The AJC is reporting that the DCSS Board of Ed is in negotiations with Dr. Cox to become superintendent of the school system.
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/n-c-educator-in-921746.html
According to the source, the board voted 6-3 to pursue a contract with Cox, who is currently superintendent of the 4,440-student Hickory Public Schools. Negotiations are hinging on Cox’s request for 15 months severance and a due process hearing before she could be terminated.
"I absolutely can’t confirm," DeKalb school board Chairman Tom Bowen said. "Anything related to that would have been in executive session."
Cox, who has been superintendent in Hickory since July 2009, is asking for a $275,000 salary and a three-year standing contract, which means after she completes one year, another year is added.
She also wants 25 days vacation, $28,000 for moving expenses and $2,000 a month for six months for living expenses during her relocation, the source said. Cox also is asking for permission to be an adjunct professor.
But the sticking point, the source said, is the severance package and the due process. Cox did not immediately return calls for comment.
As someone who remembers how painful it was to pay off Dr. Brown's contract, I have a real issue with the 15 months severance and the automatic extension of the contract. In addition, given the issues we are having with system employees working multiple jobs or projects, I have concerns with her wanting to be an adjunct professor. I am not sure that sends the message we want sent right now.
themommy,
ReplyDeleteI think the big news is that Cox is their choice. Maybe there is hope.
Though I preferred Culver because he has more experience as a superintendent and has dealt with a tough situation, I believe Cox has many positives. Assuming the deal is finalized, I wish her much success.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame her for seeking some type of financial security, especially when you consider the recent history of this school system with superintendents. I think 'roll over' contracts are somewhat customary however the Board could negotiate a 'exit' package if both parties agree to sever the relationship. The adjunct professor request is strange and I'm not sure if that should be approved.
Interestingly, this opportunity will almost double her salary for having over 90,000 more students. If you look at her cost per student in Hickory versus what her new cost per student will be, she is taking a pay cut. It also makes metro area superintendent compensation look like a bargain.
I too preferred Culver and find many of her desires outrageous.
ReplyDeleteAdjunct professor-NO-her focus should be on our students
Roll over contract-fine, but then we should be reimbursed for part of her moving expenses if she does not fulfill the entire 3 year contract.
Moving expenses of $40,000 is way too high. It shouldn't cost her more than $15,000 to move her things from Hickory to Atlanta even with the movers packing her stuff up. One trip here to look for a place to live shouldn't cost more than $700-1,000 max. If her contract were for longer and weren't a rolling contract I can see these expenses, but not with a rolling contract.
The 15 month severance is way too much. We need to make sure that we don't pay if she decides to leave. She is a job hopper and is leaving her current contract early. We shouldn't pay if she wants to go. She should be paying us for the expenses that we put out because she did not fulfill her 3 year contract.
Cost per student? That's not an appropriate way to compare compensation for the Hickory superintendent vs. DeKalb superintendent.
ReplyDeleteIn the "real world" (private sector), a board looking for a "turn-around artist" would give a salary plus stock options in the company. If share prices and dividends go up, the executive gets more money. A fair comparison would be if the board paid Cox say $100k salary plus $1k for every $Million in reduction of expenses from the current budget.
This example of course is a simplification not based on any close look at what her compensation potential would be, but to convey the idea of profit motive in the private sector being similar to tax reductions in the public sector.
teacher,
ReplyDeleteYou don't get a severance package if YOU leave your job. You only get that when you are terminated. Don't you think the professor thing is just sort of like if a school were to ask her to give a lecture or two, she could do it? I don't read much into that. And it didn't say $40k in moving expenses, it said $28k. It's a negotiation. Do we want someone who doesn't know how to negotiate or is too eager? She's proving to be smart and tough.
This is absolutely embarrassing that our Board would even entertain talking to this woman. We want our tax dollars spent on educating our children by compensating the folk at the school house not paying Supts. to come and go. In my opinion, neither candidate is up for the job but Cox is the least ready. Serving as Deputy Of Professional Development is a long long way from solving District problems like we have. We paid Johnny Brown to leave and we are still paying Crawford Lewis in some form for legal fees.
ReplyDeleteFour months severance pay is even too much, and that is what Lewis had. If one plans to stay and say they can close the achievement gap then why all the emphasis on "leaving pay".
