Sunday, June 28, 2009

Dr. Holliday's Profile

Do you need a good laugh? Yesterday, I was looking at the profile of Dr. Holliday that is posted on the I-SS web site and I came across something very interesting. Of course it had the usual information such as Dr. Holliday's educational background and a list of all the dubious awards that he has received. Then, the profile ends with the following sentence.
Dr. Holliday believes in 'open-door' leadership, involving all public school stakeholders- parents, teachers, students, and the community- in creating the best possible schools for the children of Iredell County.
Now, as many of you know, my own experience of Dr. Holliday's 'open-door' leadership is that of Dr. Holliday directing me to leave the I-SS Central Office and not to have any contact with the School administration. It seems like the only time that Dr. Holliday wants to have contact with public school stakeholders (parents, teachers, students, and the community) is when they totally agree with him.

18 comments:

  1. This statement by Holliday is just another example of his inability to lead. He says what he thinks people want to hear, then does as he pleases. When are we going to get a superintendent that can listen and react positively?

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  2. I just wonder one thing. Do you have ANYTHING else to do, or is this your only obsession? And they do make medication for this type of thing. Lythium comes to mind.

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  3. Fed Up - It seems very strange that Holliday has hired a lawyer from Raleigh to handle these affairs. Afterall, the public has a right to know certain things but are being denied that right. Can you give a good explanation of why Holliday has hired a lawyer from Raleigh and why the system seems to stonewall the public (or someone with the courage to question for the public and make them aware)regarding what should be public information? It is very apparent that Holliday has a personal agenda. And maybe many of the citizens do not approve of his agenda. Do the people have a right to dissent?

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  4. If there is nothing to hide what is the problem with questions?

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  5. Fed up, perhaps you need the medication. You ask if someone has "ANYTHING else to do, or is this your only obsession?" I ask you, what are you doing on this blog? As taxpayers and "stakeholders" we have every right to question the system. If the system has nothing to hide then why the expulsion from the central office? Why the cost of high paid lawyers to release the data that is deemed to be public information. What is your agenda? If you have no "stake" in this, then why do you feel that you need to insult someone who is trying to better what is slowly starting to look like a run away train. Maybe it's time for your medication.

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  6. Fed up, I applaud Mr. Klaene for his efforts. Holding Central Office and the Board of Education accountable for their actions is long past due. As an employee of the school system, I know first hand how our administration and the Board have talked out of "both sides of their mouths" for years. I agree with everyone else, if there is nothing to hide, the information would be given immediately and Mr. Klaene would not have to go through a lawyer. There is plenty to hide in this school system and it's time someone bring it to light.

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  7. Fed Up, I just want to say that I am glad that you are reading my blog. I hope you continue to do so. To everyone else, thank you for your comments.

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  8. Fed-Up- I am very thankful that this is Mr. Klaene's so-called "obsession." It's the obsession of many teachers who are too terrified to speak up, myself being one. Teachers are being railroaded into working with a system whose educational benefits have not been proven, especially in a high school setting. I know there are many other problems with this district, but as a teacher, this is something I deal with on a daily basis.

    When observing Mr. holliday, I see a man who is out of touch with the people who work with students on a daily basis. He is very condescending, and he never answers questions when asked directly; he talks around the question. I also hate to say it, but as a previous band teacher, his experiences are VASTLY different from teachers of core-subject areas who have the intense pressure of EOGs and EOCs and teaching who students who didn't "sign up" for our classes. So, we'd expect him to listen to our opinions since he has had no on the job experience with students in those subject; however, our opinions are superfluous to his agenda.

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  9. I totally agree with the above comment! Holliday is out of touch and seems to be rather proud of that. Why can't we get rid of him?

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  10. Open Door Policy???????
    Been there, had the door slammed shut, not once but twice. It will not happen again. I was smart enough to move on. I refuse to allow my life to be dictated.

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  11. As a former employee of the system, I know for a fact that teachers are afraid to speak out. I was talking to a teacher today and she was very interested in what the committee is doing. She told me that she was afraid to come to the meetings for fear of losing her job. That is the way it is in our open-door system.

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  12. Fed Up, sorry but the medication thing is old and tired. Common to snoidesfromsheboygan or whatever. It is great to know that you and your buddies (Dr. Coleman. etc mnbh. et.al., oops are they gone? Is it Holliday now?) are interested in the CHILDREN of Iredell-Statesville?

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  13. Love you, Fed Up. Keep it going! You only have to have worked under Dr. Holliday to understand the "obsession."
    C-mon, c-mon!!

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  14. I think all of you are off your rockers. I, for one, appreciate the great job that is done by EVERYONE at I-SS. Our schools are great. I think it's high time someone expected accountability from teachers. Public education is the only profession that I'm aware of that allows teachers to continually whine in an effort to gain what they want.

    As for the reasons for legal representation from Raleigh- that's a no brainer. McMillan is the BOARD attorney. Holliday is not a board member. I suspect the administration is represented separately.

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  15. What an interesting comment above. "EVERYONE" is doing a great job at I-SS but the teachers are continuous whiners who need to be chastened!?!? Incidentally, is there any setting other than education that allows or disallows teachers anything (duh)? Most importantly, is there any work setting that continuously treats its professionals with as little respect as I-SS treats its classroom teachers?

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  16. Accountability from the teachers? Are you serious? We are the only ones in the school system who are held accountable. What do you think all this testing is for? We are the only ones in ISS that are threatened with job security if students don't show proficiency or growth. Further, we do all the work and it's Holliday that gets all the glory. He gets the BIG bonus when we get the Malcolm Baldridge award...not the teachers who are working their butts off to make him look good. Don't talk to me about accountability.

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  17. For the one who thinks "everyone is off their rockers", the fact is that Holliday is and has been delaying the availability of public information to the public. It is he who has put himself in this position. If Mr. Klaene is correct in his research, than it is Holliday who is at fault and he has no one to blame but himself. Everything is not necessarily glorious in our schools. There are some great things occurring and than there are some things that are pathetic.

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  18. Dr. Holliday deserves a little credit. ISS is the only district in this area who has not laid off one single teacher. Thank you Dr.Holliday and ISS

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