maximum wage base form age 21 to retirement age which is now 66. (maximum wage base is 118,500. So, your pension beats the hell out of social security, where the max one can get is 31,700 no matter how much your earnings are. Again, maximum benefit is at age 66. If one retires at 62 they will get 75% of their benefit. Teachers can retire at age 55 and your retirement is based on your last 5 years pay with a retirement increase the last 5 years. Social security is based on the highest 35 years of pay. Starting to see the disparities here?? Unless you are a government worker or in one of the trade unions, pensions are really becoming a thing of the past. So, for most of the people in the US, social security is a large part of their retirement along with what they save. So, no the taxpayers should not cough up more money for your retirement. You fork it over if you want the large benefits. The state plans were to mirror social security payments not produce excessive payouts. This is a huge mess, especially when the government employees can't see the real problem. It is not the 2% the state missed. Yes, more facts and figures. I typed this slowly as I know some people don't read fast.
As a taxpayer, Johnson was correct the fine Mayor not only charged 131 for the building that housed the Magnet school but he was forcing 131 to pay for the Waubonsee building that housed the program. The other part of the arguement stemmed from the lose in property values on the East side something our fine paper never printed. If the City supported students they would have taken the money from Magnet school and remodeled the Waubonsee building. I believe they just paid West Aurora for their old building. Why should residents pay on the East Side for the loss of taxes from River Edge park? Why doesn't the City pay us? Unfortunately Johnson said it and nobody supported her.
We can criticize her but until we step up and run for the board we have nothing to say. It took a real newspaper the Daily Herald to expose Aurora.
Here is a fact that people don't want to bring up. Madigan and his useful idiots in both houses have a veto proof majority. This means that they can pass any bill they want and if Rauner vetoes it, they can override the veto. So, if the Chicago democratic mafia wanted to raise taxes and do further damage to the state, they could accomplish this in a heartbeat. Our legislature in not interested in actually making the necessary changes to get Illinois's act together. They just want Rauner to look bad.(Remember,,,Haters have to hate.)That is more important than actually accomplishing something. They are out of session until November I think. Mayor of Chicago is also looking for a bail out of Chicago's school mess. For 50 years we have let the Chicago thugs run the state and look at what it has done to us......Wouldn't it be nice (old beach boy tune) if people would just solve problems versus trying to keep getting all the graft they can get their hands on??? (Yes, I know it is shocking for a state like Illinois. As our governors wind up in prison way to frequently)
You are the "crybully", Matt, not I. You would not last 10 minutes working in one of our rooms. Your sorry butt would be flying out the door back to your office to go back to "work" er, I mean to write another email. The first time you had to mediate a gang fight, buy soap, clothes and deodorant for a child with nothing, do social work for a bullied child, write lesson plans and work an extra 20 hours per week getting ready for a meaningless evaluation process, you would be running for the hills. You have so much hatred in you for teachers, the ones who are actually the cogs in the wheels of the educational system. Imagine Matt if you actually spent your efforts to help teachers instead of your failed attempts to hoist Popp up above all others. Helping teachers=helping students numbskull. As to your comments about teacher pensions, it's obvious you are a fan of Rauner's broken half-baked right to work (for less) states and his efforts to break up unions. Your mentor Popp is a huge fan of Rauner, of course. Rauner made his money by going after companies and busting up their unions, then buying said companies and laying off thousands of workers. This is how he lined his pockets. We fought long and hard to have unions, Matt, Chicago history is full of people who gave their lives to have a limit on the work day, disability pay, lunch and bathroom breaks, an end to child labor and yikes ! a pension if you gave your whole life's work to an agency, when you were spent and used up there would be a bit of change at the end. Go live next to Popp and the two of you can go golfing and vent your spleens over the evil conniving "crybullies" in district 131.
June 3 2016 Matthew Hanley, FOIA Officer East Aurora School District 131 417 5th Street Aurora, IL 60505
Dear Mr. Hanley
Re: FOIA Request for Documents
Goldstar Learning Time Line Jan 1 2016 – June 3 2016
ALL Invoices & Purchase Orders (to include training seminars and services rendered) E Log between Sara Waddell & Goldstar Learning Approval documents for these purchases All Competitive Quotes
2016 East High Graduation Expenses All related expenses for this event – Invoices, Purchase Orders To include the following
1 Use for NIU facility 2 Transportation (Buses etc) 3 Catering for food provided to staff 4 Video streaming
What is going on with our district summer band camp??
I asked at Waldo about how to sign up my daughter (8th grade next year). Was told the only band camp this year is for beginners going into 6th grade. Why are the rest of the kids not able to go, and march in the fourth of July parade like they have for +30 years??
Summer band camp has been part of our family's summer since my sister and I went in the 1980s. Our district is the only one I know about around this area that has this camp. Especially since the papers have been bringing out negative things about us lately, it is important to keep the good programs like this out in the fore front.
What happened, and is the district planning another summer band activity to replace band camp? Or at least an explanation for our community??
Boy, I did not know that here in the 21st century we have child labor abuses going on at 131!!!Didn't realize that you could not go to the bathroom during the day at 131 and could not eat your lunch at 131. Your arguments are as archaic as being paid for a masters degree that was earned over 25 years ago. Very good example as to why positive change cannot happen in the field of education. Your arguments belong back in that era of over 100 years ago. They are not relevant today. What can you ask for now?? A 2 hour work day and only 50 days a year??? Wow. No wonder our kids learn nothing.
No band camp this year? Who made this decision and more importantly WHY? Why are our kids being deprived of an experience that has been a summer tradition for at least thirty years?
You obviously scored very poorly in reading comprehension- The ONLY reason we enjoy the rights we take for granted today Einstein, is BECAUSE of the sacrifices made by those during say, The Haymarket riots in Chicago when police, hired by companies fired on innocent workers trying to organize a union. No company is going to give anything, a raise, a break, vacation or sick days etc. out of the goodness of their hearts. THATS WHY WE HAVE UNIONS- so that workers have some leverage against powerful corporations/institutions. Only a complete numbskull such as yourself would miss this obvious correlation. On to your next scurrilous and imbecilic point- what does it matter when I earned my Masters? In this day and age, as you well know teachers are required to constantly update their certifications/degrees with professional development. Positive change can and does happen when you very simply let teachers do what they do best-teach. It is an art, oh unenlightened one, not a cookie cutter science, churning out one size fits all robots. That's the goal of Common Core, and PAARC, Bill Gates, Rauner, yourself et al. As far as 2 hour workday? That's your specialty, genius.
Contenders Bucky and the Trolls prove no match for Buckethead and EA Teachers. In the battles of education and wit the contenders have been KO'd repeatedly.
*A laymen’s view of the contenders behavior-A knockout is typically caused by the brain bouncing around in the inside of the skull. It doesn’t necessarily have to be one really hard hit, but a series of hits that continuously cause your head to snap in all different directions with your brain rattling in the inside of your skull like a shake weight. Your brain is just a soft, mushy organ smacking against the inside of your cranium, with thin connective tissues. When those get stretched and torn; that is what causes a brain to shutdown.
There has been an obvious "shutdown" but the contenders continue to scramble for some semblance of knowledge and humor. Stay tuned for the next round as they find another contender to step in the ring as their glutton for punishment. Who do you think it will be? Abel N. Willin, Amanda B. Reckondwith?
Now, now, there buttercups, put down your copies of Uncle Joe Stalin's Socialist vacation guide for a second.
Unions were for the unskilled and blue collar worker. They were never meant for government employees and especially white collar government jobs. Just check FDR and JFK, they both were against government unions. Reason is very simple. No one negotiating has any stake in the game. It is all someone else's money. It just breeds corruption and collusion. Good example was the doubling of every teacher's salary during the last 5 years of employment to get unjust pensions. Didn't see any union people object to that corruption. After all it is just tax money it should not hurt anyone and who should care if we abuse it ???? Grow up Stalinites.
My dad benefited from the activities over 120 years ago from the unions as he only finished 8th grade. But in WWII he was a combat medic. Guess back then an 8th grade education was at least the equivalent to a masters degree today!!(sad but probably true with what we see walking around today with college degrees in their hands) And the older he got, he just got tired of the corruption in the unions themselves - Mafia, union leaders lining their own pockets, insane pay rates for real low level jobs - just looking for more dues.....Unions in his mind pretty much turned into the corporations that they were supposed to be against. My dad was a smart guy even if he didn't have the formal training as he saw thru this.
Okay Matt- all unions have socialist/mafia ties because your daddy told you so. You are comingling two different points here; pensions and the dumbing down of society. Don't worry about teacher's pensions Matt: how about A $40,000 raise in a single year when teachers were fighting for a cost of living increase? How dare you have anything to say about this issue? You are certainly reaping the benefits of unions aren't you Matt?
Hold it there, White Sox. Kinda overstating things there. I don't agree with the salary bumps the last few years either, but they didn't "double" their salary. Overstating the amount is either ignorance or lying. I understand the reasoning behind the salary bumps (to encourage highly experienced, longer serving, higher paid teachers to retire and make room for someone cheaper), but think it would be better to keep the more experienced teachers around longer.
BTW, Joe "White Sox" McCarthy. throwing around Stalin, etc. doesn't strengthen your argument any more than overstating the increases. In fact, it pretty much wipes out your credibility.
Your father deserves to be honored for serving his country. What have YOU done to serve?
What's going on with our Band Camp? Who decided that only sixth-grade beginners deserve to participate? What about the many, many years of tradition of our band students proudly representing our district in the 4th of July parade? Are the sixth grade beginners going to march instead, squeaking and squawking as they display their two weeks' worth of expertise?
And most importantly: how is this decision in the best interests of our students and district?
Sorry Trotsky, but in 2005 the Illinois General Assembly had to pass a law stopping the 100% percent increase in salary at the end of one's career. Even Madigan could not justify this abuse. That is where the 6 percent per year for 5 years cap came from. There are supposed to be penalties for going over that but the "penalty is rather minimal and some districts just pay the penalty and ignore the consequences.
So what is up with Ken Darby the big band booster. He promised he would help promote the band but in reality he only promoted himself, his son and girlfriend into undeserving positions.
I did ask my son's band director, he said he didn't know why it was changed. I know the boosters at the high school aren't involved so I'm asking if anyone knows what's going on. Maybe the School Board can find out, or Mr. Padron? I have no intention of letting this slide, it's too important for our students.
This is not a school board subject and definitely not something to ask Ralph Padron to get involved in. If the Boosters are not involved, there is your answer. If you are a band parent, I am wondering why you are not involved in the Boosters, then you would have all the inside info for what goes on in the band program. The Boosters are the one that made band camp happen every year and they need active volunteers to make it work. They need people to be involved in fund raising to support these programs. They need people to pay their fair share so they can continue to have more funds to go around for activities. They need band parent support, and not just when there are complaints. Start with asking the Boosters, you should find your answer, unless things have changed in the last few years. If you have no intention of letting it slide because it is too important for your students, then the answer and results should be coming from you and parents like you.
A big issue is all the years of bad blood there was with Liska and Kaisershot. It created a hostile atmosphere between the high school and feeder programs that still exists today. Liska treats the feeder programs and directors like crap. A couple of years ago Liska and the band boosters separated themselves completely from the feeder programs. The feeder programs were kicked out of the band boosters organization completely. The only time that the high school even talks to the feeders is when they need something.
Today, the programs are all splintered. Each school and director does their own thing. Some are doing great things while others are barely functioning at all (and should be fired). It's no wonder that a program that would require all the programs to work together would be having issues.
Another issue is that the directors are asked to volunteer at the band camp while the director who is in charge is making thousands of dollars. Why would anybody want to support the program when they are treated like crap. The program isn't even an official District 131 program. The program is run at a country club in Plano and has no District 131 oversite. That is why all the other district programs are free to the students and the "district" band camp costs the students $70 each. Somebody should investigate the person in charge of the program and ask how much money they've made over the years. Makes a person wonder if that person has reported any of that income to the IRS?
Alumni band parent/booster, you said: "I am wondering why you are not involved in the Boosters, then you would have all the inside info for what goes on in the band program"
Why on earth would a WALDO band parent be involved in the East Aurora HIGH SCHOOL Band Boosters? Maybe back when you were in middle school the boosters were district-wide but for the past few years they are only at the high school. They have made it clear that they wish to be concerned only with the high school band program.
And back in the early 2000's I remember one of the parents who helped at camp telling me how fortunate we were to be able to rent LaSalle Manor (NOT a "country club" but a retreat facility originally designed for religious brothers). At the time our district had to reserve the facility almost a year in advance AND had to put down a deposit of several thousand dollars. I would like to know what happens to that deposit money this year?? Mr. Padron, maybe you can follow the money trail.
Bottom line, because someone dropped the ball hundreds of our students are deprived of a wonderful band camp experience. And a proud tradition in our district for over 30 years comes to an end. That's sad and WRONG.
Who is the director of the program? I called Annette Johnaon today to ask her why band students don't have the same opportunity other programs do. She said the board has never been approached but she would get back to me. Mr Darby did not answer and he probably is part of the problem because as band booster president he did nothing.
My family moved to Aurora from Texas four years ago. We had second thoughts about putting our kids in District 131 schools because we heard a lot of negative things about the administration from our family and neighbors and online. But we gave the district a chance and mostly its working for us. Our son plays trumpet and loved having Mr.K as his band director at Simmons. Now he's a sophomore at East High and on a bus headed to Disney. He looks forward to band activities and is flourishing under Mr. Liska and Mr. Kulich's direction. But the highlight of his summer the past 3 years has been band camp with Ms Huggins! He planned to be one of the high school leaders this year and is devastated that camp was canceled. I join the other parents in demanding an explanation.
I also called Johnson she helped me with a problem earlier this year. She told me she would get an email out this morning and have an answer. She asked about free summer camps and if band was on it. I have not seen any summer camp materials has anyone else received this. I asked my children. One is at Magnet, another at Krug. Why are we paying a Mr Hanley there is no information
I just got this from Annette Johnson she said it was on the district website April 26th and it's free. Nobody got this info out at the school and I do not read the website. Johnson said she would follow up if the camps are on.
The three music summer camps include: beginners band (sixth grade), drumline (8th grade – high school), and musical exploration (6th – 8th). The music camps meet Monday through Friday at either Simmons Middle School, Cowherd Middle School, or the high school, depending on the activity and the age level. Music camps start as soon as June 6 and run as late as July 21. A full outline of all music camps, as well as times and dates, is available here.
That's nice about the free music camps, but they're NOT band camp. Band camp is a tradition for more than thirty years in our district, that brings together grade school, middle school, and high school instrumental musicians for a week of camaraderie and hard work culminating in a performance marching in Aurora's Fourth of July parade. Who made the decision to end this wonderful three-decade-long tradition, and more importantly WHY?
I also called Johnson and she sent me a link this looks like a good program but my kids did not get any information on this as well. I will be calling tomorrow to sign them up. The communications at our district is unbelievable. The programs are being run at Simmons
GRADE CAMP DATE/ DAYS TIME(S)
BN1 6 BEGINNERS BAND 6/13–6/23 M–TH 12:30 – 3:00
BN2 6 BEGINNERS BAND 7/5–7/21 M-TH 12:30 – 3:00
BN3 8 - 12 DRUM-LINE 7/11 – 7/21 M – F 12:00 - 3:00
MUSIC CODE
GRADE CAMP DATE/ DAYS TIME(S)
MC1 6-8 MUSICAL EXPLORATION 6/6 – 6/17 M - F 9:00 -3:00 COWHERD MIDDLE LISA GAWLIK
It seems the band program may have been segregated. Thus making it impossible for all band parents to be involved in boosters. Grapevine gossip is that elementary band as we know it will be ending. Programs for some elementary students will be offered by outside agencies. If elementary directors have been working separately from the junior high and high school programs, that could be the reason the camp is only being offered to the youngest of the participating band students. Those calling Johnson for information are just leading themselves to information possibly being relayed incorrectly. She is not involved in this program and by way of the info she has relayed it is obvious she is not familiar with the history of the "summer band camp." Those parents who are angry and upset should be calling the schools directors or the Booster president. Those are the people who have managed the camp in past years and would know how it came to be what it is this year. Use common sense people! You don't go to the supt. or the school board when you have a problem in your child's class. Follow protocol and work your way up the chain of command.
The Waldo parent did ask their school's director, and got a shoulder shrug. Calling the booster president would be useless since this isn't a high school band issue.
It is admirable that our School Board president is responding to the parent who is asking about summer camp offerings. However, the summer activities Ms. Johnson mentions are not the same as the district-wide Band Camp experienced by our students for over THIRTY YEARS. Yet another issue is the considerable amount of money that has always been paid months in advance as a deposit to reserve the LaSalle Manor facility. What happened to that money? Who is responsible for denying our band students this valuable opportunity? Can Band Camp be rescheduled for later this summer? And if not, how can we ensure that the ball isn't dropped again next year?
The board allocates money for teachers and if we are ending elementary this would be horrible. They have grown the program not middle school or Liska This sounds like a Popp move since 204 makes you pay and runs their program the same way. If this is so I will go to the board and protest.
To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131 June 5, 2016 From: Ralph Padron Subject: Alex Di Mare Application Discrepancies
Upon reviewing Mr DiMare’s application and comparing it with the Glenwood Police Dept FOIA response, here are the facts concerning his command of staff.
