Peoria Pundit » Peoria School District 150 http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria Media and news from the original river city Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:31:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 District 150’s Hinton to retire Dec. 1, months ahead of schedule (UPDATED 3x) http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/10/09/district-150s-hinton-to-retire-dec-1-months-ahead-of-schedule/ http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/10/09/district-150s-hinton-to-retire-dec-1-months-ahead-of-schedule/#comments Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:30:24 +0000 Billy Dennis http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/?p=13285 District 150 superintendent Ken Hinton will retire effective Dec. 1, a source from district HQ on Wisconsin Avenue told me today.

He is expected to tell administrative staff during a meeting today.

My source did not know the reason for his decision to retire early. He previously was expected to stay with the district until the end of the school year, giving the district enough time to have a new superintendent in place by June 30, 2010. Hinton is in poor health, and this may have played a role in his decision.

My source also had no idea on who the board would pick as an interim superintendent. One person definitely not in the running is former Dunlap Superintendent Jeanne Williamson. She is currently helping the district during the school closure process. She is on a 120-day contract as a consultant and is NOT a district employee. If she were to work for the district as an interim superintendent, it would probably lower her retirement benefits, which are based on average salary during the last five years of employment.

Hinton was appointed superintendent in January 2005 to replace ousted Superintendent Kay Royster, who combative style alienated the board and much of the community. She is blamed by many for the financial condition of the district.

During Hinton’s tenure, the district endured:

  • The shooting at Woodruff High school.
  • Closing of many schools, including the imminent closure of Woodruff High School.
  • Academic restructuring for Manual High School.
  • The attempted relocation of Glen Oak School to Glen Oak Park.
  • The new Glen Oak School to be located across the street from the new one.
  • The firing of Lindbergh Middle School principal following accusations the previous superintendent used district credit cards for private purchases.
  • An attempt to drastically reduce hours for primary school students, which was later scaled back after a revolt by parents and teachers.

Am I leaving anything out?

UPDATE: The Journal Star has its version of the story.

Not that I am gloating, because that would be rude. But I beat them by 45 minutes.

UPDATE 2x: From commenter Elaine Hopkins:

Left out: A tax increase by a back door referendum; bonds renewed instead of allowed to expire so taxes would go down; new Harrison School across the street from the old one, which could have been remodeled, as it’s a very sturdy building; various funding scandals so controller was fired; refusal to ditch Edison contract to save money; hiring way too many expensive consultants; 17 percent increase in administrators; only 1 percent drop in no of teachers despite declining enrollment and many teacher retirements, so now layoffs are coming. etc.

UPDATE 3x: Via WMBD 31, here is Ken Hinton’s email to the public (I never got it) about his imminent retirement. It is reprinted verbatim from the WMBD Website.

It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement effective December 2, 2009.  This decision to retire earlier than my established date of June 30, 2010 is my determination.

It is because of personal and family reasons that I have decided to retire in December of this year as opposed to June, 2010.  For too long I have not taken care of my health and not given my family the time that they so richly deserve.  It is time for me to concentrate on getting my health back and spend time with my wife, children, and grandchildren.

our school district has in place most competent individuals who will continue to lead the district going forward.  Our Board, the Administration, and entire district staff are committed to our students and their success.

Also from the WMBD article:

Hinton suffered a minor heart attack in March of 2006 and was out for three months in 2007 recovering from back surgery.

I was unaware of this. But it was public knowledge, as I found that Mayor Jim Ardis mentioned it during a March 2006 Peoria City Council meeting.

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]]> http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/10/09/district-150s-hinton-to-retire-dec-1-months-ahead-of-schedule/feed/ 18 District 150 to fire primary school librarians? (UPDATED: It’s true) http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/05/22/district-150-to-fire-primary-school-librarians/ http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/05/22/district-150-to-fire-primary-school-librarians/#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 02:06:39 +0000 Billy Dennis http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/?p=11718 A parent involved in her kid’s PTO says that she has heard that primary school librarians have been given a pink slip, and that the District 150 Board of Education will vote on Monday to permanently fire them as a cost-saving move. The news was delivered by Superintendent Ken Hinton during a meeting Wednesday evening.