Anyone who thinks he/she can be the Supt. of DeKalb and serve as an adjunct professor doesn't have a clue of what the demands of this job is and our expectation for leadership. Let her stay where she is since she gghasn't been there 2 years yet.
We need a new BOard. I can't wait to find out the 6 who voted to waster our tax dollars AGAIN!!! She soulds like Linda Schrenko to me.
It's $28,000 plus $2,000 a month for six months for moving expenses. That equals $40,000.
ReplyDeleteI understand what a severance is, but if she gives us reason to fire her-not using p-card properly we should not have to pay her anything, just as we should not be paying for Lewis' legal bills.
An adjunct professor teaches courses which requires prep, and grading course work as well as giving lectures/teaching. One can not run a billion dollar budget school and be an adjunct and do both well.
I don't think that she is being smart. She looks greedy to me. Her resume shows that she doesn't stay long on a job (her average is 18 months), and what she's asking for doesn't make her look like she's truly interested in running our district. It makes me feel like she'd rather be teaching at a university, but likes the high salary of a superintendent.
Unknown
ReplyDeleteI think adjunct professors teach full courses just not every semester.
I watched the video of the three candidates that is posted on the Dekalb website. It is extremely clear that she is our best candidate. Please...just watch it. She has some excellent ideas on how to evaluate principals and teachers.
ReplyDeleteAlso, she presents her self very well and is very well spoken and highly educated.
The video is listed under "superintendent search".
DeKalb2 She has not stayed at a job for more than 18 months. Look at her resume. She may speak well, but the demands of wanting to be an adjunct professor, the amount that she wants in moving expenses and the high severance makes her look greedy and not really interested in the job that needs to be done at DCSS. You can't teach a college level class all semester, even if it's only one class and run a school district the size of ours. Plus, she hasn't shown that she can truly turn a district around. She has shown that she has balls for what she has asked for in terms of a contract, but she is no match for those running the district now and who are friends and family. They will eat the girl alive.
ReplyDeleteteacher,
ReplyDeleteYou are lumping moving AND temp housing today, I see.
On the severance pay, usually that's just something your employer pays if you part ways. If you've done something wrong and they fire you, they don't have to pay you severance. Crawford was a strange situation. He wasn't fired for a reason because he hasn't been convicted yet, only indicted.
I don't blame her for asking for some security to come into DeKalb. Look at what she's coming into to clean up. What if she gets here and some craziness not of her making happens and the board decides to let her go?
typo - meant together
ReplyDeleteOut of curiosity, wonder what the other supers in the area get? What does their package look like?
Severance is commonly paid when your employer wants to terminate you but doesn't necessarily have cause. It isn't paid if the employee leaves on their own volition.
ReplyDeleteThe Due Process hearing would be very uncommon for a superintendent. In GA, principals don't even get due process hearings, though many systems, like DeKalb, opt to give it to them.
http://www.ajc.com/news/superintendents-retain-huge-salaries-533695.html
What security do we get if we put out all of this money to move her here? She has not finished out her current contract with Hickory and her resume shows that she hops jobs frequently?
ReplyDeleteI just want DCSS to look out for itself. We should get money back for the moving, housing and job search expenses, if she decides to leave before her 3 years are up.
Also 15 months of severance is high period. I don't know about Brown (didn't live in Georgia), but Lewis was fired because of misuse of the P-card and hopefully will go to jail as others who have used their p-cards improperly have. I don't have any problem with due process, but if we fire her for a reason, she should get nothing, and have to pay us back for the expenses incurred for due process. No one is worth 15 months of severance for a 3 year contract.
She's not looking for security if she's asking to be able to be an adjunct. I understand that she is trying to get everything that she can from us, but we also need to cover our district finances, as we keep getting burned on contracts and giving her everything she wants with no proven record of even being able to handle the situation here or that she'll complete her contract to full term makes no sense on the part of DCSS.
We must not forget that we are also going to be paying Tyson her salary and expenses for a year after the new superintendent is on the job. That is a ton of money to be shelling out.
ReplyDeleteThe base salary is probably not negotiable. In today's world, School supers make big bucks.
ReplyDeleteWilbanks...Gwinett..$382.000 plus compensations.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
The $382,000 is including his perks. He makes less this year because of furlough days.
