Interesting find on the MEA webpage - It's from their online magazine "MEA Voice"
Look at page 15 - Feature column on privatization of the Marshall custodians.
http://mea.org/voice/2009Sept/62AC8D517E82CF48BE494CCBC31C6FFC/index.html
Thoughts??
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1 – 200 of 906 Newer› Newest»This is too easy. Obviously that expenditure category contains other items. The yearly change is due to a combination of items.
Classless manipulation.
I'm sorry about the custodians, Eaton workers, State Farm people, etc. But, if you educated and trained to do just one thing, you are at risk.
Every place has to find new ways to do things. No job is safe.
Unions can either adapt or become irrelevant.
As the Marshall teachers know all too well is that the replacement workers do less than the original custodians. Also they have high turnover and there are not the familiarfriendly faces keeping an eye on our buildings and kids like before. Yes, there were a few bad apples that needed to be fired. Maybe some part-timers could have been hired to cut some costs. But overall this has not worked very well and in many ways things are much worse and costs higher.
Also how do you factor in losing a $35 mil bond? Now had it passed, which it likely would have if the custodians had not been fired, imagine how much "bang for the buck" we would be getting RIGHT NOW in this economy? Imagine how awesome our updated facilities would be next year? To do the same in 2-5 years may cost us millions more. Not to mention the $1.5 million recording studio that would have been donated had the bond passed. It was definitely a very foolish idea all around the way the board fired the custodians.
Also this outcome was well known in advance and the board ignored the wise advice to postpone that decision and reconsider all factors. Lakeview phased in some privatization to see how it would work and protect its own longterm dedicated employees (and community members). That was much smarter politically! Now why were big raises handed out to those responsible for the mess the schools are in?
You got me!
The new company charges extra for many services that were normally done by the custodians. I can't imagine there would be much savings if any. I would be more concerned with who is doing these ultra low pay/no benefit jobs?
The board needs to revisit this issue!!!!! Maybe we need to rehire our own custodians!!! Also the facilities (bathrooms especially) are not as clean as they were before!!! The bathroom off by the staff lounge is always gross, the toilet is always rust colored!!! When the MPS custodians were there they must have had some special cleaner to keep it sparkeling!!!
Why would anyone truly care if they are a very low paid temp employee that can be shoved out the door tomorrow for any reason?
Only the most desperate people would take such jobs and even if they wanted to be loyal their company and the MPS has no loyalty to them. It reminds me of the old saying "Penny wise and pound foolish."
The best "value" is usually not the cheapest option. Plus the far bigger price of a lost bond, lost trust and lost community support will cost far more in the future than the little they may have saved, at best. The simultaneous big raises for JKP loyalists was a dumb move too. These acts will not be forgotten.
Hearts were broken when these local community members were fired from their MPS custodial jobs. Lives were turned upside down - financially some are still trying to recover. The MPS custodians were only being paid $11/hour. But they did their jobs with pride - whether it was Redskin or Redhawk!
GRBS - has already created a history of getting rid (for no reason - just like the local custodians) If you become approachable by the staff, and then become the go-to staffer for cleaning issues....you are history to GRBS. This is not just in Marshall but widespread practice by GRBS.
Time to re-visit this issue - Litchfield realized they had errored in the oursourcing of their custodians.....admitted their mistake (yes - this will be hard for the MPS board) and re-instated those employees after clearly seeing for themselves what we all tried to tell this Board....you will pay for extra work, you will get people with felony records, you will get workers who hit on the female students, you will get theft, you will get 'dirty facilities', you will get a large BILL FOR SERVICES, - YOU WILL GET WHAT YOU WERE TOLD YOU WOULD GET JUST PRIOR TO YOUR RUBBER STAMPED DECISION TO FIRE ALL OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY mps CUSTODIANS!
I say re-instate the good custodians (a few should have been let go) and lets start rebuilding community support and trust from the corrupt mess of the last five years.
Do all of the good people donating to the track and other school causes have any idea how much was wasted, spent on unnecessary legal bills and lavished on undeserving JKP associates the last five years? The waste could have easily financed the pool upgrades, track and football field upgrades, the soccer field and many other needs "for the kids."
Move on people. Enough whining. Witchy JKP left a fund balance and still accomplished much needed fixes. Thank God she put some money in the pot cause there wasn't any before she got here.
She put money in the pot by cutting many needs, including maintenance, that hurt our schools. The neglect at fixing the buildings also cost us bond support. Giving tours that feature a broken toilette does not build support. It asks "what bad leaders refuse to fix a broken toilet or not clean dirty walls"?
I think the Chronicle or BC Enquirer (if any real journalists are left covering education) should do a FOIA just on the legal bills of the last five years. They should not top a few thousand a year. Also what have we actually paid the new custodial service? How about an independent survey of the staff to ask if the buildings are cleaner and if the service is better than before? What are the complete results of the EPIC survey? It is well known that much of that survey results were buried.
These are things the Superintendent and the board should be doing! This information is needed to see if changes are in order.
While the reporters are at it, please FOIA the payroll and benefits per member of the current staff, then publish for all to see... John Q. Public would like to know. We think more savings are available in this area...time for some concessions folks!
Those darn teachers with families and taking classes they pay for making $35,000 a year need to be cut cut cut! I agree with concessions, get a 2nd or 3rd job if you need to pay the bills! Go ahead, do the FOIA, though the information is public (duh, try a Google search).
Sounds like Potter is on here again....as any public employee knows, has known....school wages have been public FOREVER. These can be easily obtained. And - news release here: those of us that have moved onto better employment (and previously thought MPS was good wages) have found out the profound truth = MPS wages are not even near the top. This small district has been paying less for years. So come on Vic - stop with the wage concessions. That is a no brainer that would save almost no money. Now - look at the size of our district and explain why we are paying the administrator salaries that we are. When a struggling district can continue to 'pay for the best superintendent - and get squat for experience' but we must, as Janice has repeatedly said "attract the best superintendent's with the best wages" - hello....is it going to matter how much we pay the top administration....we are small and struggling! HOW ABOUT THE BOARD GIVING SOME ADMINISTRATION CONCESSIONS....CHARLIE MAC, DR. DAVIS, HR GENERALIST - LISA, DO'NOTTA' WALBECK -....'hey folks - it's about time for some concessions'!!!!
