There will be a joint meeting of the Peoria City Council and the District 150 Board of Education tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Gateway Building. The meeting is open to the public and will cover this agenda:
ITEM NO. 1 WELCOME – OPENING COMMENTS by MAYOR JIM ARDIS
ITEM NO. 2 WELCOME – OPENING COMMENTS by DISTRICT #150 SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT DEBBIE WOLFMEYER
ITEM NO. 3 PRESENTATION – PEORIA PROMISE
ITEM NO. 4 PRESENTATION – RACE TO THE TOP
ITEM NO. 5 PRESENTATION – DISTRICT #150 SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION – NEW and RENOVATIONS
ITEM NO. 6 PRESENTATION – SCHOOL/CITY IMPACT ZONES
ITEM NO. 7 PRESENTATION – PEORIA HIGH SCHOOL and READINESS to OPEN in AUGUST 2010
ITEM NO. 8 PRESENTATION – DISTRICT #150 ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE for 2010/11
ITEM NO. 9 PRESENTATION – MAYOR JIM ARDIS — MAYORAL INTERESTS in URBAN EDUCATION
ITEM NO. 10 ANNOUNCEMENTS and CLOSING COMMENTS by MAYOR JIM ARDIS and DISTRICT #150 SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT DEBBIE WOLFMEYER
Item No. 9 should be especially interesting, as it’s being reported that Mayor Ardis hopes to “put to rest” rumors that the City wants to take over the school district.
Reassignment of Manual principal possibly approved tonight at Board meeting.
Previous poster (about reassignment of Manual principal) posted while I was writing the following. With regard to Shipp and/or any other principals that might be “removed,” I believe that there are some very legal hoops that the board has to jump through before administrators of long standing can be fired–and not risk yet another law suit. The following is what I have been told. “For some administrative positions, the legal procedure calls for it to be voted on by the BOE and a certified letter sent to the administrator. For others, principals for example, the legal procedure is to serve notice to the administrator that explains that they have a right to a hearing before the BOE and they have the right to be represented by legal counsel. After the hearing, the BOE then makes a ruling, notifies the administrator, and if they decide to terminate the individual, take it to the public session for a vote. Now, the administrator has the option to select a hearing or they may decide to forego that. Either way, the district had better done a good job of documenting and writing the performance deficiencies of the administrator and including them in the person’s performance review. Absent a signed employment contract, all certified administrators are covered by tenure laws and in the case of an unsatisfactory performance review, remediation comes in to play. However, the district can vote to reclassify the person to a classroom teacher and then they have to go through the hearing process, etc.” I’m just saying–I don’t think any of us should expect the board to fire anyone other than Davis tonight. Other action–reclassifying, reassigning, maybe–who knows?
I used the wrong word several days ago when I said “fired”. “Removed as Manual principal” is the correct phraseology.
My phrasing was rather inexact. As I understand it, she will continue as an employee of Dist 150.
Fired as Manual principal but not fired as a District 150 employee.
From what I have seen, it is customary for the District to laterally move under- performing Administrators. So after they have screwed up one building they can then begin destruction of the next. Either that or they keep the incompetent administrator in place and hire another person to “assist” – hence the hyper-inflated Admin:student ratio. Under no circumstances will they risk hurting the feelings of a fellow Administrator. Job security for themselves, I suppose. Don’t want to set any of those damn precedents….
District Watcher–that seems to be the way things have been done in 150 in the last few years
Alright, it sounds like things are beginning to move around at Glen Oak and Manual. Any chance something might get fixed at Trewyn?
FYI” Gorenz and Stowell think that an additional 17 million(Lincoln School money) should be spent for renovating Peoria High. Now remember, they closed Woodruff because of a so-called 1.5 million dollar deficit…….fortunately Lathan said without a clear plan for how the money is to be spent, she could not support that. Gorenz has one more meeting then he is DONE. Don’t know why, but Stowell is drinking some mind-numbing kool-aid these days, me thinks…..
