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Most Many of the employees of St. Louis Public Schools did not get paid today as scheduled. District spokesmen Johnny Little and Tony Sanders have not returned repeated calls, but sources in the district say the fault lies in the treasurer's office.
As we reported earlier this week, Superintendent Creg Williams turned those duties over to the district's interim chief financial officer, Cedric Lewis, after Enos Moss suddenly resigned from the post three weeks ago.
Developing...
UPDATE 1: Mary Armstrong, the president of the teachers' union, said today's payroll mistake affects all of the district's employees who get paid by direct deposit. She said she has asked the superintendent to make paper checks available to those employees today for pick-up at the district headquarters.
She said she has also asked the district to prepare letters addressed to the creditors of those employees facing non-sufficient funds (NSF) and late fees because of the today's error.
UPDATE 2: Tony Sanders, a district spokesman, said that principals are collecting names those teachers that "want or need" to get paid today and that checks will be delivered to those employees at the school sometime this afternoon.
Sanders would not say how the mistake occured, except to call it a "human error." He would not identify the particular human at fault.
UPDATE 3: Two thousand (out of approximately 5,000) employees were affected by today's direct deposit transmission error. District spokesman Tony Sanders pointed out that that is not "most" of the district's employees. And so we have corrected our original post to reflect that.
Sanders also wanted to clear up a couple of other things. He said the decision to give paper checks to only those employees who requested one was because had checks been written to all 2,000 employees, you would have some employees who would not be available today to receive them. Due to Independence Day holiday, some staff members would then not receive their pay until they returned next week -- or later for employees who are on vacation. It would also be difficult to notify those employees.
Sanders also pointed out that the error impacted all staff members who utilize direct deposit, not just teachers, as some have suggested.
UPDATE 4: Contrary to a promise from Dr. Williams emailed to all district staff, some employees did not receive paper checks by the end of the day. We are told that those employees who bank at U.S. Bank should see the funds available tomorrow. Those that bank at other institutions should see their funds available on Monday, July 3.
UPDATE 5: Here's a video of an interview we did this afternoon with the Local 420's president, Mary Armstrong...
Since we obtained a copy of Superintendent Creg Williams' contract last week, after a formal Sunshine Law request, we have received many requests for information about its contents. As a public service, we are making it available for download.
Click here to download this week's print(able) edition of PUB DEF Weekly. Copy, Print, Share.
As always, feel free to print out as many as you like and share them with friends, neighbors and co-workers.
And for all you activist types, make dozens -- or even hundreds -- of copies and drop stacks at local coffee shops, watering holes, in City Hall, or on campus (We look best on 11x17 sheets of paper, folded once).
Superintendent May Have Overreached Authority in Teacher Firings
By Antonio D. French
Superintendent Creg Williams may have overreached his authority when he made roughly 1,000 teachers reapply for their jobs a few weeks ago. The superintendent's contract expressly states that while he can recommend such firings or reassignments, it is up to the Board of Education to approve such moves. To date, the board has not been asked to vote on these reassignments.
PUB DEF obtained a copy of the superintendent's contract last week after a formal Sunshine Law request. Under the superintendent's description of duties, it states that Williams is responsible for "recommending to the Board for approval, all personnel for employment and termination, and directing, assigning and reassigning all personnel in the District."
As we reported earlier, several board members were upset to learn that Williams had assigned the duties of the distrist's treasurer to Interim Chief Financial Officer Cedric Lewis without approval or even consultation with the board.
One board member told PUB DEF that Williams should be reminded that the superintendent is accountable to the board, not the other way around.
Hundreds of teachers are still waiting to learn whether they will have jobs in the district next year. Many have expressed anger over the way they have been treated by the district. Some veteran teachers have already accepted jobs in other districts.
In the three week since St. Louis Public School's treasurer abruptly resigned, Superintendent Creg Williams still has not asked the school board to approve a new one. In the meantime, without a vote of the board, the district's interim chief financial officer, Cedric Lewis, has also been serving as the acting treasurer.
Nearly three weeks ago, Enos Moss suddenly resigned as treasurer of the St. Louis Public Schools. Although the district has repeatedly declined to comment, some people believe that his quick departure was related to a $4.2 million bill from the district's Pension Board.
That bill was delivered to the district in December 2005, but did not come to the attention of the Williams or Lewis until six months later. And since it was not included in this year's budget drafts, next year's projected budget deficit literally doubled overnight.
That Williams has not asked for board approval of Moss' replacement is a source of controversy in the district and on the school board. Board President Veronica O'Brien told PUB DEF that Williams was asked to present a resolution to the board for approval, which he has not done yet.