ReplyDeleteI actually really like the idea of a long contract with a big buyout.
ReplyDeleteWatching her I think she is the right person to finally clean house and actually get some competent well-qualified people in the top jobs. If she doesn't have a big buyout/long contract the board may decide that the cuts she makes hurt too much and try to get rid of her. I think this is especially important considering it sounds like the vote went 6-3.
Experience, stability and accomplishments ar qualities Cox does not have. She hasn't stayed anywhere long enough to have a track record one way or another. I am more concerned about the proven data showing real success than I am about salary. I read everything on the web including her vita which shows her job hopping. Yes, she may be able to talk the talk but can she WALK the WalK? WE need to start over with some real requirements!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, the apparent selection of Dr. Cox is an indication that the BOE is trying to change. (Or at least they want to give the perception that they are trying to change.)
ReplyDeleteI thought that Dr. Cox was very impressive in her presentation during the public forum and that many of her ideas would benefit DCSS. However, I too am concerned about her lack of longevity in any one position. For that reason, the board should include some stipulations that would help protect DCSS should she decide to jump ship prior to the end of the 3year contract.
I think the adjunct professor request is a little unreasonable, especially in the short term. Given all the issues that need to be resolved, I would expect that she would have little time for anything else besides fulfilling her role as superintendent. I also agree that 15 months severance should be negotiated down and that if she is terminated for cause, it should void the severance.
Hopefully, she will be able to come in and do what is needed without a lot of resistance. I would like to see our new superintendent be successful. For that to happen, we (from the BOE to teachers/administrators to parents/students/community) will have to be receptive to change and give her a chance.
I cheered when I heard the news that Dr. Lillie Cox got the job. I am sooo glad. There is finally some hope for this place. Not to sound prejudiced but a white woman is what DeKalb needs and deserves. Maybe she can finally demand some accountability from these people and begin a good housecleaning. Trust me she will not have to look far for some incompetence. She can start by sending Dr. Beasley a long e-mail telling him his services are no longer needed. Maybe she can move here this weekend and attend the New Birth Easter service and see where else HR does most of it’s hiring from. Maybe on the short drive home she can go by the Omega headquarters and see the sorority/fraternity mafia step show because that’s all they do here in DeKalb is step. Or maybe if she needs some exercise she can ask one of the many gym teacher principals to help her out with a workout routine. Finally, if she needs cellular service she can sign up for the Dekalb Friends and Family plan. I hope she takes the time to read this and shows these clowns the business end of the door. The kids and staff really hopes she is successful because we are sorely lacking leadership
ReplyDeleteHey Cobb has a black super and DeKalb has a white one. Hell has officially frozen over
I'm curious to see who the 3 votes against her were.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is Copelin-Wood, Cunningham & Walker.
Since it was decided in an executive session will we ever know how each member voted?
I thought Womack might have voted against her. He strikes me as a wee bit chauvinist.
ReplyDeleteWe will know how they voted because there are too many of them and they all dislike one another. Someone will blabbering. Probably more than one.
Yes, it is a hell of a lot of money; however, her hard-ball negotiating stance has shown me she's got "moxy"! I was concerned that she wouldn't be tough enough for the job; this has convinced me otherwise. She'll be the one who is tasked with "cleaning house", which will be no easy task. I can't say that I blame her for wanting to protect herself. After all, wasn't that the primary reason for Ramona's raise?--has she done anything remotely related to "cutting the fat" in the central office, yet?
ReplyDelete@ teacher 10:42
ReplyDelete"The $382,000 is including his perks. He makes less this year because of furlough days.'
You are not correct. Alvin Wilbanks' pay for 2010 was $390,556. This does not include any "perks". Please reference the Georgia state salary and travel audit:
http://www.open.georgia.gov/
Of course Gwinnett is larger than DCSS, but the problems DCSS have make it more difficult to manage IMHO.
@ ATL
ReplyDeleteAJC May 24, 2010
The highest-paid superintendent in the metro area is Gwinnett's Alvin Wilbanks, who earns $382,819, according to the Gwinnett school district. Wilbanks actually will make less than before because of furlough days.
