NY: Update re ex HS principal
Frank J. Vetro's Apr. 1 guilty
plea (aggravated harassment
calls to women); 1997 prior
Frank J. Vetro's Apr. 1 guilty
plea (aggravated harassment
calls to women); 1997 prior
| Disgruntled Parents And Teachers Give Sag Harbor School Board A Lesson In Transparency June 19, 2008 12:53 pm Hampton.com By Mariah Quinn Sag Harbor - Decked out in school colors of red and black, a crowd of more than 150 concerned parents and teachers gathered in the Pierson High School library Tuesday evening to deliver, speaker by speaker, a clear message to the Sag Harbor School Board and its new superintendent Dr. John Gratto: Teachers, parents, and community members should have been included in the process of choosing the superintendent. Gratto, joined by the Sag Harbor School Board, answered questions about his employment history, his vision for the school, and the terms of his hiring for more than two solid hours. Many of the speakers brought the board to task for failing to include teachers and community groups in the hiring process, which was spearheaded by the search firm of School Leadership LLC. “Not one of you would be sitting here if we hadn’t gone out and taken the time to vote you in,” Anne Destafanis asserted, sizing up the board members. “You are us. That’s all you are,” Eric Cohen, a former school board member, commented, adding that local control of schools is an essential part of the education system. “We’re not a mob, we’re the community you represent. If you ever forget that you should just leave the board because you don’t belong here.” Tuesday’s assembly was a follow-up to a meeting on June 5 when a vocal crowd protested Gratto’s appointment which was announced earlier this month. Speaker Bobbie Cohen characterized the board’s decision to leave the room. |
| 06.19.08 TEXAS UPDATE: Mesquite ISD school board begins self-investigation tonight of MISD's self-investigation & handling of Steve Halpin situation (MISD award-winning football coach with gambling addiction, more below); will supe Linda Henrie keep job? Lotsa hats: MISD board VP Robert Seward also TASB ("Team of Eight") president-elect and TXU senior accounting specialist. |
| Reconciling the two Steve Halpins has been a challenge for Mesquite residents and the Texas coaching brotherhood alike after yesterday's Dallas Morning News story regard- ing curious circumstances surrounding Mesquite High School' s head football coach and 270 pieces of technology disappearing from the school then reappearing later -- after he'd apparently pawned then redeemed them. When the |
| MESQUITE ISD'S TWO STEVE HALPINS Where do we file this: "The case against school district self-investigation" or, "The case for tighter internal controls including real-time inventories"? By Peyton Wolcott Friday, June 13, 2008 - 1:09 a.m. |
| President, 2007-2008 Texas High School Coaches Associaton . . . . Coach, Mesquite HS 2001 Class 5A Texas football champs . . . . Coach, Mesquite HS 13 years. . . . Coach, Mesquite HS 2001 Class 5A Texas football champs . . . . Salary: $92,631 base (one of Texas' highest for coaches). . . . . Husband of Mesquite ISD elementary teacher . . . . Father of Mesquite HS cheerleader . . . Father of Mesquite HS 2008 quarterback |
| BEST PRACTICES |
| Because the recent announcement by Voyager that it has hired former Houston ISD trustee Kevin Hoffman coincides with Georgia's release of its disappointing state scores, Voyager has one again leaped onto our collective national radar -- and what a fortuitous time this seems to take a closer look at vendor Randy Best's edu-creation and see how it stacks up today. Regarding the Kevin Hoffman-Voyager connection, Kevin's the former Houston ISD elected trustee (until this past spring) who has just been hired by Voyager. When and where did Kevin and Voyager get to know each other? One possible place to start asking questions is the Barbara Joan Hoffman Memorial Foundation honoring Kevin's late mom as last year's 2007 "Major Underwriter" for the golf tournament was Voyager Expanded Learning. More here. |
| P E Y T O N W O L C O T T |
| The nation's 1st & only daily conservative public education commentary - July 2, 2008 |
How we take back our children's education: one person, one question, one school at a time. |
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| Copyright 1999-2008 Peyton Wolcott |
| How to ask your local school district Flyer History 1st Anniversary San Antonio Triple Crown The Four-Legged Stool COPYRIGHT NOTICE: When borrowing/copying/ citing from this roster please remember to attribute the source: www.PeytonWolcott.com |
| CALIFORNIA Capistrano USD - here Clovis USD - here FLORIDA (01.14.08) Miami-Dade CPS* here ILLINOIS Carpentersville SD 300* Elgin U-46* Huntley CUSD 158* Naperville CUSD [ / ] KANSAS USD 507 (Satanta) (Chk Jrnl) MICHIGAN Clawson-here (BusinessOfc.) Montrose CS - here MINNESOTA Milaca SD - ISD 192 St. Cloud ISD MISSISSIPPI Ocean Springs SD* here MISSOURI Liberty PS - BoardDocs NEVADA Clark County SD**** OKLAHOMA Oklahoma City PS***** S. DAKOTA Mitchell School District* TEXAS** (185) Allen ISD Alvarado ISD Anderson-Shiro CISD - here Anthony ISD Anton ISD - here Aquilla ISD - Baard Packet Arlington ISD Arp ISD - Athens ISD Aubrey ISD Avery ISD Beeville ISD-Agenda Packet Bellville ISD Big Spring ISD Blackwell CISD Blue Ridge ISD Blum ISD - here Bonham ISD - here Borden County ISD - Admin. Borger ISD Bremond ISD Bridgeport ISD - here Brookesmith ISD - here Bryan ISD* Caddo Mills ISD Cameron ISD Canton ISD Cedar Hill ISD Center Point ISD Chester ISD China Spring ISD here Cleburne ISD* - here Coldspring-Oakhurst CISD Colmesneil ISD Comal ISD Conroe ISD* Corpus Christi ISD* Cotton Center ISD Cross Roads ISD Cypress-Fairbanks ISD* Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD Dallas ISD Damon ISD - here Deer Park ISD* Denison ISD Dickinson ISD Dublin ISD - here (About us) East Bernard ISD Ector Co. ISD Electra ISD Franklin ISD Friendswood ISD Galena Park ISD Galveston ISD Grandfalls-Royalty ISD Greenville ISD Gunter ISD Harlandale ISD - here Hart ISD* - here Haskell CISD Hempstead ISD Highland ISD Hitchcock ISD - here Holliday ISD Houston ISD* Howe ISD Hunt ISD Iola ISD Iraan-Sheffield ISD Judson ISD (quarterly) Katy ISD Kaufman ISD Keller ISD* Kerrvile ISD Lackland ISD Lago Vista ISD* LaPoynor ISD - here Leander ISD Leonard ISD Lexington ISD Livingston ISD Little Cypress-Maur. CISD Little Elm ISD Llano ISD - here Lockney ISD Lorena ISD Lovejoy ISD Lufkin ISD Mabank ISD Madisonville CISD Malakoff ISD Marble Falls ISD - here Marion ISD Marshall ISD - here Meadow ISD McKinney ISD Medina ISD Medina Valley ISD* Mesquite ISD - here Miami ISD MidlandISD-AgendaPacket Midway ISD - Monahans-Wickett-Pyote ISD Mount Vernon ISD Murchison ISD - here Nacogdoches ISD - here Natalia ISD Navarro ISD - Finance Nazareth ISD Nederland ISD New Caney ISD Newcastle ISD - here Nordheim ISD North East ISD North Forest ISD Northside ISD No. Zulch ISD* O'Donnell ISD - here Olfen ISD - here Ore City ISD Palestine ISD Panther Creek ISD - here Paradise ISD- Agenda Packt Pasadena ISD Pearland ISD Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Pilot Point ISD - here Pine Tree ISD - Disbursemts Pittsburg ISD - here Port Neches-Groves ISD Pflugerville ISD Quinlan ISD Reagan County ISD Richardson ISD Rio Hondo ISD - here Robert Lee ISD Roby CISD Roscoe ISD - here Rosebud-Lott ISD Round Rock ISD * Royse City ISD San Angelo ISD San Antonio ISD Salado ISD Santa Rosa ISD - here San Vicente ISD - here Schertz-Cibolo-U.City ISD* Seminole ISD Shallowater ISD - here Skidmore-Tynan ISD Smyer ISD - Expenses Somerset ISD* South Texas ISD Southwest ISD* Spring Branch ISD * Stafford ISD - Agenda Packet Stanton ISD Stephenville ISD - here Sundown ISD - here Sweeny ISD - here Teague ISD Terrell ISD - here Texas City ISD Timpson ISD Tomball ISD Trent ISD Trenton ISD - here United ISD* - here Uvalde CISD - here Valentine ISD Valley Mills ISD - here Van Alstyne ISD Waller ISD - here Waskom ISD - here West ISD Westbrook ISD - here Wharton ISD Whitharral ISD - here Wildorado ISD - here Wilson ISD Wimberley ISD Windthorst ISD - here Winona ISD Ysleta ISD Zapata County ISD - here UTAH Davis School District* WISCONSIN Sun Prairie SD |
