75 thoughts on “Quick question about Kellar School”

  1. I don’t know CJ, but I hope so. Motorists think that is a dragstrip and my guess is that there will still be movement between the two buildings. Last year I was a witness to a police chase through there. ( The Peoria Heights Police gave up the chase but the suspect was still fleeing). It was right at dismissal time and the suspect missed taking out a crossing guard and a dozen little kids at 70 mph by about a foot.

    I’d be surprised if they opened it. There is plenty of access to neighborhoods on either side of the school without having to travel through school property.

  2. We also have a new HR director, but I don’t remember that job ever being posted on the website. If anyone saw the job posted somewhere else, please tell us. It appears this person has never been an HR director before, correct me if I’m wrong. Is she coming in at the same pay the Broderick left with? ($110,000)

  4. Looking at job postings for PPS—
    There is a job posted today for a Director of Student Affairs. In the past this has been an Asst. Super. job. Recently, the person who held it was called an academic officer.

  5. Bamcdaniel-

    This position was recently held by Dianne Duke. It was not an Academic Officer position. Not sure where Dianne is going.

  6. As a parent in the school system and a sub, when that position has been mentioned by anybody in an administrative position, the person was always referred to as Asst. Super. XXX or Officer XXX.

    If that is the wrong title for that position then someone should tell King Ken.

  7. I haven’t heard the title “Academic Officer” since Royster left. She was the first to have “Academic Officers.” I think her assistants were given that title because–when they came to Peoria–neither had superintendent certification. Did Hinton call any administrators by that title?

  8. If that is the wrong title for that position then someone should tell King Ken.

    Volunteers?

  11. A quick look at the 150 website–Mary Davis is the only one listed as an Academic Officer–interesting since I believe that was a new position when she took it.

  12. I nominate Beth McDaniel for the position of D150 Overhaul Czar 🙂

  13. Although I believe Beth would do a great job, I have to vote for Julie McArdle; she has already started overhauling—-even though it was not part of her job description! Kind of an “unlikely” hero, if you will.

  15. MAWB: She has been “working” all week. Look on the district’s website. Guess Hinton polled the board in advance to make sure their votes would be “affirmative”. I’m still trying to find out where this job was posted……I’M QUALIFIED…..I have NEVER worked in HR either…….

  18. On Monday night’s agenda they have several approvals for hiring consultants for this and that. I suppose that is one way for them to spend stimulus money. Why spend it on local companies? Also, it seems they could spend it in other ways but since we have such an incompetent superintendent they have to seek help and advice from outside sources.

    How are they spending the extra money for special ed? The director Mary O’Brian is so incompetent it is downright frightening.

  19. Did I read correctly that the administration has chosen the high school to be closed but do not have a plan as to how to distribute the students? Also, the administrators who earn six-figure salaries are going to ask for volunteers to figure out how to distribute the students? Shouldn’t that have been resolved before making the decision and announcement? I have read about other districts that have closed schools and they have done so gradually so that the students who started at the high school can graduate from that high school. They also don’t take freshmen once the decision to close has been made and allow the upper classmen the choice of staying or transferring. The closing of a school is disheartening and scary for those directly impacted; however, the impact can be lessened with clear thinking and direction. State the reasons why this school is the best to be closed. Immediately let the students and their parents know where they will be attending school once this one is closed and how that decision was reached. Give students the option of transferring to the new school this year. Do not let freshmen attenc this school for just one year–have them begin the school from which they should graduate. Have solid reasons and don’t be wishy-washy! Why is the district putting a new primary school so close to the new Glen Oak? If I recall, the new Lincoln Middle School (how many years has it been, now) was the jewel in 150. It was state-of-the-art at the time it was built. How have the students faired at this gem? Did this impressive building aid student achievement? Has the building been respected and well-maintained by the grateful students?

  20. Come to Godfather’s at 6 p.m. on Sunday–tomorrow night–to discuss these District 150 issues. District 150 will continue to do as it pleases if the silent majority (or even minority) doesn’t speak up.

  22. KING KEN does as he pleases! There obviously is no control by the Board on anything he does! Why bother having them? The Mess 150 is in is their Fault and we elected them. Remember this and vote them all out!!

  24. Has anyone heard what is happening with the lawsuit against Hinton, Broderick and Mary Davis? Why is the media not talking about this? Where are the investigative reporters in Peoria?