Board approval for personnel reassignments is something that is clearly spelled out in Williams' contract, which was obtained by PUB DEF last week after a Sunshine Law request.
"It was my understanding that the board should approve this change," said O'Brien. She said that is especially needed for a position as sensitive as treasurer, whose name appears on all of the district's checks.
District spokesperson Tony Sanders could not tell us whose name is currently on district checks.
Bill Purdy, vice-president of the school board, said he was "disappointed that the superintendent has chosen to challenge the board's authority." He said Williams could have called a special meeting to at least inform the board of his selection.
"The superintendent would be wise to recognize that board members are elected by the vote of citizens," said Purdy. "It is that same board that hires and evaluates the performance of the superintendent."
"Superintendents are directly accountable to the board of education and not the other way around," he said.
The following was submitted by Rebecca Rogers from the University of Missouri St. Louis:
During a time when teachers' voices and actions are silenced and disregarded, we look to our colleagues and allies who dare to take a stand.
The Courageous Educator Award will be given to educators who have exhibited courage in the face of unjust educational "reforms". This is a call for nominees who demonstrate what educational change looks like in action.
The educator nominated for this award can teach in any formal or informal setting across the lifespan. Award winners will be recognized in a special ceremony at the Second Annual Educating for Change Fair held at the International Institute on September 30, 2006. The Educating for Change Curriculum fair is sponsored by the Literacy for Social Justice Teacher Research Group and The Literacy Roundtable.
Examples of actions towards educational change might include:
> Speaking out against unjust practices > Developing alternative options to rigid, scripted curricula > Running for political office > Writing/talking about their teaching practices in public forums and other acts of activism > Taking an action on behalf of other educators/students > Displaying a commitment to high student achievement measured not only through standardized test scores but through qualitative measures including leadership, community building, etc. > Advocating for students and teachers rights
We are currently seeking nominations for the Courageous Educator Award. Nominations will be accepted through September 1, 2006. Please submit a one-page description of the person you are nominating for this award. Include why this person is deserving of this award, their name and contact information and your name and contact information. Send your nominations to Dr. Rebecca Rogers by email at rogers3948@aol.com or by mail:
Dr. Rebecca Rogers University of Missouri St. Louis College of Education 369 Marillac Hall One University Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63121-4400
For more information about the Educating for Change Curriculum Fair, to join the planning committee or to learn more about the Literacy for Social Justice Teacher Research group, go to our website: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~mrmosley/lsjtrg/
The following is a letter from an exiting administrator in St. Louis Public Schools:
Since I am now leaving the BOE (my position for improving student performance on ACT and AP examinations has been eliminated), I feel less encumbered to avoid political controversy (If this sound like "sour grapes," it isn't!).
I would suggest that there are a number of reasons that the district fails to attract and keep competent "certificated" teachers. Among them are:
1. low wages and few rewards
2. a lack of a real mentoring program for new and inexperienced teachers
3. a lack of a real professional development program that encourages teachers and administrators to pursue professional development outside of the district confines (summer institutes, professional conferences, meaningful in-service, etc.)
4. continued threats and abuse of teachers by district functionaries and school administrators, school staff (such as Data Processors, secretaries, and the like)
5. lack of an effective assessment and evaluation program to identify and remove dysfunctional teachers or to assist salvageable teachers in retraining themselves
6. lack of teaching resources in the schools (textbooks, paper, materials, computers that work, etc.) that cause great frustration among the teaching cadre (mostly the result of poor planning on the part of the 801 leadership)
7. micro-management of curriculum and instruction by district functionaries, including the Superintendent
8. inept hiring practices by the senior administration of failed functionaries from failed school districts and failed schools to assume leadership roles in the district office and to develop and implement policies (Do we really need this kind of "expertise" in St. Louis?)
9. constant miscommunication between the district office, the school administrators, the schools instructional leaders, and teachers, not to mention "mixed messages" and regular reversal of directives emanating from 801
10. inept management, leadership, and staffing in the Human Relations function
11. an exaggerated focus by the Superintendent on Public Relations, on form over substance, on shallow initiatives over substantive actions, and on personality over proficiency, to name but a few failure by the senior administration to be inclusive and open to suggestions, critical assessment, and ideas from subordinates in the field
12. unwillingness by the senior administration to recognize substantial contributions of teachers and school administrators in making educational opportunities work for students (especially if those successes are the result of individual initiative rather than direction from the "front office")
13. too much reliance on "canned" programs that address symptoms rather than the illness (students can't read or calculate) that require teachers to expend excessive effort on learning the newest "fad" each only to have it discarded the next year (Step Up to Writing, Reading 180, Reading First, Voyager Math and English, etc.)