| COMMITTED Argyle ISD (TX) - here Clear Creek ISD (TX) Dew ISD (TX) El Paso ISD (TX) La Marque ISD (TX) Plainview ISD (TX) Pottsboro ISD (TX) Snyder ISD (TX) Southside ISD (TX) Temple ISD (TX) STATE DOE ONLINE Texas Education Agency MIDDLE EDU-LAYER St. Clair County RESA (MI) HONORABLE MENTION ALASKA DOE - Checks over $1,000 MICHIGAN *** Intermediate School Districts TEXAS Brackett ISD (checks over $500) WHERE PARENTS, TAXPAYERS, TRUSTEES ARE ASKING: Cedar Rapids PS (IA) Chippewa Valley SD (MI) Eanes ISD (TX) Lake Travis ISD (TX) Lancaster ISD (TX) LA USD (CA) New York CPS (NY) Omaha PS (NB) Rochester CS (MI) Santa Cruz CPS (AZ) Water Valley ISD (TX) ___________________________ * No check numbers. ** Source for all Texas numbers: TEA PEIMS (most recently reported actuals, 2005-06) *** For online numbers including budgets, salaries, lobbying, PR, legal, autos, more **** Purchase orders *****Encumbrances NOTE: Some districts such as Beeville ISD (TX) call their check registers "disbursement registers" (Source for names of Texas districts: Houston Chronicle (6), San Antonio Express-News (6) ) |
| Heads up to grassroots school reform activists: Be smart, be effective By Peyton Wolcott Updated 12.02.07 |
| Rattlesnake (L), Teddy bear (PHOTO--Steiff) |
"Walk softly and carry a big stick." -- Teddy Roosevelt "Trust but verify." -- Ronald Reagan |
| When his newspaper's Mexico City bureau chief, Philip True, was killed, Rivard led a highly visible challenge to the Mexican judicial system. He personally was instrumental in finding True's remains and has relentlessly sought to bring his killers to justice. |
| Robert Rivard, editor San Antonio Express-News |
| It's pretty safe to say Bob Rivard and I will never be political allies; in addition to the SAEN having taken a fiercely anti-Iraq war stance, it also refers to "illegal immigrants" as "immigrants." However, he is also fiercely loyal to the causes he adopts -- and to his employees, two qualities to which we all can relate. An excerpt from his 2002 Cabot Prize bio: |
| In 2004 the Jalisco state supreme court returned a final verdict of guilt and ordered the two Huichol brothers-in-law who killed True to serve 20-year prison terms. Both men fled before Mexican authorities could detain them, having been released from custody earlier by a Mexican judge under questionable circumstances. (Ibid,) |
| Rivard's coverage of True's murder led to his writing a book, "Trail of Feathers." Here's an update regarding the outcome of his pursuit of justice: |
| Rivard also played a pivotal role in bringing New York Times reporter Jayson Blair's plagiarism to light: |
| In April 2003, it was Rivard's email to the New York Times that provoked an investigation into plagiarism charges by a reporter named Jayson Blair. Blair had lifted reporting and writing from San Antonio Express- News reporter Macarena Hernandez's published work and presented it as his own. The subsequent investigation led to what became known as the Jayson Blair debacle, with Blair and the Times' executive editor and managing editor tendering their resignations. (SOURCE --RobertRivard.com) |
| Hats off to Bob Rivard and his SAEN staff (more at left) for the pivotal role they played in San Antonio school districts posting their check registers online, and for setting such a great example for their fellows in the newspaper business to emulate. |
| HATS OFF: Bob Rivard, The San Antonio Express-News By Peyton Wolcott Tue., Nov. 27, 2007-10 a |
| San Antonio's Triple Crown here |
| Just because you can doesn't mean you should. |
| Check registers online in 204 districts, 14 states! with $47 billion-plus in annual transparency! ----------------------- 1ST & ONLY ROSTER OF ONLINE SCHOOL CHECK REGISTERS As of 04.11.08, 15% of all Texas school districts have voluntarily posted their check registers online; over 2/3 of all state/local TX school district dollars are website-posted. |
| NOTE: We are not asking school districts to post salary or HIPAA-related dollars. |
| Welcome to the home of the National Grassroots School District Online Check Register Movement Est. Oct. 1, 2006 |
| How to find your district's checks: If there's no link on the home page, try the business or finance page, or it may be listed under links or technology or community news. If the district is paying for TASB's BoardBook software, online check registers are a free feature, and can usually be found in the board packet for the most recent regular board meeting. |
| A model for the nation: More about the San Antonio Triple Crown here How 3 major school districts put their checks online . . . in 1 week! |
| Quick Facts |
| Links |
| The National School District Honor Roll |
| ONLINE CHECK REGISTERS |
| U. S. Roster |
| H o w w e t a k e b a c k o u r c h i l d r e n ' s e d u c a t i o n: o n e p e r s o n , o n e q u e s t i o n , o n e s c h o o l a t a t i m e. |
| FAQ's ARCHIVES FOLLOW THE MONEY YOU CAN DO THIS STATE & LOCAL GOVERNANCE VENDOR LOBBYING |
| KANSAS FOLLOW UP El. principal in Colorado After being charged with $41,000 KS PTA theft By Peyton Wolcott Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 12:06 a.m. Updated Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 6:05 a.m. |
| HAPPIER TIMES IN KANSAS Then-Jefferson Elementary principal Don Atkin- son with Jefferson PTA president Pamela Kurtz |
| Until I telephoned officials at Colorado Springs School District #11 last Tuesday, Donald Ned Atkinson was still employed by the district -- despite the fact that school administrators had the week previous received a negative FBI report based on his fingerprints. Atkinson was arrested March 22, 2008 in Great Bend, Kansas and charged with 63 counts of theft by deception. (SOURCE--KSN-TV) Prosecutors say Atkinson stole the money between 2002 and 2007; he resigned last November after PTA leaders, following a training course in accountability and responsibility, took their con- cerns to school administrators, who called authorities. Atkinson had worked at the district for 28 years, 12 of them at the elemen- tary school. (SOURCE--Kansas News-Leader) Yesterday I requested a copy of Mr. Atkinson's employment application at Colorado Springs School District #11. The comments I have received from around the nation over the past two weeks focus on concerns that while all individuals have a right and duty to obtain employment in order to support their families, anyone charged with 63 counts of theft by deception in a public school setting should not be allowed to continue working in public schools anywhere until after the judicial process has been completed. |
| Colorado Springs (Inset: Donald Ned Atkinson) |
| NEW READER SURVEY! What are your thoughts on Don Atkinson? Great Bend superintendent Tom Vernon? Colorado Springs #11 supe Terry Bishop? Don's the former trusted Kansas elementary principal (below and left) who recently sought employment at a Colorado school district before his trial on 63 counts of theft by deception (PTA and other school funds) begins in Kansas. Should Great Bend supe Tom Vernon have exercised tighter internal controls? Should Terry Bishop have hired Don Atkinson? Do you have any solutions for challenges like this which we face in varying degrees in all of our public schools? Please email me by Sunday night. Be sure to mention whether you are speaking on or off the record. I'll post at least a few of the most representative responses Monday. |
| GREAT BEND, KANSAS Great Bend USD 428 employees named by former GBUSD principal Don Atkinson on his employment application to Colorado Springs School District #11 By Peyton Wolcott Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 5:05 p.m. |
| o David Meter o Janis Link o Carla Maneth o Alvena Spangenberg |
| David Meter |
| Developing . . . |
| KANSAS Steps taken by Great Bend, Kansas USD 428 to tighten their internal controls By Peyton Wolcott Friday, May 9, 2008 - 12:07 a.m. |
| Tom Vernon , Great Bend USD428 superintendent, said by telephone yesterday, "We've tightened our internal controls in two ways. First, all cash and other gifts from groups such as PTA's now come through the district's business office and are posted publicly on the school board's agenda for approval of each item by the board. Second, we now have two meetings annually for all groups such as the PTA who give to our schools or are associated with the schools to outline our procedures to them and answer any questions they might have. We've already had one such meeting (February 4) and the next is on June 10, 2008." Tom confirmed that the district no longer allows district employees to accept cash donations from groups; instead, those monies are deposited directly with the business office and receipts are issued on the spot. |
| The Club at StoneRidge -- site of USD 428's recent education foundation fund raiser, a golf tournament. |
| AASA - TAS/MUS - ETC. When will American superintendents study fraud at their education conventions and conferences rather than play golf with vendors? By Peyton Wolcott Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 12:52 a.m./ Updated Tuesday, May 13, 2006 - 6:13 a.m. |
