The MDUSD candidates invited to come out blogger style . . .

MisterWriter has taken the initiative to set up a blog site for the 4 MDUSD board candidates. There are 4 candidates for the two open seats on the board this year. We have Gary Eberhart (incumbant) and April Treece (incumbant), Sherry Whitmarsh and Jeff Adams.

We've heard from Gary Eberhart at several community meetings, on the local blogs, and at the MDUSD blog site, and we've heard from Sherry Whitmarsh at a community meeting and during an open online chat at the Claycord site (she also has a website: http://www.votesherry.com/) . April Treece attended one community meeting, and Jeff Adams has responded once (that I know of) in the comment section of the MDUSD blog site. So what do you want to know? Have you read their candidate statements?

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MDUSD BOARD ELECTION IN RECENT MEMORY. Educate yourself and vote! Please encourage these candidates to participate so that we all have easy access to the information we need to make the best decisions for our district. This district needs serious change. Who's ready to take on the challenge?

From MisterWriter's post: "Taking Charge . . . ":

Anyone can view the Candidates blog site. Click the image to take you there or type in http://mdusdelect.blogspot.com/.

IF YOU WANT TO ASK A QUESTION you can do so by emailing me at andre@misterwriter.com . In the subject line write CANDIDATE QUESTION. I will NOT edit your post, so be sure to ask clear questions. I suggest ONE question per email - it will make it far easier for the candidates to answer. There will be a flood of questions, so be patient - this is not my full-time job! I will post your question exactly as written (including typos) so be sure to check your email before sending it. I will not correct it after the fact. That way I remain as neutral as possible.

From a teacher's perspective . . .

This came to me today from a teacher. One who wishes to remain anonymous but is just as concerned as many of us about what the future holds. I will post it here, and invite any other teachers, parents or staff who wish to contribute, to do so here on comments, or email your letter or story and I will post it here anonymously (if you wish). Please comment. We have to rejuvenate interest now that school is upon us. What are YOU going to do this year to assure our teachers get a contract and we avert a strike? Will you be working on changing the board majority?

From my view……… a teacher’s perspective.

I have been working in my classroom the past two weeks. Like many teachers, I have been putting up bulletin boards, arranging furniture, putting together back to school packets, planning curriculum, and the list goes on and on. I have been a teacher at the elementary level for 9 years and I have children who attend these schools. I consider myself someone who wears two hats. Professionally, I am a “highly qualified” teacher. My other hat is that of a parent whose children are being educated by the Mt Diablo Unified School District team. Yes, our team starts at the district level, and then trickles its way down through many layers of administrators, then principles, then teachers, then to the students. I feel I have a unique perspective. As a fellow parent, I hope that my insight might help promote and encourage others to step forward and voice the need for change immediately!

Parents, we should be outraged that our elected school board has let one of the largest school districts in California fall to dead last in teacher salaries. Ultimately the school board was elected to oversee the superintendent, whose job it is to maintain a fiscally responsible district. It has been proven time and again in board meetings that our district is in a financial mess. The state budget crisis plays some roll, but this has been brewing for years.

Even if the medical benefits were up to par and offered by the district, our salary schedule is now far below the low average in 14 other areas school districts. For this reason, highly qualified teachers have left. It is outrageous that we have lost most if not all of our best and brightest math and science teachers. It takes a specially trained and dedicated teacher to reach and teach students in these fields. Our teachers are being drafted away for better pay, benefits and even signing bonuses. The district would never admit this but if you talk personally with these teachers, this is what they are saying.


Our current school board is a dysfunctional mess. Gary Eberhart and Paul Strange have stepped up and are trying to turn the district in the right direction. I want the public to call on Linda Mayo, Dick Allen, and April Treece. These three board members have done little to hold the superintendent accountable for the quality of your child’s education. Sure we hear these glowing little speeches from them in public, but what have they done really. We elected them…..they should be disappointed with the leadership of the district and calling for an end to the teacher contract dispute before a strike. Parents, do you realize that the teachers are not asking for the moon. If this is settled, it looks like a single teacher will get benefits immediately. That is it! The rest of medical will be phased in over the next few years. If I am not mistaken there is no salary increase with this contract (maybe 1%). So, since I have medical with my husband, I will get no pay increase at all. Not even COLA…the district has kept that for itself for quite a few years now!

