The only change that I noticed from the chart posted in September is that Mr. Johnson is listed as Superintendent instead of Interim Superintendent. As noted before, all of the other so-called interim positions were never listed as such. I guess it is now official that none of the interim administrators who were to go back to their previous positions and previous pay will do so. I understand the need for some of the changes in position as Mr. Johnson took over as Interim Superintendent and now as Superintendent but there was no justification to increase the salaries of these individuals when the budget was severely limited. As many have previously mentioned, teachers and other I-SS employees have been asked to take on extra responsibilities without a corresponding increase in pay. Shouldn't that philosophy apply to administrators as well?
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
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Isn't Linda Rogers related to a member of the school board?
ReplyDeleteno, linda rogers isn't related to John Rogers
ReplyDeleteMy wife was Linda Crawford Rogers who passed away on September 29,2002. I get this question quite often.
ReplyDeleteI would like to ask Mr. Rogers if he has information about Quality Profiles Inc. that is owned by Mr. Braters wife and if he has any information regarding the relationship between the company and ISS for parent background checks.
ReplyDelete8:48pm another brick wall, you won't get answer to that question!
ReplyDeleteThere is no brick wall! There is a policy regarding background checks for parents who accompany a group of students on a trip especially overnight trips. Mrs. Brater was working for ISS when Bill decided to run for the school board, and it was determined that there was no conflict of interest. It is the same situation where an individual serves on the board and has a husband or wife working for the school system. I discussed this issue with Mrs. Brater before I provided the information the first time on this blog. She does not usually do the background check but provides the system when a request is made by the school system for ANY background check. However, she does help if there is a large number of checks to be done at any one time. She has operated this company for a number of years without any incident. I hope this provides the necessary information to answer any question regarding background checks.
ReplyDeleteThe policy was adopted to protect children when away from school on a trip especially overnight.
Sorry, but the analogy given above regarding the individual serving on the school board and has a husband or wife working in the system does not equate. That is completely different from this and still does not answer the question of the contract. How did they get it? How much are they paid? Did they receive it because of the connection. And the last part about protecting the children....please. We know the reason for the checks. That is not what is in question but good try to divert the issue.
ReplyDeleteI am not attempting to divert the issue. If I wanted to do that, I would not have responded in the first place. I have already answered most of your questions. Mrs. Brater was working for ISS before Bill was elected to the school board. I am assuming that she was awarded the contracted after a bid process, but her company is local so that might have been a major reason.
ReplyDeleteShe did not receive the contract because of a "connection". She had the contract before Bill was elected to the school board as I mentioned in my first post, and I find the analogy about members of the same family both serving on the board and working in the system as applicable. The cost of each check is based on the type such as whether it is local, state, or even a number of states if an individual has lived in several places. I am not aware of the cost for each check. Why don't you contact the finance office and someone will be glad to provide that information. In fact if you want all the information, contact Bill and his wife, and they will be glad to provide all the information you need. To be honest about the matter, just exactly what is the issue or what do you really want to know? This is my last comment on the matter.
Mr. Rogers, your participation in the conversation on this blog is appreciated. As a member of the school board which make you responsible for making sure that I-SS is well-managed and fair, what is your response to Mr. Klaene's comment on the failure of those who were to be in positions only for the interim, to go back to their previous salaries? Also please make known your feelings on the hypocrisy of top I-SS admins who constantly tell those below them on the totem pole that they must "do more for/with less" while failing to do so themselves?
ReplyDelete*correction
ReplyDeletemakes you responsible
Yet, we still don't know if these people are interims, being paid interim salaries or reverted back to their previous salaries as prevously promised. Are they officially promoted now? If so, are they being paid interim salary or permanent salary since we know Mr. Johnson's interim salary was more than his permanent, how much of a deduction will the other interims take for a permanent position? Or are we just waiting to officially promote them so they can get an additional raise next year?
ReplyDeleteThis isn't about people at the top making more money or getting a raise when I didn't to me personally. It's about giving a select few significant raises while taking away from my students. We were told last year we needed to limit our interventions, which we understood. Basically, there's no money for tutoring, supplimental computer learning programs, technology, paper and copy shortages, TAs are being shifted from school to school and not being replaced, etc. all while select few are receiving raises. If people got a raise and my kids still had all the resources and support they had last year, I probably wouldn't care what they were being paid or even if they deserved the promotion. The children are being told there's not enough money to spend on their education, and if there's not enough money to cover that bill, there's no money for raises or promotions.
