District 150 recently announced numerous reassignments of school principals. They are listed on the district’s website, but as a service to my readers, I’m reprinting them here:
Name Current School 2011-2012 Appointment John Wetterauer Charter Oak Charter Oak Jane Cushing Franklin Franklin Kevin Curtin Garfield Irving Annette Coleman Glen Oak Glen Oak Veralee Smith Harrison Harrison Jamie Brown Hines Hines Michael Barber Irving Rolling Acres Patsy Santen Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Ken Turner Kellar Kellar Nicole Woods Northmoor Northmoor Renee Andrews Whittier Whittier Angela Stockman Woodrow Wilson Trewyn Diann Duke Valeska Woodruff Career and Technical Center Tom Blumer Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge Cindy Janovetz Columbia Manual Chief Turnaround Officer Ursula Brown Lincoln Lincoln Michael Plunkett Lindbergh Lindbergh Scott Montgomery Mark Bills Woodrow Wilson Deloris Turner Rolling Acres Retiring Noly Branscumb Roosevelt Roosevelt James Jemilo Sterling Jamieson Eric Thomas Trewyn Knoxville Center for Success Dave Obergfel Von Steuben Retiring Joan Wojcikewych Washington Director of Curriculum for Peoria High School Sharon Kherat Manual Manual Randy Simmons Peoria High School Von Steuben Karen Orendorff Jamieson Retiring Paul Monrad Peoria Alternative High School Director of Student Affairs Brandon Caffey Greeley Assistant Principal at Richwoods High School Donna O’Day Knoxville Center for Success Sterling Additional Appointments Name Current School 2011-2012 Appointment Laura Rodgers Trewyn, Assistant Principal Principal, Mark Bills Dave Poehls Richwoods, Assistant Principal Principal, Washington Gifted Brett Elliott Richwoods, Assistant Principal Principal, Peoria High School Cindy Clark Peoria High School, Assistant Principal Principal, Richwoods High School
Randy Simmons did NOT demand or request to leave Peoria High School.
Kcdad, where did you hear such a thing? Randy did not request a transfer from Peoria High. I believe that he was told to prepare his staff so that they would be happy or, at least, content with his leaving. He may be OK with the move only because he has no choice. PHS’s last year’s valediction I believe stated it correctly last night that Randy may not suffer for the move, but Peoria High and its students will.
And now they have their own “director of curriculum”.
Let’s not forget it was HINTON who insisted on combining WHS and PHS with NO PLAN IN PLACE. Additionally, the BOARD allowed it. They are a joke. Seriously.
Well, Lathan said the district is dysfunctional–I guess that includes the board members who have presided over this “family” for quite some time. I wonder how they feel about being so labeled by the superintendent that they chose.
I wonder if each board member felt that “slap” in the face when Dr. Lathan referred to the District as being dysfunctional….wait, didn’t they hire her? Oh, I forgot, once the Supt. is hired, the BoE genuflexes before them….
From what I am hearing, inspite of the unfortunate way that things have been handled at PHS with regard to moving Randy, etc., to the credit of the teachers, to Randy, and to Brett, I believe everyone is working together to prepare a plan for the grant, etc.
I would think the Board is happy someone acknowledges the issues, attacks them, and begins holding EVERYONE accountable. That IS what they brought her here to do. Hope you get a fair and accurate evaluation of your abilities next year! Remove tenure and earn your keep. There won’t be rocks big enough to hide under. Finally!!
Yo Teach, your blind trust is admirable, but what makes you think all evaluations will be fair and accurate? The same people who evaluated last year will be evaluating next year (but perhaps at different schools). Unless evaluations are based on students’ test scores (which would, of course, be exceedingly unfair because of too many variables), then evaluations will always learn toward the more subjective, not objective, analysis.
By looking at the HR Report, Angie Stockman is being moved back to a classroom next year. She was slated to go to Trewyn. Guess not all administrators are happy with Lathan’s tactics.
Beth – Angie has some family medical issues that are a considerable challenge and would have prevented her from making the necessary commitment. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers – and quit spreading rumors if you don’t know the facts.
Afriend, however, the truth remains that Dr. Lathan evidently appointed Stockman before consulting her–that is a very strange way of selecting principals. Angie’s reasons for refusing the offer are her business, but there would never have been a reason to discuss them if Lathan had asked her first–and that is just my guess.
I wasn’t spreading rumors. I was stating a fact–she was slated to be a principal at Trewyn and then was being assigned a classroom. It wasn’t anything against her–it was a statement.
Sharon, I saw your comments on the fights/suspensions you FOIAd. Thanks for sharing that info. I would like to add that a person has a right to defend himself against an attacker without fear of being suspended or arrested. IMO, that is how just one person can be disciplined for fighting.