Last year, Wilbanks earned $387,934, according to the open.georgia.gov Web site, which tracks government spending. He oversees 158,329 students and the largest school district in the state. In contrast, President Barack Obama makes $400,000 per year, according to the White House Web site.
Wilbanks' current compensation includes a retirement supplement of $42,000, a reimbursement for his contribution to his own retirement plan of $17,077, a payout of unused vacation pay of $23,317, an expense allowance of $14,400 and a transportation allowance of $18,000, according to the school district.
@ teacher
ReplyDeleteWhy do you keep saying she has changed jobs every 18 months. You need to reread her bio. She has held her CURRENT job for 18 months.
I'm delighted that she has not only been a teacher, she was Teacher of the Year for Davidson County Schools and is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher. Her classroom experience is extensive. Her doctorate is from UNC Chapel Hill an excellent university.
DCSS needs to concentrate on the classroom first and foremost. That is where learning occurs. We have lost our focus on the classroom members - the teacher and his/her students. Hopefully, Dr. Cox will put the spotlight back on the classroom.
She will need a good severance package. She has a lot of eggs to break and enemies to make if she is going to do the job we all want her to do. It would be stupid to accept this position without exacting some concessions from the board.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the salary, if she gets rid of the non-producing dead weight in the county office, each making six figures, she will come out way ahead and her salary will seem like a bargain!
The only quality that she seems to be praised for is being white. She hasn't been anywhere long enough to prove what she can do. Her outrageous demands show that she knows she can't do the job and wants a golden parachute. Take Culver, who has proven that he can manage money and achievement, and see if he will accept reasonable terms. If he won't, start over. Is Cox using DCSS to negotiate up with someone else????
ReplyDelete@ teacher
ReplyDeleteWilbanks' "perks" are in addition to his salary listed on the Georgia state and travel audit. You need to go back and look at the new figures. you're quoting 2009 salary. Go download the 2010 information.
As I said before, DCSS with 90,000+ students is harder to manage than Gwinnett with its 158,000 students. The corruption in DCSS runs deep. The administration in power will not be easily let go. The family and friends tentacles reach far and wide.
"A white woman is what DeKalb needs and deserves." When I saw this remark I was reminded of Sonia Sotomayor's comment about a "wise Latina woman" being better suited for the Supreme Court than a white male. If Dr. Cox is chosen and if she is successful, it will not be because she is white.
ReplyDelete@ james
ReplyDelete"Take Culver, who has proven that he can manage money and achievement, and see if he will accept reasonable terms.'
I liked Culver's bio too, but I got to say that I was pretty concerned reading the blogs from his hometown. They really made him sound like "more of the same".
Well, there we go. That didn't take long to throw down the race card did it? Where has she been "praised for being white" before you brought it up? Do you want somebody to fix this mess or do you just want the superintendent to be black, just because?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I want the best person for the job. Their color, I could care less about.
The $28k relocation package is really not out of line. I got a relo package at about that level when my company moved me here in the early nineties, and I was just a mid-level employee with 1 car and a condo.
ReplyDeleteSo sensitive about my race comment Jan. I can care less if the new super was asian or a martian as long as they display some integrity. I think most of the problem is that the central office has gotten less and less diverse just like the south side of the county. The people there have such an entitlement mentality. So sad :(
ReplyDeleteJust a quick note about Wilbanks' salary -- remember not only do they have 150,000 students, he has been there forever as superintendent.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, Gwinnett just won the Broad prize.
http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett-schools-win-1-685526.html
He is not loved by all, but by the data, even as the system has shifted dramatically demographically Gwinnett has been stable and seen gains academically.
He is widely considered to be a dictator but ask any former DCSS employee who is now working in Gwinnett where they would rather work... While you are at it, ask them quickly about where the professional development is better and why. I don't think any of you would be surprised at the answers.
We need a superintendent with a really strong personality. An iron stomach so to speak -- I hope Cox is this person.
She hasn't signed the contract yet!
ReplyDeleteBut I sure hope she does. Dr. Cox has a huge task in front of her and will be compensated for it.
I will tell you this, there will be an army of parents willing to help her CHANGE the mentality and learning climate within DCSS!
I will be part of that ARMY!
Where do I sign up?
Can someone tell me what has/will Ramona do for the additional $100,000 pay raise she got earlier this year?