14. inconsistent and insufficient application of programs in schools in the district causing teachers and administrators (not to mention students) to learn new programs at multiple levels and students to adjust to several programs as they are mobile.
These are but a few of the problems that the senior administration has failed to address and the problems it has created. The veneer of leadership is very thin in this administration and until the real issues of educational access and opportunity are addressed and fixed, the district will continue to fail under the current leadership. Good teachers will not come and good teachers will not stay as long as these practices persist.
There is a distinct impression (and perception) by numerous teachers and school administrators that the Superintendent is building his resume for his next high paying position on the backs of St. Louis Public School students. For good or ill, perception is reality.
Sincerely,
Sterling P. Cossaboom, PhD Secondary Professional Development Manager AP and ACT Director, St. Louis Board of Education
Emeritus Professor of Music and Founding Director of Advanced Placement Teacher Development Southeast Missouri State University
The St. Louis City Teachers' Union Committee on Political Education (COPE) has recommended that the union endorse State Rep. Amber Boykins for state senate.
COPE also recommended former school board member Bill Haas be endorsed in his campaign against State Rep. Rodney Hubbard. We are told that Hubbard never showed up for his scheduled interview with the teachers.
It has been prematurely reported by another website that Local 420 has already endorsed. The union's executive board is not bound to accept the committee's recommendation. Local 420 is expected to announce its full list of endorsements later this week.
Here is a video of all five of the candidates running for state senate discussing the state of St. Louis Public Schools. The candidates are State Reps Amber Boykins and Yaphett El-Amin, former State Rep. Derio Gambaro, former Alderman Kenny Jones, and college professor Jeff Smith.
This video was taped Tuesday morning at a debate hosted by the RCGA. See more videos at www.pubdef.net.
The following is by Peter Downs, member of the St. Louis Board of Education:
What's the problem with teachers?
Over the last few months, the dominant media in town have focused on conflicts between the superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools and teachers in the district. The superintendent lashes out at the teachers and the teachers' union responds with a vote of no confidence. It makes for interesting reading, but I think it misses the crucial issues. Instead of asking what is wrong with teachers, we should be asking a completely different question.
What is wrong with St. Louis Public Schools such that we cannot hire enough qualified teachers?
Since 2003, the school district has cut teaching positions almost twice as fast as enrollment dropped, yet we still have hundreds of classrooms staffed by uncertificated teachers.
Since 2003, the school district has cut over 1/5 of its teachers, but still failed to meet the No Child Left Behind requirement for a certified teacher in every classroom.
In August '03, William Roberti, then acting as superintendent, reported that the district had 3,496 teaching positions the previous year, which is when enrollment was about 40,000. Of those positions, he reported that about 570 were filled by substitutes and other teachers without certificates. He proposed to eliminate all of those positions, but was unable to do so for the simple reason that the state puts a limit on how many children can be under one teacher.
In June '04, he said the district had 3,165 teachers, and 200 of those accepted a deal to retire early so that the school district could reduce the number of teachers again.
Fast forward to June '06. Williams' budget papers state that the district had 2,765 teaching positions during the 2005-2006 year, which is 731 or 21% fewer than three years before, and enrollment had decllined to 35,000. So, in the period when enrollment declined by 12%, the number of teaching positions fell by 21%.
Of those 2,765 teaching positions, Williams told the school board that about 300 were filled by substitutes and teachers without certificates.
In May, Williams reported that he received word from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that it was prepared to penalize the school district for failing to meet the NCLB requirement that all children be taught by "highly qualified" teachers. He said the school district could lose up to $5 million unless it presented the state with a plan for staffing every classroom with a certificated teacher.
Williams' answer is to cut over 300 teaching positions, the uncertificated teachers, and budget for just 2,459 teaching positions in 2006-2007. That's a 30% cut in teaching positions in four years.
The school district has tried to cut its way to qualified teachers before and it did not work. I do not think it will work now, either. Williams strategy assumes that certified teachers will not leave, which we already know is happening anyway, or that the district will suddenly be able to hire replacements. Historically, however, as fast as the district has cut teaching positions, qualified teachers have left even faster.
Those who rant about teachers or the teachers union miss the point: it is a free market for teachers. They can go wherever they want. In the competition to employ teachers who meet the requirements of the law, SLPS is losing.
The real issue is not 'who is going to win, Williams or the union?' The real issue is what can we do to retain experience certified teachers in the district, and how can we convince more certificated teachers to come here?