Librarian duties will apparently be picked up by teachers, who already are facing higher class sizes. Not to mention the fact that school teachers are not trained librarians.

Also, this same parent passed along a rumor that the school district is not going to pay for band and orchestra education at all in the primary schools. The parent thinks, as do I, that this essentially ends high school band in the future.

UPDATE: The Journal Star’s Dave Haney has a story up now, basically confirming my source. Hinton told him that no decision has been made, which is officially true, but Hinton knows there isn’t more than one person on the board who would dream of voting now.

There’s some talk in the article about actually fighting this decision. Good luck.

This is the money quote:

“Some were angry, some immediately jumped in ‘what can we do about this?’ to a lot of jaws hitting the table,” Kristen Coker-Schlink, the library manager at Hines Primary School, said Friday of their shocked reaction. “The unfortunate thing is our schools are not meeting AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress), reading being one of them – one of the more important ones – and if you can’t read, you can’t do math, you can’t do a lot of things.”

The article states that librarians earn $16,000 and $25,000. So, one assistant superintendent sucks up the salary of 4-5 librarians.

I attended Kingman and Glen Oak primary schools through the eighth grade. I only vaguely remember the Kingman library, but I vividly remember Glen Oak’s tiny little library in the basement. I loved it. I read and reread every book on Abraham Lincoln, Greek and Norse mythology and a bunch of the science fiction. Librarians were like angels to me then. When I ran through all the books on a subject I liked, they directed me to books I would like.

I read and write now because of these people.

But we don’t have money for librarians any more. Although we can afford to close and demolish old schools like Kingman and Glen Oak and build brand new education factories.

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]]> http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/05/22/district-150-to-fire-primary-school-librarians/feed/ 10 District 150 auditors don’t want the public to see district audit reports http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/29/district-150-auditors-dont-want-the-public-to-see-district-audit-reports/ http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/29/district-150-auditors-dont-want-the-public-to-see-district-audit-reports/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 05:13:35 +0000 Billy Dennis http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/?p=11489 So, you’re an auditing firm that failed to find anything wrong at an institution that hired you specifically to see if anything was wrong. Later, after you give it a clean report, it becomes apparent that plenty is wrong. So what do you do? Simple. You figure out what went wrong and announce the results to the public, since the taxpayers are are the ones who paid you. Public audits are all about transparency and accountability. Right?

Wrong. If you are Clifton Gunderson, you hide behind the argument that the report you completed is a private document and cannot be revealed to the public. Seriously:

District 150 attorney David Walvoord said a financial review of the middle school, including its activity fund, by Clifton Gunderson LLC, the district’s auditors, received a “clean bill of health” last year, when Davis, now an academic officer in the school district’s central administration office, was a principal there.

Walvoord said District 150 has a practice of reviewing its schools every two to three years and always when a principal leaves a building.

A request of the review under the Freedom of Information Act was approved by District 150 officials, but Clifton Gunderson officials on Tuesday were disputing its release, claiming the review documents were their property and not subject to the act.

Laura Petelle, who takes her seat as a member of the school board, is something of an expert on the Freedom of Information Act and she might has an opinion on Clifton Gunderson opinion and on the district administrator’s wisdom in letting Clifton Gunderson decide what documents are public and which are not.

Seriously. It’s not like the documents reveal the formula for Classic Coke, or anything.

Good God what a mess.