S7
I suspect one of the three who opposes her leaked this – probably to scare her away. It has to be a board member and it amounts to sabotage. Whether she’s the right person or not, this is illegal interference. But will SACS investigate? Of course not.
ReplyDeleteIt was very, very wrong of whomever to have leaked this info. I hope the leak is discovered and appropriately punished. I would even go so far as to have that board member recalled, as they certainly cannot be trusted to negotiate in confidence. Instead, this person has enlisted the help of the media (the very media they often scorn) - to help sabotage these negotiations.
As bloggers, we should take the high road and bow out of commenting. Let the board hash it out. It's what they're elected to do --- and do with thoughtful trust and confidence, not public attempts at manipulation in order to get one's way.
So who's leaking this story? Should we presume it's true to throw off the process?
ReplyDeleteI don't really get the adjunct professor bit. Maybe I should ask for that next time I apply for a job.
"I absolutely can’t confirm," DeKalb school board Chairman Tom Bowen said. "Anything related to that would have been in executive session."
ReplyDeleteIf I were Tom, I would make a strong statement to the board about leaking executive session discussions. If it wasn't to throw off the process, then it was completely out of left field.
If only Johnny Brown had a strong severance package then maybe when the back stabbing started the board would not have been so quick to cut him loose and restore the entrenched palace guard.
ReplyDeleteI have never lived or worked any where else where the local University didn't avail themselves of the superintendent. What's wrong with a teacher who teaches. Usually the class is a high level grad school one that focuses on educational philosophies and principles that requires answering challenging and thought provoking questions by idealistic students. What a great way to keep a Superintendent current, focused, and reflective. Adjunct Professor would be a positive, in my opinion.
David, I will agree that 'cost per student' is not a meaningful measure however it is utilized, especially when looking at small school districts. At the end on the day, the market plays a role in establishing the compensation parameters.
ReplyDeleteI believe the salary offered is fair ($275K) when you consider the task at hand. Let's not fool ourselves, if you want to attract 'top shelf' candidates, you must offer 'top shelf' compensation. That is also true in the private sector.
For Dr. Cox to be successful, she will need support of the Board and most of all the community. I believe Dr. Brown was abiding by the wishes of the Board at that time in implementing his programs. When the community reacted negatively, the Board did not collectively stand behind him and provide support. That led to his ultimate downfall.
I don't want to see the same thing happen to Dr. Cox.
Let's see what shakes out from the weeds about who leaked the story?
ReplyDeleteTime will tell who leaked it and they will be held accountable!
I guarantee you that Dr. Cox will have a press release regarding her desire for an adjunct professorship.
I just hope its not from Walter Woods or Jeff Dickerson!
That will be $300,000 in annual savings right there when she fires them!
That pays for Dr. Cox for a year plus relocation costs! Nuff said on that!
As for her Professorship,
I would think that she would be teaching a course in Educational Administration. (Her Doctorate)
I would also consider that many of her employees at the CO in DCSS would/should TAKE her course.
I'm not joking about that.
Happy Easter to all!
Keep on fighting the fight!
We're getting there!
S7
The salary is what the salary is because of market conditions. I don't think anyone else will be willing to to the job for less.
ReplyDeleteRay
I have googled all the major superintendents I can think of and can find none who are currently serving as professors. I think that what is doable in a small school system may not be in a large one.
I am seeing a double standard by some. I recall when word got out about Dr. Beasley also being a minister, many complained that that took away his focus from being interim deputy superintendent of teaching and learning. Many also questioned his committment to his job because of his outside activities.
ReplyDeleteI can agree with Ray that being an adjunct professor has positives such as keeping her focused. Given the expectations this community has of those in education leadership positions, I believe it would only serve to provide another criticism if she took that opportunity.
PSCeXB raises a good point, we can't have it both ways people.
ReplyDeleteI see no need for her to serve as anything other than a superintendent for the first few years.
This system needs constant monitoring and attention and that is why the salary is justified.
One other point, if she is working an additional job, it will make it impossible for her to ask her top employees not to do the same.
ReplyDeleteWhoever leaked this story actually put the school system in a weaker position, I think. If I were Cox, knowing that three board members opposed my hiring and possibly one of them is leaking the negotiations to the press, I would push for even more in the way of severance, etc.
