Hey there fellow bloggers, tax payers & District employees. Since this seems to be the most recent, urgent & volatile issue requiring action on someone's part - I am attaching the following info in the hope it gets read.
Here are a few more numbers for you to chew on:
Administrator's salaries for the upcoming 07-08 school year are at ten million two-hundred thousand dollars (that's $10,200,000.00). This figure reflects an increase over the previous year of $550,000.00 which works out roughly to be a 5.7% increase (if my calculations are wrong, please someone correct me).
The cost of living increase accepted by Fortune 500 companies and the national average is 3.2%.
Can anyone explain to me why our District administrators qualify for this comparatively large increase? Especially in light of our budget cuts coming up in 08-09 and no raises for classified or certified staff (cuts having been announced) how can this be? Who passes these increases? We know the School Board (yes, them again) awarded the Superintendent another raise based upon "performance" paying him over $200,000.00 a year. That's $40,000.00 in raises in 2 years! I don't remember being asked if I thought he was doing a great job and was deserving of this. Were any other employees or community members involved in this decision? Shouldn't we all be involved in some way with his review? (I think maybe Mark's website is a reflection of this only too late.)
We are facing a budget deficit of 6 million dollars. One negative additional contribution to this figure was the missed prediction that our enrollment would increase when it actually has decreased by 247 students which translates to a loss of $1 million (according to the Herald). A few years ago this forecast was short 22 students and the Budget Analyst responsible for the prediction was "let go" having this cited as the reason (even though most other Districts suffered similar losses using the same formula). Additionally, this occurred to him after providing years of excellent service and the distinction as being one of the most consistent and successful in the State. The current analyst who missed this is now being groomed for management.
Supposedly sacrifices are having to be made. Unfortunately the previously mentioned (ignorant, sycophantic and completely useless yes men in) middle management who are comfortably raking in $110,000.00 per annum for doing nothing are not considered sacrificial. There is no justice. However many arrows are available in this quiver to aim at the top administrators and board members they are sure to close ranks.
An historical reminder: the peasants are rallying just outside the castle...
Fun Factoid: The federal government's Secretary of State, Dr. Condoleezza Rice and the Secretary of Defense, Dr. Robert Gates each earn just $183,500 per year. Running a school district must be a greater challenge than running the State Department or the Pentagon - that Iraq War must be making things a lot easier.
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21 comments:
Once again, we have a guest author and blogger. Whoever you are, your sage wisdom is worthy of great respect. You have mine.
Mark Zandberg
To get an average salary, we will need to know how many administrators the Edmonds School District currently has.
esd15.org,
If your math is right this peasant will not take this anymore.
I would like to know, who do you count are the administrator's? Nick down to the NEW foodservice drive around person/look at me I'm sandra Dee or the PORN keeper at the warehouse.
If this is true, I will be asking for a vote of no confidence.
If I was Nick,thats a joke, no he's not a joke. I could'nt sleep at night. Stealing $200,000 a yr from the kids & you talk to us about morals. Please, I ask of you? Step down, lay your self off or something of that nature.
YES, I work for you and your mafia family of friends.
Agian, ESD15.org has hit me right in the heart.
My tears are for the kids of this SCHOOL DISTRICT. Just wait for the school papers to get a hold of this stuff. Can you say "FREEDOM OF SPEECH". This stuff could be nation news at 6:00.
A protest day would be good.
Have the District employees overlooked a basic concept - informational picketing. Instead of taking cust willingly and excusing the lack of raises, we need to band togather in a public information effort.
The District management continues to bloom and expand, while the rank and file workers diminish.
More management and more highly paid management will not educate our children, will not transport them to school, and will not clean/maintain and keep our facilities operating.
Staff reduction or lack of COLA's will not retain the staff that accomplish this mission.
As an employee, most informational contact I make with the community demonstrates that they are largely unaware of the totalitiy of circumstance. Few are comfortable with the truth when they learn of it. It would be advisable for staff to begin educating the community as well as their children.