How about a 5% to 10% concession across the board, staff and administration? This would be a 'quick fix' for the district and show true support 'For the Kids'.
we need to get back on track. did anyone really think privatizing custodial services was going to save alot? i know LOTS of money has been squandered, but we can't get it back now. i am waiting for the board to do something that shows we are going in a different direction, and i haven't seen it yet. administration SHOULD take a pay cut like everyone else in this economy.
"How about a 5% to 10% concession across the board, staff and administration? This would be a 'quick fix' for the district and show true support 'For the Kids'."
What about the far larger pay raises given to the superintendent and others in recent years? What about Charlie Mac getting a whopping 40% pay increase, for what we have no idea! Shouldn't these be rolled back to levels of say five years ago first? We know these were questionable and political decisions by JKP and the board. The higher wages did not bring in a highly qualified superintendent. All we got was an inexperienced guy from a sinking nearby class D school district. Our Principals all have far more experience in education! Almost any of them, except Klochack, would have been a better choice.
How about a 5% reduction for staff and 10% reduction for administration? Seems fair and equitable for all. And remember, it would be 'For the Kids'.
What is the update on Charlie MacDonald since his car accident?
I know the government finance deal is for only $15 mil towards a new bond but we need much more than that. I would say at least $25 mil just for fixing up MHS. Another gym is needed too. Of course the track, football field, science labs, music area, auditorium and the pool area are awful. I am embarrassed that so many things have gotten dumpy at MHS, Only the library and the offices look really nice.
Those who praise Joyce Phillips for leaving a little money in the bank need a reality check. What about the $40,000+ her and Amy Jones lost when they forgot to cancel an insurance policy? They were lucky it was not much more, which the insurance company could have gone to court for. By the way, what was the legal bills of the Phillips administration? Perhaps a few hundred thousand more than they should have been? What about undeserved raises given out? These need to be taken back first, before any other cuts. What about grossly neglected facilities? Just let everything rot so it will cost much more to fix in the future? Only a fool would praise such mismanagement. And that is just the tip of the iceberg of all that has gone wrong. Don't forget the same group still run the Marshall schools, they just have a new superintendent I am sure they plan to control.
Nowhere in any of these posts will you read how Michigan's teachers are the FOURTH highest paid in the country, or how Michigan's teacher benefits are also among the highest in the country. Why is that?
Time for action. Reduction in payroll, reduction in benefits, or both...we need to do something now, we can't wait for next year because budget cuts are projected to be higher than they are now.
It's nice to hear from the school board!
The board threw money around the last five years on Phillips and her cohorts. How much did they pay for outside consultants to do "the good doctor's" job? I would also like to know the expensive lawyers bills from Lansing. They kept giving Joyce raises despite terrible job performance and the fact she was going nowhere! Then they through more money into the pot for Dr. Davis who has less education experience than just about everyone on staff. He also was going to go nowhere if we hired him, he was barely hanging on to his job at Athens.
Now they are concerned about saving money? How much is Joyce's 2nd retirement costing Michigan taxpayers? Firing the custodians cost us the bond, how much more will such needed upgrades cost if a bond can ever be passed in the future? A couple of million easy compared to what we would be getting NOW if they had not screwed up. What were they thinking? MY 12 year old could have made better decisions. The worst part is that they were well informed by brave MPS staffers who care about the schools and about the consequences of their bad decisions. The predictions of the staff have been correct time and again, and their decisions have proved to be very bad for the Marshall schools. And yes, the same "Anti-Lou" clique (not John, Annette and Bill) is in charge. Who pays for these bad decisions and dumb actions? Our kids for one. The staff will pay big now. And the community is worse off as the schools are plagued by poor leadership, a weakening reputation and low morale. Apathy is the best ally for these board members. So far apathy has served them well.
OK People- Please get out of the PAST and into the FUTURE. I agree with you about all that Joyce and the board did wrong, but PLEASE try to look to the FUTURE. You can write on this blog until we are all dead and buried and it will not change one thing. How about we try hard to fix things that we actually can fix. You must go thru bottles of TUMS in a matter of hours if you are consumed like this all the time. Let's get Marshall back to the great school system that most of us remember. Let's vote new people on to the board when we have the opportunity and for Gods sakes don't let the evil doings of the past cloud what we see for the future. WE OWE THAT TO OUR KIDS- NOT JUST LETTING THEM HEAR THE HATE.
Can anything truly improve without a recall?
A recall to clean out those responsible for the mess we are in would be a positive thing we can do as we look to the future! I can't think of anything they have done to truly turn around from the mistakes of their past. Do they have remorse over what they did to Kathy Petrich? To the custodians? To the rest of the MPS staff? To our kids? Removing Klochack would be another big improvement.
The missed bond opportunity turned out to be a far greater loss than even I imagined it would be. How could they be so foolish as to fire the custodians right before a crucial bond vote? I think it was revenge for the staff speaking out about Joyce Phillips, Amy Jones and the board. Let's pretend it passed and $35 mil of improvements were going on right now. Also a donated $1.5 million studio was being built too. And in this economy we would get much more for our money, maybe the equivalent of at least $40 mil in construction and remodeling.
Oh yeah, we are supposed to forget about all of this. Now let's all get excited and move forward into the future together! What gets cut next, orchestra? Sports? The alternative school? Bussing?
Let's focus on the future!
At this time both the past and future look bleak. How do they think they can pass a bond this time around? What has changed? What cuts are coming soon?