Alex application states 30 Sworn Officers 15 Non Sworn 35 Support Staff 80 Total
Glenwood Deputy Chief of Police Derek Peddycord responds to my FOIA with 24 Full Time Sworn Officers + 1 Pt Time 25 Total
DC Peddycord states the organizational chart (see attached) was similar in 2006 The Chart staff numbers 39 total
Alex Di Mare states on his application he had command of 80 individuals
Glenwood Deputy Chief Organizational Chart states 39 individuals
Difference is 41
Needless to say this brings out additional questions regarding the accuracy of his application.
More information via FOIA forthcoming to further explore this hiring.
Is East High going to refurnish The football/soccer field this summer? I have been waiting for an announcement. The schedule lists all home football games are being played at Aurora Christian High School. We desperately need a new turf and stands.
There are camps scheduled who put the information out? Huggins is a great teacher and my child is in her program but we did not get any information. What is going on?
Stade is running a free program at Simmons for students and the middle school and elementary teachers are upset. Stade is a big kiss a** of Thuckenbrod who gave him the stipend without posting the position. It is a violation of union rules and needs checking into. Basically all outside are cancelled. Nobody can get answers so I am glad parents are calling Johnson. This one stinks to high heaven. Darby knew about this for some time when staff went to him as a booster. Liska is also requesting more help and in the last couple of years they have put on 3 additional people to help him. His salary with stipends is well over $90,000. Mr Kaistershot was never supported because he stood for students against a corrupt administration.
Both named Michael they ruined d131. The only difference is at least four board members are not rubber stamps.
Lots of pictures of hundreds of our district's band students rehearsing at LaSalle Manor, having fun swimming, and marching in the Aurora 4th of July parade. At least 3 years' worth of pictures, and also a couple of videos.
Definitely one of the bright spots in our troubled district, for many many years.
Band take, I know the Stade family from church and they are good people. You are correct that he did get the band job at Simmons handed to him after K retired last spring, and that the position was never listed in the district job openings. I think it's great that he and Lisa Gawlik (and whoever is doing the drumline camp) are having these free camps for our students. It's a GOOD thing.
But cancelling the iconic East Aurora Summer Band Camp without an explanation is NOT a good thing! This did not just "happen". Someone (or "someones") made a decision that there would be no camp this year. This decision was made without input from students, families, or community. That person (or persons) needs to own up and apologize. And an accounting needs to be made for the deposit money paid to LaSalle Manor for reserving the facility.
Stade is a nice guy nobody questions that but when a position is open interviews need to get done. Stade goes to Main Street Baptist and is good friends of Gibsons. Gibson is another one who was not qualified. In fact interviews with teachers present scored her fourth or third by Patterson. Thruckenbrod pulled Patterson out into the hallway and told her to shut discussion down. Everyone knows the former board president had called in a favor. Is this another favor?
Stade is paid by district he is not doing this for free. Anything that involves the Popp era is shady at best. Parents should have had input and maybe they would have picked the new programing or maybe not and that would have saved the district. Why was Huggins pushed aside she is not talking but she is upset.
I was just contacted by Annette Johnson we should thank her for getting to the bottom of this. The Lasalle Manor program was canceled do to lack of participants. The district does not run this program but provided busing for students in past years.
The district is offering free camps but only starting in 6th grade for beginners and a drum line as well as Music Exploration. They will contact parents about another camp for those students mo re experienced that would have gone to Laselle. That is free also.
I am not sure why this could have not been handled another way but band parents do not listen to the stories about Johnson. She cares for students and gets answers.
Lack of participation? With enrollment at a record high?? Only if someone (or "someones") failed to distribute information or application forms for the first time in 30-plus years! The magnet kids did get applications so it must have been other directors who decided to withhold them. It could have started as an honest mixup but wasn't fixed and now the kids lose out.
Lack of participants because someone in charge failed miserably and/or didn't respect the community and tradition enough to fix an oversight. Lack of participants, but definitely NOT lack of interest!
And what happened to the $ that was paid months ago to reserve LaSalle Manor?? I highly doubt it was cheerfully refunded!
The last two articles are stupid by the Beacon quoting FOIA documents of Johnson's. Does Padron and the Beacon have anything better to do.? Why not run on Popps phone. His text messages are quite interesting.
BTW She is not self absorbed she really cares for children and always attempts to do her best even if means her own reputation.
John Laesch is on his own personal witch hunt gathering info and giving it directly to Popp! Simmons staff he has reached out to you about concerns and all info shared with him is now in Popps hands. East High staff he is now reaching out to you to see what problems you have with crespo so he can help crespo build his defense and keep his job. Be careful what you say to him. As a reminder John has voted against our union and was against our raises. He has also lied to the religious community as they showed up and spoke out against him and his ideas Monday. John will tell you what you want to hear to get what he wants. He currently has joined forces with popp and crespo because they registered 500+ voters at the high school and John wants those votes!
John will backstab and betray anyone to advance his agenda. Staff should simply tell him "no comment" and move on.
We turned violations of school code over to Johnson today regarding Crespo. It must have hit the fan because Crespo is busy deleting emails, twitter and his phone today. Crespo slammed his door in staffs faces today and now everything is taken down. Johnson handles complaints respectfully and quickly and names do not get compromised.
It is noted that after the Laesch compromise and encouragement of Laesch to talk with Megazzini staff at Simmons was harassed. He should not contact us directly and only respond if we contact him. NOT GOIN happen John we don't trust you.
For those that missed it, as he has since deleted his tweet.....
Anthony Crespo @PrincipalTomcat
@SenatorKirk thank you sir for standing up to @realDonaldTrump. A great example on how to respond to a racist & a bully! #IllinoisPride
Crespo used his official school twitter account to get political. Whether you agree, disagree or are indifferent, this is a blatant violation of board policy. Educators are not allowed to impact, influence or force their ideals, beliefs and politics onto "learners." Any professionally trained educator, sorry "expert" would know this, but then again, Anthony Crespo is trained in international business from Ramapo College. This could have something to do with him deleting tweets and emails as mentioned above.
Rumor is Popp is leaving early.....Tuesday will be his last day. If you feel refreshed and better when you wake up in the morning on Wednesday, it is not because it is summer break, it is because Popp's reign of terror and incompetence is OVER!!!!!
Dr. Waddell has found another job and resigned.....GOOD RIDDANCE. She was unqualified for her job and title. Another bad Popp hire.
Now, if only we can get rid of Crespo......all will be on the up and up in the district.
Crespo needs to be fired. I am no fan of Donald Trump but Crespo needs to go. What would he do to a teacher if they did the same thing? Popp will cover and lie until Tuesday.
What's up with Glotzbachs husband he comes to board meetings without her and glares at board members. Very creepy he looks like a stalker.
I'm not supporting anyone but turning over violations to Ms. Johnson is also a violation of the IL School Code because she has not authority to do anything about it. She might be the Board President but she only has authority by the IL School Code to schedule meetings, be a spoke person. She does not have the authority to act as a Superintendent. This board is a joke and as long as they let Johnson act like she can run this district we will all look like fools. God Bless this district and they way it is going. If anyone really has violations go the the place you can get something done like The IL School Superintendent.
I agree with Taxpayer about the Board president. Our district is like a dysfunctional family. The kid throwing the biggest tantrum gets his way. I hope the interim superintendents can get us back on track. Hopefully, the next election will bring together a board that can actually work together for the good of the district. No power players, bullies or people who cannot understand the basic duties of a school board.
The board is chosen by the voters, so it reflects the community. I'm not sure there are 7 people in the community who both meet your last sentence AND are willing to run for the board.
Dear EA 131 Parent. I am afraid you are probably correct. I apologize for making such a foolish comment. Let's just hope for improvement. Sincerely, Just do what they are elected to do
The community should ask questions of the board. I do not feel it is my job to pick up the phone and call the superintendent. If the principal sends out political messages the board needs to deal with it. I have a right to vote for whomever without someone I am paying out of my taxes using district resources to politic.
I think the board should also ask questions and it shows by the last two articles only Johnson's emails are quoted. I am sure the newspaper requested all emails from board members. It shows me only Johnson asks questions and if so that is why she is so hated by administration.
I have also attended a few meetings since the new board was seated and what a disappointment Darby and Laesch are. The came to my group and asked for support but the meeting I attended in February showed Darby already got a job for a son and Laesch voted against residences. Yes I hope they are replaced. I must say Ms Strand may vote against tax savings but she never made false promised and Hatcher is well spoken.
The Board most Important job is to hire a Superintendent to run the district. The Board job is to make policies for The Superintendent to follow according to The Il School Code. No one Board Member can make a decision alone it has to be the majority. This works well in almost every city of IL.
The Board Members are not employees of the District so they have no authority to comfort an employee. II is the law to go through the Superintendent if you feel a principal has said something wrong. You can go to Board Meetings if you want to address the whole Board.
Crespo lost his protector is correct, he was seen walking around with Glotzbach and Thuckenbrod yesterday. The three will soon be out of a job left to torture nobody. Popp is leaving on Tuesday. The reign of terror is over. Hanley will soon follow. Crespo will play the race card to save himself. A curious fact is none have found employment it shows what incompetence we hired.
Your defense of corrupt administration through the years shows your ignorance. We did go to the board and four members listened and made a change. Some do not feel speaking will help them in public since principals like Patterson, Crespo, Dart, Rowley Garza and England gather names. These are all Glotzbach protected. It is now a new day with experienced administration leading the charge so the need to go to the board is less likely. We are very versed in school code and what you write is totally incorrect. We follow the chain of command until something happens. Perhaps you are a former board member who failed to help 131 but Johnson, Hatchett, Arroyo and Leonard are great board members. The others are there for whats good for them.
How about taking the summer off and reflecting on your own shortcomings and how you contribute to the insanity that is called District 131. Maybe listen to some Yoko Ono so you can realize that whenever you say things like "Ralph is great" or "we teachers do not have a negative attitude nor do we not work" or "We maintenance people are not lazy" or "We staff people are always doing our jobs at 110% efficiency" or "we teacher assistants actually help the teachers" or "admin is always right" that this is what you really sound like to normal human beings. Then come back to work with a huge attitude adjustment and actually contribute to making East Aurora great again.
EA will be great again because Popp, Glotzbach and Thuckenbrod will be gone. The board listened and hired experienced leaders not administration in training. I can not wait to actually have a curriculum to teach with.
You sound like Yoko Ono to us. You are so addicted to blaming someone else you just could not stop yourself from responding. For decades we have had put up with "Ms. ABC sucks, Ms. XYZ sucks. Everyone but me sucks." Quit acting like a child. Think before you "use your words". When you get your thumb out of your rear, don't put it in your mouth anymore. Maybe that will help with your 'words". No Ovaltine for you this afternoon.
Our leadership team had a meeting yesterday with true professionals. Dr Hoyda had a positive approach with solving problems. Lets thank Johnson, Arroyo, Hackett and Leonard for having the courage to make changes and make EA a better place.
Prediction : Dr Hoyda is great, McDonald is average but they will not effect the overall results. So go ahead and start working on the next excuse and scapegoat. The results haven't changed in nearly 3 decades and they will not change now. Prediction, the results will not be the fault of the teachers or the board members that the teachers control.
You sound like Yoko Ono to us. You are so addicted to blaming someone else you just could not stop yourself from responding. For decades we have had put up with "Ms. ABC sucks, Ms. XYZ sucks. Everyone but me sucks." Quit acting like a child. Think before you "use your words". When you get your thumb out of your rear, don't put it in your mouth anymore. Maybe that will help with your 'words". No Ovaltine for you this afternoon.
No the results will not change in one year. Let us not forget Popp had the teachers teaching without a Curriculum. Next year will see some results but the Popp era set the district back 5 years.
Crespo had the ministers in and called it a community summit. It seems he and Strand planned the summit so Crespo can go speak at churches. Is this not against the board policies to go to a church and recruit members of only certain churches? Crespo told the ministers he will announce kids should go to church and they will. be better. Maybe we should call the ACLU and file a lawsuit.
Date: June 14, 2016 To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131 From: Ralph Padron Subject: PT 4 Alex Di Mare Construction Questions Dist 187 Attached: FOIA Dist 187 N Chicago & Dist 131
Upon comparing Mr Di Mare’s STATED construction accomplishments with the FOIA response many questions arise. The FOIA specifically states
FOIA from Dist 187 North Chicago Projects 1 Hired an Architect Firm to MANAGE ALL construction Bids 2 Scope of Work & Specifications MANAGED by Architect 3. All Staff meeting minutes MANAGED by Architect What exactly was Alex’s role during this time period? What was his input into these projects ?
His EA 131 Application states he saved millions of dollars in construction costs This contradicts the Architects Responsibilities and Role
Regarding managing School Staff FOIA states there were approx. 50 CONTRACTED employees NOT 50 North Chicago Staff Members
Organizational chart was non existing (Does EA have one)
On paper, Mr Di Mare’s accomplishments and experience is very impressive yet I question can he explain the discrepancies of the FOIA response.
Kim Mundt had her minister put this together for King Crespo. The King pays her overtime she does not work. The King must be in trouble because his protector Popp is gone. Everyone can see he is running scared. Crespo wants to find support so the board can't fire him. We remember him organizing a rally for Popp.
Only Kim gets overtime the rest of us are told you must finish your work and then told by Kim or the King we did not say that. Kim acts like she is the boss but her and the King are behind building cases and making us look bad.
East Aurora will stagger 2016-17 start, end times for school levels
East Aurora School District 131 will change the some schools’ starting and ending times for the 2016-17 school year. See below for 2016-17 school day:
Pre-K half day (Early Childhood Center, Child Service Center, Oak Park, Johnson, Gates) Morning: 8:10 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. Afternoon: 11:40 a.m. to 2:10 p.m.
Pre-K full day (O’Donnell) 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Kindergarten. pre-K full day (Benavides Kindergarten Center) 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Elementary school 8:20 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.
Middle school and Magnet Academy 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
High school 7:55 a.m. to 3:04 p.m.
Late start at the high school will be 8:55 a.m. on Tuesdays. There will be no late start at the other levels. When the East Aurora Council IFT/AFT Local 604 contract was approved in April, it included a commitment to studying the possibility of staggering the start of elementary, middle, and high school days, so parents with students at more than one level can more easily drop off students.
Crespo should work at improving the school am not improving his image to the community. We know he s trying to keep his job with students and parents because the teachers and administration want him gone. Without Popp and Thruckenbrod he may as well pack his boxes. Heard the SSC had a box packing party Tuesday. QUestion is when is Hanley packing?
I keep hearing this rumor that our union is really going to come down on us this school year if we fail to work at our jobs. You know, it is one thing to ask us to show up for teaching but to actually do something while we are there is just plain wrong. We have every right to do nothing and point fingers at everyone else. Our target now is Crespo and we have others in our sights to go after when tire of belittling him.
If our union thinks that we should be held accountable for our own actions and actually punish us for being just plain ignorant we need to get a new union. We have a constitutional right to just complain about others and not do our assigned work in the security of knowing that our union should be encouraging this behavior and not punishing us for our slacker attitude.
Cheesy says, did Kim do nothing under Conrad and Byrd as well ? The childlessness of the finger pointers is astounding but then again I will consider the source . It's like Trump; allnor nothing. All Muslims, all Mexicans and all blacks. Everyone is lazy except you. These accusations usually appear after something unrelated happens and then the hyperbole just rolls off your lying lips
Conrad and Byrd are will always be class acts. Crespo is not. Why was Kim's minister at the school? Is he praying for Crespo to keep his job? We all know Mundt is a under qualified pi^^ ant!
Crespo is not the lastest focus he should have been terminated with Popp. Thruckenbrod gave Crespo an excellent on his review. He ignored the ISBE survey staff filled out and yet he received an excellent. How could that be? Crespo bragged to staff at that time he is untouchable.
We have shared concerns with the new superintendents and know as professionals they will deal with him. We are hopefully and optimism is in the air.
Crespo also told staff if we are not All in with him we should just leave. He wants to build his own team. This was also shared and hIs threats of transfers did get stopped. We are taking it one day at a time.
Crespo told secretaries he is still the boss and we work for him. I we are caught talking to others about his poor management we can be transferred against our will. He says we have no grievance rights and our new union is to green to help us. We have the board and don't think we will not go to them. That is a warning if he violates our rights there is a board policy about harassment.
Another Dean packed up her office over the weekend. She will be resigning after 12 years of service and that means another good employee lost.
As previously mentioned, our district Band Camp (all D131 band students welcome, from incoming 6th graders through recent high school grads) WILL be happening after all, beginning next Monday, June 27th.
If you are interested in attending and have not previously registered, here's what you need to do:
I hear we will be losing most of the deans. This is not what is best for kids to lose people who are invested in them and this community, especially the dean you mention above, but Crespo turned a bunch of highly educated admin into hall monitors this year and guess what-his tardy policy failed anyway. If I had not lost respect for him before for his lack of intelligence and his micromanaging ways, chasing off the entire dean staff did it. Worst principal I've ever seen.
No Creepo today maybe he is out looking for a job. He should since he is destroying careers for educators that have given their blood, sweat and tears to EA.
I went to a board meeting last night and could not believe i was in East Aurora. What a professional well run meeting and it was actually done by 7:45pm. How Popp could run meetings until 12am shows his poor leadership. The staff has been meeting with Hoyda ,Childress, and Megaezzini and problems are being solved.
