Thanks Mark for this website as an avenue for us "anonymous" (faceless & unimportant) individuals to share our experiences & express our opinions. As District employees we know there is nowhere and no one within to share any of these issues & concerns without fear of repercussion.
If indeed Nick is reading, what his reaction is & what action he takes in addressing the content herein should certainly reveal his character and I hope not continue to make him appear to be protecting the guilty or simply his own personal interests.
I have seen 5 Superintendents during my tenure with the District. The quality of life here has continued to diminish with each new appointment. I am a local taxpayer & support the District. I am a former student & have children in attendance at our schools. This should give me enough status to adequately make some credible comment on the climate within the District. I resent that, although he was addressing you in his letter, Nick has suggested that because we are not making our identities known our comments should be discredited as untrue. If he believes this he expresses a callous disregard & lack of respect for we are community voices.
What is true is that we have to work under threats, intimidation & bullying while attempting not to allow these ridiculous acts on the part of some members of the administration to interfere with our focus on doing our jobs.
Good leaders are rare in our present society. Honesty, though, should be the cornerstone in which all leaders base their decisions and which drives their actions (and secures their employment). What we should expect from our Superintendent are thoughtful, respectful & considerate responses to these problems and who as our leader must have the health of the District as his prime maintenance target. As you have expressed your intent in this regard, I hope that your blog and its contents do begin to reach a larger and more influential audience. Major changes must be pursued; the District's leaders must better reflect the philosophies that are upheld in our schools.
This is not a privately owned business and should not be considered as such. If in fact it were it would have been out of business a long time ago except for the good graces in the form of involuntary support from taxpayers. Is our money being spent wisely? Are our assets being properly protected? Is the leadership abusing their power? Are they overpaid for their services? Isn't there some slimming that should be done in management?
I guess we will all have to stay tuned. I hope that for your sake Mark this does not injure your highly regarded reputation. It is certainly not you who is leading the District into disrepute.
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I created the title. The rest is exactly as I received it.
For the record, every blog entry has been drafted or approved by me, Mark Zandberg. Therefore, I take full responsibility for everything contained in the blog entries. My identity, contact information and physical address are in HR (and Marla's office, Nick's office, at Perkins Coie).
The comments to the posts are frequently submitted anonymously. If Nick understood the basic premise of a blog, he would know the difference.
Vile. Once again, these people are doing far less actual work than what is required for an obscene amount of pay. It sounds like Nick is already sitting in Congress.
Is there anyone left in the District that remembers "the good old days?" The days where we were fiscally responsible? Where people where held accountable and that losing 9 million dollars in two years wasn't possible because it meant you lost your job? Where lying and deceit were unacceptable and character counted?
Better yet remember when coming to work wasn't a war zone and we weren't afraid? I can't anymore.
I just thank you for creating this website and for listening to my story as I have never had ANYONE listen to my side of the story. This has helped me to release some feelings that have been "pent up" inside me for years.
Author's name not disclosed.
You have done an EXCELLENT job of creating the website; I just found about the website from a friend, who is still employed by the District.
Thanks for all; let me know if you will clean up my e-mail and advise me how to proceed.
Author's name not disclosed
If you read the e-mail by Brossoit sent today - his goals for the year - you could not miss the line about having the board members refer communication they receive from employees to the departmental adminin (and inforn him of the contact).
If there was any question as to board members integrity, I believe that this firmly settles the issue.
And remeber - per the above mentioned e-mail - the District will continue to take the "high road" in communcations (deceit, plausable deniability, intimidation, threats, retaliation, harrassment, etc.).
Thank you Mark, and Irresponsible communicator for your perseverence and eloquence of speech. Those of us who are less adept at constructively voicing our opinions applaud you for your clear voice and insight.
When I think about conversations surrounding current District administrative staff - I can not recall a single person commenting positively about any of them - with the exception of other sdministrators making comments.
This is in truth a sad situation, as no organization can be healthy with such a level of emotion.