  25. Yes.Serenity…please give us an update, someone, anyone……what is happening with this lawsuit? Why is Davis still working? Didn’t she change addresses for students? I thought that was against the NCLB laws. Didn’t she keep a “student teacher” on the payroll and ask McArdle to pay her? What is going on????

  26. I would love to be on the school board in order to get things fixed, but, as experienced by Martha, it would take more than 2 people on the board to make changes. There need to be a majority of board members that can make decisions that do not ALWAYS agree with King Ken.

    I have no problem telling him that his current level of decision-making leaves a lot to be desired. The changes he makes COULD be good, but he doesn’t keep them long enough to see if they really work. When a new curriculum is introduced it needs more than 1 year to show any amount of fruitition. Fruit trees don’t produce fruit the furst year they are planted. They need time to grow and establish a good foundation. The same should be said of students. They will never have a good, basic, educational foundation if the curriculum is constantly being changed. Also, teachers need more than a year to learn the ropes of a new curriculum in order to tailor it to their students needs. If you keep changing the program every year, the teachers are always trying to learn a new idea and not be able to help an existing one flourish.

    I’m rambling and on a soap box. I’ll step down now.

  27. Beth, I agree. I’ll take it one step further. District 150 building administrators need to quit moving teachers to different grade levels every year. Does anyone believe that teaching a different grade level (learning a new curriculum) year after year is good for children? If a teacher is doing a good job at a particular grade level, then leave them alone. This seems to be the vindictive behavior of several dist. 150 principals……

  29. sweet: Who cares what grade a teacher teaches at. Are you a teacher? I know one teacher that has moved from grade 10 to 11 to 12 back to 11 and it wasn’t a problem. Why? Because teachers have degrees. They have certification from the state to teach which means they should be able to step in anywhere needed (with some exceptions).

    You know, all you people aren’t doing anything for the district, calling Hinton a “King” and dogging every damn decision this Board makes or doesn’t make. They, the Board, are going to elect a Board President and Ross thinks it should be her turn simply because it is. Ross is ignorant and it amazes me that she has the qualifications she claims. She won’t be President but oddly I haven’t heard from Vespa on who she thinks should have the job.

    I can’t wait for the hatchet job you’ll all spew when Woodruff becomes a grade school.

  30. I believe I know WHO you are referring to: 10, 11, 12…..that’s high school [portion of comment deleted by blog owner]! Talk FORMATIVE grade levels…..

  31. Sweet: I agree. Teachers teaching a different grade level every year is as confusing to the students as it is to the teacher that now, must learn a different curriculum–along with the students…..I would prefer my child have a teacher proficient in her subject area….just a thought.

  32. Yes, teachers are capable of changing grades etc. every year, but if they are lucky enough to teach the same grade level/subject every year the opportunity to add to the curriculum each year and take ideas that work and expand on them is even greater. Teachers spend alot of their own money for their classrooms. If they do not know where they are going to be year after year, then why would they develop projects for things that would be a waste?

  34. MAWB: You are right–teachers obviously can be better prepared if they have more than one year to make improvements, etc. Emtronics is wrong in this case. For instance, in English courses, juniors read American lit; seniors read British lit. Yes, the teacher can be expected to have read the literature for both courses. But having read it yourself, does not mean you are prepared to teach it to students. Much preparation goes into teaching each piece of literature. We had administrators who thought as Emtronics does–that they could wait until the week before school starts to tell a teacher what courses he/she will be teaching. I used to spend all summer preparing to teach classes that I hadn’t taught before. Emtronics, perhaps the teacher about whom you spoke had actually taught each of the classes before and could fall back on his/her old plans, etc. Also, you seem to be assuming that a teacher will just teach from the text and use only the assignments provided by the textbook company–to just be one day ahead of the students–instead of preparing materials to better meet the needs of his/her students. I guarantee you that if I had used only the questions provided in the textbooks, my students would have failed.

  36. Getting back to the original question for a second…. Diane says:

    I don’t know CJ, but I hope so. Motorists think that is a dragstrip and my guess is that there will still be movement between the two buildings.

    Huh? Why would there still be movement between the two buildings? What’s the point of consolidating into one if that’s the case? On the other hand, what are they planning to do with the other building?

    Assuming the building is no longer used, the road should be reopened.

    There is plenty of access to neighborhoods on either side of the school without having to travel through school property.

    The road is a public right-of-way, not school property.