It shows the of Arroyo, Hatchett, Leonard and Johnson made the right choice. Laesch was a no show again and staff sees him for who he is. Darby bragged about going to a conference on the districts dime. Toooo bad the conference does not teach common sense. Strand sat like she lost her best friend. ation
Crazy of the night goes to Greg Glotzbach does he not see he is making a fool of whatever reputation Joan had. She may have to teach with us next year
The educational services in the building are run by nobody. Keene and the principal should be in charge but because of Crespo's paranoid behavior he has assigned Keene to other duties. He does not have a teaching degree and is not capable. The division chairs have been given zero direction.
Review the AD's office. It has been allowed to run with nobody all year. We did have Popp's friends who never showed and charged the district for hours. Crespo then pushed a employee out for reporting fraud and now she is missed by students and staff.
The Deans have either resigned or are looking for jobs. The students run the building and in one year a once safe building for students and staff has been destroyed.
Good to hear Tyler is leaving now if they can just get rid of Crespo and Hanley we will heal. Tyler made many mistakes we still have not been paid after many of us had to pay to amend our income taxes.
Because of the insanely complicated reporting requirements for w-2s, do not feel alone with having to amend your return for a w-2 correction. If you survey all the school districts, you will find that the majority have had to go thru this. And some have had to amend several years........If they say otherwise they are not being truthful.........
Date : June 26, 2016 To: Board of Education From Ralph Padron
REVIEW OF EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION DISCREPANCIES BY ALEX DIMARE
Alex DiMare application to SD131 is filled with disparities which should have raised many “a red flag” to the HR Dept and to those who approved his employment. His background check was deficient in ensuring Mr DiMare met the qualifications for Director of B & G
The substance of DiMare’s career has been
@ 2 full time jobs for approximately 30 yrs @ part time for 12 years included in the 30 yr span. @ full time as a manager for Hammer and Nails, as a construction safety inspector. @ full time in the Police Department of Glenwood, IL. @ part time as a truant officer at Homewood-Flossmoor School District. Total 16-20 hours a day plus travel & part time. @ Govenors State degree 1981-1985 of 64 hours or 16 per year adding 4 hours per day for school.
Comparing Mr DiMare’s application to East Aurora dist 131 is most revealing in the representation of his recent employment at North Chicago dist 187. Note the following:
* Director at SD187 for less than one year when he applied to SD131 * Hired at 187 on 9/2011 and began work in 12/2011; NOT 2010 as stated. * Salary was $80,000 NOT $95.000 as stated * Represented that he did all bidding and construction management saving the district millions. However ARCON, and architectural/construction firm performed all the design, bidding and construction administration. According to ARCON (arconassoc.com) They managed the projects not Mr DiMare. * The budget for summer 2014 was $1-2M for 5 small projects. Impossible to save millions.
In subsequent recorded communications DiMare stated that the best example of his effectiveness was when he “had a landscaping bench relocated so that staff would not have to spend extra time returning to trim around it.”
When comparing DiMare’s North Chicago Dist 187 (7A) application to his East Aurora Dist 131 (7B) application these deficiencies are compounded. Note the following:
* Employer change from Hammer & Nails located at a single family resident to Wilton Industries (NOT the huge conglomerate located in Woodridge) with an address in Wheaton of a 1200sf 3 bedroom residence.
* Salary change from $30,000 to $70,000 * Position change from Safety Manager to Project manager. * Job description change from monitoring construction safety to manage schedule, subs, budget, estimating commercial & residential project. (Note no building from his 30 years is listed on his submitted project list) * EA131 App states managing staff of 80; Glenwood PD letter states staff 32.
Attached are DiMare’s 131 & 187 applications with the supporting numbered documents for the above statements.
No HR director, no secondary, no elementary director, no chief business officer, no superintendent , probably no B&G director, and some believe this spell success. This is why East will continue to flounder at the bottom in every category related to education.
East will finally hire qualified individuals but I am sure this blog will attack them. A few more need to leave to make East great again. Hopefully Crespo and Hanley will see the writing on the wall.
Popp, Glozbach, and Thuckenbrod were horrible administrators not only incompetent but vindictive bullies. Waddell and Tyler are just plain incompetent. The B&G director is a liar and what can anyone say about Crespo and Hanley who are so substandard nobody will hire them.
Popp brought all the failures to East and yes it will take awhile to close the chapter on the Popp era but they will prevail because prepared to what they had anyone else will look like a rock star.
Of course some of our 'educated' staff, teachers, custodians will immediately "hate" the new people hired to be in charge and will state really perverted things on this blog about them and not only that, they will do anything possible to make their lives a living hell. The main reason for existence for some of these cretins is to not be productive and just blame everyone around themselves for their own shortcomings. District 131 has a horrible reputation in the teaching community as the place where malcontents come to teach, staff come to do nothing and god help the administrator who comes in and wants to actually improve things. The agents of change will be run out of town. Haters have to hate and some of the teachers are really good at hating. It is just that simple. Who in their right mind would want to tolerate for a nano second the childish and boorish behavior of the teachers and crew at district 131. There really aren't a lot of teachers worth saving around the district. But they will tell you it is everyone's fault except theirs.
Just saying: so are you saying East was great under which Superintendent. If that's your premise what do you base it on. What happened to all the great central office ad min. Tyler was like the 6th chief business officer since Augustine resigned, and the only one that Popp hired. Please ask ( Justsaying) Johnson where are they now since she has been president since forever. I'm 59 years old and an alum and I love East but its never been great. It was white but great , not in my time. Paul Revere is either Hanley or Popp because no one else on the blog is capable of writing on that level.
Listen Matt and Popp-- If you can possibly understand what I am saying-- I am so sick of teacher bashing by those who are supposed to be like the nurses in an operating room, "Doctor what do you need, how can I help you?" Matt will call us all stupid and inept- funny for someone who missed coverage on most district events and farmed out videos and articles. As a veteran, someone who has university teaching and a business background-- The years when we had supportive administrators- I have to back to Barwa for this things ran swimmingly in the district. I'll tell you one thing, if you can cut it in the chaotic mess of d131 you can teach anywhere- where you have so many gang, emotional, and social issues here that get in the way of teaching, plus add on people like Hanley and Popp who spend their days cutting you down and blaming their failures on you- imagine having to hand out to your students during union negotiations a letter to parents crafted by Hanley and Popp how all the teachers were losers and didn't want the students to learn-the first of several letters cutting down teachers and sent by Popp/Hanley to parents. How crazy is this? These guys are supposed to support us and they went on an attack mode that lasted Popp's entire reign. Disgusting individuals. Talk about not doing your job!!!!
Until the blog goes away the district will not heal. Carlson can claim she gave the blog away and if she did she could ask that person to take it down. She claims she loves the district but she really is ruining it for her grandchild and other students.
Whatever anyone thinks of Popp, Thruckenbrod and Glotzbach they should be able to get future employment. I know that the searches are hurting their chances. It is good they have proven leaders in Hoyta and Mcdonald since they do not have to worry they are retired and the blog can't hurt them.
Today is the second day of Band Camp. According to my daughter there were about 200 kids there yesterday. I can't wait to watch the parade next Monday and see our kids marching together proudly representing our district. Big thanks to Ms Huggins who always does a great job! And also thanks to THIS BLOG, where many of us parents found out band camp had been cancelled this year. We spoke up and got it going, so our tradition continues!
I agree that the blog deserves some credit for band camp happening this year, because there was absolutely no information saying it had been cancelled on any district news source. The district website, the band Facebook page, the D131 music site had no mention of cancellation. Nor did our Community Relations person put out any press releases. It looked like someone(s) was hoping we parents wouldn't notice or say anything, but thanks to the blog we found out & spoke up. And a grEAt program for our kids continues in 2016!
Until the day comes that the teachers accept the fact that they have had a huge hand in the insanity called District 131 no one should "support" you or kiss your collective asses. You need to understand that respect is earned and your behavior at present is not acceptable at all. The "everyone but me" attitude has sunk you for decades at East. You are the ones that should be asking "what do I need to do to make up for our past shameful actions so that the district can believe in us again". One of the first things to do is to stop blaming others and put the spotlight back on your own faults. You are supposed to be teaching the children, not acting like them. Everyone is way past sick and tired of your tactics of blaming others. Just stop it and grow up.
"Our "shameful" past. What exactly is our "shameful" past? I am always amazed by people teacher bashing who would not last 10 minutes in a classroom, especially in a school district with as many social, economic and political problems as East Aurora. Until you have tried to teach a lesson plan and have been interrupted by children crying because of bullying, being pregnant, chased on a daily basis by gang members, beaten up outside of class by gang members, having relatives sexually abuse them, living in a house with three families and having no physical space, being so depressed that they have to be hospitalized, then shut your trap. I actually talk the talk because for the past twenty years I have walked the walk. I am there for my students, regardless of the nincompoop administrators I have had to deal with. After having no contract for several years we wanted a cost of living increase. We also expected a pension that we have paid into for our entire careers. This makes us villains. Respectfully, Bob I invite you to go have relations with yourself. I am sure no one else will have you.
Johnson saved the band camp. Parents contacted her, I for one and she got Mr Garcia involved who helped Ms Huggins pull it together. I will agree the community relations and getting the word out in schools need to get fixed.
Board member Darby never returned a call and Principal Rowley was rude and not helpful.
I will report this on the blog because they treat us like low end losers because are kids attend school. The blog holds everyone accountable.
I am not surprised that Annette Johnson stepped up and helped get our band camp back on track. I do think she has issues with anger management but at least she extends the courtesy of a response when a parent asks a question. Good luck calling the service center if you have a concern, you can call 5 people who work in that building during official business hours and get the same recording "so-and-so is away from their desk". Impossible to ask a live person a simple question without playing phone tag (and not even given an option to speak with an actual human being anywhere in the building).
I drank the Strand kool-aid until last year as a Magnet parent and shame on me for believing her. Johnson was instrumental in starting the Magnet School and some parents including myself called her in complete desperation in May when Rowley did not allow a graduation ceremony. Johnson stepped up an sent an on our behalf. We ended up with a ceremony. She now helped us with the band. Perhaps she has a anger problem because of how the children get treated.
The program was in one classroom per grade. Johnson continued to work on expanding it. When they got the building they expanded it into its current form. I attended many meeting when she would talk about and I became upset because their focus was not on all day kindergarten. I remember Hull and Peryea attacking her for announcing they are going to have all day. Then they had a fit because the building would open in 6 months. Aggressive she is and that what 131 needs.
As for not returning calls try email it is horrible nobody responds or you get passed around 12 times. My payroll is not right. My class needed more workbooks, I asked for clarification on SLO's. Work tickets never processed on heat. Copies backed up two weeks and no paper in the buildings. Loss classroom supply checks. Stipends not processed. This is the real 131 on a daily basis.
I understand Johnson anger and until Dr Popp it was not as widespread. Step back and think what if you are not aggressive about advocating for students? The Hanley/ Popp person who I believe to be Iola Thruckenbrod should walk a day in teachers shoes.
Iola Thuckenbrod was certainly the eyes and ears of Dr Garza. She is also very bitter about the teachers and has made comments. Her husband Mark acted like 131 teachers are inferior. He is not teacher friendly and it is my understanding 204 would not even take him back as a Dean. It shows 131 inherited the cast offs. It's funny now that the shoe is on the other foot.
We will see if Joan Glotzbach can last as a teacher again the shoe is ontge other foot. Let's.also see if Joan's husband comes to another BOE meeting and acts like a stalker.
Johnson "the real deal "is speaking in the 3rd person again. Tooting her own horn, obsessed with hull and Peryea who have move on and poor spelling. If your anger wasn't widespread until Popp what has Croby been writing about all these years. How about threatening to stab Roberts and kill the board members. Hi my name is Annette Johnson and I need anger management .
If everyone would just stay focused on their job duties and not worry about what others are doing or salaries maybe it would be a different scenario. When we took a job in the district we all knew our salary. If someone gets a promotion good for them. You know if it had happened to you, it would of been welcomed. I have to say Dr. Popp, Joan and Hanley have always been very respectful when I see them and this goes for other Central Office Administrators. Seeing all these people leave the District at once is going to hurt all of us.
199 comments:
Popp and Crespo are responsible a large lawsuit that is getting filed. The board should understand if they are not removed more will be coming our rights and safety have been violated. We do not want to take money away from students but Crespo needs to get sent a message.
The only lawsuit that conceivably should be filed is against the teachers and staff who are in Ralph's merry band of nitwits who do and say nothing to those in charge about all the scandals and corrupt activities that the teachers, maintenance workers and staff are involved in. It is sad that this incompetence has been allowed to go for as long as it has. But if the route of a lawsuit is what is needed to put Ralph and his thugs away, so be it. The rights and safety of our whole district community are being violated every day by these nitwits. You really wonder how many of them live in our district. Their acts are beyond reprehensible.
To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131 May 18, 2016
From: Ralph Padron
Subject: Discrepancies in Alexander Di Mare’s application (Part 1)
EA Dist 131 & North Chicago Dist 187 (documents obtained via FOIA)
Upon review of Mr DiMare’s application as Director of Bldg & Grounds with his application from North Chicago Dist 187, questions arise concerning many an area. (See attachments)
Dist 187 Dist 131
Date Company
1980 – 2011 Hammer Nail Construction Wilton Industries
31yrs ( 2 different companies with different addresses are both residences )
Position Safety Mgr Salary $ 30K
Project Mgr Salaray $ 70K
1979 – 2006 Glenwood Police Dept
27 years Deputy Chief of Police
Glenwood has a population approximately 9,000
His EA 131 application states he managed
30 sworn officers
15 non sworn officers
35 support staff
This is a very very large police force for such a small community.
Comments
Comparing his applications Alex states he worked 2 full time jobs simultaneously for 30 years
More detailed summary to follow on his work history.
Matt please do your job and stop writing about teachers and staff. Please send your time getting your resume ready. The staff at SSC has heard Dr Popps comments about us. He stated in a loud voice for everyone to hear that if teachers at Waldo weighed less maybe they would not be such big targets for students. Then he said just joking. That is not a joke when someone is injured. Dr Popp has shown his lack of ethics, skill, and leadership.
Large lawsuit coming involving Crespo they will have no other choice but to fire him.
Also, if the group is so qualified why have they not found jobs. Oh that's because nobody will hire Popp, Glozii the nazi, Thuckenbrod, Handley, Waddell, and Crespo.
This blog will always be a permanent record of their reign of terror.
From: R Padron
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2016 11:24 AM
To: Kirsten Strand; Ken Darby
Kirsten & Ken
Mike Popp's twisted comments concerning my speech on Monday inspired me to finally pursue auditing Alex Di Mare's applications.
Attached you will find his applications which were obtained via FOIA from North Chicago Dist 187 & East Aurora Dist 131
Additional information on this issue will be released by the ongoing audit very shortly.
Will anxiously await your findings
Thank you
Ralph
Will Power said:
Hanley- quit with the anti-teacher bashing--hasn't worked thus far has it? ? enjoy your last 90 day hasta la vista baby!!!
Finally, the end of another idiotic year at district 131. Hopefully between the end of this year and the start of next school year we can fire over two thirds of all the teachers. Fire all the maintenance staff and outsource the janitorial services. Fire half of the staff an get rid of a couple administrators. Then we can actually build a team of professionals that want to get district 131 out of the dark ages. It would be the start of making 131 great again!!! Just think of it....teachers actually teaching, staff and administrators being appreciated for standing against political correctness. Students actually learning and those that are disruptive sent packing to the nearest youth detention facility never to return. Ralph would not have his merry band of nitwits as they would be gone, so things could actually get accomplished just like other districts and he would have to go and play by himself. And this blog would be responsible for the turnaround as it does document the permanent record of insane stupidity of the teachers, staff and maintenance workers. So pat yourselves on the back for bringing the asinine behavior of the rank and file to the light of day!!!!!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-kane-educator-of-the-year-st-0518-20160519-story.html
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-math-curriculum-st-0519-20160519-story.html
EA is in the best place possible. I am very happy with our meeting with Dr Hoyda she has experience and knowledge in curriculum. We are happy to have her and we have not had such an experienced grounded leader in years. I can't wait to meet Dr McDonald he has had rave reviews with friends at d129. Thanks BOE for getting it right and looking forward for their new leadership.
They finally got it right! I am hoping they will keep them at least three years. Hoyda is already making a impact in Curiculum very professional. She is certainly a women of few words but we have learned more from her than the last five years of administration.
It is good to see people coming into to the district with years of experience and that is something that has been lacking. They need to get involved in hiring. We have had a history of attracting administration with no experience that had always been afraid to hire experienced people that had more qualifications. These people came in with a agenda to resume build one pet project after another. They changed direction on teachers daily. Who in our district had experience ; look at Popp a 204 cast off. Glad to see four board who are willing to take criticism by a small few but make the right changes. I am retired now but wish I could be apart of the positive changes coming.
Date: May 20, 2016
To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131
From: Ralph Padron
Subject: Compare the Facts
High School Principal Anthony Crespo
Questionable Hiring
Please review the attached documents gathered via FOIA & ISBE website
Again the facts raise serious questions/concerns on another questionable hiring by Superintendent Michael Popp.