The American Federation of School Administrators, Local 44, which represents administrative staff and principals in the St. Louis Public Schools recently congratulated some of its members on being recognized by the state as some of the top performing principals in Missouri.
FROM DESE'S HIGHEST PERFORMING LIST: Peabody Elementary- Cheryle Spann Bryan Hill Elementary- Carole Johnson Kennard CJA Elementary- Merry Denny McKinley CJA Middle-Brenda Smith Metro High- Wilfred Moore
FROM DESE'S MOST IMPROVED LIST: Clark Elementary- Cynthia Warren Hamilton Elementary- Glenda Bryant Cole Elementary-Stella Erondu Peabody Elementary- Cheryle Spann Columbia Elementary- Judith Durham Herzog Elementary- Deirdre Jackson Hodgen Elementary- Vasilika Tsichlis Lexington- Barbara Anderson Mark Twain Elementary- Arthelda Busch Bryan Hill Elementary- Carole Johnson Laclede Elementary- The Late Yolanda Moss Carr Lane VPA- Melba Davis Blow Middle- Jim Lange Pruitt Military- Herbert Buie
Legendary activist Percy Green has for decades been at the forefront of the struggle for civil rights and equality for African-Americans, a goal that over the years has found Green dangling from the Gateway Arch, sitting in the St. Louis City jail, and all points in between.
Green wrote an open letter this week to the members of the school board asking them not to renew the contract of Superintendent Creg Williams.
"It is my observation that the new board majority of the St. Louis Board of Education should NOT renew the contract... in the interest of spending taxpayers money wisely, establishing common-sense decision making, and exemplifying competence in the St. Louis Public school system," wrote Green.
In November 2003, Green found himself in handcuffs because of his opposition to the leadership of the last board majority. He was dragged from a meeting of the Board after a member of the SLPS security team claimed he was trying to incite a riot.
Green denied that charge and after hearing testimony from three witnesses, including school board member Bill Purdy, and judge agreed, finding Green not guilty Wednesday of all charges.
The 72 year-old activist continues to speak out about the direction of public education in St. Louis. "If the new board majority renews Williams' contract, knowing what it now knows," wrote Green, "then they would bring their own credibility into question."
"Neither the public nor I will see the difference between the new board and the old one, which would be most unfortunate for the public school children in the St. Louis community, and the future of everyone who live and learn in this community."
Click here to watch and download exclusive video of our interview with Percy Green.
Starting July 1, the St. Louis Public Schools will be operating without a new budget. The school board yesterday rejected the budget proposed by Superintendent Creg Williams which would have added $4 million to the already $26 million deficit the district is currently operating under.
Board member Bob Archibald, who voted in favor of passing the budget, said he did so reluctantly, knowing that it did not address the financial crisis which the district faces. Board member Bill Purdy, who voted against the budget, pointed to several large expenses in the administrative budget which he said might be cut in light of the deficit which Williams said would rise to $50 million next year.
Williams defended his budget, which included an $8 million raise for the teachers, saying that many of the administrative expenses were small in comparison to the cost of such things as health care and the rising cost of utilities, which he said the district has no control over.
Williams said that no amount of cuts to the administrative budget will save the district from the budget crisis that he said will hit SLPS next year. "These are problems that this district has and we need to face them once and for all and stop pointing the finger at one another!" said Williams.
The board rejected the budget by a vote of 4-3 with only Archibald, Ron Jackson and Flint Fowler voting to pass it.
Just as occured last year, the district will continue to operate under the old budget until a new one is passed. District spokesperson Tony Sanders said that means no new monies will be spent on such things as pay raises or added health care costs until they are allotted in a new budget, which might occur at the July 18 meeting of the board.
VIDEO: School Board Asks Superintendent to Report Back on Ending Maintenance Contract
By Antonio D. French
Representatives from several labor unions addressed the school board yesterday in opposition to a proposal to look at bringing the district's maintenance work back in-house and ending a contract with Sodexho USA, the company which SLPS outsourced its maintenance work to two years ago.
Rudy Smith, of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562, asked the board if SLPS would honor the raises already agreed upon between the unions and Sodexho if their workers again became employees of the district.
"Would they guarantee re-employeement or will they have to re-apply for their jobs and be treated like the teachers?" asked Smith.
The contract with Sodexho has been a source of controversy since it was first entered into by former Superintendent Bill Roberti and the management firm that he worked for. Many parents, teachers and board members have been critical of the level of service that the company has supplied to SLPS.
