At lunch, my waiter and I engaged in some chit-chat. And then he launched into a discourse about his girlfriend's classroom and her concerns about Special Education (not enough staff to service the needs). Clearly a concerned young man and citizen.
I was at a gathering about a week ago and two retired teachers from other school districts (but who live in Independence) asked essentially the same question, "What the heck is going on in Independence?"
People are concerned. They are asking questions and seeking answers. They hear things at church, from their neighbors, in line at the grocery store. However, the typical venues of inquiry are closed. The Examiner does not report on substantive issues pertaining to the school district. There is just a veil of silence - only the news releases from the District's PR Department seem to pierce this cloud.
Citizenship is more than just voting for a bond or levy when asked. Citizenship is more than just feeling good about your schools. Citizenship is about asking questions and holding elected officials accountable. Citizenship is about making sure that public schools are serving the public interest.
Citizenship is more than just voting for a bond or levy when asked. Citizenship is more than just feeling good about your schools. Citizenship is about asking questions and holding elected officials accountable. Citizenship is about making sure that public schools are serving the public interest.
The citizens of Independence should be ashamed of the school district. The district is known around the state as not the place to be right now because of the decisions made by Central Office.
ReplyDeletePlease.
ReplyDeleteWake up from your fantasy. The anxiety being stirred by incompetent teachers, self-centered and under-performing administrators, and union opportunists is a blip. No matter how hard the crazy THS fringe tries, this is just a nuisance for kids and families that deserve quality teaching, expert administration and a district that is focused on kids.
I think this issue is a bit bigger than you might think. A blip might be understating it a little. Now - probably not as big as some who post here are claiming - I think we are entering a market adjustment period.
DeleteOn another note - I am still confused with an issue - why is administrator residency such a big deal? If it is a big deal, why don't other districts do this? Or are we trying to "lead the way" on this issue. Someone please explain the reasoning on this - use logic... a little emotion...and sprinkle in some expert testimony...but please try to make sense.
To the person who posted just above - were you there when THS said goodbye to so many administrators and faculty? Did you see the tears and anxiety as we said goodbye to friends? This was NOT created by "crazy THS fringe" - it all came from one building here in Independence and it was NOT located on Noland Road. Plus- Truman's scores have always been high - does that not indicated that teachers are working effectively with students? Take a moment and think about it.
ReplyDeleteSad comment. A member of our family is looking for a teaching job and their UMKC adviser told them to look anywhere but here; Independence school district has too many problems. That is not coming from anywhere within our district guys; that comment was made at a university that places students in jobs! We had better get our head on straight across the board and it does not matter WHOSE fault it is; this situation must be alleviated.
ReplyDeleteAnywhere but ISD, really? The professor is either an idiot or made up. Anywhere like KC? Grandview, Hickman or Center? Or low pay districts like GV, Oak Grove, or Raytown? Or maybe ask ex ISD staff how NKC worked out for them? Suspending reality to justify an agenda is becoming the norm. Pathetic.
ReplyDeleteIf "pay" mattered to teachers, they wouldn't be in the education field at all.
DeleteWow, you are really nasty and angry. People on here are making honest comments and concerns,hoping for answers. All you seemed concerned with is bashing people who disagree with you. Stories and comments are what have been said to people...nothing is made up or fabricated. I would love for you to say this to the UMCK's professor's face.
ReplyDeleteName the professor.
ReplyDeleteNasty and angry: on this blog the pipsters and fringers have bashed by name so many good people without regard and no one even blinks. Call me the uncle of the new principal who "is not ready" or the wife of the CO administrator with the questionable relationship with a female principal. Or call me the mother of the recovery room person listed as a topic header. Call me nasty? Do call me angry, someone should be.
ReplyDeleteI honestly think all the anger and frustration boils down to communication. This is what Dr. Herl talked about at every school he visited and this district needs to be more forthcoming with information. The faculty feels uninformed and kept in the dark about situations that involve their building or their friends. No board minutes and principals unable to give answers to direct questions. If a teacher asks someone at CO or a board member, consequences are attached and THIS IS A FACT. All I think district personnel is asking is to be kept in the loop and to feel involved in changes and happenings. If this would happen, rumors would not be as rampant and things could calm down...but, it all comes down to making everyone aware. I do not like working in an environment where the outcomes are unclear, where people are afraid of when the other shoe will drop, or "who could be next"...it feels horrible.
DeleteSo your horrible feelings justify the named attacks? How is this blog's listing of a recovery room staff relevant? What about an innuendo of an illicit affair? You have every right to say what you feel, but should you? You state "fact" when you pass on rumors without any thoughtfulness or integrity. You are guilty of what you are protesting.
DeleteI understand your point, it saddens me when venues for opinion become hateful, personal attacks. But understand that our anxiety is legitimate. I will concede that the swords used by some here are inappropriate, but the motivation behind it is driving it. Here's hoping that opinions can be heard without hurting innocent bystanders. If that happens, maybe we will be heard and taken seriously.