Crespo has ONLY AN ADMINISTRATIVE DEGREE
In 2014 he applied for several positions at EA to no avail
YET in 2015 he is hired with ZERO experience as a principal adding to that
East High has a very large staff & enrollment
Crespo has NO TEACHING DEGREE resulting in not understanding the concerns
And problems on a daily basis of the teachers and staff at East High
Simply he has no experience “walking in their shoes” resulting in an atmosphere of a non-experienced Principal being allowed to lead a very difficult scenario resulting in CHAOS
How many truly dedicated staff have left and continue to leave as a result of his lack of leadership.
Compare his credentials with those Principals
A Former East High Spencer Byrd & Sheila Conrad
B current Middle & Elementary principals Mechelle Patterson & Noah Little
1 NOT EVEN CLOSE, yet Mike Popp does the unthinkable-
2 Hires Crespo for $ 11.5 K more than advertised
3 Totally disregards the lack of Teaching Degree’s and Experience
4 Ignores he could not even be hired as an Asst Principal at 131
Did anyone notice his application stated 3 yrs experience as Principal
I ask this Board of Education to please review the documents and judge for yourself that Superintendent Mike Popp has been guilty of hiring unqualified administrators resulting in lowering the education standards at East Aurora.
Old timer you can be a part of the changes. If you are retired and live in the district....run for the board. If not, there are still volunteer areas in our schools helping teachers and the students or sub positions, if you are a teacher.
You can still be a part or help create positive change thru being a helping hand.
An international business degree from ramapo college does not qualify someone to be principal!!!
Mr. "All in" couldn't even show up to the sports boosters picnic tonight. Guess he doesn't care about sports. Speaking of which when is he going to have football coach interviews since he has a hard on for Becker. No interviews set up and sports camps start in 2 weeks. If I were football coaches I wouldn't do anything until they know who the head coach is.
Crespo has now pulled all students who are failing all or a majority of their classes and sends them to the in school room to get an online credit business class. Guess the international businessman wants kids to go into his field. A half credit in a dumbed down business online class that some kids are finishing in 2 days is really going to help them!
We are now down 2 counselors and a dean......who's next to leave due to crespos incompetence?!?
continue to send emails on Friday night and over the weekend. How often must we get email alerts on our phones hearing from Popp, Crespo, Waddell.....the professionalism of sending emails to staff on Friday night at 9pm??? I'll be sure to stop what I am doing and sign up on my learning plan on a Friday night Sarah. If it is something important, shouldn't you send it out during the school day? It is embarrassing that these administrators continue to be unprofessional and are still employed.
Crespo. Popp, Waddell, Thuckenbrod, Glotzbach, Hanley, Tyler are all looking for jobs. If they are so qualified why are they not getting hired. Gee is it because they are so under qualified that nobody will hire them. You go Ralph exposing the garbage. Thanks BOE for getting rid of most of them. If they did not have the Laesch chaos machine they probably would have gotten all the trash cleaned up.
To inexperienced administrators: No, you don't have to stop what you're doing. All it means is that the sender was working on something at that time, and got it sent out. Just because they sent it and you received it then doesn't mean you have to respond then. I often will send out an e-mail that I don't expect a response to right then. I've just sent it off, and figure the other person will respond when they get to it. If it's something that needs an immediate response, I'll send a text message.
I'm grateful for getting these emails -- rather get them Friday than Sunday night when I'm trying to get ready for the work week! There's no professionalism about sending emails; it's still up to you to answer them or not.
They are a waste of time. Have you read the emails EA parent
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-transgender-construction-st-0522-20160520-story.html
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160522/news/160529666/
It clear to the staff Dr Popp is attempting to paint Crespo and Himself as the victim. The way our students are used in this article by Crespo and Popp are racist.
Blame it on busing as to why Crespo failed. It is interesting that he quotes Byrd's graduation rates as improving. We can see Hanley was working well into the night to repair Popp's imagine. Oh is is tried, yes Dr Popp we are tried of you. Why not tell the Daily Herald you took money away from students and gave it to your 204 pals. Now the qualified group of nitwits can't find a job. Whats the problem Dr Popp now you have to advertise yourself as a saint. Wow, just leave us alone and take Crespo the racist with you.
Of course they are using the past graduation rates, Crespo hasn't had a graduation yet.
To Duh:
Yes the seniors just graduated. They know the current numbers and they are far lower than last year. As usual, if the news is bad, you will wait a long time to hear about it.
No, the seniors have not graduated. They graduate Friday, May 27 at NIU and grades are not officially due for seniors until 10:00 am today, May 23. They might have some prilimary numbers but no, they do not have the official number of graduates.
You are wrong, and have no idea what you are talking about.
What 200 kids not graduating according to the Daily Herald (Crespo) should be fired on the spot. The hiring of friends and under qualified administration has proven the failure of the Popp era. Now they will inflate the numbers and tell you more graduated because of summer school. The blame for this latest fiasco starts with Popp and ends with Crespo. They removed a plan Byrd had that tracks seniors graduation plan. Teachers would receive updates. The first update that was given was March. Again, another failure by Popp for hiring someone that is not qualified as a teacher. Yes our principal does not hold a teaching certification. He can't advise students because he can not pass basic requirements himself.
Popp/Truckenbrod forged the principal evaluation paperwork and gave him a great review. Forging the process should remove Popp and Truckenbrod in a fair world from ever administrating again. Here's hoping the blog plays a role when other school districts do background checks. Here's a horrible nightmare they may end up as teachers.
You are a joke Dr Popp and the entire staff knows it your novel that Matt Hanley got one of news friends to write for those who experienced your reign of terror only shows what a jerk your are. The article should read Dr Popp and company exploit the poor.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160523/news/160529607/
The shake down is happening! Teachers are being told if a student is close to graduating just graduate him/her. Nobody has the real numbers and even with the grade scam of moving grades up not down they will still fall far short. A teacher who had her grade book set up properly went in over the weekend to find grades moved up. There is no explanation. Why all of this? Is it a plot to make Crespo look good.
Now I get why graduation numbers increased under Byrd. Bring him back with the interims and everyone look good with a group that can't figure out a weighted scale
Remember more scores went down than up but Popp only changed the grades that went up. Therefore more students graduated under Crespo than should have. I call it convenient!
Wow. A newspaper actually writes articles that bring the real issues to light in District 131 and you vile, disgusting, pieces of poop still cannot seem to get your heads wrapped around the fact that our district's problems have everything to do with poverty, illegal status and the associated issues. Why in god's name are we still teaching English to immigrants the way we do!!! Maybe start taking a look at that and come up with teaching English (and only English) for a year so the kids know it and then put them in the mainstream with all classes being taught in English. Or something!! All you do is gripe about someone going to Spain. Care to bring up alternatives???? Dunces!!! Someone speaks the truth about the kids homelife and financial struggles and you just whip up the hate speech against individuals in charge. Real class acts, just real class, so special. It is as if most of the teachers come to our district to hide and not want to teach. They just find a place to do as little as possible so they can get their undeserved pensions and coast for their whole lives. How evil is that. When administrators come here and try to improve this place the teachers with their knee jerk reaction just crap all over them. You just summarily do everything you can to stop any decent progress in these kids lives. (At least teachers can't screw up the JNROTC program). So, stop your reign of terror, quit being rectal cavities, stop looking like Richard craniums and get off your butts and start doing some of the real lifting around here instead of claiming victim status. You are just disgusting cry bullies. Yes, this blog is a record for the incompetence of the teachers who walk around insisting everyone bow down to them as if they were the next coming when in reality you are a large part of the cause of the misery on top of the poverty at this district. Most professionals in the education arena around the state know that you are the cause of the insanity in the district. How can you not see that??? Since you don't live here, what is the matter??? Afraid that your own real estate taxes may go up if the state actually based school funding on real needs??? Once again just looking out for yourselves and not our kids?? Our failures at 131 have nothing to do with diversity as there is no diversity here and the problems have nothing to do with perceived "bad" administrators. It has to do with impoverished people who really don't understand that in America education is the key to success and the lack of our teachers involvement in getting the kids to learn. What a bunch of losers. maybe over the summer you can get your heads out of your respective butts.
Hey, Chip -- speaking of "hate speech", read your own post. You'll find plenty there. And while you're doing that, read back and alternatives to recruiting teachers from Spain WERE given, i.e. recruit locally, work with local colleges, etc. You are right that is no diversity here, but to say the problems have "nothing" to do with the administrators is patently untrue. The problems have most to do w/ the non-school factors you brought up (poverty, lack of motivation, parents, kids, etc.), some with some of the teachers, and some with some of the administrators.
Way to go!!!!! It's like you climbed in my head and spewed all of my internal rants! Totally agree!
LOL I was thinking the same as EA parent.
Who is the "Richard cranium" regurgitating points that have been addressed.
Doesn't seem to see they are in a glass house throwing stones?
Chip Munk has hit the nail on the proverbial head. Want some more "good news" The attached link will allow you to see all the teachers at 131 who make over 100,000 a year. And our poor babies are underpaid.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamandrzejewski/2016/05/20/minimum-wage-of-100000-for-50000-highly-compensated-il-public-employees-costs-taxpayers-8-0b/#6f914d324c15
Way to go Chip Munk. Maybe not the Shakespearian way to say things but it needed to be said. Have to admit that a couple admin people are at fault here as are Ralph and his merry band of nitwits and some members of our crack maintenance staff. Sad, but you do realize that the teachers who make over 100,000 in salary will be receiving way over 2,000,000 in retirement benefits over 30 years (even 25 years). Way over 2,000,000. As there is an automatic minimum 3% raise every year. Totally unsustainable.
Anyway. Those articles were good. It is rally amazing that the only focus for people like Ralph in making straw man arguments instead of focusing on the real issues. Ralph, it has been said before, you would be more helpful if you went after Naperville and Dupage county and force them to get in compliance with low income housing requirements to spread some of the pain around. maybe you could tell them that you would pursue busing 131 kids to Naperville district schools if they don't comply.....
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160524/news/160529424/
To Anonymous Some more thoughts said...and Maybe I.m Amazed
Why dont you guys check your facts first.....There arent any teachers in EA that make over $100K. Just useless people like Matt Hanley, Crespo and a few other bonehead admins. Do your research before you coming spewing nonsense!
http://www.d131.org/Finance/EASalComp1516.pdf
Yeah all those teachers in the East School District making over $100k a year how dare they make that after 31 years of working with a degree, a masters, and 48 extra college credit hours. Or 33 years with a masters. Pathetic I tell you.
The numbers are in and Crespo was shaking down teachers up until the last minute to graduate students that did not meet the requirements. The grade fiasco moved about 50 into the graduation column that would have not ordinately graduated. It makes you wonder if Popp and company knew all along the system was not functioning and had to announce this to look like Crespo was not a complete failure. They could have listened to teachers and fixed the system long ago. Even after rigging the system still 200 students will not graduate because Crespo failed to watch their proformance but focused on harassing a few PE teachers.
Hanley the only piece of poop is you and your undeserved raise for farming out all of your work. You have no idea how hard teachers work or what work is for that matter. Happy Trails dunce!!!!!!
Senior Class awards update. Funny how our valedictorian did not receive any awards last evening? He used his mothers position on the school board to elevate himself but our staff would not nominate him for anything. It is questionable that Strand is even valedictorian. We are glad to see the self proclaimed Crespo spy who would try to catch hard working staff on camera not doing their job gone. Maybe his mother Kristen Strand will follow.
The entire grades issue smells to high heaven. Remember teachers claimed for a long time the grade module was not working. Everyone should wonder what the.big Popp proclaimation was. I will increase graduation! Last year he copied off of Byrds paper and proclaimed Byrds graduation success his. This year grades got adjusted up not down. Is it a coincidence or not? Inquiring EA staff want to know?
The article said the grade fiasco goes back to the spring of 2013. I thought Popp became superintendent in spring 2014. Didn't mr byrd become principal in fall of 2013 - 2015?. Didn't graduation rates climb every year under me Byrd? I believe 2014 was the largest in over a decade. Aren't the teachers responsible to input grades. Are the teachers declaring that they just received a record increase and now stating that the entire increase in 2014 / 15 was manipulated by Roberts first and then Popp. They forced Byrd / Crespo who forced the teachers. Was Byrds numbers real and Crespo was not?
If a tenured teacher was forced to change grades by either principal they should come forward at a board meeting like you did for the contract. Let me gues you're afraid of Crespo . Can you have your Union come forward or contact the newspaper.
To Help me understand:
Your questions are right on the mark. But you will not get any real answers from the teachers on this blog as they just want the powers that be to look bad and accuse them of "scandals,corruption, etc". If anyone in charge came up with the cure for cancer these prize peaches would find some way of not allowing it to get to patients. It is more important for them to cut down those in charge than to actually help improve things. lets put it this way...If stupid could fly, the teachers would be jets. They don't realize they are not presenting themselves in a good light with the graduation rate. - They are so focused on belittling those in charge to actually see that.
What a pity that the blog allows this type of attack on a minor to happen, unsubstantiated! You should all be ashamed of yourselves.
I read that Daily Herald article and am in complete shock. What the hell happened to 131 and Aurora for that matter?
Very sad because it seems there is no answer to the problem.
To Flopcat
Here's what happened to 131. I'll explain it this way....If you look at district 204 just east of us, this is what you see. You have Chinese, Japanese, Pakistani, Indian, Spanish, Black, White that are real melting pot. Everyone speaks fluent English to each other. Driving around neighborhoods in 204 you have the names of businesses in English even though there is a diverse mix of people from around the world in the district. - Again, the proverbial melting pot.- People who want to assimilate. And assimilate does not mean lose the culture of your country of origin. So, here in 131 you have what 85% Hispanic population where there are huge areas where the signs of businesses are just in Spanish, we can't get kids to learn English because we allow the kids to be taught in their native tongue kindergarten thru senior in high school and not immerse them with English initially. (and like idiots wonder why they fail tests, duh). English is an afterthought. We allow houses that are meant for 5 people to house 20. (We are a land locked district, we should not be seeing huge increases in enrollment. This abuse of housing has gone on for decades with the city of Aurora's blessing as some of the slum lords are in key positions in the city's division of housing regulations!!! We are not a diverse district in our population, and there is a significant part of that population that does not want to assimilate into the United States. We are not the great melting pot that was 131 in most of the 20th century. We have teachers who think that just because they got their masters degrees 30 years ago that the district should keep paying them a premium for that and they keep doing things the same way thinking the results will be different (wasn't that the definition of insanity??) And to be fair, if a teacher does mention some of the above they would be labeled a racist so we are in that proverbial catch 22 since nothing does change. Hell, some mental midgets complain when people on the school board verbally dress down employees who make major screw ups!!! So, we have an impoverished population who will not assimilate, an educational system set up with enough political correctness that positive change cannot happen and a lot of district employees who need to be fired because they came here to take advantage of the situation. We also have counties like Dupage and cities like Naperville and Wheaton who do not meet their minimum quotas of low income housing and that keeps districts like 131 from getting ahead.
I think any input would be appreciated.
King Crespo yelled at the secretaries today that he is the principal and flashed his business card. Shame on them for attempting to save money. Many tears and again more reign of terror. What Crespo does not get is in 5 weeks his protection goes away.
Just a thought
Teachers are a cure for cancer, Hanley only you and idiots like Popp don't let them work their medicine. We have to give PAARC, spend a couple of months on ridiculous and meaningless Danielson evaluations which are good if you have a nice and fair evaluator like Moses, Hill, bad if you have Bell, many other admins who make it up in 5 minutes and have never spent 1 minute in a classroom and have no idea what real teachers go through. Just like you Hanley throwing shade at hard working people that actually deal with children and work their asses off- unlike you dunce- who got an undeserved raise and farms out yo0ur work to others.
Date: May 27, 2016
To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131
From: Ralph Padron
Subject: PT 2 Alex Di Mare Application Discrepancies
Attached: FOIA Dist 187 N Chicago & Dist 131
Alex Di Mare’s employment history at Dist 187 per School Year
Sept 2011 Middle School Safety Officer $ 53,593.00
Nov 2012 (Salary Increase) 63,000.00
July 2013 Promoted to Director
of Safety Operations 64,575.00
New Job Description
July 2014 Promoted to Director
of Safety AND Operations $80,000.00
NEW JOB DESCRIPTION
Alex Di Mare’s employment application submitted to EA 131 indicates
North Chicago 187 Employment date, position & salary
Oct 2010 Director of Safety and Operations to 2015 $ 95,000.00
See Attached Contracts (Dist 187) defining job description/responsibilities for his various positions, starting as Safety Officer at Neal Middle School.
See attached application to SD131 stating his employment, position and salary at SD 187
Mr Di Mare’s EA 131 application has several discrepancies brought out in PART 1.
These discoveries raise additional questions about his experience:
1 Why was his start date @ SD187 of September 2011 represented on the EA applications as October 2010?
2 Why did he list his Middle School Safety Officer position of 2011-2015 and the Safety Operations Director of 2013 at SD 187 as “Director of Safety and Operations”?
3 Why did he state that his salary was $95,000 when the 1 year contract was for $80,000?
4 How can he list “Experience in Similar Positions” as 15 yrs when his contract was for 1 yr?
His SD131 Application appears to be misleading.