Many point to the maintenance issues at Cleveland High School which have led to the students being relocated as an example of the neglect which has occured at some schools under Sodexho's watch.
Near the end of last night's meeting, the board approved a motion by Peter Downs to ask the superintendent to present to the board in September a report on the feasability of bringing those employees back in-house.
Board member Bob Archibald said the move undermined the superintendent, who he said had already promised to do such a study.
The board passed the motion 4-3 with board members Archibald, Ron Jackson and Flint Fowler voting against it.
VIDEO: Board asks Williams to take another look at the administrative expenses
By Antonio D. French
The school board voted last night to ask Superintendent Creg Williams to take another look at the district's administrative structure and see if there isn't any more fat to trim.
School board member Peter Downs said he made the motion in light of the district's current budget woes, which were again spelled out Tuesday by Williams and Cedric Lewis, the acting chief financial officer.
Earlier in the evening, the superintendent delivered a passionate defense of his administration after board member Bill Purdy brought attention to several items in the superintendent's budget which caught his eye.
Williams said that no amount of cuts to the administrative budget will save the district from the $50 million crisis that he said will hit SLPS next year. "These are problems that this district has and we need to face them once and for all and stop pointing the finger at one another!" said Williams.
The board passed the motion 4-3 with board members Ron Jackson, Bob Archibald and Flint Fowler voting against it.
VIDEO: Board gets on board to help save Cleveland High, will maintain and secure
By Antonio D. French
As was expected, the St. Louis School Board voted last night to move the students and staff of Cleveland NJROTC High School to Pruitt Middle School. They also voted to approve a proposal to work with the newly formed group dedicated to raising private funds to repair and upgrade Cleveland with the goal of eventually bringing the students back.
The resolution, proposed by board member Bill Purdy, also directed the district to continue to provide basic maintenance and security to Cleveland after relocation so that the building is not vandalized and does not fall further into disrepair.
Purdy's resolution replaced one approved earlier in the meeting which was submitted by Superintendent Creg Williams. Williams' proposal also moved the students out of Cleveland for the 2006-2007 school year, but it did not address what SLPS was going to do with the building once empty.
Board members Ron Jackson and Bob Archibald said they believed that the issue of repairing Cleveland should not be considered seperate from the numerous aging buildings owned by the district, each with their own structural and maintenance-related problems.
Archibald added that he believes the district still has too many schools for the number of students it serves. "We really need to have seventysome schools, not ninetysome," he said. He suggested that Cleveland be included in a broader discussion held over the next three months on how to address the district's infrastructure problems.
Several people addressed the board on the issue of preserving the 93 year-old building, including Alderman Craig Schmid; attorney Matt Ghio, a board member of Landmarks Association which has joined the Alliance to Save Cleveland High; and Travis Reems, also a member of the Alliance. See videos:
The board approved the measure with Archibald, Jackson, and Board President Veronica O'Brien voting against it.
The Saint Louis Board of Education will meet tonight, June 13, at Carr Lane VPA Middle School, 1004 N. Jefferson Ave.
A closed executive session will begin at 5:00 p.m. The open meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the school auditorium. The agendas are as follows, via the district's website:
EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA
1) Call to Order 2) Roll Call 3) Motion to move to closed session 4) Approval of minutes 5) Real Estate 6) Personnel Matters 7) Motion to return to open session 8) Recess
OPEN SESSION AGENDA
1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Pledge of Allegiance 4. Board Officer Elections 5. "We're Up To Good Things" 6. Public Comments 7. Approval of Minutes a) Regular Meeting, May 9, 2006 b) Special Meeting, May 23, 2006 8. Superintendent's Report a) Finance Report i) Monthly Year-To-Date Report ii) FY 2006-2007 Budget Presentation b) Consent Agenda c) Announcements 9. President's Report a) End of session legislative update b) New Business 10. Information/Request 11. Board member travel 12. Announcement 10. Adjournment
So how does a bill for $2 million get delivered to St. Louis Public Schools in December 2005, but not come to the attention of the superintendent or the chief financial officer until last Monday?
"The district is in the process of investigating this matter. At this time we are unable to release any information," answered Johnny Little, the district's public information director.
On Tuesday, June 6, Superintendent Creg Williams informed the school board that next year's budget is currently $4 million over budget -- double what was thought just a few days before. Williams said the reason was that a bill from the district's Pension Board just landed on his desk Monday, after apparently being recieved by someone in SLPS six months before.
Little declined to say whether this situation is at all related to the sudden resignation this week of the district's treasurer, Enos Moss.