DeleteI have to say I have never heard either of the 3 rumors about affairs, recovery room personnel, or "not ready". so are you spreading rumors? I have not read anything about these topics.
ReplyDeleteThey are comments on this blog.
DeleteI have never seen these rumors before either except the 7:19 comment above. Where are these coming from?
DeleteI know numerous HR assistant sups in the area who are thrilled at their expanding admin candidate pools as a direct result of the ISD residency policy. If everyone knew who out of the "staying" group of admin were interviewing, but have not gotten new jobs yet, it would be truly shocking. ISD is toxic for administrators.
ReplyDeleteThe people who make comments are not necessarily the same as the people who post the blog articles. Don't confuse them. If we are alerted to an "over the top" comment, we try to delete it.
ReplyDeleteWhat is up with theTHS comment? You do realize that this blog was started from someone that does not even work there, right? You do realize that there are a lot of professionals across the district and community members who are looking at this blog, the articles posted from other newspapers, and beginning to ask questions. Check out the page views - this is not about one high school.
ReplyDeleteIf you are right, people should know that no THS admin staff live in the district and have not for years. One current and one former administrator home schools their children, Name the last adminisrator's kid to graduate from Truman High??? It is an indicator of their investment in this community. As much as I hate how the policy was implemented, action was needed.
ReplyDeleteIs it an indication of lack of investment in the community on the administrators part? Or is it an indication of lack of investment on the part of district decision makers in their human resources - particularly administrators, teachers and staff but also students and families. The oppressive and fear-filled climate created by the secretive, autocratic, top-down model the district has created is not conducive to great education. (Just so you know - I have been in the district since the days you could walk in CO and you would be just as likely to run into and share ideas and district happenings with Dr. Henley, Dr. Watkins or other CO staff as with a teacher colleague. I have never received a "Needs Improvement" on an evaluation or a PIP. In fact, on my last two evaluations I got 6 and 7 "Exceeds Expecations" respectively.)
DeleteDr Herl claims to be some sort of expert in "data driven" decision making. So where is the data that administrators automatically become better when they move into a district- even against their will?
ReplyDeleteI also have been around long enough to span the times of Dr. Henley and Dr. Watkins, when it was a pleasure and a point of pride to work in the ISD. It was a time when hard work and dedication was appreciated and even valued. During those times, when I took classes toward my Masters', many college professors held ISD up as a shining example of educational issues, programs, and progress. How things have changed! The philosophy of the recent administration (not including Dr. Herl.....we have yet to see what happens during his administration) has been control by intimidation. Many of the issues that arise are the same as before, but the way they are handled is completely different. For example, teachers have often been offered an incentive to take an early retirement, as it is obviously a money saver for the District..... hire and pay new teachers much less than you have to pay experienced teachers. But in the past, if teachers were offered, but chose to continue teaching, they were not penalized by being "demoted" to another school, or the "alternative" school, or ISS, etc. The idea now is to make a teacher so unhappy and discouraged that he/she just gives up and quits. One of my colleagues stated, "In ISD, you can't have an opinion." It's true. If you state an opinion that differs from that of CO, you'd better be watching your back. Many employees are afraid to sign anything that would show support for an educational issue, or even to attend Board Meetings. Employees have been called in, asked why they were at the Board Meeting, who they sat with, and what they discussed. This seems to me an indication CO and/or the Board has something to hide. And what's up with the minutes of Board Meetings not being published? Is that even legal? Why are things done so "secretly", many times without District employees or patrons even aware that something is being discussed or considered, as in the case of residency for administrators? The element of trust has been completely destroyed by this CO. My fervent hope is that the new administration will be able to turn things around, and make our District once again a place where people will wake up and look forward to going to school and working in a positive workplace, rather than facing the dread and distrust they have endured for 11 years. BTW, I also have had almost exclusively "Exceeds Expectations" from 8 different Principals over a period of 28 years, so I'm not expressing myself as someone who has been personally maligned.
ReplyDeleteGoing back to the first paragraph of the initial comment posted on this thread "From my waiter", ...concerns about Special Education (not enough staff to service the needs).
ReplyDeleteIs anyone addressing the way ISD inappropriately uses restraints and seclusion, often with children with disabilities? It seems to be, in part, done as a matter of convenience, with no regard to following their own policy on the use of restraints and seclusion. Since parents aren't even allowed into the classrooms, they probably don't know how routinely this is being done.
Going back to the first paragraph of the initial comment posted on this thread "From my waiter", ...concerns about Special Education (not enough staff to service the needs).
ReplyDeleteIs anyone addressing the way ISD inappropriately uses restraints and seclusion, often with children with disabilities? It seems to be, in part, done as a matter of convenience, with no regard to following their own policy on the use of restraints and seclusion. Since parents aren't even allowed into the classrooms, they probably don't know how routinely this is being done.