I'm all about our kids, but it seems that our high school administration is not. Since when does not one administrator show up for a dance? I asked both my son and daughter if either Ms. Nessel or Mr. Klochak were there to supervise the dance. Neither one were there. I did see Mr. Klochack up in his "Suite" at the football game, but he only came down once or twice. I know that their contracts call for after school supervision, yet, I very rarely see or hear of them at any of the after school events. Is this breach of contract?
Certainly not like the old days when we had MHS administrators who actually cared about the kids and who actually lived in town. Klochack is an incompetent joke of a principal and has done absolutely nothing to improve MHS other than fulfill Joyce Phillips masterplan to get rid of good people who actually cared about the school and students. The new supt. obviously agrees with JKP that a principal commuting from the Flint area is just fine. A new bond? The biggest improvement to MHS is getting rid of Klochack.
And Ron Behrenwald lived in Olivet...so your point is?
Ron at least knew the security code to his own building at the end of the school year. Mr. Klochak had to ask employees what the code was last spring. Must be he's not the first to get to the building(like Ron was) and last to leave the building on many nights(again, like Ron was). Ron was seen at most events, even though he lived in Olivet and didn't skate out early every school day due to some excuse. This guy has no buy-in to the community and doesn't care. Ron very much cared about not only the kids, but also the community. Ms. Nessel isn't much better.
A RECALL WILL NOT HELP!!!! The last school board recall damaged and divided this community almost beyond repair. Vote for new school board members - - -if anyone of you has the courage to run. This board and new superintendent are trying to move forward in difficult times. Let's back them up with a little optimism and positive attitude - - - -for the kids!!!
Its hard to back Vic, Janice, Dan and Ali when they have repeatedly refused to work with us, insulted us, belittled us, stabbed us in the back and rewarded those doing a poor job. That is why morale is low and they have lost all respect from the teachers. They are an anchor dragging down the Marshall schools. Is there one iota of evidence they have changed their ways or learned from their mistakes?
"Let's back them up with a little optimism and positive attitude - - - -for the kids!!!"
Don't look for help or understanding from the ying-yangs posting here...they are to enveloped in their own 'shoulda, coulda, woulda' mentality'. It is all about them, not the kids.
Maybe it is time for staffers and ex-staffers to pull out their evidence like emails that truly show how Vic ran to Joyce every time he had the opportunity to help Joycy stab yet another employee in the back. Why don't you walk in the shoes of those who were harmed....not by Joyce and Amy and Brian Metcalf - but at the direction of the above persons....people like Vic assisted them in harming employees. Do you remember joyce changing the 'harrassment' policy. So if Joyce, Brian or Amy were harrassing an employee....you had to take it to Vic Potter (Board President). Who in turn, ran right to Joyce - tattling all the way. (I do have emails to prove this happened twice to one person). Thanks Vic - it did help me in my decision to resign and find an awesome employer (who has the same school retirement) BUT THESE UNETHICAL PRACTICES BY BOARD MEMBERS WAS NOT ISOLATED. Do you recall how Paul Beardsley met with Ron Behrenwald over his concerns of he difference in hiring practices at MMS and MHS? Then Paul after directing Ron to go ahead and speak at the Board meeting....ran to Joyce with suggestions of discipline regarding Ron speaking up at Board meeting? WELL....KINDA HARD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH VIC STILL ON THE BOARD! He has committed things that should be reason for him to just resign - then maybe we could start to move forward. If you attended some of those board meetings you will remember Vic and his arrogance and condensation towards those willing to bring public comments into the meetings. Vic should begin the process of resignations of Board members - followed by Janice (personal issues concerning ethics), and Dan. With Vic, Janice and Dan resigned....we would really be moving forward. Without these resignations...we will continue to spin our tires making no forward progress!
If we had the kind of board leaders we had many years ago (before Lou) when things were far better then the problems of the last five years would not exist. If we had community involvement like we did many years ago, the board members mentioned in the last post would either have not been elected or would have been long gone in a much-deserved recall. This groups has no honesty or integrity.
As expected, there has been no real change in the leadership of the Marshall schools. JKP has set sail to serve mankind in Hoosierland or Coldwater or whereever. She is enjoying an extra $20,000 per year for life, completely undeserved, courtesy of Paul Beardslee, Vic Potter, Janice Darling, Ali Webb and Dan Stulberg. Now their agenda keeps moving forward. The damage done is deep and wide. They will never pass a bond if they are still in charge.
Watch as they sink bond number 2 in 2 years.
They are soooooooooo predictable. If its a bad idea, they are most likely for it! Its getting old. We need new board members.
I would think with so much discord regarding Vic, Janice and Dan - they would do the right thing and and vacate their seats - so Marshall would not have to even consider a recall of these three. I do believe Ali would be a valued board member with the above three gone. I am guessing their egos and desire to be somebody keeps them seated on the Board. Anywhere else....the right thing would have occurred - they would have stepped down - due to their self serving interests.
Very good information in the MEA article regarding the Marshall custodians and the promised savings that indeed DID NOT TRANSPIRE. I quote the article:
""Twenty one custodians lost their jobs, even though none made more than $12.21 per hour. The Board promised to save the district up to $1.1 million over three years, or $366,667 per year". "Did it?" According to the Michigan Department of Education database "these savings never materialized. In fact, the district is now spending more than it did before privatization. In the school year ending June 30, 2008, after firing all the employees and paying the replacements less, the total Operations and Maintenance bill at Marshall INCREASED $77,764. The year before privatization, total maintenance costs had actually fallen $210,917."
OK - I had to type it all because it seems this board does not and will not face the facts when they are wrong. I supported these employees. I went to the summer 2007 board meetings. I listened to Iris Stalter, Michigan Education Association State President....she told the MPS Board THEY WOULD NOT REALIZE ANY SAVINGS. SHE TOLD THEM THEY WOULD INCURR HIGHER COSTS. SHE BEGGED THE BOARD TO GIVE THIS ISSUE SOME TIME TO VISIT THE FACTS ON THIS LIFE CHANGING ISSUE. Joyce pushed the Board to DO IT NOW...HER WAY.