Terry just texted me with whoa nelly’s news. Stowell and Gorenz have lost it. A few weeks ago I quoted Gorenz as saying, “We are spending millions to save 1.7 million.” He reprimanded me for misquoting him. He actually said, “We are spending 17 million to save how don’t know how much.” Tonight 1.3 million was stated as the figure to saved by closing Woodruff. A couple of Glen Oak chandeliers for Peoria High will eat that savings up. 🙂
whoa nelly – pull your head out, you’re listening to the wrong end of the horse – what Dr. Gorenz and I were stating was that we could possibly get by with an amount less than $17 or the revised $14 mil @ Lincoln, since we have a fine facility in close proximity that might well serve 6th-8th graders. That would leave some amount greater than currently budgeted to make sure PHS is eventually rehabbed properly. Board opts to spend the $14 mil on Lincoln. No known plans right now for how WHS facility will be utilized. Sharon, the difference b/t the $1.3 and $1.7 was from funds other than the ed fund. Also, went on tour of Glen Oak, saw no chandeleirs and PBC chair didn’t know that to be true.
Plug in the shredding machines. It’s going to be a long night!
Is PHS gonna be ready in September?
hey jim. you did do one thing right tonight. you voted to terminate your good friend nary davis….youu know “simply the best”. now you have more money for your other lawsuits. excellent fiscal responsibility to the taxx payers.
Jim, please, can’t you, as a board member, be more careful about the way you speak to people–just asking why you choose to represent yourself in such a manner. Also, why didn’t you and Gorenz go to the 3rd meeting of the night?
So, Jim, is what Emtronics reported on his blog (about the chandeliers) incorrect? He wrote, “Did you know our cash strapped district bought 4 chandeliers at $100,000 each? Yep, as I write this, electricians are wiring them and hanging them inside the school. $400,000 in chandeliers? Are you kidding me? Oh well, you’ll see them when they have open house.”
Bert, are you sure Jim did the right thing–I don’t think he was there for the vote.
Well Sharon, I had ASSUMED it would have been a 7-0 vote. Obviously, we all know what that means. What a surprise, the two that didn’t hesitate to sell McArdle down the river(without ever giving her the opportunity of a hearing) and even had the gall to say they didn’t know a thing about the allegations, weren’t even there to start “making it right” and voting to fire Davis. Can someone explain to me why Mary Davis was finally fired after school was out for the summer and referred to by a NUMBER on the agenda while McArdle was fired during the school year(had to go to work the next day while students and SOME teachers high-fived each other), with her NAME and SCHOOL listed on the agenda PRIOR to the special board meeting. McArdle went to school (as usual) the next day and every day till the last day of school with her head held high. It appears that D150 is still protecting Davis. As for the light fixtures, I too, was told by an electrician installing the chandeliers that they cost $100,000 each. So Jim, is everyone lying……AGAIN?
Sounds like the same old dirty shenanigans going on at District 150. Ya, they absolutely don’t mind naming SOME names, just depends on who they are naming. This board will go down in history as the WORST ever.
“The board voted 5-0 to dismiss Davis, who has been on paid leave since September from her position as District 150 academic officer. Board members David Gorenz and Jim Stowell were present for the vote.”
PRESENT???
Is PHS gonna be ready in September?
” The board also voted 5-0 to hire LaToy Kennedy as chief curriculum and instructional officer, Ava Hoffer as pre-K through Grade 8 curriculum director and Shameika Patterson as chief curriculum and instructional officer.
Kennedy’s gross salary will be $125,000 annually. Hoffer will be paid $95,000 and Patterson $85,000.”
Read it and weep teachers…
WORKFORCE EDUCATION is come to Peoria.
If my rudimentary knowledge of School financing is correct, the two numbers come from two different funds, but the same people -us. So I have a few questions. If we spend 17 M on renovations to make the buildings ready to save 1.7 M a year, are we going to keep spending the way we are for the next 10 years? In this district, things get more expensive every year. Why could they not have scaled back at Woodruff instead? Andl lastly, would they have had to spend 17 M to improve Woodruff if they closed it instead?
” The board also voted 5-0 to hire LaToy Kennedy as chief curriculum and instructional officer, Ava Hoffer as pre-K through Grade 8 curriculum director and Shameika Patterson as chief curriculum and instructional officer.”
Did these positions already exists in our district or were they created? If they existed before, who had them before these ladies came to town?