| For decades we trusting American taxpayers have funded what are, by most folks' standards, often-lavish trips to far away places for our local school superintendents. Because we want the best schools possible for our children, most of us in the past have accepted such explanations for our top administrators' absences as, "He's away at a conference." Oh. A conference? But what does that mean? An education conference can mean a great variety of things. |
| Alton Frailey |
| TAS/MUS Spring Conference (April 18-20, 2008) In some districts, superintendents' secretaries would not disclose to callers where their absent bosses were on Friday afternoon, April 18 of the TAS/MUS Spring Conference, even though it was a school day. "I can't discuss his schedule," said Katy ISD superintendent Alton Frailey's secretary B.J. Alvarez regarding her boss's absence from the suburban Houston district on Friday, April 18, at 3:49 p.m. CST. Alton is listed on the TAS/MUS Spring Conference brochure as a director of the organization. |
| Superintendent Rocky Kirk's phone answerers back home at Lake Travis ISD just outside of Austin weren't much more forthcoming that same afternoon -- plus his assistant was gone, also. "We'll be out of the office Friday afternoon," was the recorded message on Rocky's secretary Linnea Bennett's voice mail. According to Rocky's LTISD page, like Alton Frailey he's also a "Director for the Texas Association of Suburban Mid-Urban Schools. " This is followed by: Rocky "enjoys helping prepare future educational leaders by teaching graduate coursework at the university level and is active as a consultant to school board-superintendent teams across the state." |
| Rocky Kirk (Inset, Linnea Bennett) |
| The only superintendent teams those of us observing the TAS/MUS Spring Conference on Friday afternoon, April 18, saw were teams of superintendents playing golf with vendors. The next morning, Saturday, when it might have been hoped, given the challenges that apparently increasing reports of fraud represent in our public schools, that something like "How to Look for Fraud in your Schools" might have been on the agenda, instead, at 9 a.m., the TAS/MUS superintendents listened to a talk by former Texas Tech University coach Spike Dikes. His presentation -- as was the rest of the conference -- was |
| Former Texas Tech coach Spike Dikes |
| Some of us wonder if sometimes superintendents might be forgetting that their trips to such conferences are paid for by property taxes by folks who pay the assessor's bill for their property taxes by foregoing their own travel to nice hotels. |
| Sometimes when they're away, our public school executives are looking at curriculums. Other times they're considering governance issues. And sometimes, even on school days, they're playing golf -- with vendors -- at resorts, as occurred last month here in Texas at the Texas Association of Suburban/Mid-Urban Schools Spring Conference at Horseshoe Bay Resort. |
| Texas public school superintendents played golf with vendors on Friday afternoon, April 18, 2008 at Horseshoe Bay, Texas during TAS/MUS Spring Conference |
| Prepping for TAS/MUS reception and dinner at Horseshoe Bay Yacht Club |
| closed to the public, so the subject of Coach Dikes' talk is anybody's guess. Perhaps it was "How to Look for Fraud in your Schools," and Spike tag-teamed with some accountants. Or a trout. |
| Perhaps next time TAS/MUS will let the public sit in on their conference. That has a friendly, Texas public-school ring to it, doesn't it? "Y'all come!" Yes, that sounds like a good idea whose time has come. |
| SEX IN OUR SCHOOLS Is Hillsborough, FL supe Mary Ellen Elia unlucky -- or should she be fired? Hats off to Bill O'Reilly, with a question By Peyton Wolcott Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 5:00 a.m. Updated Friday, May 16, 2008 - 12:07 a.m. |
| Bill O'Reilly |
| Mary Ellen Elia with (clockwise from top left) Jaymee Wallace, Stephanie Ragusa, Mary Jo Spack, Christina Butler and Debra Lafave |
| What are the odds that a single Florida school district with 192,000 students would have five of its female teachers arrested for having sex with underage students within the past few years? |
| Fox News host Bill O'Reilly said on air earlier this week that Ms. Elia should be fired. Strong words coming from a TV host with Zencore for a sponsor. |
| HILLSBOROUGH 5 ARREST TIME LINE March 20, 2008 - Mary Jo Spack, a 45-year-old honors English teacher, accused of having sex with a 17-year-old boy after buying liquor and bringing him to a motel. March 13, 2008 - Stephanie Ragusa, a 28-year-old math teacher, arrested and accused of having sex with a 14-year-old boy. Oct. 23, 2007 - Christina Butler, a 33-year-old special education teacher at Middleton High School in Tampa, arrested, accused of having sex up to a dozen times with a 16-year-old boy. Oct. 8, 2007 - Former Wharton High School teacher and coach Jaymee Wallace pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with a student who played on her girls basketball team. Wallace is scheduled to be sentenced today in Hillsborough Circuit Court. She previously rejected prosecutors' plea offer of three years in prison. November 2005 - Former Greco Middle School teacher Debra Lafave was sentenced to three years of house arrest and seven years of probation after pleading guilty in 2005 to having sex with a 14-year-old boy. (SOURCE--Rebecca Catalanello, St. Petersburg Times) |
| And what was Ms. Elia's reaction to news of one of the recent arrests? Mario Diaz of Tampa Bay 10 reported recently that "Superinten- dent Mary Ellen Elia was shocked when we first showed her the arrest report." Question for Bill: If you're going to decry the moral climate in America's schools, can't you get better sponsors than one selling sex aids? |
| Questions for Voyager aka ProQuest: (1) What does being de-listed by NYSE mean? (2) What about going to Pink Sheets? (3) And the stock price drop? (see chart) By Peyton Wolcott Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 1:18 a.m. Updated Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 6:40 a.m. |
| The New York Stock Exchange... announced...that it determined that the common stock of ProQuest Co. (the "Company") – ticker symbol PQE – should be suspended prior to the opening on Wednesday, March 28, 2007, or such earlier date as the Company commences trading in another securities marketplace or if there is material adverse development. The Company expects its common stock to be quoted on the Pink Sheets following suspension.The decision was reached in view of the fact that the Company is a late filer. Also, the Company was under review by NYSE Regulation in light of the delay in filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission its December 31, 2005 Form 10-K and certain of its 2006 Form 10-Q filings. (SOURCE--New York Stock Exchange/NYSE) |
| (L to R) Randy Best, Mike Moses, Jim Nelson, Linda Schrenko (Atlanta Journal Constitution), Rudy Crew (Scholastic), Mary Landrieu (Washington Post), Kevin Hoffman, Ron Klausner (GRAPH - Pink Sheets) |
| Duncan's decision to put SBISD's check register online came at a pivotal time at the beginnings of the online check register movement, in November 2006. Spring Branch ISD was the first large suburban district to publicly announce that it was coming online. _____________________ (Posted 05.21.08) |
| PIONEERS |
| Robert Scott Commissioner of Education - Texas |
| When Robert Scott put the Texas Education Agency's check register online in February 2007, TEA became the first state DOE to do so in the U.S.; to the best of my knowledge it is still the only state DOE in the country to list all checks. Pointing out that increased transparency was Governor Rick Perry's initiative, Robert adds, "We at TEA wholeheartedly agree." |
| Terry Bradley Superintendent, Clovis USD (CA) |
| Duncan Klussmann Superintendent, Spring Branch ISD (TX) |
| Clovis USD, just north of Fresno in California's fertile San Joaquin Valley farming region, may have been the first school district in the nation to put its entire check register online -- a natural next step, according to a district spokesman, as part of its move to a paperless board packet. |
| Voyager Learning's April 2001 - May 2008 |
$4.80+
$48.00+
| 05.22.08/7:34 a.m. UPDATE: Friends, I am awaiting Voyager's responses which did not come yesterday as they'd stated; perhaps they've been busy--these things happen. Also, more questions coming. Please check back. |
| IOWA Supe's 2 DUI's What do you tell his students? By Peyton Wolcott Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 12:07 a.m. |