These employees lost their jobs in a matter of 90 days from conception of the idea. Within 10 days petitions in Marshall held 2400 signatures strongly opposing the privatization of our school employees. Joyce and the Board - DID IT THEIR WAY ANYWAY.
Now, Board, if you would have given even those 2400 local taypayer's some consideration on this subject - there would have been 2400 +++ signatures supporting a school bond for improvements.
Board: you can not continue to steam roll through without considering the local school taxpayers then cry a river when these same taxpayers do not support your spending in this district.
I would strongly suggest: we go backwards in hopes of repairing the spirits in this town. Other districts have realized their error in outsourcing and reinstated employees. THIS WOULD BE A 100% STRIDE TOWARDS SECURING THE TRUST AND SUPPORT FOR THE MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENT BOND MONIES NEEDED FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
Set aside the egos. Joyce is gone. BELIEVE ME - this would be the ###1111 way to rebuild trust and move our schools forward. Ignore this advice and we continue to spin our wheels in the mud. The mud that Joyce K. Phillips left behind for each board member to deal with. Wow - who was the smart one here?
If you have taken time to investigate SW Michigan school districts who have contracted the services of GRBS would will completely understand the mountain of problems it has brought. The costs, the turnover, the theft, the employees with felony records working in our schools = because there is no one checking backgrounds....YES -check it out.
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20091013/NEWS01/910130313/Marshall+schools+whittle+proposal
The main stumbling block to passing the bond is the board majority who are not trusted or supported by the staff or community.
Check out:
http://bs-ba.facebook.com/group.php?gid=75636908565
Is Coach Hulkow still being targeted? Last I knew JKP, Vic, Dan, Ali and Janice wanted him gone. They were outraged about this blog and others supporting Coach Hulkow. Hang in their Coach, we and 99% of others support you!
For the above poster, can't believe you would direct anybody to that...
"He's a great famiy man too, right uncle Rich? What's it been now, 20 years since you have had any contact with your three neices? Once my dad died, your brother, you and uncle Steve just forgot about us. No contact at all, you just left us. Say hi to Aunt Lynn for me too! So much for family bonds."
Sounds like the 'Bulk' is all about himself, but no suprise there.
Facebook and this blog were started by students now in or recently graduated from college.
Here is some good news:
http://www.successfund.org
Yes, some of these people were part of the problem like Paul Beardslee. But at least they helped raise some money to buy books. Now if he and his board buddies DS/VP/JD, Marsha Franke and her close pal Joyce Phillips hadn't cost us a $35 million bond... but its only money. Maybe they can get the Franke's and the "success fund" to remodel MHS. That's ok by me, they can even name it after them. But at least name the auditorium after Kathy Petrich! OOPS, I forgot we are not supposed to talk about the past. My bad.
This blog was started when Supt. Phillips with board backing launched revenge on the teachers and other staff who spoke to board members about concerns and problems. They also went after the MTA leaders with a threatened lawsuit over the survey and unjustly persecuted people like Kathy Petrich who spoke up. Ron Behrenwald and many others were unjustly and dishonestly targeted, stabbed in the back! The custodians were all fired in one of the cruelest and most unnecessary moves in MPS history! The Chronicle was also threatened with legal action (big money backing for JKP?) and has since quit doing investigative reporting like Shelley Sulser used to do. That combined with phony PR was to silence all criticism and cover up all scandals and failures in leadership.
This blog was born to keep the discussion alive and to help expose what is really going on. To my knowledge all viewpoints are welcome and no posts have ever been deleted! The staff know the truth. All other attempts at honest cooperation and teamwork with the board have failed. Randy Davis is viewed as a weak, inexperienced board puppet. Yes, there are many unjustly hurt people and suffering families due to the actions of JKP, her flunky loyalists and her board accomplices. This regime has done far too much damage and are still in control, minus JKP.
They cannot silence the truth! We all know what happened. There are way to many living witnesses and hard evidence to cover it all up, though they may try. I don't know how they sleep at night. Of course I mean JKP, her well-known lackeys and Paul, Janice, Vic, Dan and to a lesser extent Ali.
No blood money "success fund" will cover the injustices. No PR campaign can hide the truth.
Nice reading to snooze by, but what we really want to know is what about 'Uncle Richie Bulkster"?
So that is the attitude of those responsible? Shame on you! How can you be so cold and uncaring about good people? Are you on the board?
If I were the Hulkows I would do like Joyce Phillips always did...retain an attorney. The Hulkows have been a great positive asset to the Marshall Schools for years now. Their contributions have gone far beyond that of most other families in this area. Joyce did nothing but cause damage. Hulk has influence many a young person while Lynn has been a wonderful loving mentor to all she comes in contact with. Who cares what goes on within their family unit. Like a divorce...there are always two sides....keep family attacks out of this.
Unless we want to go back to the Jody Foreman case: Where Vic Potter teamed up with Joyce to attack the high school with the use of his at best "hard to tell the truth neice". People did not attack Vic's family even though some of us know how this transpired! Way to go Vic. Not saying Mr. Foreman didn't go over any lines....but the untruths of this young girl caused unspeakable damage to the whole Foreman family. And behind the scenes: Joyce and Vic head to head trying to pull off the very deceptive investigation! How much money did that one cost this district?
Possibly time for Dan to put aside his hatred for being jerked from his position as BB coach...let's move on Dan - just like the board posters are saying about the tragedies of the past 5 years....we are supposed to move on...forget what the board allowed Joyce, Metcalf and Klochak to do to Kathy Petrich. I WILL NOT FORGET. Are we supposed to move on and forget what a lose to MPS, our community and MHS the departure of the Behrenwald family has been. In their place we have a traveling principal who does not seem to want to know his student body.