The appointment of Lathan’s friends to the above positions truly make me sad. I know for certain of at least one very qualified, committed person to the district that applied for the jobs and wasn’t even contacted for an interview. She has a long education and work history, and basically came to work in 150 simply for her love of the children (taking a significant pay cut to do so.) Now the district may lose her, as she is being sought out by other districts – you would think the “powers that be” would grab on to someone like that and not want to see them go!
Any new super is going to want to put together a team of managers she knows and trusts. There is nothing wrong with that. There is no reason to assume these people are incompetent. Time will tell.
I’m sad: you would think the “powers that be” would grab on to someone like that and not want to see them go!
You are kidding aren’t you? The “powers that be” would be your BoE and they have not demonstrated any rational impetus in the past several years, why would they start now…Remember they just now fired an administrator who was accused, then indicted for felony theft, more than a year ago. They keep administrators who “toy” with ISAT scores and make teachers overide grades, not to mention those that bully their staff at every school they go to. I don’t care if Dr. Lathan hires her brother, as long as he can perform the job in a “top notch” way. BTW, it is not uncommon for a superintendent to hire her own “cabinet”. Do some research and you will see that to be true. I believe she has arrived with “guns blazing” and is setting a tone of NOTHING BUT EXCELLENT administrators need apply. Good for her!
“I believe she has arrived with “guns blazing” and is setting a tone of NOTHING BUT EXCELLENT administrators need apply.”
Bert, I really want to believe this is true, but I have not heard anything about a new Special Ed director being hired as yet. In fact, I heard the present one, who cries, slams her fists on desks and pulls her hair during meetings (yes this was witnessed by a room full of teachers who were left speechless after she told them to make changes they also felt were unethical and refused to do so), was told to reapply. Plus, we are losing a magnificent math coordinator.
I do know that Sups bring their own team, I just hope she finds a new Special Ed director. I haven’t seen any news regarding this.
I am excited about the changes which Dr. Lathan has made thus far in 150. I understand she is building a team which she knows and trusts. My only question is if the new ladies are filling positions which were already in place in the district. I just don’t want new people coming into new positions and inflating the cost of the administration. I think we all agree too much money is already being spent in that area.
To: I’m sad for the future of 150
Your story is not the only one like that. There has been several high quality applicants that have applied for positions within the new administration yet they never heard from the new superintendent. Since the new superintendent doesn’t even know these applicants it certainly can’t be a personal distrust issue. All of the ones that I know of that haven’t been interviewed for new positions all have one thing in common.
Lynn Smith, what is that one thing?
Not so sure, Dr. Mary O’Brian is a quack. Please Dr. Lathan, get the message: “Allow Mary O’brian to stay on the “DO NOT HIRE” list. She has zero people skills. Don’t let her soft little voice and smile fool you, she is a nut case putting on a good show for you. I do believe a one word summary for O’brian is “incompetent”.
Mary O’Brian was Lathan’s personal tour guide to District 150 Schools several weeks ago.
Lynn Smith: That is perfect. Dr. Lathan got to see first hand Dr. O’Brian’s bizarre behavior. I remember sitting in a meeting in the supt. conference room on Wisconsin Ave. a couple of years ago and she kept knocking on the table, clicking her pen and swinging her head from side to side and saying outloud, “why am I here, I have too much to do to sit in this stupid meeting”. We all tried to ignore her and several Wisconsin Ave. Administrators kept looking at each other like, “what the heck”. She is a very eccentric individual.
I haven’t been online in a few days and I’m amazed at what discussions my posts have caused. I love Manual and the students there. I am tenured and stay at Manual because of how much I love it. There comes a time when blind love will not fix a problem. Sometimes to accept that there are many deep rooted problems that need to be fixed is hard to do. When Manual, and all of 150, realize that it will be able to start to change the culture towards learning.
Romeo, I agree!
“Any new super is going to want to put together a team of managers she knows and trusts. There is nothing wrong with that. ”
This is the perfect example of “PEORIA” thinking.
Just because cronyism is practiced in BIG cities, we have to do it here. Peoria is such a “wanna be” community. We have had our chances and threw them away every time.