PART 3 IS FORTHCOMING
EA needs to get a refund from Northern nobody could hear and the place was a sweat shop. I wonder how much they paid to treat us like a bunch of animals Hirding us in and out like cattle. I am sure they did not treat the white schools like that.
I agree whole heartedly with the Observer. Our city leaders have allowed our properties to become run down. They allow businesses and home properties alike not to be held up to standards. They don't need to rebuild anything, just enforce the laws that are already in place. If those that have been hired to do this, cannot do their job, then remove them.
Our programs for teaching/ learning English have been a joke since Marin Gonzales was at EA. It seemed it was a financial advantage to keep students in classes for learning English as long as possible. The admin played the system. The higher those numbers the more money could be gotten by 131 from government and grants. When that "free" money doesn't get paid or dries up, 131 starts crying how poor they are.
EA has forever been a been a melting pot. Each community had their businesses and families of different ethnic groups. I am speaking of back in the 1920's and 30's. People back then were proud of their heritage, also. They celebrated their cultural holidays. They were proud to be Americans, too. Many did not teach their children the language of their home country. Over the years people have realized you can become an American without losing your heritage or yr native tongue. Yet, we have over extended the acceptance and have turned to accommodating here in East Aurora? As the Observer mentioned, we have not created the community of ALL,the people, but rather accommodated the minority to change the standard of what we should be acceptable. Our overall standard for living, which includes the education of the children has been allowed to deteriorate. Elected officials are a big part of the problem. From the BOE to the Mayors office, changes need to be made. In the mean time we allow and accept mediocrity.
Aurora made the East side schools bad. There also was the BOE of fifty years ago that did not provide busing from the far north side and south side. Whoever is saddled with the BOE today can not fix the problems. Look at the crumbling vacate building around the Eat side. I have always said the BOE needs to advocate for East Aurora along with administration. When one of there own gets attached by the Mayor they should take out a full page ad explaining why the City has left the East side down. The Daily Herald article did a good job exposing Aurora.
Taxpayer 65 don't forget the voters of D131, who voted against busing. When the voters turn down a referendum, not a lot the board can do.
As an alumni I am embarrassed to even acknowledge that I went to East. The articles in the Herald have exposed East to the collar counties. It's not about the students and their social economic challenges I get that. The adults are responsible for 99% of this situation. All the changes to the administration by Johnson and the board majority have now placed responsibility squarely in their laps. The interims are just that. They will not give up their pensions to take a permenant position; it's probably not even possible. Why allow an interim to make decisions they will walk away from .
To: Board of Education Dist 131 East Aurora May 31, 2016
From: Ralph Padron
Subject: East High Purchasing Violations?
On Aug 17 2015 East High Principal Anthony Crespo had been on the job for 90 days yet makes a purchase for $ 10,265.00 for Graphics throughout the HS.
Where is the APPROVAL LOG with this purchase?
School Policy requires
Crespo’s supervisor Mark Truckenbrod to approve then
Elise Clever (Purchasing Agent) would generate a Purchase Order.
Question:
Did Truckenbrod approve this? If not why ?
Did Elise Clever question this? If not why did she proceeded to approve the Purchase?
Are the areas to be under construction, affected by these installed graphics thus wasted $$$
A summary during this time period MANY purchasing violations were discovered which Principal Crespo was at the center of
Veterans Event 25 K +
Paid Speakers 5 K
Cervantes Woodworking 10 K
Bannerville USA 10 K
Here alone is 50 K and am sure much more is still out there
Christ Tyler specifically selected Elise Clever (since resigned) to prevent these violations yet they continued.
Questions which were never answered
1 Why was it allowed to continue?
2 Was Christi Tyler not subject to accountability for the multiple violations during her tenure?
3 What about Mark Truckenbrod & Superintendent Mike Popp not taking any action
This is “Old News” yet it certainly appears that all had a “Free Pass”
Was the Purchase of the Graphics for the HS a NECESSITY or a WANT
Finally: Could these TAXPAYER DOLLARS been spent more productively directly in education needs
ANSWER IS YES
Again I ask why Anthony Crespo has been given “Special Treatment”
Actually 74, the interims have the advantage they can tell it like it is without worrying about being fired next year. I see this as a good thing. We've got TWO experience school administrators, with different strengths, who can potentially straighten out (or get us on the road to straightening out) some significant problems the district have. We've had problems for years, but the Popp (experiment/fiasco/experience) and his minions have NOT fixed the problems we have, and if anything added on new ones due to their inexperience, especially with our kind of district. They weren't even "stars" in the kind of district they had many years in, there was no way in hades they were going to shine in 131. Getting them out is IMO a definite start on the road to improvement. What really counts is what happens now with what seems a good interim team, and what the BOE does with this time to find an experience administrator who is a good fit for EA. Personally, I'm glad they didn't choose Byrd as an interim; I think he could be a strong candidate for the future.
Ea parent, I've got sources and this is what I e found. Here are the changes in the recent years to central administration, board, and the high school. Conrad, Byrd ,Crespo, Aired, Brown, Latz, Mohammed, Adams, Feltes, ,Demare, Garcia, Finley, leadbetter, barazza, numerous AP at HS, Augustine, Mcclusky, Clark, Tyler , Johnson, Gonzalez, Rodriguez , Carlson, Lewis , Peryea , Gonzalez,Hull, Turza, Hill, Leonard, Arroyo, Leasch, Strand, Hatchett , Roberts and Popp and the results is the only constant. To continue to do the same and expect different is called insanity. As this Padron guy continues to question purchasing issues I have to ask how many changes have there been in that area . Change for the sake of change is not good.
Good research 74.
Yes, the changes that have taken place were at the behest of the teachers and Ralph and his merry band of nitwits. You are spot on with the changes. I think the board and the new admin coming in have now recognized that the real issues all along were the attitude of the teachers (as so many have come to our district to "retire in place" just do the bare bones minimum to get by until it's time to get the undeserved and unrealistic pensions), staff that do nothing - even teachers say this and the teachers are really good at not doing their jobs and the insanity of Ralph. You many not know, but Ralph's credibility is pretty much shot as he is just an individual who has an ax to grind with the district. you see, his wife was one of many retired teachers who were receiving an unauthorized steep discount in the price of health insurance premiums. Ralph pretends to "audit" various items but has never "audited" the retired teachers to see how long they knew they were screwing the district before the issue came to light. Ralph's merry bank of nitwits don't report any "misuses of funds" to the proper chain of command, they just give the info to Ralph so Ralph can give the illusion that something is wrong from his "audits". So, the rank and file have finally been outed. The graduation rates have been horrible and the only constant is the teacher group, so the blame rests squarely with the teachers. Someone above mentioned Byrd as a future boss and that might be a good idea. Since he has experience outside of 131 now, that is a really good potential move. Referendums come and go. No amount of increases in real estate taxes will fix the attitudes of the teachers and staff. There has to be some major firings of teachers to accomplish that. The only way there can be money in the budget for bussing is that you decrease the salaries of the employees of 131. No need to ask for more money from the taxpayers as they have been long suffering. All employees of the district and that includes teachers, staff and admin should be protesting the city of aurora for letting the housing standards go unenforced. We would be able to eliminate any overcrowding issue with proper enforcement of standards and thus save the district millions, which could be another source of revenue for needed projects.
So yes, 74, you are spot on. For 131 to continue to do the same things as they have in the past is truly the definition of insanity!!!!!
74, you have no clue. I retired from 131 and the administration mentioned above should have been fired. Thank goodness they did not let Popp stay around. As a sub this year with Popp and crew had, will be the most destructive ever. Johnson and company got this one right. They sent Hoyda on a listening tour. The teachers leaders in all building had group meetings with Hoyda who took detailed not and gave experienced answers. That has never been done by any administration let alone a superintendent. Everyone is excited the district is moving in the right direction.
Now you are thinking...is this you Matt? Or possibly Johnson? Either way, if Ralph is accomplishing nothing and has no credibility and hangs with nitwits, then why are so many comments coming up over and over trying to put him in negative light. If this is Matt, why didn't you listen to the community that has been complaining about declining property standards for years, when you had a position as a reporter, that could have exposed many things. Ralph at least continues to try and bring to light things, in a small arena. Reporters for the Beacon sugar coated things that happened in Aurora, to pacify an Editor that didn't allow truths to be told about many things going on in Aurora. The good reporters moved on to real reporting positions elsewhere.
All this teacher bashing and Ralph hound dogging is a small group of real "nitwits" who give themselves more credit than they deserve. You are small fish in a bitty pond. Why don't you lead the way exposing all these things you claim to be going on in our schools, district and community?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-start-time-st-0601-20160531-story.html
To: get a life: Hey, Ralph needs the constant reminder as he does hang around with nitwits and that is not teacher bashing it is constructive feedback so the teachers can improve their behavior.
Boy, you are not too bright are you??? The cheese must have slid off your cracker
So for what, the third time this year, King Crespo has gone cheap and not purchased enough food for staff at the high school. Every year, we have had breakfast provided by Sodexo, and a lunch or BBQ in our buildings.....NOT THIS YEAR. The king sees the walls closing in and decided to outsource breakfast and have lines snaking through the cafeteria only to have people wait in line for 30 minutes to find no food left.
Also, the king got on his soapbox today and not just to make himself feeler taller....thanks for telling us you used your employee badge to get out of a ticket on butterfield and then presenting us with new information on the last day of work. I am confident all staff will remember everything you went over until August. How much longer until the interims fire his incompetent ass?
To "Thanks Ceespo":
Look, he is just doing what Ralph wants him to do and not be so extravagant. If you ran out of food, is it because your fellow workers took more than their fair share??
You get paid as if you had a real 12 month job so suck it up cupcakes if you have to "remember" something for 2 and a half months while you are sitting on your duffs whether it be in a class, at your local bar or in rehab.
Matt-
We all know your "writing style" and your rehashing of complaints against teachers. If there were no students and teachers, there would be no you. Actually, in most districts, P.R. is a stipend position. This is what it should be for a poor district, not paying some hack to send out the occasional email, and farm out articles, photo and video productions, etc. You have no knowledge of a teacher's reality or of union/pension issues. I work 12 hour days and all weekends; apply that overtime to my summer and I am sure I would just about break even. Oh, and about summers off: between three trainings in June and four trainings in August plus committee work, there is no such thing as a summer off. Yeah Matt, you are right--if I am getting 600 dollars a month taken out for TRS I had better have a pension at the end of my fun ride! How come no one questions pensions in any other line of work but teaching? And how come someone who is supposed to be "spokesman" for an entire district (yes, Matt, that includes teachers) spends most of his "at-work" time writing hateful and spiteful emails about the very people he is supposed to be portraying in a favorable light? If you have such a huge issue with us, I do not think this is the job for you. Move along and apply your "gifts and talents" elsewhere.
To the person writing to Matt: Quit trying to be a victim. It does not work anymore. What a wanker and crybully. You also must be poor at math. Your 600 a month for even 30 years should not equate to a pension of 70% of your pay. Not even with some matching funds (also taxpayer money)The math is not there.
Cry, cry, cry. Victim, victim, victim. Me, Me, Me. It is not just teachers that are singled out, you are just part of the civilian government workforce who know nothing of work. Start expressing some gratitude and start saying thank you for what you have. Or maybe apply your non existing talents elsewhere.
There seems to be "group" of commenters that has similar writing style. Will Power, Chip Munk, Hazel Nutt. Actual name that fits Is "troll."
Urban Dictionary (n) -A depraved individual who sits in front of a computer all day and posts flames of an idiotic or pseudo-intellectual nature on public forums. This person actually becomes emotional about what is said on the afore-said mediums and feel it is their duty to punish those who disagree with them. They too may pursue this object in an obsessive-compulsive manner.
Psychology Today- An Internet troll is someone who comes into a discussion and posts comments designed to upset or disrupt the conversation.
Trolls will lie, exaggerate, and offend to get a response. Personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism.
Trolls truly enjoy making you feel bad. To quote the authors-"Both trolls and sadists feel sadistic glee at the distress of others. Sadists just want to have fun ... and the Internet is their playground!"
The article suggests next time you encounter a troll online, remember:
The best thing you can do is ignore them.
I think Chip Monk was right on point. There are issues in this district that really need discussions to take place. I don't think free food for teachers can compare to the seriousness of the real issues in our district. If Hazel Nut is a troll according to your definition, how does one bring the conversation back to addressing the real issues instead of just continuing to berate the administration???? Or are there only certain people who are allowed to say what the issues are??? Hmmm. I wonder if you are just trying to label someone a troll so the free flow of both sides of an issue are not allowed to take place! You sound very childish, self centered and fear honesty. 131 needs open and honest discussions if it is to survive and prosper. Not just one point of view....
As written by a Unit 5 teacher, let me clarify the pension issue in the simplest terms I can. As a teacher, I contribute 9.4% of every paycheck - no option not to. It is a compulsory contribution every teacher makes out of every paycheck without fail. 9.4%. In return, I am not allowed to draw social security when I retire. Illinois law prohibits it. My pension is my only option. The local school districts are required to contribute an additional 0.58% - some contribute marginally more. The state is required, by law, to kick in the remaining 2% (or whatever the statute of the time indicate). They have skipped this payment for going on 30 years - breaking the law. To clarify - the legislature has skipped constitutionally obligated payments for 30 years (imagine what would happen to the public employees if we skipped). And now that these skipped payments are catching up to them, they are trying to rectify it not by sharing the burden as they should (after all, they are elected by the general public, not just teachers) but rather by punishing the only party that has held up its end of the bargain (teachers) and diminishing their (my) livelihood in the process.
I am not trying to be greedy. I am trying to be sensible, and demand what is right and just. The AVERAGE teacher pension in Illinois is $42,782 after at least 35 years in the field of public service and 35 years of prompt, compulsory contributions of nearly 10%. With this as the average, I have to look forward to with no supplement from social security, and I also am not not allowed to draw any on my husbands' social security. This is why I and those who understand this issue are so adamant that we stay on the legislature to work toward a common, constitutional solution to this legislative problem.
You my dear, have hit the nail on the head. This is exactly what's going on. I bet 50% of our students are not eligible to get into a 4yr university. So we keep passing them on. Well at least Waubinsee Comm. College will keep growing , because our students have to repeat HS there to get the education that they should have when they graduated HS. The Hispanc and African American community have to do better with our children. We are all going to suffer due to this lack of blame and incompetence. The Daily Herald article was disturbing. This school district is a hot mess. And there are teachers here who really care. More than people think. But as a teacher you feel hopeless, shoved around, hands tied. We need a school board who is willing to make a radical change here in Aurora. They can no longer do business as usual. They have to put their egos aside, develop a radical plan that reaches the community and elicits change, be it a campaign to rally the East Side. Whatever it takes, and then place board members and admin who embrace a new vision for our childrens future. Right now I dont see that happening with this divided board. Take out all of the garbage as one teacher said. You cant take out half of it.
Is he really that crazy? He should not be in authority over our HS.
Teacher from another town:
Oh my gosh! Reason! Facts! Careful, you're going to hurt some of the anti-teachers! Chip's head might explode if he has to actually THINK!! The biggest problem with TRS is that the legislature is involved. That state contribution has ALWAY been the biggest problem. It allows ALL the legislators (including you, Linda!) to skip contributions, AKA steal, from the fund. It's no accident that of all the state pension funds, IMRF, the only one that doesn't get state contributions, is the only one that's performing well.
And to head off the trolls, I'm NOT a teacher or employee of 131 in any way.
Annette Johnson spoke out against the Mayor and he ran a full page ad against her. They have butchered her for standing up for East Aurora. She has been willing to change but the critics blame her for to much change. I hope the interim's who have nothing to lose will make the changes a good school districts needs to make. They need to hire good administration.
The other factor is who is running for Mayor they need to question them on their plan for East Aurora. I hoped Laesch would speak up about the prolems in East Aurora but he just got involved in politics. He and Johnson should put their egos aside and speak up for East Aurora.
Will east aurora even open in the fall? Will madigan and rauner get a deal done?
Remember those people on here defending Popp and his cronies(basically Matt), NONE of them have found gainful employment elsewhere in another school district. If they were so great and good, they'd be fighting off employers left and right. Instead, they are fighting tooth and nail to keep the job, because they have found out NOBODY WANTS THEM! For the tax payers who are ill-informed and need modifications and IEPs.....Popp was going to be fired from 204, Truckenbrod was going to be fired from 204, Waddell is under-qualified and ill equipped to run a department by herself, among the others. Matt makes more money than a teacher with 28 years experience and a doctorate.....Matt has a bachelor's degree, and outsources his work. You, the taxpayer cannot complain about teachers, TRS, and your precious(cue smeagol/gollum) tax money, and protect Dr. Popp in the same breath who inflated his own salary, his cronies salaries, and just recently tried to get the district to pay for him and his cronies to go to a "retreat" aka beach vacation for a week before he leaves office. Popp also overpaid Crespo, who is not fit to be principal. Popp also tried to do what Popp does and "recreate" and "rename" Jennifer Dalrymples job title to "Assistant Director of PD" or whatever the made up title was and give her a 15k raise for simply changing her job title. Mark and Joan got huge raises as well, and if you look at almost any other district, Mark and Joan's job is done by one person, not two. More bloated administration, overpaid administration, and guess what taxpayers.....THE BOARD PAYS THE ADMIN RETIREMENT!!!! THEY EVEN PAY MATT HANLEY'S RETIREMENT AND HE'S NOT EVEN A TRAINED EDUCATOR!!!!!