| Marty Lucas |
| 05.22.08/7:30 a.m. FOLLOW UP: As always, when I started gathering information for the following commentary I attempted to contact the parties involved, in this case, Alton Frailey of Katy ISD and Rocky Kirk of Lake Travis ISD. As of this morning Alton has yet to respond to multiple telephone calls and emails; also, I have followed up with him for confirmation regarding certain of his remarks at this past Monday night's Katy ISD board meeting. And Rocky, rather than responding himself, has referred my few questions to his in-house LTISD legal staff. Both of which situations prompt another question: How have we come to this, that public school executives entrusted with our precious children and millions of our dollars won't answer questions? |
| Spring 2007 TAS/MUS "Boerne Tourney" (it rhymes) |
| Top (L to R): Chaplains Clark V. Poling, John P. Washington; Bottom (L to R) George L. Fox, Alexander D. Goode |
| Did our nation's IB schoolchildren study these four WWII heroes this week? By Peyton Wolcott Saturday, May 24, 2008 - 6: 40 p.m. |
| The Four Chaplains |
| These four brave warrior chaplains gave their lives aboard their troop ship the USAT Dorchester which was transporting American soldiers to Europe on February 3, 1943 off the coast of Newfoundland after their troop ship was torpedoed by the Nazis. Their courageous stories including giving away their life jackets here and here. |
| It is not likely that any of our American schoolchildren in the 890 International Baccalaureate schools here in the U.S. studied the Four Chaplains in any of their IB classes this past week. Instead, as Allen Quist points out, the IB kids more likely learned that the United States is an imperialist country and that its actions were "compared to Japan during World War II." |
| Read this article here. |
| Scroll down for only national roster |
| The ONLY national roster ! |
| s c h o o l n e w s q u i c k l i n k s |
| Bettendorf school super- intendent still on the job WQAD Updated: May 20, 2008 |
| Bettendorf, IOWA-- Nearly three months after a second drunk driving charge, Bettendorf School Board superintendent Marty Lucas is still on the job. Deputies arrested Lucas in February after a crash in Benton County. At the time of his arrest, records show a blood alcohol level well over the legal limit. Lucas pleaded not guilty but until a jury agrees, it leaves the school board with a dilemma. The school board reviewed police records from the arresting officer on Monday evening and completed its investigation. The board will review its findings with Lucas this week. The district's attorney, Cameron Davidson, says the board will make a public statement before the superintendent's pre-trial conference. If the board decides to take any disciplinary action against superintendent Lucas, it will be revealed publicly at a school board meeting. "The school board met in closed session this evening to review the incident regarding Mr. Lucas. The board has completed its investigation. We expect to have a public comment sometime in the near future after reviewing the matter with Mr. Lucas," Davidson said. Davidson says the board will make their decision before the superintendent's pre-trial conference which is May 29th. Court records show that Lucas received a year's probation for an earlier drunk driving arrest in 1999. |
| How many DUI do-overs should our top administrators get? By Peyton Wolcott - Tues. May 27, 2008 Updated Sun., June 15, 2008/5:00 p.m. |
| We live in a generous nation; as a people we are quick to grant second and third--and more--fresh starts to folks who want them. After all, many of our |
| forebearers came to America seeking a new life. |
| Should our public school superinten- dents be in a different category? |
Developing. . . |
$740,000
"Guilty"
| Encouraging signs of the education times By Peyton Wolcott Friday, May 30, 2008 - 2:17 a.m. |
| A New Jersey superintendent's $740,000 retirement package has been yanked by her governor, a former Detroit interim superintendent has pleaded guilty in a case involving $40 million in technology contracts at Dallas ISD and a yacht, and an Oklahoma superintendent in a one-school district on the Cherokee Nation has pleaded guilty to taking money belonging to the school district and has agreed to make restitution of $1 million. What's notable -- and encouraging about these three -- is that in addition to occurring at all they've all just occurred this past week. |
| (L to R) William Coleman, Barbara Trzeszkowski, Larry Couch |
"Guilty"
Developing . . . |
| UPDATE: This is now sadder. By Peyton Wolcott Tuesday, June 3, 2008 - 11:08 p.m. - Updated Friday, June 6, 2008 - 7:30 p.m. |
| The late Irv Nikolai (PHOTO--Fox 12 Oregon) |
| Former Stanford football star Irv Nikolai, who had been working as La Grande, Oregon's interim school superintendent until his arrest May 2 by Hillsboro police, FBI agents and Union County deputies at his office on four charges of first- degree sex abuse (an April 19 incident with young girl in a bedroom at her 7th birthday party), was found dead Monday of a gunshot wound to the chest. Described as an avid hunter and fisherman, at first the death was described as having occurred while cleaning his gun collection; his wife Lu, a retired Banks, Oregon elementary principal, found the body. According to sheriff's deputies Monday the wound was self-inflicted; the state medical examiner has since declared Nikolai's death to have been a suicide. (SOURCES--Kimberly Wilson/The Oregonian, KGW and Bend Weekly News) His trial had been set to begin July 8 in Washington County Circuit Court in Hillsboro. A proponent of all-day kindergarten, before moving to Oregon Nikolai had worked in school districts in states including New Mexico and California; he owned homes in Forest Grove and La Grande, Oregon. Although he had no previous criminal record, prosecutors said they were looking for evidence of prior offenses. Hillsboro police spokesman Lt. Michael Rouches said other accusations could arise while police continue to investigate. “Typically child sex abusers don’t just start at age 71," Rouches said. "We don’t know if there are any other victims out there but there could be.” (SOURCE--Christian Gaston/Forest Grove Times) With Nokolai's death, case suspended, not closed " ' The case will be officially suspended, not closed because we still want to see if any other victims pop up,' said Hillsboro police spokesman Lt. Michael Rouches. Rouches said Hillsboro police had no other leads in the investigation Tuesday . . . Rouches said the purpose of seeking other potential victims is not to further harm Nikolai's reputation, but to offer counseling or other services to those who believe they've been sexually abused." (Ibid.) |
y o u r q u e s t i o n s
| Commentaries Year-in-Review: 2007 2006 TX Ed Comm check registers |
| Edu-Monopoly (Bohuchot..Coleman) Education, Inc. ERDI Technology Credit cards Technology Edu-Conferences TASA MidWinter Supes'n'vendors golf 1 2 3 |
| Arizona California Ohio Oklahoma Fllorida Illinois Kansas History: The Four-Legged Stool Texas ISDs: Edgewood 1 2 3 4 5 Cleburne Llano Bremond |
| How Texas leads U.S. in public edu-transparency Team of 8 LTISD SLAPP suit Pass the trash Lax oversight |
| How to organize (proven!) How to ask your district to post its check register Activist Alert Board & candidate pledges |
| Detroit Public Schools Way to go, Marie! And has Detroit's Jan. 2007 Sherry Washington Gallery investigation gone AWOL? By Peyton Wolcott Friday, June 6, 2008 - 12:33 a.m. Updated Saturday, June 7, 2008 - 12:43 a.m. |
| A.W.O.L.? Well over a year ago -- in February 2007 -- then-Detroit school board president Jimmy Womack said "he would press school officials to account for at least $1.6 million in artwork the district bought from a downtown Detroit gallery [during Coleman's tenure and that] he would ask Detroit Public Schools officials for an inventory of the work, and copies of any agreements signed with the Sherry Washington Gallery. 'If the district was wrong, the district needs to be held responsible.' Strong words. Great ideas. But what happened? Where's the inventory? Where are the copies of the signed agreements between William Coleman and Sherry Washington and/or any other pertinent parties? Or did we have a Casblanca moment and did the investigation end when somebody rounded up the usual suspects? The district has not yet responded to my queries; further, I have not been able to find any follow up reports issued either by Detroit Schools or the Detroit Free Press, and Ms. Washington has not responded to telephone calls. Meanwhile, Coleman, "in exchange for his guilty plea [this month] agreed to testify for the prosecution...in the trial of former DISD associate superintendent Ruben Bohuchot and computer company executive Frankie Wong on felony charges, including bribery and obstruction of justice." (SOURCE--Kent Fischer, Jason Trahan/The Dallas Morning News) |