Education is not an organizational model. It's not a set of triangles or arrows. What works for one child or school will never work for all. We need to evaluate everyone and everything (i.e the math program) in the school system by how they serve students and not how they fit into the model. We wouldn't have to ask the students to do with less if we did that.
It is often very difficult for many to understand the roles of both the school board and the superintendent in any system in North Carolina. In fact, it is often far more complicated than most could ever imagine. The only person a school board hires in a school system is the superintendent. Brady chose to take a lower salary when he became superintendent, and the salary is to stay the same amount unless the board raises it over his four year contract. The board has discussed the central office and changes are coming probably in January. We should know about salaries at that time. Also, the results of the principal and teacher surveys are complete, and a report on the teacher survey has been completed by Susan Alred. I have read the report and there are no surprises. There are many suggestions listed by teachers in the report, and many will be used as we make changes in the model. I believe a public meeting is set for January 15th at Macgray Auditorium to set the direction of the school system based on the findings of the surveys and the imput from the area advisory meetings. Brady is in the process of looking at the makeup of the the central office, but no definite decisions have been made.
ReplyDeleteThe budget is tight and may be even worse next year, and there are some tough decisions down the road as we face next year. Board members have been contacted regarding the central office and are providing imput, BUT Brady inherited a central office already in place. My suggestion to anyone is to contact Brady and offer your insights regarding any issue in the school system. This happens far more often than you may realize. There is some good news in that the Department of Education is offering billions of dollars in "The Race To The Top". North Carolina should have completed its application recently, but there are some very strong requirements attached to the money, and ISS stands to gain a portion of the funding because of many of the things we are already doing in the system to affect student performance. This may help us do some things in regard to personnel. Also, you should continue to contact the board with your concerns and regardless of what you may think, we do listen and it does make a difference.
Thank you. I appreciate that you take time to answer questions, Mr. Rogers. Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! I love reading this blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mr. Klaene for giving all a voice. No one forces anyone to do anything that he or she does not wish to do in his or her writings. All opinions are valued. A very Merry Christmas to you and your family. God bless us everyone.
It's being said that Brady has told principals that at the January 12th "State of the System Address" he will announce that the number of IF's is increasing--some schools will have TWO IF's, and that other schools will share an IF...In addition, teachers have been told that if they do not "toe the Baldrige line" then they will be put on Action Plans. All of this without any word as to what the teachers' survey revealed in regards teachers' feelings about the proper path forward for I-SS.... As usual, teachers are told that their opinions are valued and then they are ignored.
ReplyDeleteNOTHING has changed----Baldrige is alive and well....these Ivory Tower Admins have no clue as to the day-to-day challenges teachers face in their classrooms...and they have no desire to be enlightened.
Your facts about the IFs are wrong!! Please wait until the meeting before you start gossiping about things that are just untrue. Thank you!
ReplyDelete11:47 It's hard to take you serious...
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear where all this info comes from. It is time for everyone to join NCAE, There is a big informational day coming up in January for all, whether they are in NCAE or not. Come one and all. It is time to stand together, not divided.
ReplyDeleteIt is of, course, your choice what you choose to take seriously...time will tell. This information came from a very reliable source....it is not gossip...the words in the post came from a meeting with Mr. Johnson.
ReplyDeleteI agree teachers should band together...unfortunately NCAE has had "no teeth" as of late...they laid down like a rug for Holiday.
Ok, so once time tells and there is not a secret movement to have 2 IF's at some schools, will you come back here on the blog and admit your super secret sources were wrong? I promise if you are right I will sing your praises. The truth is that some schools will probably be without an IF next year due to additional budget issues for the 10-11 school year. I'm sorry but it is laughable if anyone actually believes this BS you are throwing around.
ReplyDeleteObviously it isn't a secret...believe whatever you like. The information came from someone who heard Mr. Johnson say the phrases "some schools will have two IF's" and teachers who do not comply with Baldrige "will be put on Action Plans."
ReplyDeleteI hope you are right--I'll be glad if you are...the IF position should be eliminated not expanded.
Amen !!! The IF should go back to the classroom.
ReplyDeletePerhaps then, the principal will do his or her job and laern about his or her employees. This makes for a much happier community.
Learn corrected.