Check with union leadership on the status of new evaluations. They were to do a presentation Monday. If it was a powerpoint, they should be put on Dist website. Union elections were last night. What say the majority?
D150 teachers have voter apathy. Less than 300 people voted and Bobby Darling won by less than 47 votes. All I can say is, quit complaining about him and his ilk if you didn’t vote. We watched him at a BoE meeting in the spring of 2009 shoulder to shoulder with his good buddy, Mary Davis, watching the playoffs on her blackberry.Isn’t she the former assistant supt. that “allegedly” stole over $20,000 for the students activity fund at Lindbergh? Yeah, he’s full of GREAT choices….
I did vote; I’m sorry that teachers didn’t vote. I really do not understand a 300 turnout, no matter whom they were voting for or against. This is the third time the other candidate lost by so few votes. I’m not sure what this says about teachers. I guess they are happy with the status quo. I guess they aren’t out of their comfort zones.
2cents–I agree about the person defending himself/herself–just wasn’t sure that was the reason. When I finally get around to compiling all the info–I will share.
Well the teachers had their chance…maybe they like Bobby (better known as Mr. Darling) and his choices!!!!(ie. Mary Davis):)
I just saw the election results from the union. WOW!!! It appears the district has torn the union apart and the power of the union in District 150 is gone. WOW!!!
The current teacher’s union president would make a deal with anyone if it put cash in his pocket….that is all he cares about. He works half a day as a “whatever” in the district office, but receives a full teacher’s salary on top of the $20,000 he gets for being the teacher’s union president….sadly, he sticks up for the administration(blowing kisses at them from the podium during board meetings) more than he does the people that pay him to SUPPORT them. What a JOKE. There should be another election (people should have been able to vote at their schools).
blah, that sounds like sour grapes. If you wanted him out, you should have got more of your friends to vote. The Labor building is not too far to go vote.
I think maybe there are many non-tenured and younger teachers in the district who really do not understand the importance of the union because the union cannot do anything to protect non-tenured teachers–they probably have little incentive to vote. Also, there are older teachers probably more north of War Memorial (because that’s where Bobby and his wife teach) that are loyal to Bobby. However, I cannot justify or understand the low turnout of teachers.
Teachers voted for Darling? You have got to be kidding me. I’m sorry, Sharon, but I am going back to my original diagnosis of the school problems… the teachers are stupid.
Apathy from D150 staff is exactly why Davis was able to get away with everything she did for so long. Blows me away that her “circle of friends” continues to be as influential as they are.If folks are not willing to stand up for what is right then they deserve what they get!
They let retirees vote in union elections?
“sadly, he sticks up for the administration(blowing kisses at them from the podium during board meetings) more than he does the people that pay him to SUPPORT them. What a JOKE. There should be another election (people should have been able to vote at their schools).”
First lets not forgot who really pays for the entire public education boondoogle…the tax payers.
Should be able to vote from your classrooms??? Why cant everyony just vote from their cell phones or ipads? Why dont we just run elections like American Idol or Dancing With the Stars? Or maybe the teachers in the union dont understand the importance of actually voting if they want to change something?
Mahkno–yes, retirees can be members if we pay $20 a year dues.
Outsider Now: You elected the school board that hired all the past incompetent superintendents….lets now forget that. Oh, as a teacher, I pay taxes TOO…..I pay for my own salary, not counting paying ridiculous union dues for NOTHING. Our current union representatives would run over their own mothers to get more money……
Blah, you bring up a point that others often forget. Teachers pay the same taxes as non-teachers pay. How many other employees help pay their own salaries? All the complainers about money that goes to “public servants” would have something to complain about if the servants didn’t pay taxes, also.
You do pay taxes. What you seem to forget Sharon is that I, and many others, dont have a horse in the race but I have to pay for a “service” you provide. The only thing D150 is to me is a giant albatross around the neck of the community. I dont show up at your house build a fence and then say oh pay me I gave you this service that Im sure you want and need. I dont have kids in D150 I reap nothing from what D150 provides. Im paying for other people to have kids go to 150 and to pay the operating costs of a fairly poor performing public school district. That seems like a good use of my income. I mean I guess you keep kids off the street during school hours? Maybe a really overpriced baby sitting service? Blahblahblah then dissolve your union thats not my problem you people put those people in take them out. You dont want to pay union dues get rid of your union.
Outsider Now, I partially understand your argument, but not enough to agree with you. While you, your children, or your grandchildren may not have received a public school education, many of the employees who serve you in all manner of Peoria businesses (Caterpillar, hospitals, all retails stores, grocery stores, etc–people with all levels of education)did receive a public education. Also, you do benefit from the work of other public services (police, firemen, etc.). I am assuming you believe that all of those services should be provided at no cost to you. I just don’t understand why you pay inflated prices (because employees have to be paid) for groceries, clothing, etc., but are unwilling to pay for services that do benefit you and/or society, in general.