ReplyDeleteCompare the resumes.
ReplyDeleteArthur Culver
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/superintendent/search/culver-candidate-file.pdf
Lillie Cox
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/superintendent/search/cox-candidate-file.pdf
I also agree about the extra jobs. No one in administration should have the time to take on a second job. However, many already do. Jamey Wilson, for example, teaches college classes. Beaseley is a minister of a church. And we know of many others who profess to be authors.
ReplyDeleteI would guess that she knows the she doesn't have unanimous support.
ReplyDeleteThe more I think about it, the more I think she is right about the severance package. I think she needs it.
We don't have a strong history of allowing superintendents to lead without interference.
This means our board but it also means parents. We are ok with changes as long as it doesn't impact our school, our children, etc.
Dr. Brown had many of the entrenched Central Office employees aligned against him.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, the results of the 2004 Compensation and Classification audit threatened the jobs and salaries of the BOE members family and friends (still does for quite a few of them - different BOE - same nepotism and cronyism practices).
Reference Jim Walls' Atlanta Unfiltered article that ran in the AJC:
http://www.atlantaunfiltered.com/2011/02/28/despite-the-law-dekalb-school-minutes-vanish-without-a-trace/
"Lynn Cherry Grant, who stepped down in 2008 after serving 16 years on the DeKalb board,....said. “There’s no excuse for board meeting minutes to be missing.”...
Grant also recalls that some other board members were upset about some of the consultant’s findings.
“Everybody had a sacred cow,” she said. “If you had a relative or best friend or somebody you went to church with … then you were not very happy to hear they were being overpaid by $5,000.”
Grant said she could only speculate today how those matters might have been resolved. But of one thing she is certain.
“Never dismiss the power of politics. I learned that on the board of education.”
It would be devastating for the students if the Central Office bureaucracy and BOE members with overpaid and underqualified friends and family reacted to the new superintendent's reform measures the same way they reacted to Dr. Brown's reform measures.
We have less money, less schools making adequate yearly progress (particularly in our Title 1 schools), overcrowded classrooms and lower teacher morale. This is what happens when the administration and BOE has the power to bring down attempts at reform. I agree that the superintendent needs a guaranteed contract. I also agree that we need all new BOE members (with the exception of Jester and Edler although they will face a new election as well as the rest of them).
Just a reminder at the time of the audit, two of the most overpaid employees in DeKalb were her sisters. The fact that she said what she did to Walls still makes me scratch my head.
ReplyDeleteAtl, you are right. Who ever gets the job has to quickly clean house.
Trying to figure out this Open ID thing is a huge pain!! This is a test to see if I got it right before I type in a whole long post. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe say we want improvement and we want someone to come in and make the hard decisions and do the unpopular things to move the system in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteBut we know that when people have to work for what they want, they will whine and complain and accuse people of being incompetent. And we also know that when toes are stepped on, people will yell and will turn on you in a heartbeat.
So while many of Dr. Cox's stipulations may seem unreasonable or over the top, I am beginning to see that it may be what is needed to allow her to do the things that she will be hired to do. Knowing that a 15 month severance will be required might slow the BOE's hand should they want to give in to the noise makers. It appears that Dr. Cox may not be the wuss many want to believe she is.
As atl said at 11:42, I was also perplexed by Ms. Grant's comments about the consultant's findings. This school system has a long history regarding hiring 'friends and family', in fact it was encouraged. Mary Stimmel, former information officer for the school system made a comment about that to the AJC in the mid nineties. The rationale being you would not recommend someone that could not do the job because it would reflect poorly on you and could hinder your future opportunities.
ReplyDeleteTo paraphrase a comment made by Gloria Davis at the public meeting that most agreed with, school systems for children should not be jobs programs for adults. Dr. Brown began flattening the central office, which coincidentally grew under Dr. Freeman. Remember when they had all of the regions that equated to 1 to 2 high schools that had executive directors? Each region had a team of folks associated with them. When Dr. Freeman then Dr. Hallford realized it was a mistake, they did not put those people back into the school house thus created more positions in the central office.
It should be noted that many of the positions in the central office are there for compliance reasons. We get money from the state and federal government, thus must have regular audits and create reports showing that the money is being used as intended. You get rid of those positions, the compliance reporting will fall back on the school house. Is that what we really want?