| Sherry Washington |
| Following on former Detroit Public Schools interim superintendent Wiliam Coleman's guilty plea last week in federal court in Dallas in connection with an FBI investigation of Dallas ISD's technology department, Detroit PS member Marie Thornton wants the Wayne County prosecutor to investigate "contracts and bookkeeping practices" during Coleman's tenure in Detroit. (SOURCE--Jennifer Dixon, Naomi Patton/Detroit Free Press) |
| (L) Jimmy Womack (PHOTO--Monica Morgan/Michigan Chronicle), Marie Thonrton, William Coleman |
| "Thornton also said she believes the board should use its subpoena powers to look for any secret accounts Coleman, whose background is in finance, may have set up during his five years at Detroit Public Schools, first as chief operating officer then as superintendent." (Ibid.) |
| This is not Thornton's first call for such an investigation. A year ago she and fellow trustee Annie Carter "said the district should determine whether there were any improper business dealings in Detroit." (Ibid.) The two women were not able to persuade their fellow board members and the investigation did not move forward. As apparently neither did another well-publicized investigation in Detroit Public Schools. |
| Anyone including former students with something to report are encouraged to call the Portland field office of the FBI: 503. 224.4181. Video here |
| Joseph M. Vigil |
| Wayne Gerke |
| Rebecca Perry, Marty Lucas |
| Adrain Johnson |
| Oh, gee! This is such a surprise! Our internal controls weren't tight enough! Our trusted $39,000 a year payroll coordinator made off with $573,792.71! By Peyton Wolcott - Monday, June 9, 2008 - 12:07 a.m. |
| Maybe the only real surprise about what's happened in Pennsyl- vania's Ridley School District is that the superintendent, Nick Ignatuk, has worked at the district 35 years -- and gotten an Ed.D. -- and moonlights at the local college in the education department, teaching administrators -- and at $176,000 base salary per year is one of Pennsylvania's highest paid supes -- and despite such impressive credentials and experience apparently didn't know to make sure that all of his district's bank accounts were secure. How basic is that? Keys, bank accounts, insurance. |
| Carol Ackley |
| In fact, according to published accounts Nick didn't have a clue until Wachovia called to alert him to suspicious activity in an account. |
| Carol, whose theft has been blamed on her gambling addition, was sentenced to 4 to 20 years in prison in March; her husband Herbert, a custodian for the district, was arrested last week for his role in the alleged conspiracy. (SOURCE--Cindy Scharr/Delco Times) Here's Nick's quote: |
| “It was a very clever scheme concealed by her for a number of years. We were shocked and saddened by it.” (Ibid.) |
| Delco Times page one |
| Oh, gee! This is such a surprise! Our internal controls weren't tight enough and our trusted payroll coordinator . . . . Perhaps I am missing something. Perhaps there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for why Ridley superintendent Nick Ignatuk didn't keep better track of his district's bank accounts. I've contacted him and will post his response as soon as possible after it arrives. |
n e w c o m m e n t a r i e s
| Where are the statements by Jay Himes, executive dircector of the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO) regarding Ridley School District's apparently avoidable loss of over a half million dollars by its $39,000/year payroll coordinator Carol Ackley's use of a long-dormant district checking account (below)? After all, it was just eleven years ago that Jay announced that he was "shocked" about former Pennsylvania DOE executive John Gardner Black's swindling of $71 million from Pennsylvania school districts in a municipal bond scheme. But now, with the Ridley theft, instead of a public call to arms of any type, publicly Jay Himes, arguably the most prominent school business official in Pennsylvania, remains silent. |
| 06.13.08 UPDATE: A response (below right) has arrived from PASBO's executive director Jay Himes on behalf of PASBO's board: President Michael J. Braun (Upper Moreland Township SD), President-Elect Charles E. Peterson, Jr. (Williamsport Area SD), Vice President Laura E. Cowburn (Columbia Borough SD), Immediate Past President Michael L. Hurley (Carlisle Area SD), and Directors Dolores T. D'Amore (Great Valley SD), Brett N. Lago (Penn-Trafford SD), Wayne K. McCullough (Southern York Co. SD), R. Perry Baer (Wissahickon SD), Richard Fantauzzi (Elizabeth Forward SD), Stacy M. Gober (Cheltenham Township SD), John E. Brenchley (BLaST IU #17), Thomas C. Brown (Delaware County IU #25), and David J. Edkin (Muncy SD). |
| Hats off ! |
| Retired PA superintendent's salary: $0.00 |
| Is Pennsylvania's public education leadership letting Ridley School District's $573,792.71 loss off the hook as an "Oops"? By Peyton Wolcott Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 1:00 a.m. - Updated Friday, June 13, 2008 - 11:28 p.m. |
| At a time when increasing numbers of public school administrators retire, then begin collecting generous taxpayer-funded pensions, then immediately double-dip, earning top- dollar second salaries while still collecting the pension -- at such a time as this M. Joseph Brady in Minersville, Pennsylvania's lowest-paid superinten- dent (salary $0.00), offers by example a ray of hope: |
| Minersville Area superin- tendent M. Joseph Brady doesn’t get a paycheck anymore. The lowest-paid superintendent in Pennsylvania is among a shrinking number of administrators who don’t jump to other districts seeking higher compensation. “We had plans for a business manager,” Brady said while passing an empty office near his desk. “Down the road.” He also serves as the business manager for the Schuylkill County district. Brady, 79, works for no salary. He officially retired in 2002 and started taking his state pension. He mostly works for the cost of his health insurance. Without a business manager, Brady is on his own when recommending that his school board raise taxes. “Since I have to raise the taxes, I figured that I would help lessen the burden that’s passed on,” Brady said. “I wanted to give something back before I go.” (SOURCE--Jay M. Young/Altoona Mirror) |
| M. Joseph Brady (PHOTO--Jason Sipes/Altoona Mirror) |
| For selfless service to his community, hats off to Joseph Brady. God bless you, sir. |
| Jay Himes |
| Similarly silent has been Pennsylvania's secretary of education, Gerald Zahorchak, as has Stinson Stroup, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators. Pennsylvanians need to be asking themselves and each other what leadership role in fraud prevention and detection their school business leaders have undertaken as a result of the loss in Ridley. |
| Gerald Zahorchak |
| While we're all waiting -- for the sake of Pennsylvania's schoolchildren and taxpayers -- for these three gentlemen to find the cat that made off with their collective tongue, here are the folks in addition to Ridley superintendent Nick Ignatuk and his business manager Mary McCullough whom I contacted yesterday for a statement. If you run into them at the mall or the gas station, would you ask them for me what their thoughts are on management practices that would allow a bookkeeper to lift funds from a dormant bank account to the tune of $573,297.71 without anyone noticing? |
How do we square this:
with this:
| 270 MISD items pawned |
| PHOTOS: Steve Halpin by Louis DeLuca/Dallas Morning News; Barbed Wire frame by Ernest Warnielius RACE HORSE SILHOUETTE: DJClassics.net |
| Steve Halpin |
Dallas Cash Plus #3
| police brought the matter to MISD supe Linda Henrie (Ed.D. TAMU Commerce) her response was to self-investigate after which Halpin was allowed to retire quietly (today's his last official day) on "health" grounds although reportedly he's already recovered sufficiently to be in communication with Longview ISD about a job there. The Texas Education Agency -- God bless 'em -- is investigating. |
OBSERVATION: I have never yet seen a school district's self-investigation turn up
anything of substance; superintendents will better serve us by following our laws.
anything of substance; superintendents will better serve us by following our laws.