I challenge all parents to take the time to be informed about the current school board and the teacher contract. The current leadership has clearly failed. Be a voice for your child! Be a voice for teachers! I am a passionate teacher who is working hard for your child. But, most importantly, I am a passionate parent who wants my child to have the best education possible. Thank you for the opportunity to share my opinions and the truth!

Board Meeting tonight LIVE on webcast!

Thanks to Paul Strange, MDUSD board member, we will be able to watch tonight's board meeting live on the web. Tune in at 7:30pm to http://www.mdusd.net/ and watch the meeting being streamed LIVE. Next, let's work on getting a call in question and comment system!

From Paul:

"Typically the district broadcasts on KVHS, but only until 10:00 and not in the summer. The broadcasting equipment for tonight is just one of my desktops and a webcam. This solution is zero cost to the district. It is still in “beta” and I am using a new broadcasting service tonight so bear with me if there is a problem. The webcast will be on the mdusd blog (www.mdusd.net or http://mdusd.blogspot.com) starting at 7:30."

Thanks Paul! We appreciate the time it takes you to think of those of us who can't always make it live to the meetings ourselves.

Countdown or still counting . . .

The board agenda for tomorrow night's meeting is on the MDUSD website, you can see it here:

MDUSD BOARD MEETING AGENDA AUGUST 12th

Somewhere around page 30 (out of over 150!) is the personnel information noting resignations since the last board meeting.

So far, 23 resignations over the summer, hopefully that is it for now and that we'll all be greeted with familiar teaching faces on August 26th. One of those resignations is Roger Bylund who went on to Paradise (literally), CA.

So who's next? I hope no one! BUT, there have been some changes at my son's school I don't see reflected here on this list.. I don't see the resignations I heard about, and I don't see the new hires I heard about... so.... maybe more is to come?

Above the resignations are the temporary teaching positions that had to be terminated at the end of year , being rehired. Thank goodness.. there are some favorite teachers on that list!

You'll see the blogs are coming alive now, please join in. We need change this year. If ever there was a time you thought of getting involved, IT HAS TO BE NOW! There's been no other time in this district's history that we've been at such a critical stage.

I DO NOT WANT a teacher strike. Do you? Let's work toward action - and change this year! It starts with YOU!

Is your favorite teacher gone?

Happy summer! It's July 11th, do you know where your teachers are? I am hearing reports from all over the district that schools are losing some teachers. I have heard of at least 4 teachers leaving from one (high scoring) elementary school. They've left for greener pastures in nearby districts. What about YOUR school? Do you know if you've lost any teachers yet during this summer? I'm going to try to find out how many resignations are taking place this summer. If anyone has these numbers, please feel free to elaborate. I just have a feeling some parents are going to be surprised when they return to their schools this August.

"Stirred up, but unchanged . . . "

Jackie Burrell's blog post at the Contra Costa Times about the MDUSD today is sure to evoke some strong responses from those involved in this very contentious issue.

From aPARENTlySpeaking:
"Despite massive financial issues and administrative snafus, a no-confidence vote by the teachers union, a call for the superintendent to resign by two trustees, a parent petition for ditto, and a secession attempt by some of the district’s highest ranking schools, nothing has changed."

One has to wonder what the Superintendent is thinking. I was emailed a little while ago by a "MDUSD Mom" who asked the following:

"Is this really the legacy Mr. McHenry wants to leave for himself here at the Mt. Diablo School district? Does he really want to be known for this? He's overstayed his welcome, resistance to his leadership and to his tenure has grown exponentially and its time for him to do the right thing. I was at the last board meeting, and his smug indifference to those asking for his resignation was very disappointing. He will not be resigning is all he really said. When only your hand picked administration and 3 wayward board members are the only ones wanting you to stay, you have to wonder. Leave already. What is April Treece, Linda Mayo and Dick Allen thinking? They were elected to serve US, not HIM. They were elected to hold HIM accountable. Where is that ? They were elected to care about what WE think and instead they are defensive and in full on defense of McHenry. That is not their job. They are failing miserably. They should be recalled. Thanks to the blogs, many of us parents know a hell of a lot more than we did before and I don't suspect this will die out. The movement for change is growing, and is like a train running downhill, its only gaining strength and I applaud those at the front lines. Keep it going, keep the pressure on, and Mr. McHenry... do the right thing for this district and step down peacefully and without a big buyout. If its truly about the kids, you'd show them responsibility and honor right now. You can't make it right. Stop pretending as though you are trying. "

