This evening, CC Times Education Reporter, Theresa Harrington, has posted online that Dr. Steven Lawrence, MDUSD Superintendent, has FINALLY provided an "official" statement. Thank you Theresa for keeping us up to date. I am curious though, did he just issue this statement to you? Or did the MDE community receive this too? Sure wish there was an apology in there somewhere. See her blog here, and statement below:“The district has received questions regarding information discovered about Dr. Nugent, a candidate for one of our principal positions that was filled July 1, 2010. When filling positions in the district, the district follows standard protocols, including exhaustive written applications, oral interviews, credential checks, reference checks and subsequent background checks. In this case, our customary protocols did not discover negative information that was readily available in a simple Internet search. Consequently, the Board of Education was not aware of negative information which was discovered by a board member after the candidate’s appointment. In the future, the district will augment our process with a comprehensive Internet investigation prior to candidate recommendations going to the Board of Education. In light of the latest information, Dr. Nugent has withdrawn his name from consideration for any of the district’s open positions. The district will immediately conduct another search for a principal for Mt. Diablo Elementary and will work closely with that community to find a suitable candidate.
Steven Lawrence, Superintendent
Mt. Diablo Unified School District”
Does anyone find it curious that he mentions a Board Member discovered the "negative information?" Does he mean a board member brought it to his attention after it was brought to light on a blog? I know that they are engaging the MDE community in the interviews now, so that is good news, albeit rushed (tomorrow), but it's a start. And thank you Dr. Lawrence and District Personnel for "augmenting" the process. Clearly it was a process that needed some changes, and I'm just thankful this was caught now vs. a much worse violation in a future hire.
I'm ready to move on to some positive district news, how about you? I'll find some, I promise! If you have anything to share, let me know, but I have discovered a few things on the district website I thought were noteworthy, so that will be coming soon. You can email me at mdusdparents@gmail.com.
Read full Times news article here: Newly appointed elementary principal withdraws name from consideration
GAWD i'm sick of this school district; do they ever do any educating?
ReplyDeleteI am happy to see the superintendent made a statement. Hopefully this is something that will not be repeated.
ReplyDeleteAlthough no one or no organization is exempt from making mistakes, I have been a teacher for 16 years and there are a lot of really good people and programs going on in this district.
I know positive stories are not as "entertaining" as the negative ones, but it would be nice to see us focus on those.
Debbie, I have a lot of personal good stories from teachers, programs and even administrators in this district. No one wants to hear my personal stories, but there is a lot of good. We just have to make it so in some cases. It's not the old days where we just went to the nearest school and were assured the best education possible. Now we have a lot more factors to consider and we do need to be advocates for our kids.
ReplyDeleteI've been about 90% VERY happy with my kid's teachers through the years. We've been in this district for 11 years. I think that's saying a lot.
I think it's horrible that as a teacher at MDE I must get up to date information about my school from blogs (here and Claycord.com). I have not received any information from the district about the hiring or resigning of Nugent. There have been no apologies either. I have one word for Lawrence and the school board....COMMUNICATION!!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.examiner.com/x-21565-Mount-Diablo-Education--Public-Policy-Examiner~y2009m12d17-DISTRICT-NEW-SUPERINTENDENT-TO-START-FEB-2010
ReplyDeleteDr. Lawrence's own words, upon being hired at MDUSD:
ReplyDelete“I am very excited to have been named the new Superintendent of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District,” Lawrence said. “I look forward to working with the Board, teachers, administrators, support staff members, parents, students, and community leaders to help all schools reach their goal of creating powerful learning opportunities for every child in the district.”
Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-21565-Mount-Diablo-Education--Public-Policy-Examiner~y2009m12d17-DISTRICT-NEW-SUPERINTENDENT-TO-START-FEB-2010
So, when is he planning on following through with that statement? Or was it just the beginning of his plan to blow smoke up our collective a$$es?
In this information age the district is very behind the times, it is not using available technology... it its hiring procedures or in how it communicates.
ReplyDeleteAll members of the board and district employees could use a lesson from any middle or high schooler on how to use the web and how to email!
We hear from Sherry & Gary here MDUSD.....PARENTS BLOG why do we never hear from Gary Strange? Is he still on the board or is he retiring?