When you can look in the mirror and know that you have made a contribution like the Hulkows...then speak up....until then forever hold your peace!
I am curious if anyone is going to the board with possible savings regarding the building cleaning/maintenance budget? With the $77,764 increase in expenditures while using the Grand Rapids Building Service employees....if we went back to our own custodians....this would be a nice little savings while repairing yet again, some of the damage Joyce caused to this school district. If we are looking at cuts: Let's cut this GRBS group....realize the $77,000_ savings ... that savings alone is the cost of three of our custodians....what a bonus....3 for free! What is the matter with this board. Time to revisit this issue and enjoy the savings of the $77,000+ per year. This board + Joyce Phillips promised this community a savings of $1.1 MILLION over 3 years...= $366,667 per year. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN....IT HAS COST US $77,000+ per year.
In order to restore trust in the Board - the Board must make some decisions that REBUILDS TRUST! What an awesome opportunity for rebuilding trust and moving forward to pass a bond!
Also when they hired the new outsourced custodial service they bought them all kinds of nice new equipment to make their jobs far easier and faster. Equipment they refused to buy for our own custodians!
Now was this a set up or what? Then about half of what the previous custodians did were now NOT a part of their job. If these services were to be performed they would cost extra. What? Was that another ploy to make the costs look lower? What a scam. This all needs to be investigated. How can we trust them with a $15 or $20 or $30 million bond?
I agree, we need to restore the good custodians who did not deserve to be fired and fire GRBS!
No trust and confidence will equal another failed bond. It will be DOA if these problems are not fixed.
anyone with any info on who it was that got busted after school today, wednesday, for smoking pot in the bathroom at the high school? wonder when eyes will be opened in this town that they have a serious drug problem. just last week a marshall student caused a lockdown at the tech center due to drugs being found in his vehicle. nothing was brought up about the incident at tech just wondered if the 1 that happened today will be heard of or swept under the rug as well. when a student overdoses and found dead it will be to late to bring it out to the public and stop sticking up for the kids who have family with a name or money or good atheletic abilities. i know for a fact there are many who are in sports and use, where are the drug test?
Marshall doesn't have a drug problem, nor does it have a problem with the school board, the "privatized" custodians, the clueless leftover JKP loyalists, community support, staff morale, covered up scandals or undeserved raises. This is all made up if it is not a part of the "Strategic Public Relations Plan."
So there!!!
Only in Marshall.
wonder how marshall will do in the football game against harper creek, heard 6 member of the football team were kicked off. anyone else hear anything?
Call the MHS Principal at home in Flint.
i heard something was mentioned about drug testing and it made alot of the players nervous and they backed down from the drug test afraid they wouldn't have enough players left on the team to play tomorrow
are everyone's eyes opened in marshall yet? a student was arrested at the school on wed and in juvie after he and his gf were having fun in the locker room and they got into a arguement so she called wolf and told she was raped, 6 football players removed from team, student at tech found with pot in his car, student's horse playing in parking lot on moving vehicles causing injury, students expelled from school last yr due to airsoft gun incidents, what next? time people put money away and hold kids accountable for what they do and stop covering up and enabling them to continue doing the wrong thing and going down the wrong road in life.
From two above:
"i heard something was mentioned about drug testing and it made alot of the players nervous and they backed down from the drug test afraid they wouldn't have enough players left on the team to play tomorrow"
So.....whats the story Richie?
You cannot blame Rich Hulkow for the bad behavior of football players unless he knows about it and condones it. My experience is that he is the first to do the opposite and he holds his players to high standards.
Marshall has had problems with drugs, fights, promiscuous sex and many other social problems for decades. Some come from poor dysfunctional homes. Some come from well-off dysfunctional homes. The extremely high divorce rate contributes to the problem. The parents and the students themselves need to be the main source of responsibility for such behavior. I will support any school leaders that hold these students accountable. Mr. Behrenwald was forced out largely because he tried to hold ALL students to the same high standards. Some parents complained and demanded special treatment for their kids. Since they were friends with board members and Joyce Phillips it was Behrenwald who was forced out and such bad kids and bad parents prevailed with the help of bad leaders. This happened under Lou G. too and was one of the reasons Bob DuBois left.
The nasty politics of some in this town are another big cause of the problems.
i totally agree with the post above to stand behind any school leader that will hold these kids accountable for their actions and problems. someone has to start somewhere to say no it isn't going to happen here no more, money and who you are friends with don't matter. i am afraid that if rich hulkow is being the "bad guy" and holding these players to be accountable for their actions i just worry how that will affect him for next year, but glad he don't look at getting the possible boot from the school as a threat to stop him from doing what is right.
it is not always dysfunction that causes problems. peer pressure is the main source, don't matter what type of live style you have at home. i know for a fact i dealt with a problem of my child caught smoking, can i keep him from not smoking when he is with his friends who are good students, come from good family background, probably not when they are out of your sight you can only control that you feel they will do the right thing. being cool to their school mates and fitting in sometimes overrides what they learn at home. i talked until i was blue in the face to my child and the answer i received was i only do it once in awhile i dont have a habit or need to smoke just do it. why i am asking do you just have to do it if you do not have a habit and it is to fit in i hear mom i get tired of being made fun of from the bullys, the jocks, society for not fitting in. do you realize how hard it is to want to go to school when you are being made fun of daily. my children know where i am if they need someone to talk to and know they can be honest and not judged by me but will that help them from making the wrong decisions i can hope but i am sure they are not going to be 100% everything i want for them and that is ok as long as they can be 100% for everything they want to be, what they do as a student in school guides them to the live they will lead as an adult, that is when live counts, you live what with you make of yourself.
