The community is talking ...

Below are just a sampling of comments from the online petition.. .the community, parents and teachers have a lot to say about this petition effort, just read up (oh, and sign the petition if you haven't already: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/MDUSD/):

Great job with the petition! Thanks!

Things have to change

Time for a change. We need someone who knows how to implement changes.

Follow the example of John Swett's responsible administrator. Do what is best for this district that you profess to care about so much and let us begin anew.

For the betterment of the community as a whole, I urge the Superintendent to resign.

My mother-in-law is a teacher and it upsets me that not only are the children not being looked after in a worthy way but the people that are entrusted with their learning are not being rewarded for their precious jobs.

I have two children about to enter kindergarten and I teach high school. Mr. McHenry's tenure should be ended. He has lost all support from teachers. We work still without a contract, and spent a 18 months of the last contract cycle without a settlement. His mismanagement and double dealings should be stopped and new leadership found.

We mourn the death of communication and trust between district and their employees.

This administration is broken and needs to be fixed. It is alwful that PTAs/PFCs need to raise so much money to pay for basics that the district should be coverning.

No Comment Needed

Good.-Northgate Student

Life is a matter of making the right choices and picking the right priorities. Apparently Mr. McHenry is not capable of understanding the most important priorities of the school district and the community.

Please help the children of the district by removing him from his position and hire a more competent Super Int.Thank you.

I am a 1st grade teacher in Hayward Unified School District and believe that it is detrimental for ALL Kindergarteners to have access to the 20:1 ratio. Too many children never have an opportunity to attend a preschool and for some children, Kindergarten is their first experience with being in a formal school setting. Why not make this easier on them, the most important part of education, by allowing them to have access to the 20:1 ratio?

Where is the petition to remove the board as well?

MDUSD conditions/results are painfully obvious. No need to be redundant. Change is painful and long overdue. Perfection is not expected but neither is abysmal failure. Corporations are subject to change - sizing, personnel change, concessions by all to move forward. MDUSD is no different. Future advancement and improvement for the students is paramount...and has been a relegated priority in the past. Union and non-union interests have to concede a bit if the new, albeit temporary Dist Superintenedant is to succeed. Solutions have to consider resizing/restructuring MDUSD - which translates into special interest groups having to adapt as well. Those that are thwarting change with retirement in mind also need to adapt. No one should be insulated or isolated from economic reality at the expense of our students. The students have suffered way too long. We need to get a State level official involved. I've long favored a parcel tax...and amazed that there isn't one.

I am disappointed that Mr. McHenry feels he can hold Northgate area residents hostage.

MDUSD is stifling the progress of students at Walnut Acres, Foothill Middle and Northgate. Any success enjoyed by these schools cannot be attruibuted to the district, but instead to the dedication of parents, teachers and volunteers. Under McHenry's leadership, Northgate has become overcrowded, with fewer advanced placement offerings and more and more parents are pulling their support and heading off to private schools. The expectations at other middle and high schools in MDUSD, are FAR BELOW these Walnut Creek schools. For example, at El Dorado Middle, there is no homework required and teachers are reprimanded if they fail students. Yet at Foothill Middle, my student completes 3 hours of homework every night. MDUSD, under McHenry's poor leadership, now has an average teaching experience level of only 6 years! Yet I see no evidence of any professional development offerings for teachers over the summer at all. Teachers are overworked, expected to conference with parents during their prep times, not given a prep period for each subject (middle and high school), not supported by administrators with behavior problems, larger class sizes than ANY neighboring districts, NOT GIVEN ANY MEDICAL BENEFITS OR THE SALARY TO PURCHASE THEM, not paid for any of the time it takes to set a classroom up, close a classroom for summer, report grades, progress reports, conference with parents, grade papers, create lesson plans and they are given only $1.00 per student to pay for classroom materials per year!

Our current superintendant is lazy, rude to our community members, unappreciative of our teacher's and employees rights, and careless with our delicate budget situation.. For sure we need a new one.

Yeah, this isn't working out.

Time for a change!!! Change (in this case) can only be good!

How long does he need to prove he can't do the job? Do you think it's a coincidence that the entire teaching staff gave him 11 F's and a D in job performance?

get rid of him. his dishonesty is surpassed only by his incompetence.

Nothing but a downward spiral has occurred in this district in the past 10 years under the leadership of McHenry. He has not fullfilled the duties of his position and should be terminated as Superintendent. The district would be better off without a superintendent in the interim, than we are with McHenry.

It's about time!

District needs to put teachers first by settling a contract that starts to build toward full benefits. McHenry does not support this way of thinking.

It's time...

Gary McHenry does not listen to teachers, parents, or community members. He is defensive about his opinions and does not cooperate to make changes.

I think it is noble that McHenry's son stood up but still think we as a community need better leadership asap.

I'd like to see students/parents start a "penny" drive at schools to buy out McHenry's contract.

I understand that Gary McHenry really, really wants to be superintendent, but it's time for him to put the parents' and students' and teachers' needs before his own. He is an incompetent administrator, and simply put, far too many students have received a less adequate education because of him.

Re: McHenry not aware of budgetSee: Contra Costa Times July 15, 2005McHenry " I literally live or die by the budget"

We need a parcel tax

Do you have anything to add? Feel free to do so here?

AND by the way... have you signed the petition yet? There's been over 25 signatures added just this morning to the online petition - pass it on.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/MDUSD/