A healthy organization would see the value in maintaining staff morale and would seek to address concerns indirectly - even if they did not wish to seem empowering a vocal minority in the process. Instead they embrace the "high road."
I have found one bright spot in the goals that the superintendant sent via e-mail. That would be the focus on volunteerism in school facilities: Not only is this a healthy and formative exposure for children - but also is an opportunity for the community to experience a healthy exposure to the District's issues. I have taken time to form relationships with site volunteers in part to ensure that they become well aware of how the District operates - and most come away with a newfound understanding and appreciation.
Think of these volunteers as a gift opportunity in the process of public awareness. Grassroots at convenience. But there is one drawback - some become disgusted and do not volunteer long.
We may see definitive change only when we realize a new majority group of people as board members. This is of course several years away at best - but you have an opportunity facilitate this process by electing a replacement to Gary Noble.
Do not let your emotion squander opportunities to effect real change through public awareness. Be sensible and thoughtful in your approach to informing parents, community and near-voting age students (yes - they are often quite aware of issues we think them oblivious to).
This blog is of course a wonderful thing. Both an opportunity to vent and a forum for sharing. But please do not forget that the most effective means of change will not be effected throught this website - but instead through the actions of the truly concerned who will make the time and effort to raise a community awareness of the issues raised here - and many others yet to be discussed.
And again - a big THANK YOU to Mark for his courage and fortitude in this website and related efforts. You have sparked more than a few to action, and that in itself is commendable. Please know that if your site requires finaicial support for legal fees, etc., there are those of us willing to pledge resources in assistance of you.
Remember that in the end this is for the children in addition to us. That thought provides me with personal impetus to continue working toward change.
What might be required is the hope that a scandal within the District becomes public knowledge as shared at 5:00. There are several to choose from apparently.
This might help induce a small army to gather as needed to force a special hearing from the insular, back slapping "old boys" (& girls) club which is a School Board meeting.
They will certainly object to any threat regarding the security of their status quo.
Has anyone mentioned cleaning house or vote of no confidence yet?
We all have a social responsablity to stand up to the powers that befront all of our fears. -POWER- is at the root of fear.
We the people must drive out the powers that stand in our way.-STAND- be united by hands of your fellow staff members.
MY ANSWER IS A "PROTEST DAY"
I must agree with one writer: a healthy organization would be aware of staff morale, however, no one seems to care. A good Superintendent would make it "his business" to know that these issues are REAL and exist. Hal Reasby visited schools on a regular basis and made himself visible at all times not just when the newspapers were schedueled to be at the Administration Building. Hal was REAL and approachable. I suppose that administrators today would say, "that was then, this is now". The Good Old Days may have come and gone, but so have our votes for upcoming school levies. The only problem is the kids will suffer because District money is applied to wages for non-union employees, Administrators, who unlike me, will retire with no worries because they make the "BIG BUCKS".
Protest Days, in front of the ESC Building, just prior to Board Meetings, have worked in the past when union issues were a concern. The only probblem with speaking at Board Meetings is the District & Board members, only allow you 3 minutes to speak your piece/concern, yet they ramble on about their more important issues, sweeping your concern under the rug in most cases. Is there any hope for change? We must all make an attempt to make parents aware of the importance of their voice at Board meetings. Afterall, it is their tax dolalrs that are being wasted~!
Protest Days, in front of the ESC Building, just prior to Board Meetings, have worked in the past when union issues were a concern. The only probblem with speaking at Board Meetings is the District & Board members, only allow you 3 minutes to speak your piece/concern, yet they ramble on about their more important issues, sweeping your concern under the rug in most cases. Is there any hope for change? We must all make an attempt to make parents aware of the importance of their voice at Board meetings. Afterall, it is their tax dollars that are being spent on salary increases for administrators. I know of families who have difficulty purchasing school supplies for their children to begin a new school year; very sad. Many of these supplies used to be provided at the school level, but not any longer.
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