We sold out to Lincoln and the long nine over the capital, we sold out to Galesburg over rail transportation, Chicago over stock yards, we sent our distillers and brewers packing… and here we cling to Caterpillar’s teat like an unweaned 12 year old.
What is that saying? “If you don’t like it here, don’t let the door hit you in your……”
yeah… if I chose where I lived for economic or political reasons, I might leave.
I happen to believe in family and community and neither of those has anything to do with economics or politics.
First, let me say, though I read some blogs to keep informed on what people are thinking and saying about a topic, I rarely post because you just don’t know who’s in the know. Plus, I have a hard time taking seriously people who do not use there real names. So, I’m going to follow Ms. Crews lead and use my name so I can stand by what I say in the light of day.
Lynn Smith- You may agree or disagree with Ms. Crews, but I suggest when you hear something from her you take heed. Let me make this totally clear: I DO NOT WORK FOR DISTRICT #150! I HaVE NOT TAKEN A CENT FROM THE DISTRICT SINCE I WORKED AT ROOSEVELT MAGNET SCHOOL IN 1991! As for hearing this information from my dad, you either misunderstood, or in the zealousness that is a proud parent, he was not clear. I do work for an education consulting firm. We are quite successful (if I do say so myself). To be honest, District #150, in their current financial straights could probably not afford my $1,200. daily rate unless it was covered by grant funds. And, when asked, I am happy to provide VOLUNTEER services to a district from which I graduated. If the time comes where District #150 wants to hire me, I can provide good service and I have the credentials and skill, you better believe I’ll take the job! But at this point that has not happened. Anyhoo, I suggest, in the future you listen to Ms. Crews!
Have a great day everyone!
$1200 bucks a day? Do you have to be certified? charlie, pay attention…..might be a better gig than masquerading as a teacher.
Johnna, thanks for joining our discussion. Most everyone on this blog is civil and provides very thought-provoking opinions, etc. We can even disagree without being disagreeable. Thanks for speaking up–and I’m sure your father is a very proud parent and has every reason to be so.
Johnna N.Timmes,
Interesting post. I am one of those people who post regularly here, and I do not use my real name. We have gone round before about the ‘validity’ of posts written by people who use a ‘nom de’guerre.’ That is the way of the blogging world.
I believe you can judge for yourself whether or not a post is a valid, informed opinion or not. I am also sure that you can appreciate the… sensitive nature of some of the topics people comment on. Many of those who post here have jobs, families, etc, that might be ‘effected’ by their opinions. Anonymity is NOT a crime, nor does it in anyway ‘render null and void’ many of the comments written on this site.
C.J.’s site has a solid reputation for initiating good solid discussions about Peoria [area] issues, etc.
Don’t be a poop and rain on everyone’s parade.
Just because you have a family and kids, and risk losing your job (again) for speaking truth to power, doesn’t mean we expect you to reveal your identity. Just don’t tell us you are on the inside of some organization and start spreading gossip… if you are going to be a “whistle blower”… do it right and bring out the trumpets, Joshua!
Oh, and Private Nickle? Ask my 150 students from last semester and my 120 this summer about my masquerade. JACKASS.
Here is a random excerpt from my last semester student evaluations:
-I was not interested when I took the class before, he made it interesting and fun
-He is the best instructor I’ve ever had
-made me more responsible in my thinking of society
-allows you to think for yourself and express your thoughts
-he relates sociology to everyday life
-makes you really think
-I’ve learned a lot of society that I didn’t recognize or pay attention to before
-a teacher who knows how to teach
-I thank my counselor for this opportunity to meet a teacher who cares about teaching
-he flows effortlessly from topic to topic. Very good speaker. All information was linked creatively.
Sounds like someone learned well at the foot of the masters in how to bleed someone of their money. $1,200.00 a day? Either she is inflating some figures or there is an employer with less fiscal restraint than District 150 out there.
Mrs. Crews just because someone doesn’t post their real name doesn’t automatically make someones statements rumor, gossip or a lie. You are retired and are receiving one of those golden parachutes for teachers. Those retirement packages are equaled only by major companies CEO’s so you don’t have to worry about a job anymore, therefore you have more freedom to speak out in the open.