Anon at 10:11 AM,
ReplyDeleteGoogle "School Superintendents as adjunct professors"
I just read one article on "Superintendents becoming Adjunct Professors" this caught my eye:
ReplyDeleteArthur Levine, dean of the Teachers College at Columbia University, says: Schools and colleges of education need people engaged in the practice of education sharing their experiences in the college classroom, he says. And the cautious use of qualified adjuncts can allow colleges and universities to expand their course offerings, which should benefit students.
Since Dekalb (as well as most of the Nation) needs a cultural shift in education, is it possible through a well-qualified adjunct professor, that this could be achieved through Georgia's "colleges of education"? I'm just thinking...
Understand that many professors at GA colleges recommend that students not work in DeKalb. I am not sure but I think it will take a lot of hard work to change this mentality.
ReplyDeleteWhen I looked through the google links, I found most superintendents who were serving as adjunct professors were from much smaller districts and less troubled ones at that.
We can't say that it is wrong Beasley to be a minister and then say it is ok for our Super to teach at a college on top of her day job.
I want to add that her desire to be an adjunct shouldn't keep her from getting the job -- but it is disappointing because I think it sends the totally wrong message to administrators in the system.
ReplyDeleteODE should be wiping enough of the egg off their face after endorsing Culver to realize how foolish that move was. None of the teachers that I know were polled by ODE. How dare they even endorse anyone in the first place!
ReplyDeleteUnless...
Had the Board planned to hire Culver until some of the dirt on Culver mentioned in the AJC Get Schooled blog turned out to be real dirt?
So, if the Board hires Cox, how is ODE gonna make amends for having endorsed Culver, the supt-to-be at the time?
Once again, GA teachers need real unions, not suck-up good old boy clubs that throw a few leftovers to teachers every now and then.
pscxeb, enough with the apologizing for Morcease Beasley.
ReplyDeleteThere is no comparing his other duties.
In addition to his trying to build a church, www.apassionforleadership.com/, which takes an incredible amount of time and energy, he is also an educational consultant who leaves the state, www.apassionforleadership.com/.
Like his fampus trip to Texas for ole Johnny Brown:
http://www.kfdm.com/news/school-16656-audit-principal.html
Port Arthur Superintendent Dr. Johnny Brown decided to have the audit to see how PAISD measures up to other districts across the country.
Morcease Beasley is on familiar territory, but in an unfamiliar environment.
Morcease Beasley/Principal, DeKalb Co.
"I love it, this is my first time in Southeast Texas, but it's not that different from where I'm from."
Beasley is the principal of a high school in Dekalb County, Georgia. He's here in Southeast Texas to listen, evaluate and advise.
Morcease Beasley/Principal, DeKalb Co.
"There are some great things going on at Memorial High. We will give them specific data to improve on to help move the school to the next level."
Beasley is one of among four out of town educators, who have teamed up with four local administers to identify what the district is doing correctly and to point out areas that need improvement.
Look at all the consultant services "Dr. B" offers:
www.apassionforleadership.com/
--Online Leadership Consultation
Educational Workshops Offered
--Leadership Development
--Leadership Coaching
--Staff Development on School Improvement
--Using Data to Improve Student Learning
--Leading Challenging Schools
--Turning Around Low Performing Schools
--Creating a Culture of High Performance
--Acculturating Excellence in urban Schools
--Strategies for Improving Teaching and Learning
--Creating a Winning School Leadership Team
Personal Help Resources
--Dr. B's Hassle Free 2010 Checking Register (EXCEL) Spreadsheet
How in the heck does anyone have the energy and time to do all this, while being the second most important person in the school system, the person in charge of ACADEMICS!!
Clearly, Cox's exit strategy whenever she leaves DCSS is to become a college professor, and her adjuncting some classes is a step in that process.
Look, I don't like Cox's many demands, but Morcease Beaseley's side projects are proof that he is not the person to run DCSS academics. The Office of School Improvement's army of overpaid and unproductive employees is more proof of Beaseley's failure.
Talk about a soap opera, I just heard on WSB that Cox has withdrawn. Has anyone heard that yet?