It does all depend on "who you are" in Marshall! One of the reasons Rich Hulkow is despised by the board majority is because he has held ALL of his football players and other students accountable for their actions. Ron B. did also do the same thing, or at least attempted to. With corruption and bad leadership at the top it is hard to do your job. Watching good people targeted unfairly while others get their blunders and poor performance covered up and rewarded is demoralizing and stressful.
Apparently the players suspended are not crucial to the team. And no the Wimberlys were not part of this group contrary to some rumors going around. Though there is a nice article about them in the BC Enq:
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20091016/HSSPORTS/910160321&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
I like the comment about no "Schools of Choice" no twins on the Marshall team. How true! The wimberlys come from Albion that used to be a football powerhouse many many years ago.
the wimberly's are not the only players on the team, yes they are good players but so are the rest of the players. it takes an entire team to play a game not just twins and i feel the article should have been about all the players not just about marshall having 2 sets of twins on the team. good luck team next week against sturgis and in the play offs.
Before going for another big school bond lets fix some of the problems that lead to the defeat of the previous bond. Most of the same problems still exist. Also the economy is much worse so a good opportunity last year was wasted.
We need a return of trust and confidence in the MPS leadership, including the school board.
We need strong cooperation and trust between the staff and the same leaders.
We need the good custodians returned to their jobs.
We most likely need some failed board leaders replaced, so they should resign so we can all move forward.
Otherwise another vote is a waste of time and money.
Financial mismanagement and undeserved large raises do not help either. I do not trust Vic, Janice, Dan and Ali with any amount of millions of dollars.
I am sure they will play games with the numbers to make it look like they saved a lot of money by firing the custodians. It does not matter that their replacements do about half of the job and were bought expensive new equipment to make their jobs far easier. Will they factor in the lost MHS bond? How millions could have been saved had the bond passed last year and were were getting bids in this bad economy? Millions could easily be saved had they not fired the custodians, in which the bond would have certainly passed.
What cost community support? What cost high turnover employees with no real loyalty to the schools? What was the cost of the raises lavished on those who pushed for the firing of the custodians? These are just some of the factors to consider.
Will MMS be closed next due to flu? We are lucky that Oaklawn hospital pays for Sue Boley to be our school nurse. It is free to the schools.
Alright. I'm not a fan of the usual suspects here. But, you people better get it together.
Outsourcing the custodians was the responsible thing to do. Not pretty, maybe not fair, but the right thing to do.
If we try to protect things that can't be protected, something else will have to do.
The world has changed. I'm over 50 and still remember my elementary custodian. That world is gone.
With any luck we will still have a school district if we make hard choices.
The next train coming down the track is district consolidation. Before that comes, we will see building elimination and consolidation.
Watch what happens when gas goes back to $4.
Get busy livin', or get busy die-in'
I agree! Those greedy teachers need to take big cuts. The administrators have a tough job and don't need everyone else telling them what to do. Yes consolidation is next. Marshall should pick up Mar Lee and maybe Tekonsha. Marshall and Homer can split Albion. Athens, the previous home of Dr. Davis is sinking fast and will eventually be absorbed into surrounding districts. You know all those cheap things you buy at Walmart made in China? Well that's where most of our jobs have gone, and Mexico too! YOu know that 401 K you didn't care who they had to squeeze or what scheme they needed to keep it rising? Well we see what a mess selfishness and greed got us!
So get used to it, we are killing ourselves and we are all to blame.
lets be truthful, community pride and spirit is falling fast. Hardly anyone seems to care much about anything or anyone anymore.
Stop with the greedy teacher crap. If you're so jealous, get your certificate.
Oh wait. You have to pass 6th grade first. I forgot.
Can a school bond of say $15 or 20 mil pass without the resignation of some controversial school board members? If so, how?
Any chance of passing the $35 mil bond that we truly needed that failed last year? Any chance the anonymous donor would offer up the $1.5 mil studio again if the bond passed?
Remember even the famous singer Tony Bennett endorsed it. How sad things were not better so the community would pass it. I understand there was a lot of anger and mistrust out there.
Still is!!!!
Answer to above: NO - I do not believe any bond will pass in the next 2 - 3 years. Times are tough. Families need time for the economy to turn around before they commit to more expenses
BOARD MEMBERS NEED TO RESIGN IN ORDER TO REBUILD TRUST: Vic, Janice, Dan need to step down immediately....STEP ONE IN THE TWELVE STEP PROGRAM!!!!
You are so correct.
Step 2:
A 10% across the board reduction in pay and benefits, for staff and administration.
To be fair, how about roll back all wages to what they were five years ago and then add 1% per year. That way the teachers would actually get a raise and those with large undeserved pay raises for their loyalty to JKP, Paul, Dan, Vic and Janice will get a much deserved pay cut. Randy Davis would lose about $15,000! Closer to what his near total lack of educational experience is worth.
To two posts above: Step 2: Reverse the unfair salary increases that were put into place while the Board perhaps 'didn't realize the state of affairs' or while they were led blindly by our past narcisstic supt. The overall staff has given concessions when asked. Does your memory serve you well enough to remember the pay freezes in the past 7 years? Perhaps we should look at: Why does a struggling district of this size reward - the unworthy. Just because they are rat finks that turn tail on their co-workers to stay in the good graces of those who are hired to lead. Remember when Vic brought Joyce the bouquet of flowers to lessen the pain of facing the truth that was brought forward in the staff survey 2006 when 152 employees expressed the concerns for the district that are now CLEAR AS A BELL. Perhaps - then instead of Vic pampering the feelings of this failing supt. he should have given the staff alittle respect. Alot of the problems that have plagued MPS could and would have been curtailed in 2006. Vic promised to look into it and get back with the MTA. ALL TALK - NO ACTION = VIC SHOULD START THE PROCESS OF STEPPING DOWN. This total lack of respect for the staff that he was elected (by the taxpayers) to oversee....could have changed the condition MPS has plunged into.