“I reap nothing from what D150 provides.” A common argument from those without children in school.
It is wrong.
The results of district 150s (or any school district) are hopefully productive citizens. They are the customers that drive your business. They are your future employees. They are your future tax payers who will be paying your social security some day. They are your future investors who hopefully will keep your 401k from tanking after you retire.
If they are not successful, they are your even greater tax burden after they leave school (unemployed, prisons, underemployed welfare, etc..).
Everyone has a stake in the success (or failure) of public schools.
I agree, Mahkno. A good school system is vital to the revival of our city as a place of choice. A good neighborhood school is a strong stabilizing force. However, the policies that are coming out of Wisconsin Avenue are NOT in compliance with any community vision, except that of the failed status-quo. I’m of the opinion that now, more than ever, the City must step in and take over. D150 has fallen far enough; its time for a new approach.
Conrad, through a FOIA I have received the total number of suspensions (and their causes)for all 150 schools from September through March 21. I am currently compiling the total number of suspensions and the total meted out for fighting per school. I believe the large number of suspensions should given everyone the idea that educational progress cannot be made in a district plagued by so much bad behavior–bound to be disruptive to the education process. I am holding out some hope that the alternative school planned for Woodruff will alleviate some of the worst offenders. However, I have not heard how the district plans to decide which students and how many students should go to an alternative school. Also, I fear that the District 150 concept of an alternative school will mean one with a revolving door–constantly sending students back to the regular school without any real assurance that they will be able to conform to rules, etc.
I don’t have any kids in school but if the schools succeed, my property values will increase as people will want to move here for the schools. That is another way to look at it. I find it mind boggling that people bitch about paying taxes to the District even when they have no kids in the District. How the schools go, so goes the neighborhoods and their values. What idiot would buy a home, invest in improving that home and then don’t care about the quality of services provided by the tax base, like police, fire, and schools. I guess the same one that would compare building a fence and then demanding payment from the land owner. Apples and watermelons.
Questions: where are the board meeting minutes and what is Monday’s special meeting all about (self-evaluation)? It’s been over three weeks since Michelle was put on paid leave…did she get her job back?
I don’t think the courts have made a decision about Michelle yet–maybe a week or so, so I’m told. It is my understanding that she was not given a contract to sign until she and her husband had already moved to Peoria–before that she didn’t know there was a “without cause” clause in the contract. I guess the court has to decide if that bit of deception is fair play or not. Is it customary for District 150 to get contracts signed after employees are already on the job?
Wow I wish you had a basic understanding of how an example works emtronics. Here is a crazy idea how about the people that utilize the school pay for their children to use the school. I will never have children in d150 but I may actually need the fd or pd so I have no problem paying for those things. How about this, those of us with no kids or kids in private school can get a discount on our taxes because we are not incuring cost to the district. Instead I have to pay for my imaginary children to go to D150?
IE why cant I provide a blanket service to everyone whether you need it or want it or have any faith in it and then just have you pay me for the service in the form of tax revenue whether the service I give you is up to par or even worth what you pay me for it. I just go around and provide a service, you can even pick it emtronics Im not picky, and then send you a bill every year whether you want it or need it. You may say wait I dont need a fence I already have one, sorry to bad I have a contract and a pay check that says I build you a fence whether you want it or not. Also I am building a fence that costs twice as much as a fence you could get somewhere else and the fence you are getting is of substandard quality. Ill collect the bill at tax time.
Mahkno “The results of district 150s (or any school district) are hopefully productive citizens.” Key word is hopefully but the reality is statistically that is not at all what we are getting. The socio economic background of children have more to do with creating a productive citizen then a school district. IE rich kids turn into rich productive adults poor kids turn into poor non productive adults. Shocking if you look at the break downs in the local school districts this shows to be true. Areas with high income families, Morton, Dunlap, Germantown Hills and Ill even throw a bone to D150 Richwoods have much better schools then areas with low income families. SCHOCKING I KNOW. Im sure you have read all the stats about if your father earns x you are more likely to end up in that pay grade etc… Before you jump in Emtronics Im sure your kids are the exception not the rule because I know you are going to have a rant about the south end and your kids going to manual and eating shit on shingles everday and now they are successful adults blah blah blah. The key here is how many dont turn out that way.
Instead we just continue to pour money into a neverending pool of underperforming, overstaffed, cess pools and expect that some day we will reap the rewards of this tragic mess.