| SBEC |
| Why did Mesquite ISD superintendent Linda Henrie employ a football coach registered with the Texas Racing Commission--who owned an interest in a racehorse? And will TEA allow Linda to keep her SBEC certificate? By Peyton Wolcott Friday, June 13, 2008 - 5:00 p.m.- Last updated Satirdau, June 14, 2008 - 8:24 a.m. |
| Steve Halpin (PHOTO--Mike Stone/Dallas Morning News) Inset: Linda Henrie |
| Steve Halpin, "a title-winning Mesquite football coach who police say repeatedly pawned school property, resigned Thursday as the president of the Texas High School Coaches Association, |
| I am responding to your recent email sent to the Board of Directors of the PA Association of School Business Officials (PASBO). In your email you raised several issues which I want to answer on behalf of all members of our Board. The core purpose of PASBO is to develop educational leaders in school operations. Aligned with our core purpose is the dedication of significant resources to our professional development program. Annually we develop, plan, deliver and evaluate programs in every aspect of school operations from finance and accounting, facilities management, transportation and technology to food service, purchasing, human resources and communication. In December we will offer a half-day workshop on internal controls. The content will include the following key topics: · What are internal controls? · Segregation of duties · Management philosophy · Board Policy · Best Practices Previously, we have also offered the following programs which exclusively or in part addressed internal controls or fraud prevention: o New and Emerging Significant Accounting Policies, March 2008, PASBO Annual Conference o School District Business Operations—Efficiencies and Internal Controls Within Your Business o Office,March 2007, PASBO Annual Conference o Ethical Statements/Antifraud—March 2006 PASBO Annual Conference o Internal Controls, Who’s Watching the Store?March 2005 PASBO Annual Conference o Current Issues in Accounting—October/November 2004 Full Day Workshops (3) o Internal Controls and Compliance Issues for State and Federal Funds, April/May 2004 Full Day Workshops (3) We also have information on internal controls on our Electronic Resource Center (ERC). The ERC is publicly accessible by going to: http://www.pasboerc.org/erc/default.asp If you search in the sample items database you will find documents on internal controls and anti-fraud. The School Operations Academy in State College in July is an annual training event which covers the fundamentals of school finance, facilities, food service and transportation. This year for the first time we will incorporate a technology track. Attached is brochure which provides additional information. Best regards, Jay Himes, CAE Executive Director cc: PASBO Board of Directors |
| While the unfortunate $573,792.71 loss which has occurred in Ridley School District could have theoretically occurred in any of America's 15,000 school districts, it didn't. This loss occurred in Ridley because it appears the district's internal controls were not sufficient for the occasion. My questions address this general issue of internal controls in our public schools, and your thoughts and suggestions as to what can be done to strengthen them. (1) According to reporter William Bender's statement last December in the Philadelphia Daily News, "Ackley made sure the balance did not change from month to month, so the account appeared to remain dormant." This appears to indicate that Ridley's business officials did not review the activity report for all bank accounts each month as part of their normal business operations. (By copy to Mary McCullough, is this true?) To Jim and PASBO board members, what do you recommend as part of school district usual business practice: review or not review monthly activity reports for all school district bank accounts? (2) Even though, as it has been pointed out, insurance will cover the loss in Ridley, at the end of the day such losses affect all of our schools as they increase insurance costs for which we all ultimately must pay. The larger cost of course whenever something like this happens is the loss of confidence by the public in our public schools' ability to wisely and carefully administer the tax dollars we entrust to them. Your comments and thoughts? (3) According to PASBO's website, PASBO has a two-day conference scheduled next month (July 24-25) at the Penn Stater Conference Center. What training will PASBO be offering regarding tightening internal controls and in fraud prevention and detection as part of the training at this conference? What would be specific examples regarding monthly reviews of checking accounty activity reports? Also, what will total costs be for school employees including registration, fees, hotel, meals and parking? I looked on your site but was unable to find any mention of the money involved. (4) What is PASBO doing as Pennsylvania's premier organization for school district business officials to encourage all of its members to do a thorough self-inspection and take a hard look at where their school districts' internal controls can be tightened? |
| QUERY TO PASBO 06.09.08 |
| RESPONSE FROM PASBO 06.11.08 |
| (1) Again, if anyone is free from sin, let them cast the first stone. I guess [Dallas Morning News reporter David] Hinojosa is free from any mistakes in his life and can point out the shortcomings of others. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) It is not like he made one mistake; he did it 270 times. He deserves what he gets and the Mesquite ISD should be punished as well . . . . . . . . . . (3) MISD yammers on and on about putting kids first, about teaching them ethics, honesty, integrity, etc. MISD has now taught them that it's alright to STEAL school property paid for with TAX DOLLARS meant to help KIDS that the district has pledged to help above all else, as long as you've won a state football title. . . . . . . . . (4) Trust me, I am part of the local community, I am part of the school community and this is not something the community wanted dealt with in house. This is how Mesquite operates, they are a good old boy district that does things the way they've always been done, and that's never going to change unless someone does something about it. |
| MESQUITE ISD shows us its priorities: Number of webpages devoted to Steve Halpin's 2001 football championship = 3 Number of webpages devoted to MISD's check register = 0 |
| reportedly already been in conversation with Longview ISD about a job there. (SOURCE-- Matthew Haag/Dallas Morning News) In other developments this week, for not following mandated reporting procedures after she was informed by local police about the 270 items allegedly pawned by Halpin, Linda Henrie, his boss (and Mesquite ISD's superintendent), "could face a reprimand or revocation of her teacher’s certificate by the TEA for failure to inform the agency within seven days, TEA officials said." (Ibid.) Here are some recent comments from bloggers: |
| saying he has a gambling addiction and is seeking help." Halpin, whose last day at MISD was yesterday, was allowed to resign from his district position quietly "for health reasons," and has |
| TEXAS RACING COMMISSION |
| CHINA: Kudos! Principal 'Angel' Ye's diligence--he strengthened his school--saved 2,323 students in 8.0. |
| Chris Morrow |
| What Texas Administrative Code Rule 249.14 says about superintendent self-investigations: Any wiggle room? By Peyton Wolcott Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 12:06 a.m. |
| This comes up from time to time here in Texas, questions regarding when is it legal and when is it not legal for superintendents to self-investigate situations in their districts in lieu of reporting said situations to state authorities. You may have heard about one such recent incident, the one that occurred in Mesquite ISD when superintendent Linda Henrie was brought some information by local police indicating her award-winning head football coach Steve Halpin had been pawning his school's equipment. Despite an in-Texas earned Ed.D. at A&M Commerce, where, presumably, they teach folks |
| (1) that an applicant for or a holder of a certificate has a reported criminal history; (2) that a certificate holder was terminated from employment based on a determination that he or she committed any of the following acts: (A) sexually or physically abused a student or minor or engaged in any other illegal conduct with a student or minor; (B) possessed, transferred, sold, or distributed a controlled substance; (C) illegally transferred, appropriated, or expended school property or funds; (D) attempted by fraudulent or unauthorized means to obtain or to alter any certificate or permit that would entitle the individual to be employed in a position requiring such certificate or permit or to receive additional compensation associated with a position; (E) committed a crime, any part of such crime having occurred on school property or at a school-sponsored event; or |
| Mesquite ISD superintendent Linda Henrie, Ed.D.-TAMU Commerce |
| 2008 TIMELINE MESQUITE ISD RE STEVE HALPIN April 28: A Mesquite police officer checks the department's pawnshop database and finds Mr. Halpin's name connected to 106 pawned items at local shops (Feb.-April). May 1: Mesquite police make an offense report alleging "abuse of official capacity/theft," showing a loss of equipment ($2,075). Early May: Mesquite school offici- als learn that police have evidence linking Mr. Halpin to pawning school-owned equipment. May 9: Mr. Halpin's retirement announced. May 12: Mesquite police investgator reports he has been contacted by a supervi- sor and "informed that any further investigation would be conducted by Mesquite ISD and no case or charges would be filed." May 28: Dallas Morning News asks for e-mails, documents and records from MISD concerning Mr. Halpin and sports equipment thefts at Mesquite HS. June 5: Assistant Superintendent Lanny Frasier sends a letter to the Texas Education Agency informing the agency of a police investigation. (SOURCE-- Dallas Morning News) |
| BLOG COMMENTS ON OLD COACH.COM: A mistake is when you leave the iron on or forget to shut the garage door. What he did was knowingly commit a crime and should be punished accordingly. . . . . . The fact of the matter is that he broke the law and yes I have sympathy for his family. It is ashame that they are having to go through this. But, coach or no coach, you cant do what he did and "retire". MISD tried to hide it, it blew up, and now that just made it worse. . . . . he is out of a job and is now unemployable . . . . one thing that is being overlooked is the MISD may be in trouble, especially the superintendent. By law this was to be reported within 7 days of them finding out and was not reported for about a month. There may be more people that will be affected in a negative way by this incident. What a sad state of affairs. |