  37. Drove by Kellar East just now. There is profane graffiti visible on the front and side.

    Maybe the administration could move into this building and enjoy the nice river bluff vistas.

  38. I would like to know what they did to Loucks to get it ready for the TJ kids. I know they added playground equipment, but that can always be moved I suppose. But now that the school is reopened are they going to close it again?

  39. Grades 1 through 8 are even easier. Kids move from grade to grade and get a new teacher every year. Does that disrupt them? Doubtful. I used the high school level as an example because I think high school teaching is tougher than elementary school. It is always great if the teacher can be left in the grade she/he was teaching but that can’t always happen, especially in a cash strapped district that is closing schools and moving staff. Therefore, any teacher should be able to step up and do the job.

    Sweet, thanks for throwing in the name calling (fool) You made my point on all the complaining that goes on here.

  40. Emtronics: I do not believe any high school teacher became teachers because high school is “easier” to teach. As an elementary school teacher I teach 7, count them, 7 different subjects EVERY day. High school teachers teacher 1, maybe 2 different subjects a day. Now, I would love to write 1 lesson plan for each day, however, I write at least 7 different plans a day. Now explain to me how high school teaching is HARDER?

  41. Emtronics: Come on–disagreeing is not name calling. Also, no grade level is easier than the other–each takes different “people” skills, so to speak, and different material and teaching methods. Of course, I don’t believe any teacher should or would want to be stuck teaching the same thing for years, but giving teachers a few years to perfect assignments, etc., at a particular grade level is beneficial to students. I have preferred working for administrators who actually consulted teachers to see what their “specialty” might be–and to give them the preference when possible. Of course, teachers have to be flexible–and they have often “bent” and “bent,” whether told or asked.

  44. Sorry, Emtronics, I missed the “fool”–Bible says, “Call no man a fool.” I agree although I am probably guilty sometimes–but not in print and not when I’m thinking clearly.

  45. Back on the Kellar School thing. With tongue slightly in cheek, I have to profess surprise, CJ, that you would profess an interest in such goings-on in what is very much the fifth district. After all, we’re all a gaggle of rootless suburban lemmings up here, while you and Billy D. are true urban pioneer heroes. living south of War Drive. Or so your respective blogs seem to hint on occasion.

  46. There is no secret as to who I believe should be Board President. You’d have to be brain dead to think “It is not my job to meet with my constituents” Wolfmeyer. Can anyone name a single attribute obvious to the public that qualifies her to be Board President? Martha, on the other hand always looks and dresses professionally. I would be proud to have her represent us at School Board events. She has far more education and experience than Wolfmeyer. She is quick on her feet, exhibits independence of thought, is capable of asking more than a perfunctory question, and her regard for the children as always number one is obvious.

    I’m not sure why Butler switched her vote. The word on the street is that she is beholden to Ken for giving her daughter a job. I have no idea if that is true or not, but I would imagine that an immediate family member working for the district could not only skew one’s judgement but also give rise to real and/or percieved conflicts of interest. Who knows what deals are being made in this district. Obviously a lot of them because we’re bankrupt and having our pants sued off.

    Anyhow I’ve been moot on the point because 1. its not up to us 2. I’ve said my piece with everyone involved and 3. I’m busy with other things.

    Tonight at Godfather’s the group talked about the re-tired re-hireds coming back into the district – again. We’ll try to post a list…

  47. What’s the point of consolidating into one if that’s the case?

    Well now isn’t that the $65,000 question? Same applies to Woodruff. They say they will save money by closing Woodruff but in the next breath they say it will be a Birth- thru-eight. Where is the cost savings???? Show us the money! Show us the data that demonstrates that early childhood education in Peoria increases graduation rates. That data should be available. I believe we have Valeska Hinton Early childhood alumni of high school age now. Show us the plan. Show us the money. Show us the data. Let’s hear the next board president ask those questions tomorrow and really mean it.

  48. After some research I see the new HR director went to WIU with Hinton when he was getting his superintendents cert. My my, we have qualified people right here in Peoria, home grown just like Hinton and he hires someone he had classes with. I blame this one on the Board of ED for allowing Hinton to get by with this crap.

  49. The PJStar said there were 12 students per class at Woodruff… does anyone really believe that figure? (With a graduation rate of 76%)

  50. Diane-

    You are absolutely right about potential conflicts of interest existing. Of course the district is crawling with many examples of this. What is the maiden name of the principal at Whittier? When was Butler’s daughter hired? What is her position?

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