Stick up for Aurora . I distinctly remember that the mayors ad stated that Johnson called his house and her threat was to pull EA students out of the pathways to prosperity program . West and 204 were good enough to participate but not east. Annette Our students should have been at the front of the line not excluded.
To a teacher form another town:
Nice facts, but the elephant in the room is not talked about. Your average benefit of 40,000 per year requires approximately $900,000 to fund that annuity the year you retire. The teacher's contribution over time comes up to approximately $435,000. Even if the state contributed its 2% it would be way short. TRS was never meant to pay out these sums of money over long lengths of time. That is the fact no one wants to talk about. The story is to just point at the state and their missing contribution. Their contribution is not the story. It is that the plans are not sustainable. Yes, you do not get spousal benefits from social security if 2/3 of your own pension is larger than the spousal benefit. You will get reduced social security if you have the credits based on your own work history.
We need to amend the Illinois constitution to get this solved once and for all.
Here is another set of facts.
Average social security payment is 16,000 per year. The maximum one receives at age 66 is 31,700 per year - if my math is correct your average of 40,000 is greater than the maximum social security benefit.. The maximum is achieved only if someone pays in on the maximum wage base form age 21 to retirement age which is now 66. (maximum wage base is 118,500. So, your pension beats the hell out of social security, where the max one can get is 31,700 no matter how much your earnings are.
Again, maximum benefit is at age 66. If one retires at 62 they will get 75% of their benefit. Teachers can retire at age 55 and your retirement is based on your last 5 years pay with a retirement increase the last 5 years. Social security is based on the highest 35 years of pay. Starting to see the disparities here?? Unless you are a government worker or in one of the trade unions, pensions are really becoming a thing of the past. So, for most of the people in the US, social security is a large part of their retirement along with what they save.
So, no the taxpayers should not cough up more money for your retirement. You fork it over if you want the large benefits. The state plans were to mirror social security payments not produce excessive payouts. This is a huge mess, especially when the government employees can't see the real problem. It is not the 2% the state missed. Yes, more facts and figures. I typed this slowly as I know some people don't read fast.
As a taxpayer, Johnson was correct the fine Mayor not only charged 131 for the building that housed the Magnet school but he was forcing 131 to pay for the Waubonsee building that housed the program. The other part of the arguement stemmed from the lose in property values on the East side something our fine paper never printed. If the City supported students they would have taken the money from Magnet school and remodeled the Waubonsee building. I believe they just paid West Aurora for their old building. Why should residents pay on the East Side for the loss of taxes from River Edge park? Why doesn't the City pay us? Unfortunately Johnson said it and nobody supported her.
We can criticize her but until we step up and run for the board we have nothing to say. It took a real newspaper the Daily Herald to expose Aurora.
To state budget crisis:
Here is a fact that people don't want to bring up. Madigan and his useful idiots in both houses have a veto proof majority. This means that they can pass any bill they want and if Rauner vetoes it, they can override the veto. So, if the Chicago democratic mafia wanted to raise taxes and do further damage to the state, they could accomplish this in a heartbeat. Our legislature in not interested in actually making the necessary changes to get Illinois's act together. They just want Rauner to look bad.(Remember,,,Haters have to hate.)That is more important than actually accomplishing something. They are out of session until November I think. Mayor of Chicago is also looking for a bail out of Chicago's school mess. For 50 years we have let the Chicago thugs run the state and look at what it has done to us......Wouldn't it be nice (old beach boy tune) if people would just solve problems versus trying to keep getting all the graft they can get their hands on??? (Yes, I know it is shocking for a state like Illinois. As our governors wind up in prison way to frequently)
To Donny Brook
You are the "crybully", Matt, not I. You would not last 10 minutes working in one of our rooms. Your sorry butt would be flying out the door back to your office to go back to "work" er, I mean to write another email. The first time you had to mediate a gang fight, buy soap, clothes and deodorant for a child with nothing, do social work for a bullied child, write lesson plans and work an extra 20 hours per week getting ready for a meaningless evaluation process, you would be running for the hills. You have so much hatred in you for teachers, the ones who are actually the cogs in the wheels of the educational system. Imagine Matt if you actually spent your efforts to help teachers instead of your failed attempts to hoist Popp up above all others. Helping teachers=helping students numbskull. As to your comments about teacher pensions, it's obvious you are a fan of Rauner's broken half-baked right to work (for less) states and his efforts to break up unions. Your mentor Popp is a huge fan of Rauner, of course. Rauner made his money by going after companies and busting up their unions, then buying said companies and laying off thousands of workers. This is how he lined his pockets. We fought long and hard to have unions, Matt, Chicago history is full of people who gave their lives to have a limit on the work day, disability pay, lunch and bathroom breaks, an end to child labor and yikes ! a pension if you gave your whole life's work to an agency, when you were spent and used up there would be a bit of change at the end. Go live next to Popp and the two of you can go golfing and vent your spleens over the evil conniving "crybullies" in district 131.
June 3 2016
Matthew Hanley, FOIA Officer
East Aurora School District 131
417 5th Street
Aurora, IL 60505
Dear Mr. Hanley
Re: FOIA Request for Documents
Goldstar Learning
Time Line Jan 1 2016 – June 3 2016
ALL Invoices & Purchase Orders (to include training seminars and services rendered)
E Log between Sara Waddell & Goldstar Learning
Approval documents for these purchases
All Competitive Quotes
2016 East High Graduation Expenses
All related expenses for this event – Invoices, Purchase Orders
To include the following
1 Use for NIU facility
2 Transportation (Buses etc)
3 Catering for food provided to staff
4 Video streaming
All expenses not mentioned in the above
What is going on with our district summer band camp??
I asked at Waldo about how to sign up my daughter (8th grade next year). Was told the only band camp this year is for beginners going into 6th grade. Why are the rest of the kids not able to go, and march in the fourth of July parade like they have for +30 years??
Summer band camp has been part of our family's summer since my sister and I went in the 1980s. Our district is the only one I know about around this area that has this camp. Especially since the papers have been bringing out negative things about us lately, it is important to keep the good programs like this out in the fore front.
What happened, and is the district planning another summer band activity to replace band camp? Or at least an explanation for our community??
To ea teacher:
Boy, I did not know that here in the 21st century we have child labor abuses going on at 131!!!Didn't realize that you could not go to the bathroom during the day at 131 and could not eat your lunch at 131. Your arguments are as archaic as being paid for a masters degree that was earned over 25 years ago. Very good example as to why positive change cannot happen in the field of education. Your arguments belong back in that era of over 100 years ago. They are not relevant today. What can you ask for now?? A 2 hour work day and only 50 days a year??? Wow. No wonder our kids learn nothing.
Here's a link to 58 pages of recent articles about our district:
https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?ik=38839466
No band camp this year? Who made this decision and more importantly WHY? Why are our kids being deprived of an experience that has been a summer tradition for at least thirty years?
Bucky Beaver:
You obviously scored very poorly in reading comprehension- The ONLY reason we enjoy the rights we take for granted today Einstein, is BECAUSE of the sacrifices made by those during say, The Haymarket riots in Chicago when police, hired by companies fired on innocent workers trying to organize a union. No company is going to give anything, a raise, a break, vacation or sick days etc. out of the goodness of their hearts. THATS WHY WE HAVE UNIONS- so that workers have some leverage against powerful corporations/institutions. Only a complete numbskull such as yourself would miss this obvious correlation. On to your next scurrilous and imbecilic point- what does it matter when I earned my Masters? In this day and age, as you well know teachers are required to constantly update their certifications/degrees with professional development. Positive change can and does happen when you very simply let teachers do what they do best-teach. It is an art, oh unenlightened one, not a cookie cutter science, churning out one size fits all robots. That's the goal of Common Core, and PAARC, Bill Gates, Rauner, yourself et al. As far as 2 hour workday? That's your specialty, genius.
Contenders Bucky and the Trolls prove no match for Buckethead and EA Teachers. In the battles of education and wit the contenders have been KO'd repeatedly.
*A laymen’s view of the contenders behavior-A knockout is typically caused by the brain bouncing around in the inside of the skull. It doesn’t necessarily have to be one really hard hit, but a series of hits that continuously cause your head to snap in all different directions with your brain rattling in the inside of your skull like a shake weight. Your brain is just a soft, mushy organ smacking against the inside of your cranium, with thin connective tissues. When those get stretched and torn; that is what causes a brain to shutdown.
There has been an obvious "shutdown" but the contenders continue to scramble for some semblance of knowledge and humor.
Stay tuned for the next round as they find another contender to step in the ring as their glutton for punishment. Who do you think it will be? Abel N. Willin, Amanda B. Reckondwith?
*Source: www
Now, now, there buttercups, put down your copies of Uncle Joe Stalin's Socialist vacation guide for a second.
Unions were for the unskilled and blue collar worker. They were never meant for government employees and especially white collar government jobs. Just check FDR and JFK, they both were against government unions. Reason is very simple. No one negotiating has any stake in the game. It is all someone else's money. It just breeds corruption and collusion. Good example was the doubling of every teacher's salary during the last 5 years of employment to get unjust pensions. Didn't see any union people object to that corruption. After all it is just tax money it should not hurt anyone and who should care if we abuse it ???? Grow up Stalinites.
My dad benefited from the activities over 120 years ago from the unions as he only finished 8th grade. But in WWII he was a combat medic. Guess back then an 8th grade education was at least the equivalent to a masters degree today!!(sad but probably true with what we see walking around today with college degrees in their hands) And the older he got, he just got tired of the corruption in the unions themselves - Mafia, union leaders lining their own pockets, insane pay rates for real low level jobs - just looking for more dues.....Unions in his mind pretty much turned into the corporations that they were supposed to be against. My dad was a smart guy even if he didn't have the formal training as he saw thru this.
Okay Matt- all unions have socialist/mafia ties because your daddy told you so. You are comingling two different points here; pensions and the dumbing down of society. Don't worry about teacher's pensions Matt: how about A $40,000 raise in a single year when teachers were fighting for a cost of living increase? How dare you have anything to say about this issue? You are certainly reaping the benefits of unions aren't you Matt?
Hold it there, White Sox. Kinda overstating things there. I don't agree with the salary bumps the last few years either, but they didn't "double" their salary. Overstating the amount is either ignorance or lying. I understand the reasoning behind the salary bumps (to encourage highly experienced, longer serving, higher paid teachers to retire and make room for someone cheaper), but think it would be better to keep the more experienced teachers around longer.
BTW, Joe "White Sox" McCarthy. throwing around Stalin, etc. doesn't strengthen your argument any more than overstating the increases. In fact, it pretty much wipes out your credibility.
Your father deserves to be honored for serving his country. What have YOU done to serve?
What's going on with our Band Camp? Who decided that only sixth-grade beginners deserve to participate? What about the many, many years of tradition of our band students proudly representing our district in the 4th of July parade? Are the sixth grade beginners going to march instead, squeaking and squawking as they display their two weeks' worth of expertise?
And most importantly: how is this decision in the best interests of our students and district?
Sorry Trotsky, but in 2005 the Illinois General Assembly had to pass a law stopping the 100% percent increase in salary at the end of one's career. Even Madigan could not justify this abuse. That is where the 6 percent per year for 5 years cap came from. There are supposed to be penalties for going over that but the "penalty is rather minimal and some districts just pay the penalty and ignore the consequences.
I wonder who a band parent could ask a band related question?
So what is up with Ken Darby the big band booster. He promised he would help promote the band but in reality he only promoted himself, his son and girlfriend into undeserving positions.
I did ask my son's band director, he said he didn't know why it was changed. I know the boosters at the high school aren't involved so I'm asking if anyone knows what's going on. Maybe the School Board can find out, or Mr. Padron? I have no intention of letting this slide, it's too important for our students.
This is not a school board subject and definitely not something to ask Ralph Padron to get involved in. If the Boosters are not involved, there is your answer. If you are a band parent, I am wondering why you are not involved in the Boosters, then you would have all the inside info for what goes on in the band program. The Boosters are the one that made band camp happen every year and they need active volunteers to make it work. They need people to be involved in fund raising to support these programs. They need people to pay their fair share so they can continue to have more funds to go around for activities. They need band parent support, and not just when there are complaints. Start with asking the Boosters, you should find your answer, unless things have changed in the last few years.
If you have no intention of letting it slide because it is too important for your students, then the answer and results should be coming from you and parents like you.
A big issue is all the years of bad blood there was with Liska and Kaisershot. It created a hostile atmosphere between the high school and feeder programs that still exists today. Liska treats the feeder programs and directors like crap. A couple of years ago Liska and the band boosters separated themselves completely from the feeder programs. The feeder programs were kicked out of the band boosters organization completely. The only time that the high school even talks to the feeders is when they need something.
Today, the programs are all splintered. Each school and director does their own thing. Some are doing great things while others are barely functioning at all (and should be fired). It's no wonder that a program that would require all the programs to work together would be having issues.
Another issue is that the directors are asked to volunteer at the band camp while the director who is in charge is making thousands of dollars. Why would anybody want to support the program when they are treated like crap. The program isn't even an official District 131 program. The program is run at a country club in Plano and has no District 131 oversite. That is why all the other district programs are free to the students and the "district" band camp costs the students $70 each. Somebody should investigate the person in charge of the program and ask how much money they've made over the years. Makes a person wonder if that person has reported any of that income to the IRS?
Alumni band parent/booster, you said: "I am wondering why you are not involved in the Boosters, then you would have all the inside info for what goes on in the band program"
Why on earth would a WALDO band parent be involved in the East Aurora HIGH SCHOOL Band Boosters? Maybe back when you were in middle school the boosters were district-wide but for the past few years they are only at the high school. They have made it clear that they wish to be concerned only with the high school band program.
And back in the early 2000's I remember one of the parents who helped at camp telling me how fortunate we were to be able to rent LaSalle Manor (NOT a "country club" but a retreat facility originally designed for religious brothers). At the time our district had to reserve the facility almost a year in advance AND had to put down a deposit of several thousand dollars. I would like to know what happens to that deposit money this year?? Mr. Padron, maybe you can follow the money trail.
Bottom line, because someone dropped the ball hundreds of our students are deprived of a wonderful band camp experience. And a proud tradition in our district for over 30 years comes to an end. That's sad and WRONG.
Wow, so much "information" being shared.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-high-school-expansion-st-0605-20160603-story.html
Who is the director of the program? I called Annette Johnaon today to ask her why band students don't have the same opportunity other programs do. She said the board has never been approached but she would get back to me. Mr Darby did not answer and he probably is part of the problem because as band booster president he did nothing.
My family moved to Aurora from Texas four years ago. We had second thoughts about putting our kids in District 131 schools because we heard a lot of negative things about the administration from our family and neighbors and online. But we gave the district a chance and mostly its working for us. Our son plays trumpet and loved having Mr.K as his band director at Simmons. Now he's a sophomore at East High and on a bus headed to Disney. He looks forward to band activities and is flourishing under Mr. Liska and Mr. Kulich's direction. But the highlight of his summer the past 3 years has been band camp with Ms Huggins! He planned to be one of the high school leaders this year and is devastated that camp was canceled. I join the other parents in demanding an explanation.
I also called Johnson she helped me with a problem earlier this year. She told me she would get an email out this morning and have an answer. She asked about free summer camps and if band was on it. I have not seen any summer camp materials has anyone else received this. I asked my children. One is at Magnet, another at Krug. Why are we paying a Mr Hanley there is no information
I just got this from Annette Johnson she said it was on the district website April 26th and it's free. Nobody got this info out at the school and I do not read the website. Johnson said she would follow up if the camps are on.
The three music summer camps include: beginners band (sixth grade), drumline (8th grade – high school), and musical exploration (6th – 8th).
The music camps meet Monday through Friday at either Simmons Middle School, Cowherd Middle School, or the high school, depending on the activity and the age level. Music camps start as soon as June 6 and run as late as July 21. A full outline of all music camps, as well as times and dates, is available here.
That's nice about the free music camps, but they're NOT band camp. Band camp is a tradition for more than thirty years in our district, that brings together grade school, middle school, and high school instrumental musicians for a week of camaraderie and hard work culminating in a performance marching in Aurora's Fourth of July parade. Who made the decision to end this wonderful three-decade-long tradition, and more importantly WHY?
I also called Johnson and she sent me a link this looks like a good program but my kids did not get any information on this as well. I will be calling tomorrow to sign them up. The communications at our district is unbelievable. The programs are being run at Simmons
GRADE
CAMP
DATE/ DAYS
TIME(S)
BN1
6
BEGINNERS BAND
6/13–6/23 M–TH
12:30 – 3:00
BN2
6
BEGINNERS BAND
7/5–7/21 M-TH
12:30 – 3:00
BN3
8 - 12
DRUM-LINE
7/11 – 7/21 M – F
12:00 - 3:00
MUSIC
CODE
GRADE
CAMP
DATE/ DAYS
TIME(S)
MC1
6-8
MUSICAL EXPLORATION
6/6 – 6/17 M - F
9:00 -3:00
COWHERD MIDDLE LISA GAWLIK
It seems the band program may have been segregated. Thus making it impossible for all band parents to be involved in boosters. Grapevine gossip is that elementary band as we know it will be ending. Programs for some elementary students will be offered by outside agencies.