| Steve Halpin (L) with Mesquite HS Skeeters (PHOTO--OldCoach.com) |
| what the law is as part of their doctoral program, Henrie appears to have not forwarded the findings to the Texas Education Agency until after, according to the timeline below, the Dallas Morning News had started a Texas Public Information Act records search. |
| Yesterday I made some calls and discovered the following in the Texas Administrative Code, Rule 249.14. Nary a mention that "superintendent self-investigations are AOK": |
| (d) A person who serves as the superintendent of a school district or...the director of a...regional education service center... shall promptly notify in writing the State Board for Educator Certification by filing a report with the TEA staff within seven calendar days of the date the person first obtains or has knowledge of information indicating any of the following circumstances: |
| (F) solicited or engaged in sexual conduct or a romantic relationship with a student or minor; or (3) that a certificate holder resigned and reasonable evidence supported a recommendation by the person to terminate a certificate holder because he or she committed one of the acts specified in paragraph (2) of this subsection. (A) Before accepting an employee's resignation that, under this paragraph, requires a person to notify the SBEC by filing a report with the TEA staff, the person shall inform the certificate holder in writing that such a report will be filed and sanctions against his or her certificate may result as a consequence. (B) A person required to comply with paragraph (3) of this subsection shall notify the governing body of the employing school district before filing the report with the TEA staff. (e) A report filed under subsection (d) of this section shall, at a minimum, summarize the factual circumstances requiring the report and identify the subject of the report by providing the following available information: name and any aliases; certificate number, if any, or social security number; and last known mailing address and home and daytime phone numbers. A person who is required to file a report under subsection (d) of this section but fails to do so timely is subject to sanctions under this chapter. |
| Interesting excerpt from Mesquite ISD's May 14, 2008 letter to Steve Halpin: "May your retirement be filled with happiness, pleasant memories, and anticipation of future goals and achievements." The letter is not signed by superintendent Linda Henrie, but by Mary Randall, "Senior Director - Personnel Services." |
| SUPE FOR A DAY: Quick, what would you do? By Peyton Wolcott Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 1:08 a.m. |
| One of your tenured elementary school teachers has been arrested -- again -- for drunk driving. Except that now it's more serious. It's her fourth time in 14 months, plus she was not supposed to be driving at all; they took away her license after the third arrest. Oh, and she's currently in the Niagara County Jail on $10,000 bail. What do you do? If you're Lockport City School District supe Terry Anne Carbone in upstate New York, you're off the hook and don't have to decide anything regarding Roy B. Kelley |
| Marcy L. Cole with Lockport, NY police |
| Origin of Birthstone of the Month The origin of the belief that a special stone was dedicated to each month and that the stone of the month possessed a special virtue or cure that could be transmitted to those born in that month, goes back to at least the first century. There is speculation that the twelve stones in the great breastplate of the Jewish high rabbi may have had some bearing on this evolution. In the eighth and ninth century, the interpreters of Revelation began to ascribe to each of those stone attributes of the twelve apostles. The Hindus, on the other hand, had their interpretation. But whatever the reason, one fact is clear. As G.F. Kunz points out in The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, "there is no doubt that the owner of a ring or ornament set with a birthstone is impressed with the idea of possessing something more intimately associated with his or her personality than any other stone, however beautiful or costly. The idea that birthstones possess a certain indefinable, but none the less real significance has long been present and still hold a spell over the minds of all who are gifted with the touch of imagination and romance." |
| Elementary School teacher Marcy L. Cole because the school board accepted her resignation at last night's board meeting. (SOURCE--Joyce Miles/Niagara Gazette) Which frees you up to do all kinds of good. You can continue to concentrate on making sure that Kelley Elementary is a "Fragrance Free School." Or you can study up on "Birthstones of the Month" from the "EZ Cash of Panama City" link on Kelley's website. Gee. How very appropriate and informative -- and indicative of a certain sort of environment in which an teacher would continue be entrusted with young children after three DUI's? Here's the information from EZ Cash on Kelley Elementary's website: |
| Lockport leadership: School board president Marietta Schrader (T); supe Terry Ann Carbone, and principal AJ Rhodes-Stegeman |
| V i d e o h e r e |
| Seward |
| SAG HARBOR, NEW YORK Why would new supe John Gratto want to work in a district where so many in the community are so vocal about saying they don't want him? By Peyton Wolcott Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 9:10 p.m. UPDATED: Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 8:56 a.m. |
| At an event which typically in America's 15,000 school district is a hugfest -- the introduction of a new superintendent to the community -- more than 150 mostly unhappy Sag Harbor residents came to their local district's school board meeting Tuesday night to express their displeasure at having been left out of the selection process -- and their displeasure regarding the board's choice, John Gratto. It appears the community's ability to Google John's name was superior to anyone on the school board's -- or the search firm, which did not answer its phones Friday at either location, and has not responded to phone messages or emails. |
| (L) Former Sag Harbor School Board member Eric Cohen told the present board they should not forget who they represent. “You are us. That’s all you are,” he said. (R) New Sag Harbor superintendent John Gratto answered questions from a crowd of more than 150 at Tuesday evening’s special Board of Education meeting as Board President Theresa Samot, center and board member Susan Kinsella, left, listened intently. (CAPTION/PHOTOS-- Mariah Quinn/Hamptons.com) |
CA: LA realtor
Jimmy Marzullo
arrested: $65K
PTSA/booster
theft
Jimmy Marzullo
arrested: $65K
PTSA/booster
theft
| Thank you, DC Examiner, for last weekend's editorial advocating school district online check registers! By Peyton Wolcott Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 9:10 a.m. - UPDATED Monday, June 23, 2008 - 1:36 a.m. |
| EDITORIAL Support grows for putting public spending online A grassroots movement to have public schools post their check registers online is spreading like a Texas wildfire, which is appropriate since the Lone Star state is where the idea originated less than two years ago. Some 200 school districts in 14 states now post $47 billion of expenditures online, including Miami -- the fourth largest school system in the nation. Such an extraordinary degree of financial transparency is unheard of in the vast majority of public school districts across the country. That should change. Peyton Wolcott was frustrated that her local school superintendent was paying for valet parking while parents like her struggled to raise money to outfit the school choir. So the Horseshoe Bay, Texas mother of two asked to see the school's financial records....[Her website is] designed to expose the billions of dollars spent by what Wolcott calls "Education, Inc." which never make it to the classroom. Largely due to Wolcott's efforts, two-thirds of all Texas public school districts now provide spending registers online. [Friends, the real credit goes to Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Commissioner of Education Robert Scott for the pivotal role they played -- plus the superintendents, school boards and parents and taxpayers in the 200-plus districts who are online; please see the roster at far left. More about the history of this movement at "The Four-Legged Stool."] Taxpayers in most states are legally entitled to financial records under freedom of information laws, which often require school administrators to provide the data upon request. But it would take less effort and cost almost nothing simply to post online a PDF of the district's monthly check register, as is done in Texas. It's much easier for citizens to track school expenditures when the information is readily available 24/7. |
| Please take a moment to read the rest of this story here for some of the finest coverage of a school board meeting of this nature that I have ever seen. |
| High Points & The folks who deserve credit |
| Marta Perez (L),Rudy Crew (PHOTO/Scholastic) |
| Rick Perry |
| AUGUST 2005 Governor Rick Perry kickstarted the online school district check register movement with Executive Order RP 47 requiring Texas school districts to spend 65% |
| FEBRUARY 2007 Then-deputy commissioner of education (now commis- sioner) Robert Scott put the state's education agency check register online, still the first and only state DOE to post all checks. |
| school districts to spend 65% (using the NCES formula) of their dollars in the classroom by 2008-09; an option for those missing the mark would be posting their check registers online in 2010. |
| Robert Scott |
| NOVEMBER 2006 Duncan Klussmann posted Spring Branch ISD's check register online; Mike Hinojosa put Dallas ISD's check register online but no one knew until February 2007. |
| AT THE STATE LEVEL |
| AT THE LOCAL LEVEL |
| Duncan Klussmann (L) and Mike Hinojosa |
| DECEMBER 2006 Ryder Warren agreed to post Marble Falls ISD's register online. Econo- mist Byron Schlomach (now at Goldwater Insti- tute) continued to advo- cate for transparency. |
| Byron Schlomach (L), Ryder Warren |
| JANUARY 2008 Trustee Marta Perez persuaded fellow board members and superintendent Rudy Crew to post Miami- Dade County Public schools checks. |
| SEPTEMBER 2007 Mark Kleinhans posted Montrose Schools' checks online. |
FL: Long-time Rudy Crew
supporter Miami Herald's
17% staff cuts; board
members seek Rudy's
dismissal; trustee Marta
Perez CBS4
supporter Miami Herald's
17% staff cuts; board
members seek Rudy's
dismissal; trustee Marta
Perez CBS4