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]]> http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/29/district-150-auditors-dont-want-the-public-to-see-district-audit-reports/feed/ 21 Whistleblower files federal lawsuit against Peoria Scool District 150 http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/28/whistleblower-files-federal-suit-against-district-150/ http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/28/whistleblower-files-federal-suit-against-district-150/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:52:27 +0000 Billy Dennis http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/?p=11483 Here is a copy of the federal lawsuit filed today. I am going through it now. Apparently, one of the allegations fired Lindbergh Middle School Principal Julie McArdle makes is that her boss, Mary Davis, ordered to her falsify the home addresses of several out-of-attendance-area students so that there would be no room for poor students who qualified to attend Lindbergh under provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act.

I’m no attorney, but I would think that at the very least, this might put District 150’s federal funding at risk.

This is in addition to the unauthorized credit card that Davis was using, and paying off with money from the student activity fund.

McArdle Lawsuit

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]]> http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/28/whistleblower-files-federal-suit-against-district-150/feed/ 3 Our next Peoria School Board member speaks on whistleblower firing http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/28/our-next-peoria-school-board-member-speaks-on-whistleblower-firing/ http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/28/our-next-peoria-school-board-member-speaks-on-whistleblower-firing/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:05:58 +0000 Billy Dennis http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/?p=11481 from Laura Petelle’s blog:

If in fact McArdle WAS wrongfully terminated as retaliation for bringing up financial misconduct, I am absolutely furious and that is absolutely unacceptable. And regardless of whether McArdle’s termination was justified, I certainly expect the Board and administration to act with the same speed and alacrity to fire those engaged in financial misconduct, as that misconduct is proved, as they have acted with in firing McArdle.

If, as the Journal Star is reporting, the District was first informed of the financial shenanigans six months ago and has failed to take action until now — that in itself is appalling.

My questions: Did ANY member of the Peoria School Board bother to ask Superintendent Ken Hinton exactly when he first heard of McArdle’s concerns? And did he tell the board? id the school board? If he did, then the board  knowingly fired someone they knew was a whistleblower? Diid the district’s attorney give them ANY advice about the wisdom of firing someone who was alleging criminal behavior by her superiors?

And WMBD 31 has more details about the documents that allegedly show wrongdoing by administrator Mary Davis.

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]]> http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/28/our-next-peoria-school-board-member-speaks-on-whistleblower-firing/feed/ 13 Administrator to be fired at District 150 (UPDATE 2X: Admin under police investigation) http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/25/administrator-to-be-fired-at-district-150/ http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/25/administrator-to-be-fired-at-district-150/#comments Sat, 25 Apr 2009 06:03:28 +0000 Billy Dennis http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/?p=11451 This story is still developing, but I’ve confirmed from a very reliable source that an administrator described as “high ranking” is going to be fired very soon by Peoria School District 150. My source does not know the name or position of this administrator, but it is NOT superintendent Ken Hinton. Money — the need to save it — was cited as the reason.

This information came to me as I am looking into a tip that an administrator is suspected of making unauthorized credit card payments and taking money from a school’s student activity fund. This information came in late Friday, and I was unable to get enough confirmation to name names.

It’s very possible these two tips are unrelated. But the first tip about the firing is solid, I believe.

To avoid potentially libelous speculation, comments are closed. The second item will remain “blind” until I am able to speak to the parties involved or see a police report.

Send information to me via the contact form.

UPDATE: Mike Scally of the Peoria Police Department has confirmed that officers received a report Friday afternoon that an administrator at District 150 is suspected of misappropriating finds. The department is investigating and he declined to name the person being investigated.

This confirms part of the tip I received.

No doubt more to follow.

UPDATE 2: My source added this information. Some of the credit card usage went to carrepairs and to “American Girls,” a high-end doll store in Chicago. At some point,  it appears that student activity fund money was used to pay off some of the credit card bills.