St. Louis Public Schools' chief financial officer delivered some bad and some worse news to the school board Tuesday night.
Cedric Lewis said that the estimated $2 million deficit in next year's budget is actually closer to $4 million. But Lewis and Superintendent Creg Williams said that the district is facing a real financial crisis in November 2007. At that time, according to Williams, the state's largest school district will be $50 million in the red.
"A lot of employees don't understand that right now, their payroll checks are being tendered by the loan that we borrowed against the Deseg funds," said Lewis.
Williams told the board that at the end of next year SLPS will have what he described as a "cash flow problem."
Board member Ron Jackson asked Williams, considering the looming financial crisis, if it was wise to be giving raises to employees this year and creating new programs which have yet to be funded.
The superintendent said it was his recommendation to continue for now with the present agreements that the district has made with employees.
Williams said the district must be aware of its financial situation in future decision-making and that he and the board should develop a plan of how they will pay their bills 18 months from now.
The vice-president of the teachers union asked the St. Louis Board of Education yesterday to put on next week's regular board meeting agenda a proposal to require employees who have opted not to join the union to pay union fees.
"We have to service all the employees in the bargaining units, and we do, and it seems only fair that non-members... pay a small incremental fee," said Byron Clemens, VP of Local 420.
Clemens called the proposal a "fair share" program. But board member Ron Jackson questioned its timing.
"Why is Local 420 bringing this proposal forward at this time?" asked Jackson. Clemens said it seemed like a good time.
The school board resolved to asked Superintendent Creg Williams and representatives of the union to "meet and confer" about the proposal before next week's meeting.
VIDEO: CFO Tells Board Next Year's Deficit Double What Originally Thought
By Antonio D. French
The chief financial officer of the St. Louis Public Schools had some more bad news for the school board at last night's meeting. The roughly $2 million shortfall for the 2006-2007 budget is actually more like $4 million.
Superintendent Creg Williams told the board that the district received a $4.2 million bill from the district's pension fund in December, but he and Cedric Lewis, the acting CFO, didn't find out about it until Monday. He said that $2.1 million of that is due this year and the rest is due next year.
The additional $2 million deficit plus the components of Williams' "strategic plan" initiatives, many of which have yet to be funded, puts the district on shaky financial ground for next budget year. But the real trouble starts in 2007-08, according to Lewis.
The CFO has estimated that SLPS will faces a budget crisis of approximately $50 million by November 2007. Check back later for a video report on this issue.
Superintendent Creg Williams recommended to the school board at tonight's administrative meeting that students from Cleveland NJROTC High School be moved to Pruitt Military Academy Middle School. The board will vote on the recommendation at next week's regular board meeting.
Board member Bill Purdy motioned to have a resolution added to next week's agenda that would affirm the district's committment to work with the Cleveland alumni and members of the surrounding community in any efforts to raise private funds to help repair the 93 year-old school.
Purdy said he also wanted to see those parts of the building that are still usable, such as the gymnasium and football fields, be made available to relocated Cleveland students and the community.
Pruitt, which would become a 7-12th grade school, is a smaller building than Cleveland and has no field or gym for the existing Cleveland football and basketball teams to practice.
With Pruitt's limited capacity in mind, board member Peter Downs made a motion to ask the superintendent to considering re-openning one of the 16 schools closed by Alverez and Marsal Inc. when they managed the district in 2003.
That motion failed to get the needed majority with board president Veronica O'Brien acting as the tying vote. Joining her in voting against were Ron Jackson and Robert Archibald. Voting for were Downs, Purdy and Donna Jones.
Board member Flint Fowler left the meeting early and was not present at the time of the vote.
Board May Fire Controversial Sodexho, Will Also Look at Cutting Administrative Fat
By Antonio D. French
School board member Peter Downs made a motion at tonight's administrative meeting to have the superintendent look at cancelling the district's contract with controversial maintenance contractor Sodexho.
By a vote of 4-2, the board voted to add to next week's regular board meeting agenda a resolution to ask Superintendent Creg Williams to come back to the board by September with a plan on how to bring the services currently being performed by Sodexho back in-house.
Voting against the motion were board members Robert Archibald and Ron Jackson. Joining Downs voting in favor were Donna Jones, Bill Purdy and board president Veronica O'Brien.
O'Brien voted against Down's original motion to have Williams come back to the board with a plan in one month. Williams said that he needed more time to review such a large contract.
Downs also made a motion to add to next week's agenda a resolution to ask Williams to take another look at the administrative budget of the district to see it there is any area where money can be saved. Downs said doing so would set a good example when principals, teachers, and support staff are being asked to tighten their belts.