ReplyDeleteAdjunct professors are paid very little. Perhaps Dr. Cox wants to keep her hand in teaching. I read where she was a National Board Certified teacher and wanted to teach in a classroom enough to keep her National Board Certification. This means to me that she wants the street creds that only come with actually teaching. I've never heard any DCSS superintendent (or any other metro Atlanta superintendent) express any interest in the actual teaching experience. That's always been so beneath them.
ReplyDeleteI just heard that Dr. Lilli Cox has withdrawn her name from consideration of being Dekalb's next school superintendent! I am so very disappointed. What gives?
ReplyDeleteEveryone should read the story on the AJC and WSBTV sites. Note that on both sites, a source is not mentioned. Also on the WSBTV site, it was posted at 4:38pm.
ReplyDeleteThis entire situation should concern ALL citizens. Has Cox Enterprises been used as a pawn in this by a mole on our Board? What did this say about our Board?
Well ain't this something. I hope the "mole" is revealed. I would bet money that the public knowledge of these negotiations was what ended them. Just as planned by whomever leaked the info in the first place. What hacks we have for board reps.
ReplyDeleteSACS will not care one iota what has transpired with DeKalb's board. They give DeKalb a pass at every turn. They told the board directly that they are not dysfunctional in any way. SACS is not looking out for students, taxpayers or teachers whatsoever. SACS is in bed with top level administrators who fund their multi-million dollar annual budget. It's the fox guarding the henhouse AND evaluating the hens... money - money - money - money - MONEY! (You know the tune...) That's what the business of education has become in DeKalb and across the United States. It's the biggest feeding trough known to man at this time. Lawyers, consultants, test producers, textbook publishers, testing consultants, fake PhDs, more lawyers and others all feed at the trough called Education every single day. Just wait - we will not see the repercussions of their greed for several more years, but a society of under-educated, functionally illiterate members cannot survive. The bottom will bring down the top in the end.
ReplyDeletepscexb--you know the answer to your own question....
ReplyDeleteThe Board mole will leak all kinds of nasty stuff about Dr. Cox in the next day, and it will dutifully recorded by the AJC and WSB. We have a hack board and a hack press.
We are doomed. How embarrasing.
ReplyDeleteMy knee-jerk reaction is that SCW was the leak, but I'm not sure she has the intelligence to think this through. My next guess would be Walker. There is no way he would sit still for a white lady to take over and he does possess the political savvy to presume that leaking the negotiations just might torpedo the whole thing. After all, he has to help protect Frances Edwards family. Just my speculation of course, but I know these people.
ReplyDeletewell - if you care, the people at SACS now have a contract with DCSS to do yet another "survey" - the results of which, of course, will be tossed in the garbage heap with all the rest (sorry - I've just gone a bit beyond cynical...)
ReplyDeleteDeKalb launching parent, student survey on schools
DeKalb Schools is participating in a pilot of individual campus surveys for students, parents, and staff members. AdvancED, the parent organization of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, is offering the opinion surveys online at www.dekalb.k12.ga.us through May 26. The school principal will receive a report from the school survey, which can be used to improve practices, according to the district.
Lewis Carroll on DCSS' recruitment of Cox:
ReplyDelete'But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: 'we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
'How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
'You must be,' said the Cat, 'or you wouldn't have come here.'
how true kim! how very true!
ReplyDeleteRight you are Kim. Just substitute "terminally stupid" for the word mad.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with Celebration about SACS and what has come to be the Educational Industrial Complex. I tried to post my cogitations about DeKalb County and the recent swirlings about a potential superintendent. The article had too many words. Hence, here's post to one of my blogs...
ReplyDeletehttp://georgiateachersspeakout.wordpress.com/
My family lives in Burlington, North Carolina, where Cox is Superintendent now. Trust me when I say she is not worth it. My youngest brother is Autistic, and is prone to wandering/elopement. Multiple schools in her district have lost him (once he ended up in the road), and nothing has been done about it. When my mother brought it to her attention, she didn't respond. She quit the day we started this petition for him: http://www.change.org/petitions/lillie-cox-request-all-schools-in-alamance-county-have-school-wide-policies-and-protocols-in-place-to-address-prevent-and-respond-to-wandering-elopement-instances . She has let the Alamance-Burlington School system deteriorate, and then left with $200,000 before anyone could fire her.
ReplyDelete