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]]> http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2009/04/25/administrator-to-be-fired-at-district-150/feed/ 0 Local: D150 talks down to the unwashed, ignorant masses http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2008/05/03/local-d150-talks-down-to-the-unwashed-ignorant-masses/ http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2008/05/03/local-d150-talks-down-to-the-unwashed-ignorant-masses/#comments Sat, 03 May 2008 06:54:47 +0000 Billy Dennis http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/?p=10260 Two good posts from C.J. Summers about District 150’s plans to slash instructional time at all 12 primary schools. They are located here and here. Leave it to C.J. to provide documentation proving the district is talking about of both sides of its mouth.

But Diane Vespa, herself a Kellar Primary School parent, illustrates perfectly the lack of respect the district shows parents by essentially telling them they are just to stupid to understand why teaching students 45 fewer minutes a day is a good idea.

The audience sat patiently as Asst. Superintendant Cheryl Sanfilip presented the changes to parents as an amazing and unlimited opportunity for our children. Although parents were asked to submit their questions in advance of the meeting, Ms. Sanfilip did nothing more than wave the 3 page list of 44 questions in the air as she repeated her talking points. She did take a few questions afterwards, but unfortunately, her answers seemed to only give rise to more questions. In her defense, the questions and commentary were relentless and completely devoid of any appreciation of the “unlimited opportunities” she was offering. Many of her answers were defensive but she was facing quite a perturbed gathering. She persisted as best as she could despite the “unprofessional” conduct of some of the audience members as described by Board Member Jim Stowell.

Well, we’re quite familiar here with Jim Stowell here at Peoria Pundit. He’s in no position to lecture anyone, let alone concerned parents, about “unprofessional conduct.” And it’s utterly typical of D150 school board members to believe it’s their job to sell the public on whatever schemes vomit forth from school administrators than to represent the wishes of the taxpayers/voters/parents they are supposed to represent.

This is the same top-down, take-it-or-leave it attitude they showed to residents of the East Bluff and the Near North Side when they wanted to close all the schools in these neighborhoods, and build one super-sized school inside Glen Oak Park. And they continued to show these residents this lack of respect … right up to the moment the Peoria Park District said “no.” And it was only because of pressure from the Peoria City Council (especially Bob Manning) that made them finally listen and agree to two new schools, one at the site of the current Glen Oak School location.

And this is what makes me unsure that the forces of common sense and reason will inevitably prevail here. I’m not sure that there’s anything the Peoria City Council or any other agency can do to force D150 to stop this mess. If there is … please do it, guys,

Some months ago, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis publicly put the kibosh any any suggestion the city would even consider a takeover of District 150, an action I’ve advocated for a long time. Maybe this most recent episode of ignorance, ineptitude and arrogance will convince Peoria’s powers-that-be that these folks don’t really want the type of high-quality, family-friendly programs that Peoria needs, and that some sort of city or state take-over is needed.

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]]> http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2008/05/03/local-d150-talks-down-to-the-unwashed-ignorant-masses/feed/ 3 Local: D150 to meet with concerned parents http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2008/04/30/local-d150-to-meet-with-concerned-parents/ http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2008/04/30/local-d150-to-meet-with-concerned-parents/#comments Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:10:38 +0000 Billy Dennis http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/?p=10251 A shortened school day and the elimination of two part-time teaching positions at all Peoria School District 150 primary schools will be the subject of an informational meeting scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Thursday at Kellar Primary School, 6413 N Mount Hawley Rd.

I have been told that parents from other schools are welcome to attend as well. The more people who show up to express their concerns, the less likely the school board will approve this plan.

HOINews has an article here. C.J. blogged about it here. My original article is here.

The following announcement from the Kellar PTO was posted on Peoria.com:

You may or may not be aware that the members of the District 150 School Board are preparing to vote on proposed changes that may substantially impact your child’s elementary school education.

Part one of the proposal calls for SHORTENED SCHOOL HOURS. If passed, school hours will be reduced by 45 minutes each day. The proposed new start time for Primary schools (at least for Kellar) will be 9:15 a.m.

Secondly, specialized instruction in gym, science, music and computers is on the chopping block. Primary schools will only be allowed the equivalent of two full time special teacher positions. The home room teachers must then assume responsibility for these subjects, regardless of their training or background.