Following Vic should be Janice....who has single handedly slashed the respect this staff has ever had for her. Was it really Hobby Lobby that put her out of business or was it Janice herself? Had she not blundered to the media on one to many cases I believe the 'taxpayers' of this town would still be supporting the Variety Store. Then we have Dan. I wonder if Dan remembers her correspondence with Kathy Petrich regarding some very grave issues that Joyce was up to. Yes - I wonder if Dan remembers running directly to Joyce with Kathy Petrich's concerns. Kathy was brave in her respect and desire to help MPS get back into a positive direction for our students. Dan - instead - ran to Joyce who in turn had Metcalf and Klochak persecute Kathy to a point she had to resign in an effort to save her health. You cannot expect employees to do the jobs they love while being attacked and then they have to undergo counseling and be put on medication. Dan - that was wrong.
So we now have:
Step 2: Vic step down
Step 3: Janice step down
Step 4: Dan step down
Step 5: Seat new board members without personal agendas on the Board: (that would eliminate Georgia)
Step 5-12: MPS will be better off all around
Step 1:
A 10% reduction in pay and benefits, for all staff.
So that is why the board gave out such huge raises in recent years. They then can ask for a 10% pay reduction for "all" when in reality their stooges still come out way ahead. Good thinkin' Vic, Dan and Janice! With good ideas like this I have no idea why the MPS is in such a mess?
Is there any way to get the complete results from the EPIC survey? It seems it was buried quickly after JKP and the board got a hold of it. What about the staff survey?
If you are on staff in the Marshall Public Schools then you are not supposed to ask such questions unless you want to be fired and your life ruined. If you are a community member refer to the PR press release below:
"We thank all of our wonderful community members who took part in the EPIC survey. Looking at the results we are overwhelmed by community support and share everyone's goal of achieving excellence in the Marshall Public Schools. We are all in it for the kids!"
I hope that is enough. Just trust the board that the EPIC Survey was all positive and glowing. Would they ever lie to the community? Would they ever try to cover something up?
More cuts coming from your friends in Lansing?
Step 1:
A 15% reduction in salaries and benefits, for all staff.
Why not 50%? Maybe 80% for administrators to be a role model.
Oh come on, stop with that already...we think 15% from staff will be sufficient right now. "For the Kids"
Nothing like making the teachers feel appreciated for the HOURS of time they work beyond what the contract says they work, and the amount of MONEY they contribute to their classrooms from their own pocket. Greedy? If I was greedy, I would not be a teacher, I would be in a position where I actually make a decent wage. I just found out that a paralegal in an attorney's office makes the same wage as I do and they only have two years of college, where as I have six years plus additional classes. Maybe a pay cut of 10 or 15% is just the motivation I need to get out of a career that earns no respect but consumes your life. Keep in mind dear lynch crowd, you will get what you pay for.
Unfortunately, we're getting less than what we pay for, now!
Wise up! You teachers should have learned by now what you need to do. Start with praising the board and the superintendent about everything and anything.
Second spill dirt on your fellow teachers, these same people like that too (feel free to make stuff up if you have no real dirt). Then start doing less!
You will be respected more if you do less and delegate or ignore more. Get it now! These are the kinds of things you need to do to win favor and get ahead!
Quit caring about nonsense like "excellence." Look what happened to those who did? Aim low and brown up your nose if you want to get ahead!
Those who have followed this advice in the past are doing quite well. You can even screwup big time and all will be forgiven (and covered up).
Oh yeah, the best part is you will likely get a raise for these efforts (or lack there of). This is the new way to "excellence" as our board sees it.
Good luck!
I would say the above is unfortunately true for the school board majority. The same ones that supported JKP and are responsible for the failure of the bond among other awful actions. Yes, that is Paul, Janice, Dan, Vic and at least in part Ali. "Excellence" has been long gone at the top!
And in the classroom, as well.
When there is mismanagement and poor leadership at the top it makes it harder to enforce high standards across the board. Also when politics take priority over performance, that makes the situation very bad and harms morale and community trust.
The problems with some custodians was well known for years but nothing was done about it! Then all of a sudden they all were fired! That made no sense, as if it were a cover up for bad management. And to make it worse the timing was terrible, it definitely played a key tole in sinking the bond.
Yes, the above post is right that we do have some bad teachers in the classroom. What has been done about it? Well some of these bad teachers have warmed to those in charge and are not held accountable. Hence, more poor performance is being rewarded.
I think those who have set out to "fix" the problems never really knew what the real problems were in the first place. Then like a bull in a china shop they went after many of the wrong people after perhaps being fed the wrong information by people with bad motives. With no real trust or communication between the leaders and the staff, that is what has been happening for at least five years now.
Many have manipulated the system in their favor or against those they dislike for years. This includes board members, teaching staff and parents. It can get really nasty in Marshall. It seems too many run for the school board because they have one or more axe to grind.
You mean like a former basketball coach running for the school board so he can get Coach Hulkow fired? I say get over it! It was best for the girls team and it was Lou's decision anyway. Unfortunately it is too late for Mr. Behrenwald who was also wrongly blamed for this incident.
Time for salary and benefit reductions, time for schools to operate within their budgets, time for those in education to catch up with the rest of Michigan (i.e., auto industry, retirees, etc.) who have had to do more with less during the economic downturn and recession. Those in education are not and should not be exempt. Benefits and retirement packages for educators, paid for by taxpayers, are over the top. This is reality, not reality TV, the State is broke, taxpayers in Michigan have lost and continue losing their jobs, healthcare, and homes. The time for change is now.
I agree! Those teachers should get lesser health insurance, pay more of their share of the expenses, and get raises well below the inflation rate, so in effect they are getting a pay cut year after year.
Oops, I forgot, that is what has been happening for at least the past decade.
Now who do I need to bamboozle or brown nose so I can get one of those 40% pay raises like some of our MPS "leaders" got in the last few years?
"and get raises well below the inflation rate"
A raise is a raise, any way you look at it. Try a 25% or more reduction in salary or benefits, then you will have something to whine about.