In the custodial department recent budget cuts have amounted to just about what has been spent on managment hirings in the past several years. We functioned sucessfully for years without them and we are quite capable of doing the same now.
Since the most administrative two fo the four seem to do nothing anyway no one doubts that their departure would be noticed at any real level.
More disturbing than the number of Pornography hits on his computer, is the specific material that he seeks out. Just be diligent in protecting your children. I can't believe that we all have to take additional measures, because administration thinks this guy is worth something. Zero times zero is still ZERO.
If you don't stand up, then WHO?
MR. X said that. 5.7% we can't let them do that to our kids. It's time now to stand & take the hits.
I'm a employee, that can't stand for all this BS.
Marla Miller (A Diary)
Part 1
Out of the depths of the (In)Human
Resources department a coup had taken place. Self-appointing herself as Executive Director of Business Services as this position was vacated Ms Miller seemingly hired herself in what must be considered a most suspicious potential abuse/misuse of information surely gained from her previous position of trust and a blatant manipulation of hiring procedure.
Employment into the Edmonds School District is a fairly complex affair and to qualify you must have a resume, fill out an application form, answer a series of written questions with great specificity, qualify & be chosen out of a pool of eligible applicants and survive a series of tests & interviews answering questions presented by interview teams which grade using a scale. For administrative personnel community forums are scheduled so that the public may fire questions and submit either their support or lack of it. This system was clearly set up to be fair to all candidates, be respected, consistently used and supply the District with hopefully a very complete picture of the potential employee in a competitive situation. Best man/woman wins.
This essential rule of employment, however, is capable of being circumvented if you can exercise "Executive Privilege" - even, if in this case, before you can actually claim to have any (or before you have discovered it is a useful tool to divert submission of any potential wrong-doing or incompetence).
So her power was gained uncontested because no opposition had existed or even been given a chance to apply. This scenario should be considered as a hostile takeover. She had begun her rule over the District and she then began to use & exercise the basic tenets of Fascism.
To be continued...
I've always wondered why I got the distinct feeling of being looked "down upon" when ever in the presence of some of the members of the Superintendent's staff. But now I know why; standing on the pile of money they make must give them a false sense of superiority.
Bloggers:
You are all misdirected, operating with insuffcient and incorrect information. Your views are based on perceptions that you are not qualified or empowered to make.
You are not intellegent enough to be making such determinations.
It is not your place to make any such assertions or to relate information to others.
If you would simply learn and accept these basic facts, you could be recognized for your outstanding efforts and contributions to the District.
To the blogger of 8/28 @ 5:21,
Please share with us your enlightened and intelligent perspective. Rather than just claim we are misguided, tell us why we are misguided.
You are demonstrating standard goose-stepping rhetoric - as if you were among them - criticism without foundation. Respond to the claims in a meaningful way. We have been providing evidence, you have yet to do so.
Also, Nick would like you to use your name. As you likely have read, he does not agree with remaining anonymous.
Looking at this issue in a broad sense: the school district goes out of their way to diminish the quality of public education (Miss Teen SC) and keep the general population ignorant and unenlightened so they can continue to get hired and elected and fatten their wallets.
Thanks to their incompetence as educators - they are now kings of the mentally-incapacitated.
To the anonymous blogger of Aug 28, 5:21 p.m.
When I first read your entry, I was a bit annoyed. Now I am saddened.
Anyone who feels they cannot speak up (and tells others they shouldn't either) must have no hope, goals, or independent thought.
While I may not agree with your statements, I still fully support your right to speak.
I do take issue with being called "not (sic) intellegent enough" and "not qualified". As an involved, active, participant in the upper administration, I AM qualified to discuss non-confidential issues and relevant facts, such as unethical and costly property transactions.
Despite my lack of intelligence, I am also able to research and report on public information (including board policy), such as Dr. Williams being ineligible for his school board seat.