| Texas school districts to have voluntarily posted its check register online (you'll see them listed at far left below on the U.S. roster) but also they have no credit cards for administrators, plus BISD takes exception- al care of the two merchant cards the district owns. But that's not the whole story. In a recent interview BISD superinten- dent John Hardwick quoted educator John Dewey, "'What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all of its children.' That's what we do here in Beeville," he says. "In celebrating our students and their day-to- day learning in the classroom with the same passion as the best and wisest of parents, we work on a daily basis to build trust with our parents and families. A component of building that trust is our financial transparency." |
| Beeville ISD (TX) Internal Controls |
| John Hardwick |
| Beeville ISD appears to have a firm grip on trans- parency. Not only is BISD among the first 20% of |
| Further addressing both trust and trans- parency, long-time community leader Gwen DeWitt, who helped the district pass its recent $12 million bond election, said, "Our hard-earned tax dollars fund the public school system and the only way for the public to accurately hold the schools accountable is to be aware of how funds are used. It is our desire to provide a quality education for our youth. It is appreciated when a school system makes every effort to provide financial transpar- ency and subsequent accountability to the taxpay- rs and parents. Beeville ISD provides this transpar- ency and accountability on a continuous basis." Hats off, Beeville ISD! (Posted June 24, 2008) |
| Regarding the two merchant cards, access is carefully monitored and the cards are kept in BISD's business office. "Anybody wanting to use one has to submit a purchase order first and it must be approved for that specific purchase and amount, then the card is returned immediately with the receipt," says CFO Linda O'Connell . "The few times anyone forgets, we go ask them for it by the end of the day." She adds, "It's the taxpayers' money." |
| Linda O'Connell |
| Beeville ISD administration building |
OR: Bridger
ES PTA's
Jackalin Lillie
arrested,
$13,000
embezzlement
charge
ES PTA's
Jackalin Lillie
arrested,
$13,000
embezzlement
charge
p u b l i c f r e e d o m s
| What was Alton Frailey thinking? By Peyton Wolcott Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 3:52 p.m. |
| What could have been going through this veteran respected Katy ISD superinten- dent's mind when he included limiting his community's access |
| Alton Frailey |
| to information regarding how he's spending their tax dollars and educating their schoolchildren on the agenda for last night's board meeting? Surprising that he'd consider this, given that they made such strides last year by voluntarily posting the district's check register online, but here's the agenda item: |
| AGENDA - REGULAR BOARD MEETING KATY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT / BOARD OF TRUSTEES EDUCATION SUPPORT COMPLEX BOARD ROOM/6301 SOUTH STADIUM LANE KATY, TEXAS MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2008 IX. Action 2. Consider Board approval of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Advocacy Resolutions. |
| Oh, you don't see the reported 18 TASB resolutions on Katy ISD's board agenda above? Oops! Neither could I. Somehow they weren't included in the agenda supplied to the public. Look for yourself here (scroll down to "Regular Meeting" on the right, then "June 23, 2008"). Well, we can all be thankful that Helen Eriksen and Jennifer Ratcliffe were on hand to tell us about it in this morning's Houston Chronicle: |
| The Katy school board on Monday backed off a plan to propose a law requiring those who want access to public records to first explain why the information's release would benefit the community. Katy officials say they're trying to stymie a flood of what they consider frivolous requests for open records. To that end, the school board intended to ask the Texas Association of School Boards to push for a new law to make information requestors justify themselves. But they canceled the vote just a few hours before the meeting because administra- tors said they don't want school board members to be criticized as being anti-open government. "I don't want our board to be conflicted and misconstrued and misrepresented as trying to thwart public information," superintendent Alton Frailey said. "I don't want this on the backs of the Katy board alone. I'm not wanting to carry the water, but I have put the bucket in the well." A draft of Katy's proposed resolution reads: "There is a growing trend where private citizens use provisions of this act to retaliate, harass and hold hostage the public school district when there clearly is no public interest being served." In May, Frailey told the school board that Katy was being terrorized by [493] public information requests. |
| Owning up to it here Friends, at least one of those 493 requests may have been consider- ed by Alton to have been from me. Let's back up. Even though I don't live in Katy ISD, according to TEA's most recent PEIMS actual financials for KISD, the district received $17.4 million in federal funds for the most recently reported period, and as a federal taxpayer this gives me a lively interest in where Alton was on Friday afternoon, April 18 -- the first day of the TAS/MUS spring confer- ence at Horseshoe Bay Resort. |
| First They Came First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a communist; Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a socialist; Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a trade unionist; Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a Jew; Then they came for me -- and there was no one left to speak out for me. -- Pastor Martin Niemoeller |
| Given that Alton is a TAS/MUS director, it seemed likely that he might have been golfing with the other administrators and vendors on some of Texas' finest links. But was he doing so -- if he was doing so -- at taxpayer expense? Sorry, Alton and his PR staff have not yet answered phone and email queries so you'll have to file a public records request to find out. Here's a friendly idea. Make it easier for them: Mark your request "Public Information Request #494." In the meantime, our friends in print didn't speak out very loudly last year when TASA/TASB made newspapers exempt from the onerous fees HB 2564 imposed on parents and taxpayers for public records. Here's hoping this new move by TASA/TASB will encourage the press association to speak up during this next Lege. |
| Texas superintendents golfing with vendors at Horseshoe Bay Resort on Friday, April 18, 2008 |
NOLA: Paul Vallas'
post-Philly sweet deal:
$250,00 no-bid contracts
A-okay
post-Philly sweet deal:
$250,00 no-bid contracts
A-okay
CO: HS principal
Mark Rangel
resigns: '"off the
premises / on the
job" affair with
SpEd coworker;
taxpayers angry
Mark Rangel
resigns: '"off the
premises / on the
job" affair with
SpEd coworker;
taxpayers angry
TX: Sandy Kress /
NCLB report:
"maybe ought to
strengthen the
system." Does this
mean "buy more
Pearson products?"
And:
NCLB report:
"maybe ought to
strengthen the
system." Does this
mean "buy more
Pearson products?"
And:
WI: 50+% increase in
NCLB "failing" schools
this year: from 95 to 156
NCLB "failing" schools
this year: from 95 to 156
MD: Fur coats? If this is
going on in city gov't, what's
happening in their
schools? Andre
Hornsby..John Q.Porter
going on in city gov't, what's
happening in their
schools? Andre
Hornsby..John Q.Porter
Why didn't the
Statesman
call Dave
Thompson a "paid
TASA lobbyist"? Or
"(failed)
SLAPP-suit lead
attorney"?
Statesman
call Dave
Thompson a "paid
TASA lobbyist"? Or
"(failed)
SLAPP-suit lead
attorney"?
| TX: Mesquite ISD board's self-investigation re coach Steve Halpin = nothing amiss! |
CA: 1-yr. $12K-search
supe resigns
supe resigns
CT: What's the story
behind these ?
behind these ?
IL: Payroll assistant charged
with embezzling $115,000; "said
she had worked many extra
hours for 3 years and deserved
more money."
with embezzling $115,000; "said
she had worked many extra
hours for 3 years and deserved
more money."
CT: Elementary teacher
called in sick to be on
Howard Stern; out, she
sues
called in sick to be on
Howard Stern; out, she
sues
TX: Dallas ISD (1) KPMG
audit (bye-bye Broad?) (2)
Police! Camera! Action! DISD
board meeting blog
audit (bye-bye Broad?) (2)
Police! Camera! Action! DISD
board meeting blog
WHO'S ADVISING YOUR
DISTRICT? Are they viable? UBS
arrests, First Southwest subpoenas
, Bear Stearns arrests
DISTRICT? Are they viable? UBS
arrests, First Southwest subpoenas
, Bear Stearns arrests
| IVORY COAST: Chocolate chair arrested (23 officials indicted)... coffee and cocoa- bean money laundering scandal...FBI |
TX: Former Overton
ISD supe/A&M
Commerce prof
MarkStrecher(R)
pleads guilty to theft;
$16,877 credit card
charges, no receipts,
surrendered SBEC
certificate; wife Terri
(R) OISD guidance
counselor and (rah,
rah) varsity
cheerleader coach.
ISD supe/A&M
Commerce prof
MarkStrecher(R)
pleads guilty to theft;
$16,877 credit card
charges, no receipts,
surrendered SBEC
certificate; wife Terri
(R) OISD guidance
counselor and (rah,
rah) varsity
cheerleader coach.
ID: HS teacher
Steven G. Best
accused of embezzling
$9,000+ from local
yearbook student
adviser's program
Steven G. Best
accused of embezzling
$9,000+ from local
yearbook student
adviser's program
NY: 5 DUI arrests in 7 years;
tenured Longwood teacher
Linda Cardone paid $113,559/
year; hasn't worked since 2004.
tenured Longwood teacher
Linda Cardone paid $113,559/
year; hasn't worked since 2004.
AP POLL: Half of
Americans say grads
ill-prepared for college--or
life.
Americans say grads
ill-prepared for college--or
life.
NC: Lee County supe Jim
McCormick out; local blogger/
mom asks about Jim's
"immoral conduct" -- How will
it affect her child? More.
(local press/TV here):
McCormick out; local blogger/
mom asks about Jim's
"immoral conduct" -- How will
it affect her child? More.
(local press/TV here):
| TX: Houston ISD PR guy Terry Abbott (moonlighting here for Eli Broad in OKC) resigns, HISD hiring outside PR firm; what's the status of HISD's supe's contract? |
LA: 3rd Baker supe in
year+ resigns
year+ resigns
TX: McAllen's "Team of Eight" appar-
ently not fans of "Texas Hold 'Em" --
otherwise they might have known
about their elementary AP's high
stakes in-home gambling operation
ently not fans of "Texas Hold 'Em" --
otherwise they might have known
about their elementary AP's high
stakes in-home gambling operation
OR: Former DOE model employee
sentenced to 2 years in prison for
stealing $925K in fed funds; $45K
employee with 4 kids bought $545K
house; OR DOE tightening internals
sentenced to 2 years in prison for
stealing $925K in fed funds; $45K
employee with 4 kids bought $545K
house; OR DOE tightening internals