Our initial reaction, as parents, is one of concern that our children’s education may be compromised as a result of these changes. We feel that there are alternative cost cutting measures that can and should be taken first that would not put the burden of the deficit squarely on the backs of our young children. As parents, we have the right to expect adequate education and exposure to the arts and sciences in our public schools.

The School Board argues that these proposed changes, in addition to saving the district money, will actually enhance the educational experience. They feel that less time will be spent transitioning children between classes, and that classroom time will be more devoted to learning.

You be the judge! We have arranged an informational meeting to take place at Kellar this Thursday evening, May 1st at 5:15 p.m. District Administrators have confirmed that they will be present to answer your questions and address your concerns.

Time is of the essence. This proposal is being fast-tracked and may very well be voted on at the next School Board meeting on May 5th.

It is our responsibility to watchdog the School Board and Administration to make sure that the Districts limited resources are being allocated in a way that is most beneficial to our children. We cannot entrust this responsibility to teachers or school staff, as their very employment is dependent upon the actions of the aforementioned entities.

We hope to see a very large and concerned presence of District 150 parents on Thursday. We then hope to have a very large group of informed parents at the School Board meeting on May 5th.

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]]> http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2008/04/30/local-d150-to-meet-with-concerned-parents/feed/ 0 Local: Don’t bother District 150 with annoying concerns about safety http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2008/02/01/local-dont-bother-district-150-with-annoying-concerns-about-safety/ http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2008/02/01/local-dont-bother-district-150-with-annoying-concerns-about-safety/#comments Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:43:03 +0000 Billy Dennis http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2008/02/01/local-dont-bother-district-150-with-annoying-concerns-about-safety/ East Bluff Barbie has a very infuriating post about school bus safety. It seems the district can’t afford to put safety monitors on a bus after her son reported bullying. Funny, isn’t it, how they can toss away hundred of thousands to buy all those houses on Prospect. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t question the school administration’s commitment to the children. Because all we heard from then during the the Glen Oak School relocation controversy that this was their main concern, the children. Just ask them.

UPDATED: Corrected a detail.

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]]> http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2008/02/01/local-dont-bother-district-150-with-annoying-concerns-about-safety/feed/ 4 Local: Peoria Police to hold assemblies in schools (UPDATED) http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/10/22/local-peoria-police-to-hold-assemblies-in-schools/ http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/10/22/local-peoria-police-to-hold-assemblies-in-schools/#comments Tue, 23 Oct 2007 02:46:01 +0000 Billy Dennis http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/10/22/local-peoria-police-to-hold-assemblies-in-schools/ That’s announcement that was made at the end of tonight’s meeting of the Peoria School District 150 Board of Education. The subject of the assembly was not released, and will be revealed by the City of Peoria at a press conference scheduled for 1 p.m,. tomorrow at Peoria Police Headquarters at the corner of Walnut Street and South West Adams.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that it have something to do with jaywalking.

And there’s another press conference at 5:30 p.m. before the start of the regular Peoria City Council meeting about joint anti-littering effort by District 150 and the city. For that one, they issued a press release. They are having a song-writing contest. It’s called “Rappers Against Wrappers.”

No, that is not a joke.

UPDATED: The Journal Star is reporting that there’s been an unspecified arrangement following a meeting with the NAACP, the King Holiday Committee, city officials and the police. I’m guessing that these police-run assemblies in the middle schools and high schools is part of the arrangement. There’s no word on whether part of the arrangement includes dropping the tickets. I don’t see Don Jackson and Rita Ali dropping their protests unless the tickets are dismissed. I’m almost positive the city wouldn’t drop the tickets unless there was a weakness in the case. Remember that Rita Ali claimed to witness the incident and that she saw no jaywalking, nor the walking-down-the-middle-of-the-road behavior.

Sigh.

More tomorrow.

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