That motion passed by the same vote. Board member Flint Fowler left the meeting early and was not present at the time of either vote.
Check back tomorrow for a video report on the looming financial crisis facing SLPS.
LETTER: Parents Disrespected, Not Told about Summer Transportation Changes
By Antonio D. French
The following letter is from Marya Green, a parent at Madison School:
Instant messaging, what a wonderful tool for the 21st century. My teenager seems to have mastered the art of sending text messages. I have often scolded her for doing so. My cell phone company charges extra for this type of communication. I won't be scolding her for the one she sent me yesterday.
At 9:30 am Monday I was notified that there won't be transportation for summer school. That was the first day of summer school. I was not informed by my child's school, a magnet high school with students that come from both the city and the county. I was not informed by the school district. I was sent a text message.
Now, I'm not one of those last-minute parents. I made inquiries about transportation for summer school. I was told by my child's counselor and the school social worker that they were unsure. They stated that there might not be transportation for summer school but that there wasn't confirmation of this yet. I was assured by my child's counseler that I would be notified about transportation before the end of the regular school year. I tried calling the transportation office but that office isn't good about answering the phone.
After receiving the text from my teen I called the school. The person on the phone was rude and told me that letters were sent out. I don't know when those letters were sent. No one I talked to knew anything as of five days before the end of the school year. I was told to "call Creig Williams and complain to him."
That was the suggestion given to me from the school my child attends.
My child attends a magnet school. Magnet school students come from all over the St. Louis area, not just the city. Not every parent drives a car or has bus fare. Public transportation may not serve every student who needs to get to summer school. Buses from St. Louis County are not as frequent as those in the city.
It would have been nice to have been informed about this before the start of summer school.
The following letter is from Kathy Hull, a teacher at Madison School:
Over here at Madison School we still have no official word of the school's closing. When Bill Parker met with us, we were told that moving the student body to Mullanphy is a proposal. We have boxed the school and moved out our personal possessions, yet nothing is official.
Because nothing is official, we are in limbo when it comes to jobs for next year, and the vacancy list that was promised to us weeks ago has not appeared. There is some question about whether it will ever appear. Maybe we will just be reassigned at the will of Human Resources.
I have 20 years of devotion to this school district. I really think I should receive better treatment. I think I should know where teachers have retired, where new positions may exist, and where teachers may be out on sick leave at the very least. The list could be updated weekly as more information becomes available.
With them waiting so long to post the open jobs, a lot of jobs may be filled by word of mouth. (Teachers telling their friends and relatives about retirees, etc.) I know when Waring closed, I discovered that my top 3 choices were listed as vacancies, but the principal at each school told me that there was no vacancy, since he or she already had a person for that position.
You may forward this message to anyone you think may be interested.
Tuesday's administrative meeting of the St. Louis Board of Education WILL NOT be at its normal location at the district's headquarters. The meeting will instead be at Carr Lane Middle School, 1004 N. Jefferson Ave. District officials say the move is to accommodate the larger than normal crowd which is expected.
A special meeting of the Board will begin at 5:00 p.m. and will be closed to the public. A second meeting at 7:00 is the Board's monthly Administrative Meeting. Here are the agendas from the district's website:
CLOSED SESSION AGENDA
1) Call to Order 2) Roll Call 3) Motion to move to closed session 4) Legal Matters 5) Real Estate 6) Personnel Matters 7) Motion to return to open session 8) Adjourn
OPEN SESSION AGENDA
1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Placement of Items on the June 13, 2006 Regular Board Meeting Agenda a) Pledge of Allegiance b) Board Officer Elections c) We Are Up to Good Things d) Public Comments e) Approval of Minutes f) Superintendent's Report i) Finance Report (1) Monthly Year-To-Date Report (2) FY 2006-2007 Budget Presentation ii) Consent Agenda iii) Announcements g) President's Report i) End of session legislative update h) New Business i) Information/Request j) Board member travel k) Announcements 4. Special Presentation - FY 2006-2007 Budget Presentation 5. Adjournment
VIDEO: New Alliance Says Cleveland High School Can (and Should) be Fixed
By Antonio D. French
Members of a new group dedicated to stopping any attempt to permanently close Cleveland NJROTC High School gathered this morning at the school to present their position to the public and the press.
Debbie Irwin, of the Dutchtown South Community Corporation and the new Alliance to Save Cleveland High, said the mission of the Alliance is to assist the school district in creating a modern, safe, state-of-the-art Cleveland High School with academic excellence for its students.