I welcome your response where we can debate and present both sides of an issue.
To the blogger who called us misdirected:
It’s hard to take a lecture regarding qualifications to run an educational institution from someone who can’t spell insufficient and intelligent (especially when the computer can do it for you). It isn’t difficult to understand real estate transactions if you know how to add and subtract.
The Edmonds School District is a public agency servicing the taxpayers. NOTHING is beyond reproach when it comes to spending our tax dollars. NOTHING is to be kept secret and hidden or is “special knowledge” because of your job duties. There is no business conducted at the District that would jeopardize national security. What we want is accountability for wastefulness of money that will compromise of the quality of education provided to our children.
This isn’t the eighteenth century. We do not have the king of England ruling over us, although Marla Miller’s behavior and attitude would suggest she would aspire to be the Queen. There is thing called the Constitution which guarantees our freedom of speech under the first amendment. It is this right we are exercising. I can, and will, relate any and all information I have to make sure that everyone knows what a pit of corrupt vipers is currently running the District.
And by the way, we are empowered. WE VOTE.
To 828521: Do me a favor and find what you believe to be a soft spot in the district, and do a public disclosure. You will then find facts about the district that might disturb you, the way it did me. This is providing Marla actually hands over the complete request. You Know I don't need a 130 IQ to stand in, I just need to work sensibly with what I've got. The rest of me takes care of all other funny business. See you soon.
Yeah Mark, this is sad! The 8/28 @ 521 PM blog was sarcasm - as evidenced by the last line. But thank you to all who responded negatively - who demonstrated and affirmed the perception of ignorance which the District administration has long held of us.
They ought to be laughing their asses off at all of you about now.
And three middle fingers to the genital wart that commented on my keyboarding.
Fellow Bloggers,
I was so elated to finally get a comment that could be viewed as negative toward this blog site and in my great haste to post it, never realized it was meant to be sarcastic. Terribly sorry to have started a trend of condemnation. It is not always easy to tell the difference between a real idiot and someone speaking in favor of corruption and incompetence.
Mark Zandberg (yes)
Well, I didn't take it as sarcastic, either. Perhaps the idiot needs help in learning how to communicate. Using juvenile language does nothing but discredit 8/28@5:21 reputation. Focus on the mission, please.
Yes, the sarcastic note was well written. It is too bad we are knee-jerking in our responses without being as thoughtful. Let's get with it!
In response to a question: there are 89 employees categorized in the administration group whose collective income for the upcoming year was shared. This averages roughly to $115,000.00 each per year and this group continues to get significant yearly raises.
Another criticism aimed at them could be that so many of these administrators seem only to be "opportunists". They aspire to status & group defined successes within an industry. Hats off to those few administrators who set out to make a difference in the lives of others and have stuck to their posts. An excellent example of this would be Rich Kincaid who spent many years in the position of Principal at Sherwood Elementary. Because each year the administrative staff reads like musical chairs jumping around from one school or district to the next too many schools never get the chance to experience consistency or establish an identity which a career person such as Mr Kincaid was able to offer. This is a detriment to all of our students and it is a shame we overpay so many disloyal, non-committed, self-serving people. In future certain income levels should only be paid to those willing to sign 5-10 year contracts to work at a specific location (with reviews to ensure it is a good fit and a benefit).
In addition many of us know that sacrifices can easily be made by removing unnecessary management who make no positive impact on the daily functional operation of our District and who, in a few cases are actually an expensive liability.
Not enough is being said or done. What can we do?
Who are you people? Such great writers and no hang-ups about taking credit. I guess the supe is not used to people who never sign their art.
Mark Zandberg
Nothing sarcastic about 828521. Not a good time for it as well. Might be a good idea to make yourself perfectly clear if that is your intent. The responding bloggers might indicate the climate of the district at this point. I can empathize with those individuals.
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