So, it is with that , that we say that anyone looking to better this district, end the mistakes, balance the budget, stop the financial bleeding, change the culture, rally morale and keep our top notch teachers - you must support Sherry Whitmarsh and Gary Eberhart for School Board in November. April Treece must be replaced. You can read about Sherry HERE.

And as Jackie Burrell so aptly put it related to Sherry, she ". . . is no vanity candidate. "

REMINDER: Meeting with invited guests

Reminder:

Saturday
June 7th, 2008
2pm - 4pm
Skipolini's Pizza
Downtown Clayton

Come meet with invited guests, MDUSD Board members, Paul Strange and Gary Eberhart. Gary and Paul will be on hand to answer MDUSD questions and to provide an open forum discussion on what is happening within our district. So bring your questions and concerns - and tell a friend too. All concerned community members, teachers and parents welcome.

"There is a growing mutiny on your hands Sir . . . "

". . . board members, teachers, parents. So no matter how you arrange the proverbial deck chairs, the ship is sinking with you at the helm."

That is just a snippet of one speaker from the board meeting on Tuesday night. Paul Strange has uploaded the audio of the board meeting at the MDUSD site HERE. If you want to hear the public comments only, including the entire speech of the gentleman quoted above, he's also offered a link to the public comments only.

For anyone not real sure what is going on, or not convinced a resignation from McHenry is what we need, please listen at least to the public comments. Its only about 10-15 minutes of your day and will be worth every one of those minutes.

Some other craziness that was mentioned on Mr. Writer's blog happens around:

18 minutes for April Treece's "voracious reader of studies" comment as she passes around a book she wanted the board to read plus her corporate speak regarding terminology around strategic planning processes. My question is that if there is a strategic planning book on Mr. McHenry's bookshelf, why hasn't he read it?

20 minutes for Gary Eberhart's request and April's response related to Gary's district website contact information.

Around 1 hour 16 minutes. You'll hear the Superintendent's report, and his assertion that "I won't be resigning, just for the people who have asked me to." He notes clearly the board will have to make that decision.

"I won't be resigning . . . "

Despite several speakers relating stories of a district in severe distress, impassioned pleas for repair and the presentation of a parent led petition with hundreds of signatures on it - Mr. McHenry summed up his position on all that in his Superintendent Report with a firm "I am not resigning . . . "

No, I don't think anyone thought he'd submit his resignation right there at the board meeting, but what many did expect was some acknowledgement that there is a severe problem for which he bears responsibility, or some semblance of respect for the concerns. When parents stand before you, teachers stand before you and the community stands before you with a strong message of dissatisfaction, you need to listen.

What will it take? Well for one, it seems the petition effort needs to be ongoing, as a way to educate fellow parents and to garner support for serious housekeeping at the Dent Center. Secondly, I think some of the loudest applause came when a speaker suggested that April Treece pack her bags in November.

We can't keep doing what we've been doing. Check Mr. Writer's blog for an exceptional write up on the meeting last night: HERE

And, thanks to CBS Eye on Blogs for the MENTION! We're famous today.

Thank you Doris for presenting the petition on behalf of all parents concerned with the district. You did a great job and we appreciate all of your efforts. Parents, who will be attending the next board meeting? We need to keep the issues out there, we need to continue to educate other parents.

An election is coming in November, change is in our hands.

Have you signed the petition yet? http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/MDUSD/

Its not too late.

Board Meeting tonight - 7:30pm

Hope you will all be there tonight to support the parents and their presentation of the petition signatures to the board, and to the Superintendent. This is a chance for the parents and community to send a CLEAR message that things are not going in the right direction and in fact, this issue is just not going to go away. Mr. McHenry needs to step aside to give this district a chance at healing. Hundreds of signatures will be presented, will you be there to show your support?

If you've not signed it yet, what are you waiting for? http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/MDUSD/

Tell a friend...