Schools are mirrors of the neighborhoods they are in. The problems in the neighborhoods will be the same problems in the schools.
Public schools as they are run and funded now are a wasteland that I have no interest in paying for.
Sharon – I think Michelle will have to PROVE that she was made to sign the contract under duress to get anywhere with this claim. I imagine she was not forced to sign the contract and willingly did so when asked and now realizes that the language in the contract really means something. I have seen District 150 administration contracts in the past, there is no fine print, the contract wording is clear.
No second guessing now; it’s up to the court.
Frustrated, since you are listening. Remember when we had the discussion about inflated grades at Manual and you justified the higher grades. Well, it’s one thing for me to stand at the podium and suggest that Manual’s grades are inflated. However, it’s quite another thing for Dr. Lathan to do what she did Monday night. I wasn’t there but was told that when Sharon Kherat was makikng a presentation about Manual’s progress, Laura Petelle asked a question. Dr. Lathan stepped in and said something to the effect that Laura is trying to ask you how students at MHS can get A’s in English when they read 4 grades below level? I can’t imagine how a superintendent can justify putting a principal on the spot publicly in that manner. Lathan has known about the inflated grades for a long time; if she hasn’t discussed that privately with Kherat by now (and even if she has),in my opinion, she should not have done so publicly.
Time will tell. Not too long ago, D150 e-mails had a “disclaimer” at the bottom saying they were confidential, ya, ya, ya. That mislead some to believe their e-mail conversations were private, even though they had signed contracts for internet technology use that clearly stated it was a violation of policy to make false statements.
Outsidernow–If you haven’t done so already, you need to move to a community that has public schools that you can support. I realize you do not see the value to society in educating young people whose parents cannot afford a private education. In spite of all the negatives about 150 (and I certainly hone in on them often enough), I can tell you for sure that many young people from Peoria’s southside (some whose parents could not have afforded to pay for their education) have grown up to be very productive members of our community. Unfortunately, some of the most successful left Peoria for greener pastures.
Frustrated, what do you think would have happened to Michelle if she had refused to see the contract? Btw, I am not surprised that you have seen contacts in the past.
This is the problem with running educational institutions like businesses. Legality, not ethics or morality, is the deciding factor. Yes, Michelle should have questioned the contract, but more importantly the contract should have been offered and signed before she was already on the job. As Frustrated said, the contract might be very clear–but only after an employee gets the chance to read it. I am curious about the new principal appointments. Have any of them been offered contracts (one year, three year??) and do they all know what their new salaries will be? Since most of them didn’t know they were being offered the jobs before the appointments were made, I wonder if contracts, etc., have been signed–or offered after the fact.
Frustrated, since you have “seen” D150 administrative contracts, maybe you can justify this for the district. Say, you get hired as an administrator in D150 and you have negotiated a salary/benefits package…..with me? Then say, a couple of months after you move your family halfway across the country, you are handed a contract and told to sign it or NO JOB. Now, no one has mentioned signing a contract and the previous district(s) that you worked for didn’t have you sign a contract……WHAT DO YOU DO? Regardless of any “clauses” you are put in a position to either sign the contract and pray you don’t piss anyone off or don’t sign the contract and lose you butt financially…….WHAT DO YOU DO?
Wha Wha Wha WHA wha.
A Peoria County judge likely will decide next week whether to throw out a request by Associate Superintendent Michelle Ungurait that seeks to block the District 150 School Board’s decision to terminate her contract.
Chief Circuit Judge Michael Brandt heard arguments Thursday regarding whether Ungurait’s lawsuit, filed March 30, passed legal muster. She wants Brandt to issue an injunction that would put on hold any move to reassign her or to terminate her contract.
Last month, Superintendent Grenita Lathan suspended Ungurait. No reason has been publicly given, and the School Board then voted to terminate her contract “without cause” and reassign her to a teaching position beginning May 1, “for which a lower salary is paid.”
Ungurait says that’s not right, because she had a contract to work for three years. The issue seems to be a clause in the contract that allows both sides to back out of the deal. Ungurait says she didn’t get to see that contract until after she moved her family here and had been on the job for nearly a week.
Attorneys hired by the district contend the lawsuit should be dismissed because no legal action can resolve it, given the contract. They also say Ungurait was able to view the contract before she signed it, and that once she did, she lost her ability to challenge it.
Ungurait’s attorney disagrees and says his client had already moved here, quit her job in North Carolina and was working before the district showed her the contract.
pjstar.com
According to the board minutes, Michelle’s contract was approved in August (the minutes at the prior meeting are MIA). If she can provide proof that she was on the payroll prior to board approval, wouldn’t that support a claim that she was hired without a contract?
That contract “bait and switch” is becoming increasingly common district 150, isn’t it