If elementary directors have been working separately from the junior high and high school programs, that could be the reason the camp is only being offered to the youngest of the participating band students.
Those calling Johnson for information are just leading themselves to information possibly being relayed incorrectly. She is not involved in this program and by way of the info she has relayed it is obvious she is not familiar with the history of the "summer band camp." Those parents who are angry and upset should be calling the schools directors or the Booster president. Those are the people who have managed the camp in past years and would know how it came to be what it is this year.
Use common sense people! You don't go to the supt. or the school board when you have a problem in your child's class. Follow protocol and work your way up the chain of command.
The Waldo parent did ask their school's director, and got a shoulder shrug. Calling the booster president would be useless since this isn't a high school band issue.
It is admirable that our School Board president is responding to the parent who is asking about summer camp offerings. However, the summer activities Ms. Johnson mentions are not the same as the district-wide Band Camp experienced by our students for over THIRTY YEARS. Yet another issue is the considerable amount of money that has always been paid months in advance as a deposit to reserve the LaSalle Manor facility. What happened to that money? Who is responsible for denying our band students this valuable opportunity? Can Band Camp be rescheduled for later this summer? And if not, how can we ensure that the ball isn't dropped again next year?
The board allocates money for teachers and if we are ending elementary this would be horrible. They have grown the program not middle school or Liska This sounds like a Popp move since 204 makes you pay and runs their program the same way. If this is so I will go to the board and protest.
To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131
June 5, 2016
From: Ralph Padron
Subject: Alex Di Mare Application Discrepancies
Upon reviewing Mr DiMare’s application and comparing it with the Glenwood Police Dept FOIA response, here are the facts concerning his command of staff.
Alex application states
30 Sworn Officers
15 Non Sworn
35 Support Staff
80 Total
Glenwood Deputy Chief of Police Derek Peddycord responds to my FOIA with
24 Full Time Sworn Officers + 1 Pt Time
25 Total
DC Peddycord states the organizational chart (see attached) was similar in 2006
The Chart staff numbers
39 total
Alex Di Mare states on his application he had command of
80 individuals
Glenwood Deputy Chief Organizational Chart states
39 individuals
Difference is 41
Needless to say this brings out additional questions regarding the accuracy of his application.
More information via FOIA forthcoming to further explore this hiring.
Is East High going to refurnish The football/soccer field this summer? I have been waiting for an announcement. The schedule lists all home football games are being played at Aurora Christian High School. We desperately need a new turf and stands.
Mr. Padron, maybe you can FOIA the payment of deposit money to LaSalle Manor, and any correspondence regarding Band Camp in 2016.
There are camps scheduled who put the information out? Huggins is a great teacher and my child is in her program but we did not get any information. What is going on?
Stade is running a free program at Simmons for students and the middle school and elementary teachers are upset. Stade is a big kiss a** of Thuckenbrod who gave him the stipend without posting the position. It is a violation of union rules and needs checking into. Basically all outside are cancelled. Nobody can get answers so I am glad parents are calling Johnson. This one stinks to high heaven. Darby knew about this for some time when staff went to him as a booster. Liska is also requesting more help and in the last couple of years they have put on 3 additional people to help him. His salary with stipends is well over $90,000. Mr Kaistershot was never supported because he stood for students against a corrupt administration.
Both named Michael they ruined d131. The only difference is at least four board members are not rubber stamps.
Here's a link to the Facebook page for East Aurora Summer Band Camp:
https://www.facebook.com/EastAuroraSummerBandCamp/?fref=ts
Lots of pictures of hundreds of our district's band students rehearsing at LaSalle Manor, having fun swimming, and marching in the Aurora 4th of July parade. At least 3 years' worth of pictures, and also a couple of videos.
Definitely one of the bright spots in our troubled district, for many many years.
And this tradition ends because, WHY??
Band take, I know the Stade family from church and they are good people. You are correct that he did get the band job at Simmons handed to him after K retired last spring, and that the position was never listed in the district job openings. I think it's great that he and Lisa Gawlik (and whoever is doing the drumline camp) are having these free camps for our students. It's a GOOD thing.
But cancelling the iconic East Aurora Summer Band Camp without an explanation is NOT a good thing! This did not just "happen". Someone (or "someones") made a decision that there would be no camp this year. This decision was made without input from students, families, or community. That person (or persons) needs to own up and apologize. And an accounting needs to be made for the deposit money paid to LaSalle Manor for reserving the facility.
WE DESERVE ANSWERS.
Stade is a nice guy nobody questions that but when a position is open interviews need to get done. Stade goes to Main Street Baptist and is good friends of Gibsons. Gibson is another one who was not qualified. In fact interviews with teachers present scored her fourth or third by Patterson. Thruckenbrod pulled Patterson out into the hallway and told her to shut discussion down. Everyone knows the former board president had called in a favor. Is this another favor?
Stade is paid by district he is not doing this for free. Anything that involves the Popp era is shady at best. Parents should have had input and maybe they would have picked the new programing or maybe not and that would have saved the district. Why was Huggins pushed aside she is not talking but she is upset.
I was just contacted by Annette Johnson we should thank her for getting to the bottom of this. The Lasalle Manor program was canceled do to lack of participants. The district does not run this program but provided busing for students in past years.
The district is offering free camps but only starting in 6th grade for beginners and a drum line as well as Music Exploration. They will contact parents about another camp for those students mo re experienced that would have gone to Laselle. That is free also.
I am not sure why this could have not been handled another way but band parents do not listen to the stories about Johnson. She cares for students and gets answers.
Lack of participation? With enrollment at a record high?? Only if someone (or "someones") failed to distribute information or application forms for the first time in 30-plus years! The magnet kids did get applications so it must have been other directors who decided to withhold them. It could have started as an honest mixup but wasn't fixed and now the kids lose out.
Lack of participants because someone in charge failed miserably and/or didn't respect the community and tradition enough to fix an oversight. Lack of participants, but definitely NOT lack of interest!
And what happened to the $ that was paid months ago to reserve LaSalle Manor?? I highly doubt it was cheerfully refunded!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-contract-legal-fees-st-0607-20160606-story.html
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-stadium-construction-st-0608-20160607-story.html
To Calm down folks: Ms Johnson wouldn't have it any other way. She wants and needs the attention . Everything she does is self absorbent .
The last two articles are stupid by the Beacon quoting FOIA documents of Johnson's. Does Padron and the Beacon have anything better to do.? Why not run on Popps phone. His text messages are quite interesting.
BTW She is not self absorbed she really cares for children and always attempts to do her best even if means her own reputation.
Check out the EAHS Band Facebook page for some awesome pictures & videos of our Tomcats marching in the Magic Kingdom:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/eahsband/
BE CAREFUL TEACHERS AND STAFF!!!!!!
John Laesch is on his own personal witch hunt gathering info and giving it directly to Popp! Simmons staff he has reached out to you about concerns and all info shared with him is now in Popps hands. East High staff he is now reaching out to you to see what problems you have with crespo so he can help crespo build his defense and keep his job. Be careful what you say to him. As a reminder John has voted against our union and was against our raises. He has also lied to the religious community as they showed up and spoke out against him and his ideas Monday. John will tell you what you want to hear to get what he wants. He currently has joined forces with popp and crespo because they registered 500+ voters at the high school and John wants those votes!
John will backstab and betray anyone to advance his agenda. Staff should simply tell him "no comment" and move on.
We turned violations of school code over to Johnson today regarding Crespo. It must have hit the fan because Crespo is busy deleting emails, twitter and his phone today. Crespo slammed his door in staffs faces today and now everything is taken down. Johnson handles complaints respectfully and quickly and names do not get compromised.
It is noted that after the Laesch compromise and encouragement of Laesch to talk with Megazzini staff at Simmons was harassed. He should not contact us directly and only respond if we contact him. NOT GOIN happen John we don't trust you.
For those that missed it, as he has since deleted his tweet.....
Anthony Crespo
@PrincipalTomcat
@SenatorKirk thank you sir for standing up to @realDonaldTrump. A great example on how to respond to a racist & a bully! #IllinoisPride
Crespo used his official school twitter account to get political. Whether you agree, disagree or are indifferent, this is a blatant violation of board policy. Educators are not allowed to impact, influence or force their ideals, beliefs and politics onto "learners." Any professionally trained educator, sorry "expert" would know this, but then again, Anthony Crespo is trained in international business from Ramapo College. This could have something to do with him deleting tweets and emails as mentioned above.
Rumor is Popp is leaving early.....Tuesday will be his last day. If you feel refreshed and better when you wake up in the morning on Wednesday, it is not because it is summer break, it is because Popp's reign of terror and incompetence is OVER!!!!!
Dr. Waddell has found another job and resigned.....GOOD RIDDANCE. She was unqualified for her job and title. Another bad Popp hire.
Now, if only we can get rid of Crespo......all will be on the up and up in the district.
From: R Padron
Sent: Wednesday, June 8, 2016 12:37 PM
To: smegazzini@d131.org
Subject: Alex Di Mare Dist 187 contracts & application Clarification
Steve Megazzini
Note Alex's application Dist 187 North Chicago
dtd April 8 2015
1 He stated salary at Dist 187 was 95 K
his salary for 2015 was 80 K
Refer to page 1 & 21 of FOIA
(these pages are documents from Dist 187)
2 May 27 Alex is notified for School Year 2016 salary increases from 80 K to 87 K
3 It is clear Mr. Di Mare's April 8th answer is not true
More questions & discrepancies be available soon
Thanks
Ralph
Crespo needs to be fired. I am no fan of Donald Trump but Crespo needs to go. What would he do to a teacher if they did the same thing?
Popp will cover and lie until Tuesday.
What's up with Glotzbachs husband he comes to board meetings without her and glares at board members. Very creepy he looks like a stalker.
I'm not supporting anyone but turning over violations to Ms. Johnson is also a violation of the IL School Code because she has not authority to do anything about it. She might be the Board President but she only has authority by the IL School Code to schedule meetings, be a spoke person. She does not have the authority to act as a Superintendent. This board is a joke and as long as they let Johnson act like she can run this district we will all look like fools. God Bless this district and they way it is going. If anyone really has violations go the the place you can get something done like The IL School Superintendent.
I agree with Taxpayer about the Board president. Our district is like a dysfunctional family. The kid throwing the biggest tantrum gets his way. I hope the interim superintendents can get us back on track. Hopefully, the next election will bring together a board that can actually work together for the good of the district. No power players, bullies or people who cannot understand the basic duties of a school board.
Just do what they are elected to do
The board is chosen by the voters, so it reflects the community. I'm not sure there are 7 people in the community who both meet your last sentence AND are willing to run for the board.
Dear EA 131 Parent.
I am afraid you are probably correct. I apologize for making such a foolish comment. Let's just hope for improvement.
Sincerely,
Just do what they are elected to do
The community should ask questions of the board. I do not feel it is my job to pick up the phone and call the superintendent. If the principal sends out political messages the board needs to deal with it. I have a right to vote for whomever without someone I am paying out of my taxes using district resources to politic.
I think the board should also ask questions and it shows by the last two articles only Johnson's emails are quoted. I am sure the newspaper requested all emails from board members. It shows me only Johnson asks questions and if so that is why she is so hated by administration.
I have also attended a few meetings since the new board was seated and what a disappointment Darby and Laesch are. The came to my group and asked for support but the meeting I attended in February showed Darby already got a job for a son and Laesch voted against residences. Yes I hope they are replaced. I must say Ms Strand may vote against tax savings but she never made false promised and Hatcher is well spoken.
East Aurora Summer Band Camp is BACK ON!
Thanks to all who saw the wisdom of continuing this wonderful tradition in our district!
BAH BAH BAH
See you later Mike Popp our union will send boxes to pack up your office. Crespo your protector is gone.
The Board most Important job is to hire a Superintendent to run the district. The Board job is to make policies for The Superintendent to follow according to The Il School Code. No one Board Member can make a decision alone it has to be the majority. This works well in almost every city of IL.
The Board Members are not employees of the District so they have no authority to comfort an employee. II is the law to go through the Superintendent if you feel a principal has said something wrong. You can go to Board Meetings if you want to address the whole Board.
Crespo lost his protector is correct, he was seen walking around with Glotzbach and Thuckenbrod yesterday. The three will soon be out of a job left to torture nobody. Popp is leaving on Tuesday. The reign of terror is over. Hanley will soon follow. Crespo will play the race card to save himself. A curious fact is none have found employment it shows what incompetence we hired.
Tomcat 8
Your defense of corrupt administration through the years shows your ignorance. We did go to the board and four members listened and made a change. Some do not feel speaking will help them in public since principals like Patterson, Crespo, Dart, Rowley Garza and England gather names. These are all Glotzbach protected. It is now a new day with experienced administration leading the charge so the need to go to the board is less likely. We are very versed in school code and what you write is totally incorrect. We follow the chain of command until something happens. Perhaps you are a former board member who failed to help 131 but Johnson, Hatchett, Arroyo and Leonard are great board members. The others are there for whats good for them.
To all:
How about taking the summer off and reflecting on your own shortcomings and how you contribute to the insanity that is called District 131. Maybe listen to some Yoko Ono so you can realize that whenever you say things like "Ralph is great" or "we teachers do not have a negative attitude nor do we not work" or "We maintenance people are not lazy" or "We staff people are always doing our jobs at 110% efficiency" or "we teacher assistants actually help the teachers" or "admin is always right" that this is what you really sound like to normal human beings. Then come back to work with a huge attitude adjustment and actually contribute to making East Aurora great again.
And yes, Yoko broke up the Beatles.
EA will be great again because Popp, Glotzbach and Thuckenbrod will be gone. The board listened and hired experienced leaders not administration in training. I can not wait to actually have a curriculum to teach with.
When you remove cancer we heal
To: It will be great
You sound like Yoko Ono to us. You are so addicted to blaming someone else you just could not stop yourself from responding. For decades we have had put up with "Ms. ABC sucks, Ms. XYZ sucks. Everyone but me sucks." Quit acting like a child. Think before you "use your words". When you get your thumb out of your rear, don't put it in your mouth anymore. Maybe that will help with your 'words". No Ovaltine for you this afternoon.
It will be great when the trash is picked up that would include Hanley and Crespo. They left a couple of bags behind.
Our leadership team had a meeting yesterday with true professionals. Dr Hoyda had a positive approach with solving problems. Lets thank Johnson, Arroyo, Hackett and Leonard for having the courage to make changes and make EA a better place.
Who will back Hanley and Crespo up now. They are certainly not professional so how will they work for professionals?
Prediction : Dr Hoyda is great, McDonald is average but they will not effect the overall results. So go ahead and start working on the next excuse and scapegoat. The results haven't changed in nearly 3 decades and they will not change now. Prediction, the results will not be the fault of the teachers or the board members that the teachers control.
To: BAH HA
You sound like Yoko Ono to us. You are so addicted to blaming someone else you just could not stop yourself from responding. For decades we have had put up with "Ms. ABC sucks, Ms. XYZ sucks. Everyone but me sucks." Quit acting like a child. Think before you "use your words". When you get your thumb out of your rear, don't put it in your mouth anymore. Maybe that will help with your 'words". No Ovaltine for you this afternoon.
Matt you should be spending your time looking for a job and help Crespo he can not spell with his resume.
No the results will not change in one year. Let us not forget Popp had the teachers teaching without a Curriculum. Next year will see some results but the Popp era set the district back 5 years.
Crespo had the ministers in and called it a community summit. It seems he and Strand planned the summit so Crespo can go speak at churches. Is this not against the board policies to go to a church and recruit members of only certain churches? Crespo told the ministers he will announce kids should go to church and they will. be better. Maybe we should call the ACLU and file a lawsuit.
Date: June 14, 2016
To: Board of Education East Aurora Dist 131
From: Ralph Padron
Subject: PT 4 Alex Di Mare Construction Questions Dist 187
Attached: FOIA Dist 187 N Chicago & Dist 131
Upon comparing Mr Di Mare’s STATED construction accomplishments with the FOIA response many questions arise. The FOIA specifically states
FOIA from Dist 187 North Chicago Projects
1 Hired an Architect Firm to MANAGE ALL construction Bids
2 Scope of Work & Specifications MANAGED by Architect
3. All Staff meeting minutes MANAGED by Architect
What exactly was Alex’s role during this time period?
What was his input into these projects ?
His EA 131 Application states he saved millions of dollars in construction costs
This contradicts the Architects Responsibilities and Role
Regarding managing School Staff
FOIA states there were approx.
50 CONTRACTED employees NOT 50 North Chicago Staff Members
Organizational chart was non existing (Does EA have one)
On paper, Mr Di Mare’s accomplishments and experience is very impressive yet
I question can he explain the discrepancies of the FOIA response.
Kim Mundt had her minister put this together for King Crespo. The King pays her overtime she does not work. The King must be in trouble because his protector Popp is gone. Everyone can see he is running scared. Crespo wants to find support so the board can't fire him. We remember him organizing a rally for Popp.
Only Kim gets overtime the rest of us are told you must finish your work and then told by Kim or the King we did not say that. Kim acts like she is the boss but her and the King are behind building cases and making us look bad.
HS News great idea. Let us know the name of the attorney you've hired and we can join in as secondary plaintiffs, since you'll be the primary.