Irwin said that would include helping to raise the needed funds to renovate the school. But she said the alliance would first like to get a better estimate of how much it will actually cost to make Cleveland a healthy place for students.
"We do not believe that it will cost $20 million," said Irwin referencing an estimate given by Superintendent Creg Williams. She said that figure includes $10 million to air condition the building, $9 million of which has already been funded through a bond issue.
Aldermen Dorothy Kirner (25th Ward), Craig Schmid (20th Ward) and Fred Wessels (13th Ward) attended today's event. As well as school board members Veronica O'Brien and Bill Purdy.
In an exclusive video interview with PUB DEF, Purdy gave a bit of the history of how Cleveland got in its present state of disrepair.
Teachers Vote "No Confidence" in Williams, asks for Schoemehl's resignation
By Antonio D. French
At a special meeting yesterday, the St. Louis Teachers' Union unanimously voted "no confidence" in Superintendent Creg Williams and his administration.
Approximately 600 of Local 420's members showed up to vote on Sunday, according to union officials.
Mary Armstrong, the union's president, said the union has several issues with the district, including: more than 1,000 teachers having to re-apply for their jobs after Williams moved to reorganize 13 schools, continuing payroll mistakes, summer school assignments, and salary schedules. Click here to see the union's top 20 issues.
KSDK is reporting that the union also asked for the resignation of former school board member Vince Schoemehl from the school system's pension board.
"We contend that Mr. Schoemehl is not a valid stakeholder in the pension system," Armstrong told Channel 5.
Top 20 Policy Statement Violations & Membership Issues:
1. Unjust hiring/transfer procedures for the reconstitution and restructuring of 13 schools.
2. Continued failure to pay Paraprofessionals for required extra time worked.
3. Stalling tactics used to prevent Salary Schedules and J.A.Qs (Job Analysis Questionnaires) for Paraprofessionals and Secretarial/Clerical employees.
4. Lack of accountability for continued payroll mistakes.
5. Failure to address increasing physical and verbal assaults on employees.
6. Failure to adopt "Zero Tolerance Discipline Policy".
7. Increasing suspensions/terminations of employees for unjust and unsubstantiated charges.
8. Ineffective and inappropriate curriculum pacing and materials which fail to address different learning abilities and levels of students.
9. Failure to allow teachers' professional judgment in the classroom.
10. Drastic decreases in Special Education services and resources, lack of training on curriculum, failure of SIS system, increased caseloads, excessive paperwork.
11. Failure to follow policies concerning assignments, transfers, and promotion of Safety Officers.
12. Inconsistent use of agreed-upon Performance Based Evaluation documents and procedures.
13. Repeated postponements of required steps in the Grievance Procedure.
14. Repeated cancellations of monthly Labor Management Meetings.
15. Failure to pay some employees for Spring Break Entitlement.
16. Lack of clear policy concerning status of Curriculum Coaches.
17. Lack of required consultation with Local 420 concerning PTO and vacation day usage during blackout periods.
18. Stalling salary increases for Librarians for two years.
19. Lost/improper handling of certification paperwork.
20. Continued lack of R-E-S-P-E-C-T for employees.
As one of the seven school board members, who must vote on the disposition of the ROTC program currently at Cleveland High School, many, many people have asked me what my opinion on the proposed moves of the Junior ROTC and Classical Junior Academy programs from Cleveland and McKinley Schools.
I think we should move the students out of Cleveland while we work on a plan with community representatives to repair and reopen Cleveland as a high school.
Some people may argue that since the old school board refused to work with north side communities when it closed 16 schools three years ago, this board should not work with south side communities now. I opposed the board's action three years ago. I do not believe that wrong doing by school board members three years ago in any way sets a precedent that I must follow today.
I have seen nothing, either in Superintendent Williams' presentation or in the tour of damage that Cleveland's principal gave me, that indicates there is any structural damage to facility, although I did see a lot of cosmetic damage.
I think the history and architectural significance of the building have value. During the public hearing, I heard representatives from different parts of the community express their willingness to work to both determine a repair plan and raise money to help carry it out.
I think the school board should explore the offers of help from the community for repairing and reopening the school. The potential for private help to preserve and update the existing facility could make that course much cheaper for the school district than the alternative that Williams put forward, that of tearing down the facility and building new.
As for McKinley, I think it makes no sense to mess with a successful program that regularly ranks among the top ten in the state. I think the Classical Junior Academy should stay where it is and the school district should look elsewhere for a temporary home for the ROTC program that is currently at Cleveland.
I am not speaking here for anyone else. These opinions are the personal opinions of just one of the seven school board members.