ReplyDeleteFor Mr. Rogers: "The only person a school board hires in a school system is the superintendent" and "Board members have been contacted regarding the central office and are providing imput, BUT Brady inherited a central office already in place". Given your comments above, who approved the raises when personnel was shifted for Mr. Johnson to become the "interim" super? Based on your comments, you make it seem the board has no powers. So...who in fact approved those increases?
ReplyDelete11:52pm....so you heard it from someone who was at the meeting. You were not at the meeting yourself? Well, I was and I can tell you that those comments would have been in my notes if they were actually uttered by Mr. Johnson.
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned before, I will be thrilled if what I was told does not come to fruition. The IF position should be done away with.
ReplyDeleteWe've all had enough of "my way or the highway" over the past several years -- one would think that Mr. Johnson and co-horts would have learned from the mistakes of their predecessors -- problem is, many members of the prior 'regime' are still there. Which begs the question, did anyone really expect big change from Johnson?
There is really no need for further discussion; in a couple of weeks, all will know what they want us to know.
The state sets the Central Office's salaries and every staff member's salary who works for the school system. If you want to complain, then you should take it up with the Governor's office.
ReplyDeleteShe does have a webpage where you can make suggestions on how to help education or anything that has to do with government.
Mr. John Rogers – In your comment on Dec. 18th you stated, “The only person a school board hires in a school system is the superintendent.” However, the I-SS Board of Education Policy Code 7100 includes the following statement. “All personnel selected for employment must be recommended by the superintendent and approved by the board. The superintendent or his/her designee shall inform all individuals who are to be recommended for employment that all hiring is dependent upon approval by the Board of Education.” Thus the School Board must approve the hiring of all employees. If any Board member has simply been rubber stamping the recommendations of the administration, then that individual has been shirking his or her responsibility as outlined in School policy. It is the duty of the School Board to make sure that the taxpayer’s money is budgeted appropriately.
ReplyDeleteJanuary 2, 2010 3:38 PM
ReplyDeleteI remember a 29/30 year old being hired as a Principal(first year) four years ago at the smallest high school and was being paid more than the Principal(with many more years experience as an assistant and as Principal) at the largest high school. It was listed on the public payroll record as such. I can guarantee that if you check the public payroll record today you would see that the descrepency was changed after officials were alerted to the issue. I believe it was actually changed a couple of years ago. Can you explain how that happened and was even approved?
Mr. Klaene, thank you for your recent post. Basically it is exactly what I attempted to ask Mr. Rogers in my 1/1 3:52 post. His comments make it appear that the BOE has but one duty and therefore can only be held responsible for that one duty...all else it not their fault or responsibility. Also no responsibility for CO lies with Mr. Johnson since he "inherited" them. I suffice it to say that they (BOE) also approved the "interim" increases, but I doubt he will admit to it. Please don't take this the wrong way...he has been the only board member to participate on this blog and for that it is appreciated. I just wish we could get a little less spin and a lot more valid content.
ReplyDeleteJan 2, 3:38 PM – While it is true that the State has a pay scale for school administrators, I-SS augments the pay of its administrators. As I have mentioned before, the State allotment for the Central Office is less than 1.5 million dollars. Yet, the total pay for all the Central Office Administrators is around 2.5 million dollars and that does not include the pay of the Central Office support staff. This means that I-SS uses over a million dollars from other sources to cover the salaries of the Central Office administrators. The excess at the Central Office continues while students are told to do without.
ReplyDeleteMr. Klaene, once again thank you for clearing up the issue between the state pay scale and the use of local funds that ISS uses above and beyond to overly compensate the CO staff.
ReplyDeleteEvery county uses local funds to help pay not only administrators but teachers as well. Just like some admin. salaries come from local funds, the same can be said for some teaching positions.
ReplyDeleteNot to the extent that ISS uses the funds. Just check the salaries of other counties CO.
ReplyDeleteJan 3, 11:11 AM – I would like to acknowledge that it was your earlier post that sparked my curiosity about the Board’s role in the hiring of all employees. I agree that Mr. Rogers and the other Board members should be more forthcoming. As you pointed out Mr. Rogers stated that Brady inherited a central office that was already in place. That is true but it is the current Board members who allowed Dr. Holliday to hire more administrators than what is needed to operate a school system the size of I-SS. And, it is the responsibility of the Board to make sure that this situation is corrected.
ReplyDelete