So stop looking down your nose at those of us who, due to certain work conditions, can’t speak as freely as people like you can.
“golden parachutes for teachers”
Oh please… I don’t like the retirement teachers finagle for themselves either but come on… You really need to look up what a “golden parachute” is. It is for CEOs and other executives that get fired for malfeasance and even after being thrown overboard get these HUGE… I mean, HUMONGOUS pay offs.
And for those who think teachers make too much—
Here’s an eye opener for you. I was RIFed and told that without state money I would not have a job. Applied for unemployment. I will only qualify for $100/week. Sorry to say, that won’t even begin to cover my student loans AND I have a student in college.
Who wants to try on my shoes?
If she is working for a company that is paying her $1,200.00 a day then how much money is that company bilking from their clients? Honey, just because you might not “own” the company that is bilking the district doesn’t mean that you aren’t participating in doing that too!
Thank you, Charlie, for clarifying the difference between a golden parachute and teachers’ retirement benefits. I guess it doesn’t do any good to tell you all that for most of my career the money that went toward my retirement came out of my own check. It just went to the state of Illinois, who invested it for me. Then, at some point, the union and the district negotiated a contract that picked up the retirement payment instead of giving us a raise (instead of getting that amount of money in my check every pay day, it went to the state, etc. As for consultants who make exhorbitant amounts of money, I have a friend who is a consultant and just took a job, which, I believe, will pay her quite well. For some reason, companies seem to value these consultants enough to pay them well. Personally, I don’t understand the consultant craze either–but I don’t fault those who are given the jobs by “for-profit” companies. I do object to District 150 paying consultants to do the jobs that hired employees should be doing. To the blogger who directed his/her comments to me–I have never, never said that anonymous bloggers are using their anonymity to tell untruths, etc. Also, I understand why many of you cannot feel free to use your own names. However, when a particular blogger makes statements that I know to be untrue or when those statements are especially vindictive, I believe that I have the same right to state my opinion. For instance, the issue that started this particular line of thinking was that one blogger stated that Johnna Timmes was a consultant for District 150. I found out that Johnna did not work for District 150, so I simply stated what I had learned. Johnna probably would have done herself a favor if she had not mentioned her salary because no one else on this blog parts with that information. However, at one time, I did list my yearly salary for each of the 43 years that I taught.
“…I have a hard time taking seriously people who do not use there (sic) real names.” This post (IMO) reeks of the arrogance and negative attitude toward parents that is rampant in our government today.
There are at least two legitimate reasons not to post comments with full names, in my experience. One is that politics does play in Peoria. The second is the reason why I didn’t publish my wedding announcement or birth announcements for my children, and don’t do Facebook, Twitter, etc.
TR64 – I may be misunderstanding your last comment. I think you were quoting Johnna, but I didn’t see anything in her post that indicated a negative attitude toward parents. I thought she was just expressing a positive attitude about her own father. Another poster had easlier said some negative things about her father. I think she was doing what most of us expect of a loving daughter.
I pay into SURS and TRS also… what I referring to was the getting promoted and taking on extra responsibilities the last three years before you retire so you can retire at a higher rate… It’s dishonest and unethical.
I have no expectations of being able to survive on my SS and SURS benefits.
Trailers are okay for old people… they are all one level. And I understand cat food is cheap and nutritious, too.
Oh, by the way in case anyone missed it before… I am not embarrassed by my income…I earn ever dime of it. I get paid around $16,000 to teach exactly 90% of a full time schedule. That comes to about $50 per student for me.
Charlie, I didn’t get a promotion my last three years–teachers aren’t teachers any more if they are promoted. I didn’t take on any extra responsibilities my last three years. I was the recipient of some boost to my income due to some deal made with the state to get teachers to retire early. I benefitted from that deal, but I didn’t retire early; I taught until I was 67 with 43 years of teaching. I believe the intent of that “deal” was to get rid of “expensive” teachers so that the district could hire new teachers at the bottom of the scale. Those in the district who are critical of that deal now forget the intent of the deal and forget the savings that the district was made (or was supposed to realize) by hiring “cheaper” replacements for the veteran teachers. I honestly do not know if the district saved money–but that was the intent.