East Aurora will stagger 2016-17 start, end times for school levels
East Aurora School District 131 will change the some schools’ starting and ending times for the 2016-17 school year. See below for 2016-17 school day:
Pre-K half day (Early Childhood Center, Child Service Center, Oak Park, Johnson, Gates)
Morning: 8:10 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.
Afternoon: 11:40 a.m. to 2:10 p.m.
Pre-K full day (O’Donnell)
8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Kindergarten. pre-K full day (Benavides Kindergarten Center)
8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Elementary school
8:20 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.
Middle school and Magnet Academy
8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
High school
7:55 a.m. to 3:04 p.m.
Late start at the high school will be 8:55 a.m. on Tuesdays. There will be no late start at the other levels.
When the East Aurora Council IFT/AFT Local 604 contract was approved in April, it included a commitment to studying the possibility of staggering the start of elementary, middle, and high school days, so parents with students at more than one level can more easily drop off students.
Crespo should work at improving the school am not improving his image to the community. We know he s trying to keep his job with students and parents because the teachers and administration want him gone. Without Popp and Thruckenbrod he may as well pack his boxes. Heard the SSC had a box packing party Tuesday. QUestion is when is Hanley packing?
Creepo needs to go. I have witnessed his allowing Mundt special treatment.
I keep hearing this rumor that our union is really going to come down on us this school year if we fail to work at our jobs. You know, it is one thing to ask us to show up for teaching but to actually do something while we are there is just plain wrong. We have every right to do nothing and point fingers at everyone else. Our target now is Crespo and we have others in our sights to go after when tire of belittling him.
If our union thinks that we should be held accountable for our own actions and actually punish us for being just plain ignorant we need to get a new union. We have a constitutional right to just complain about others and not do our assigned work in the security of knowing that our union should be encouraging this behavior and not punishing us for our slacker attitude.
Anyone else hear this??
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-grade-errors-st-0617-20160616-story.html
Cheesy says, did Kim do nothing under Conrad and Byrd as well ? The childlessness of the finger pointers is astounding but then again I will consider the source . It's like Trump; allnor nothing. All Muslims, all Mexicans and all blacks. Everyone is lazy except you. These accusations usually appear after something unrelated happens and then the hyperbole just rolls off your lying lips
Conrad and Byrd are will always be class acts. Crespo is not. Why was Kim's minister at the school? Is he praying for Crespo to keep his job? We all know Mundt is a under qualified pi^^ ant!
Crespo is not the lastest focus he should have been terminated with Popp. Thruckenbrod gave Crespo an excellent on his review. He ignored the ISBE survey staff filled out and yet he received an excellent. How could that be? Crespo bragged to staff at that time he is untouchable.
We have shared concerns with the new superintendents and know as professionals they will deal with him. We are hopefully and optimism is in the air.
So much for auto spell the word is hopeful.
Crespo also told staff if we are not All in with him we should just leave. He wants to build his own team. This was also shared and hIs threats of transfers did get stopped. We are taking it one day at a time.
Here's a link to 13 pages of recent articles about our district:
https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?ik=38925713
Crespo told secretaries he is still the boss and we work for him. I we are caught talking to others about his poor management we can be transferred against our will. He says we have no grievance rights and our new union is to green to help us. We have the board and don't think we will not go to them. That is a warning if he violates our rights there is a board policy about harassment.
Another Dean packed up her office over the weekend. She will be resigning after 12 years of service and that means another good employee lost.
As previously mentioned, our district Band Camp (all D131 band students welcome, from incoming 6th graders through recent high school grads) WILL be happening after all, beginning next Monday, June 27th.
If you are interested in attending and have not previously registered, here's what you need to do:
Call Mrs. Rowley at the Magnet School (299-7175).
I hear we will be losing most of the deans. This is not what is best for kids to lose people who are invested in them and this community, especially the dean you mention above, but Crespo turned a bunch of highly educated admin into hall monitors this year and guess what-his tardy policy failed anyway. If I had not lost respect for him before for his lack of intelligence and his micromanaging ways, chasing off the entire dean staff did it. Worst principal I've ever seen.
No Creepo today maybe he is out looking for a job. He should since he is destroying careers for educators that have given their blood, sweat and tears to EA.
I went to a board meeting last night and could not believe i was in East Aurora. What a professional well run meeting and it was actually done by 7:45pm. How Popp could run meetings until 12am shows his poor leadership. The staff has been meeting with Hoyda ,Childress, and Megaezzini and problems are being solved.
It shows the of Arroyo, Hatchett, Leonard and Johnson made the right choice. Laesch was a no show again and staff sees him for who he is. Darby bragged about going to a conference on the districts dime. Toooo bad the conference does not teach common sense. Strand sat like she lost her best friend. ation
Crazy of the night goes to Greg Glotzbach does he not see he is making a fool of whatever reputation Joan had. She may have to teach with us next year
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-construction-lunch-st-0622-20160621-story.html
Crespo needs to go and lets review why.
The educational services in the building are run by nobody. Keene and the principal should be in charge but because of Crespo's paranoid behavior he has assigned Keene to other duties. He does not have a teaching degree and is not capable. The division chairs have been given zero direction.
Review the AD's office. It has been allowed to run with nobody all year. We did have Popp's friends who never showed and charged the district for hours. Crespo then pushed a employee out for reporting fraud and now she is missed by students and staff.
The Deans have either resigned or are looking for jobs. The students run the building and in one year a once safe building for students and staff has been destroyed.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-finance-resignation-st-0624-20160623-story.html
Good to hear Tyler is leaving now if they can just get rid of Crespo and Hanley we will heal. Tyler made many mistakes we still have not been paid after many of us had to pay to amend our income taxes.
to: good news said
Because of the insanely complicated reporting requirements for w-2s, do not feel alone with having to amend your return for a w-2 correction. If you survey all the school districts, you will find that the majority have had to go thru this. And some have had to amend several years........If they say otherwise they are not being truthful.........
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/opinion/ct-abn-crosby-east-stadium-st-0627-20160627-column.html
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-climate-culture-st-0622-20160624-story.html
Date : June 26, 2016
To: Board of Education
From Ralph Padron
REVIEW OF EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION DISCREPANCIES BY ALEX DIMARE
Alex DiMare application to SD131 is filled with disparities which should have raised many “a red flag” to the HR Dept and to those who approved his employment. His background check was deficient in ensuring Mr DiMare met the qualifications for Director of B & G
The substance of DiMare’s career has been
@ 2 full time jobs for approximately 30 yrs
@ part time for 12 years included in the 30 yr span.
@ full time as a manager for Hammer and Nails, as a construction safety inspector.
@ full time in the Police Department of Glenwood, IL.
@ part time as a truant officer at Homewood-Flossmoor School District.
Total 16-20 hours a day plus travel & part time.
@ Govenors State degree 1981-1985 of 64 hours or 16 per year adding 4 hours per day for school.
Comparing Mr DiMare’s application to East Aurora dist 131 is most revealing in the representation of his recent employment at North Chicago dist 187. Note the following:
* Director at SD187 for less than one year when he applied to SD131
* Hired at 187 on 9/2011 and began work in 12/2011; NOT 2010 as stated.
* Salary was $80,000 NOT $95.000 as stated
* Represented that he did all bidding and construction management saving the district millions.
However ARCON, and architectural/construction firm performed all the design, bidding and construction administration. According to ARCON (arconassoc.com) They managed the projects not Mr DiMare.
* The budget for summer 2014 was $1-2M for 5 small projects. Impossible to save millions.
In subsequent recorded communications DiMare stated that the best example of his effectiveness was when he “had a landscaping bench relocated so that staff would not have to spend extra time returning to trim around it.”
When comparing DiMare’s North Chicago Dist 187 (7A) application to his East Aurora Dist 131 (7B) application these deficiencies are compounded. Note the following:
* Employer change from Hammer & Nails located at a single family resident
to Wilton Industries (NOT the huge conglomerate located in Woodridge) with an address in Wheaton of a 1200sf 3 bedroom residence.
* Salary change from $30,000 to $70,000
* Position change from Safety Manager to Project manager.
* Job description change from monitoring construction safety to manage schedule, subs, budget, estimating commercial & residential project. (Note no building from his 30 years is listed on his submitted project list)
* EA131 App states managing staff of 80; Glenwood PD letter states staff 32.
Attached are DiMare’s 131 & 187 applications with the supporting numbered documents for the above statements.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/sports/ct-abn-local-notes-st-0627-20160625-story.html
Looks like another great Popp hire.
No HR director, no secondary, no elementary director, no chief business officer, no superintendent , probably no B&G director, and some believe this spell success. This is why East will continue to flounder at the bottom in every category related to education.
East will finally hire qualified individuals but I am sure this blog will attack them. A few more need to leave to make East great again. Hopefully Crespo and Hanley will see the writing on the wall.
Popp, Glozbach, and Thuckenbrod were horrible administrators not only incompetent but vindictive bullies. Waddell and Tyler are just plain incompetent. The B&G director is a liar and what can anyone say about Crespo and Hanley who are so substandard nobody will hire them.
Popp brought all the failures to East and yes it will take awhile to close the chapter on the Popp era but they will prevail because prepared to what they had anyone else will look like a rock star.
Of course some of our 'educated' staff, teachers, custodians will immediately "hate" the new people hired to be in charge and will state really perverted things on this blog about them and not only that, they will do anything possible to make their lives a living hell. The main reason for existence for some of these cretins is to not be productive and just blame everyone around themselves for their own shortcomings. District 131 has a horrible reputation in the teaching community as the place where malcontents come to teach, staff come to do nothing and god help the administrator who comes in and wants to actually improve things. The agents of change will be run out of town. Haters have to hate and some of the teachers are really good at hating. It is just that simple. Who in their right mind would want to tolerate for a nano second the childish and boorish behavior of the teachers and crew at district 131. There really aren't a lot of teachers worth saving around the district. But they will tell you it is everyone's fault except theirs.
Just saying: so are you saying East was great under which Superintendent. If that's your premise what do you base it on. What happened to all the great central office ad min.
Tyler was like the 6th chief business officer since Augustine resigned, and the only one that Popp hired. Please ask ( Justsaying) Johnson where are they now since she has been president since forever. I'm 59 years old and an alum and I love East but its never been great. It was white but great , not in my time. Paul Revere is either Hanley or Popp because no one else on the blog is capable of writing on that level.
Listen Matt and Popp-- If you can possibly understand what I am saying-- I am so sick of teacher bashing by those who are supposed to be like the nurses in an operating room, "Doctor what do you need, how can I help you?" Matt will call us all stupid and inept- funny for someone who missed coverage on most district events and farmed out videos and articles. As a veteran, someone who has university teaching and a business background-- The years when we had supportive administrators- I have to back to Barwa for this things ran swimmingly in the district. I'll tell you one thing, if you can cut it in the chaotic mess of d131 you can teach anywhere- where you have so many gang, emotional, and social issues here that get in the way of teaching, plus add on people like Hanley and Popp who spend their days cutting you down and blaming their failures on you- imagine having to hand out to your students during union negotiations a letter to parents crafted by Hanley and Popp how all the teachers were losers and didn't want the students to learn-the first of several letters cutting down teachers and sent by Popp/Hanley to parents. How crazy is this? These guys are supposed to support us and they went on an attack mode that lasted Popp's entire reign. Disgusting individuals. Talk about not doing your job!!!!
Until the blog goes away the district will not heal. Carlson can claim she gave the blog away and if she did she could ask that person to take it down. She claims she loves the district but she really is ruining it for her grandchild and other students.
Whatever anyone thinks of Popp, Thruckenbrod and Glotzbach they should be able to get future employment. I know that the searches are hurting their chances. It is good they have proven leaders in Hoyta and Mcdonald since they do not have to worry they are retired and the blog can't hurt them.
Fix the district start with the blog
Today is the second day of Band Camp. According to my daughter there were about 200 kids there yesterday. I can't wait to watch the parade next Monday and see our kids marching together proudly representing our district. Big thanks to Ms Huggins who always does a great job! And also thanks to THIS BLOG, where many of us parents found out band camp had been cancelled this year. We spoke up and got it going, so our tradition continues!
I agree that the blog deserves some credit for band camp happening this year, because there was absolutely no information saying it had been cancelled on any district news source. The district website, the band Facebook page, the D131 music site had no mention of cancellation. Nor did our Community Relations person put out any press releases. It looked like someone(s) was hoping we parents wouldn't notice or say anything, but thanks to the blog we found out & spoke up. And a grEAt program for our kids continues in 2016!
To: Re:Matt/Popp
Until the day comes that the teachers accept the fact that they have had a huge hand in the insanity called District 131 no one should "support" you or kiss your collective asses. You need to understand that respect is earned and your behavior at present is not acceptable at all. The "everyone but me" attitude has sunk you for decades at East. You are the ones that should be asking "what do I need to do to make up for our past shameful actions so that the district can believe in us again". One of the first things to do is to stop blaming others and put the spotlight back on your own faults. You are supposed to be teaching the children, not acting like them. Everyone is way past sick and tired of your tactics of blaming others. Just stop it and grow up.
To Bob/Matt;
"Our "shameful" past. What exactly is our "shameful" past? I am always amazed by people teacher bashing who would not last 10 minutes in a classroom, especially in a school district with as many social, economic and political problems as East Aurora. Until you have tried to teach a lesson plan and have been interrupted by children crying because of bullying, being pregnant, chased on a daily basis by gang members, beaten up outside of class by gang members, having relatives sexually abuse them, living in a house with three families and having no physical space, being so depressed that they have to be hospitalized, then shut your trap. I actually talk the talk because for the past twenty years I have walked the walk. I am there for my students, regardless of the nincompoop administrators I have had to deal with. After having no contract for several years we wanted a cost of living increase. We also expected a pension that we have paid into for our entire careers. This makes us villains. Respectfully, Bob I invite you to go have relations with yourself. I am sure no one else will have you.
Johnson saved the band camp. Parents contacted her, I for one and she got Mr Garcia involved who helped Ms Huggins pull it together. I will agree the community relations and getting the word out in schools need to get fixed.
Board member Darby never returned a call and Principal Rowley was rude and not helpful.
I will report this on the blog because they treat us like low end losers because are kids attend school. The blog holds everyone accountable.
I am not surprised that Annette Johnson stepped up and helped get our band camp back on track. I do think she has issues with anger management but at least she extends the courtesy of a response when a parent asks a question. Good luck calling the service center if you have a concern, you can call 5 people who work in that building during official business hours and get the same recording "so-and-so is away from their desk". Impossible to ask a live person a simple question without playing phone tag (and not even given an option to speak with an actual human being anywhere in the building).
I drank the Strand kool-aid until last year as a Magnet parent and shame on me for believing her. Johnson was instrumental in starting the Magnet School and some parents including myself called her in complete desperation in May when Rowley did not allow a graduation ceremony. Johnson stepped up an sent an on our behalf. We ended up with a ceremony. She now helped us with the band. Perhaps she has a anger problem because of how the children get treated.
Johnson , had absolutely NOTHING to do with the start of the Magnet school. She was instrumental in the purchase of the entire building from the city.
The program was in one classroom per grade. Johnson continued to work on expanding it. When they got the building they expanded it into its current form. I attended many meeting when she would talk about and I became upset because their focus was not on all day kindergarten. I remember Hull and Peryea attacking her for announcing they are going to have all day. Then they had a fit because the building would open in 6 months. Aggressive she is and that what 131 needs.
As for not returning calls try email it is horrible nobody responds or you get passed around 12 times. My payroll is not right. My class needed more workbooks, I asked for clarification on SLO's. Work tickets never processed on heat. Copies backed up two weeks and no paper in the buildings. Loss classroom supply checks. Stipends not processed. This is the real 131 on a daily basis.
I understand Johnson anger and until Dr Popp it was not as widespread. Step back and think what if you are not aggressive about advocating for students? The Hanley/ Popp person who I believe to be Iola Thruckenbrod should walk a day in teachers shoes.
Iola Thuckenbrod was certainly the eyes and ears of Dr Garza. She is also very bitter about the teachers and has made comments. Her husband Mark acted like 131 teachers are inferior. He is not teacher friendly and it is my understanding 204 would not even take him back as a Dean. It shows 131 inherited the cast offs. It's funny now that the shoe is on the other foot.
We will see if Joan Glotzbach can last as a teacher again the shoe is ontge other foot. Let's.also see if Joan's husband comes to another BOE meeting and acts like a stalker.
His name is Mark TRUCKENBROD - not Thuckenbrod - It doesn't matter if you like him or not can you at least get his name correct?
Johnson "the real deal "is speaking in the 3rd person again. Tooting her own horn, obsessed with hull and Peryea who have move on and poor spelling. If your anger wasn't widespread until Popp what has Croby been writing about all these years. How about threatening to stab Roberts and kill the board members. Hi my name is Annette Johnson and I need anger management .
If everyone would just stay focused on their job duties and not worry about what others are doing or salaries maybe it would be a different scenario. When we took a job in the district we all knew our salary. If someone gets a promotion good for them. You know if it had happened to you, it would of been welcomed.
I have to say Dr. Popp, Joan and Hanley have always been very respectful when I see them and this goes for other Central Office Administrators. Seeing all these people leave the District at once is going to hurt all of us.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-east-aurora-construction-state-budget-st-0630-20160629-story.html
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