ReplyDeleteI assume you mean Paul Strange.
ReplyDeleteAnon, I just spoke with Paul Strange, if you would like to hear from him, may I suggest you phone him? 925-567-3030 or email: paul@mdusd.net
ReplyDeleteMDUSD Parents:
ReplyDeleteWhat did Paul Strange think of the situation. Or did you have an "Off the Record" conversation?
Anon, I'm not a reporter so I didn't ask him questions to report on, or have any specific kind of conversation. We talked about improving communications in the district. I think the hiring situation is "under control," now I'm hoping some focus will be placed on improving communication within the district and to the community.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought upon hearing the news that the new MDE principal was from Elk Grove, was that he was probably an old crony of our superintendent. I was willing to give Dr. Lawrence a chance to act on the words he uttered upon being hired by MDUSD, but he's blown it with me after this hiring debacle. What's that phrase - "actions speak louder than words"?
ReplyDeleteI'm just thankful that Nugent's past was exposed before he did any real harm to the MDE community. All I can say is that the District better get their hiring practices in order before they try again. I for one will be plenty suspicious of future "appointees", especially if they just seem to appear out of thin air like this one did.
When the Board members solicited input from the MDE parents and faculty (supposedly so we could participate in the selection process), we were assured that our desires and concerns would be taken into consideration...however, it's hard to believe our input was taken seriously when a new MDE principal is announced the day after we met with them. There is no such thing as a "fast-moving bureacracy" ... and anything that DOES happen fast had better be viewed with suspicious eyes. I'd be willing to bet they already were planning to place Nugent at MDE even as they were going through the motions of asking us for our criteria for a new principal.
Just the $0.02 from your friendly neighborhood paranoid cynic. :(
MDE Parent, I agree with some of what you said in regards to the incredible timing of his placement the day after your meeting, but I'm not sure there is anything to be gained by believing they knew each other. Elk Grove and West Sac aren't near each other. About 20-30 minutes away. That would be like assuming someone in Oakland School District must know someone in the San Ramon School District... sure it could happen, but there isn't any real reason to think that.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it IS very interesting that, not two weeks earlier, the Board approved the hiring of a new principal at Ygnacio Valley HS from . . .yep, Elk Grove. Does make me stop and wonder . . .
ReplyDeleteAnon 5:49 AM Stop it, you have no facts to support your allegations. The Principal at YV is good friends with the Northgate Principal, he is the one who told him about the opening at YV. YVHS is very lucky to have this man come on board, several of us met him at the BOE meeting when the job was formally approved.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I sometimes like doing this blog. I do. I like that there is a forum that parents can get informed, vent as needed, or ask questions. But what is just crazy is all the negativity and conspiracy theorists. Really, I can see why some stay "anon." There is not a conspiracy behind every tree, and not everyone knows everyone. Really some things are just bizarre that people come up with.
ReplyDeleteI can see why the board and other district folks choose not to even engage on the blogs as it's not a level playing field. People with conspiracies and other negative things to say can just spew without any intelligent back and forth.
Very frustrating, and getting very old. I can see too why we have no one beating down the door to be a board member come November. What a shame. There are so many engaged , good people out there that would make excellent board members, but you just can't win with some of those out there. Especially those that spout off on blogs with absolutely no knowledge whatsoever. Ok, rant over.
You hang in there kiddo. You do good work.
ReplyDeleteBy any chance could you let us know who are the 3 board members up for re-election.
You hang in there kiddo. You do good work.
ReplyDeleteBy any chance could you let us know who are the 3 board members up for re-election.
I believe Dick Allen is retiring, Paul Strange is up for re-election and I am not sure on the 3rd. It might be Gary.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree, keep up the good work MDUSD Parents. I too would like to see good dialogue and less complaining or blaming.
The date of each board member's term expiration is below their photograph. http://www.mdusd.org/boe/Pages/default.aspx
ReplyDeleteFull agreement you do very good work. Like that "kiddo" thing, cute.
ReplyDeletePaul Strange / President
Dick Allen
Linda Mayo
Up for re-election I think Dick's going to retire though