Oh boo hoo, you probably got cut 25% off your 100,000 salary.
Say for example you are a local business owner who is also on the school board. You do a lot of dumb and bad things while on the school board. People get angry and quit supporting your business. So you take a big pay cut and want to take your anger out on the teachers. Is that a good example of what you (2 above) are talking about?
For both of the above:
No, No, No, you have it all wrong. But what we see coming out of Lansing these days, we like, and will surely wipe that smile off your face and smugness out of your posts. You and the MEA are out of touch with the rest of the Michigan.
Why would the Marshall school board like what they see coming out of Lansing? Do you enjoy making cuts?
It's all about the kids, let's cut those nasty, money grubbing teachers and put 40 kids in a classroom with a step one, just out of college, to teach our kids. That will do well by saving money. Let's cut those rotten teachers who have done nothing but take their summers "off" and not taken classes to make them the best in the county, perhaps some, best in the state. Make them pay for not dropping out of high school or not pursuing a higher calling and taking a factory job and make them suffer the same as some button pusher from GM. That will make things all better and everything will be fair. I hope that this is not what is being spewed on here.
"make them suffer the same as some button pusher from GM"
But wait...that button pusher at GM and teachers are more alike than those in education would care to admit. There are those that blame those button pushers at GM, Ford, and Chrysler for causing all of the economic troubles in Michigan. The unions representing those button pushing auto workers forced companies into outrageous salary and benefit packages for their union members, to the point where the companies continued to loose money and we all know the results of that. Teachers are also represented by a UNION, just like their brethren, the button pushers at GM, Ford and Chrysler. If one UNION can bring down Michigan, just imagine what two or more UNIONS can do? We’re sure there is more than just some correlation here and why Michigan is in so much trouble. Button pushing auto workers and teachers, side by side, don’t you just love it?
The teachers union has done a pretty bad job at getting good wages and benefits. Who do you know that goes into education for the money? I know many who have avoided education because the pay is so low. Many teaching positions are hard to fill with first rate candidates. The MPS has had a hard time finding "excellent" teachers and administrators. Look at who we just hired as the superintendent, a guy with NO teaching experience, no Principal experience and only a few years as the supt. of a failing class D district. And we are giving him about $120,000/year with perks! About double what a 25 year teaching veteran with a Masters degree makes in Marshall! You re right, we are sinking fast and lowering the pay will make things worse. Our unions have failed, lets all quit education and let our kids be taught by TV and video games. Why would any smart and hard working student want to go into education today?
Maybe to help kids but NOT for the money!
Great to know that you can get out of teaching and get one of those push button jobs at GM, you already have your UNION card and won't have to worry about the need for additional education.
Teachers with advanced degrees needing a UNION. How sad is that? Assembly line workers and teachers, all for one and one for all. It's all about the company you keep.
Have you been hiding under a rock or something? This State of Michigan has provided it's residents with a really great living....and has been a UNION BASED STATE FOR MANY DECADES. If you are so against unions perhaps you should move south....If you have enjoyed a prosperous living in this state whether it is union or non union you should be willing to stand in unison and try to fix the problem....yes ... from one small community school district right on up to the top! Get off your high horse and quit throwing horse s___ at the teachers. The teachers in the Michigan school districts are not to blame for the failing economy nor the failing school districts. It is the top administration and school boards that are making the decisions. Has one teacher bent you over a stool and forced you to make your decisions????? Doubt it! They have worked without contracts, without the 'right to strike', and now MOST IMPORTANTLY....WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THEIR SCHOOL BOARD! So get off that high horse - just because you were lucky enough to run unopposed on a tiny little school board...you seem to think you know everything about the teachers. Perhaps it is time to get those contracts out and write the FACTS down regarding the raises and LACK OF RAISES. Thanks again for the respect and support. The teachers and support staff, the bus drivers and aides --- these are the people that continue to positively touch the lives of our students while the school board and top administration throw stones. I would encourage you to get your facts or move out of your glass house before throwing stones! Theses stones will boomer rang back...that is how it works! KIDS FIRST....HEY BOARD....CAN YOU JOIN THE WORKING STAFF IN THIS PHILOSPHY?????
I would like to address the purpose of this thread on this blog. What are the actual facts regarding the outsourcing of our local custodians? I feel like Joyce is back in town with the response from Davis who basically has pulled a Phillips and pointed the finger of blame at the MEA. You can't just point blame you have to be able to produce hard facts ie, like the MEA article has done. This is feeling like the old 'Amy/Joyce forgot to cancel the MESSA insurance policy for administrators, giving them double coverage for 3 months, costing the school district $20,000+++.' I know for a fact that MPS only found out about the insurance double coverage due to Bonnie at MESSA asking questions of the MEA representative who in turn ask questions of the MPS administration. But - then Joyce had the audacity to blame the persons at MESSA....what a lie. Now....I would like to hear the truth about the cost of GRBS. I find it rather unsettling that the new superintendent and the brand new finance director know more than the MEA who is by the way....not new! Let's see the facts Davis and Blankenship! No more pointing fingers...lets move away from the Phillips way and stand up and be accountable. WERE THERE ANY SAVING? WHAT HAS THE GRBS COST IN COMPARISON TO OUR LOCAL CUSTODIANS. Just an FYI...this topic is still alive and well in Marshall. Have you heard the story of 2400 signatures begging the school board to KEEP OUR LOCAL CUSTODIANS IN OUR SCHOOLS. THIS HAS COST ONE BOND - DO YOU WANT IT TO COST ANOTHER?????
There will NOT be another bond. If offered for a vote it will not pass with all of the lingering problems and with most of those responsible for the failure of the last bond still in charge.
Sorry to say but things are not moving forward. Phony PR is not the solution to the problems of the Marshall schools. Honesty, real cooperation, communication and trust is what is needed. The new superintendent has not done much to attempt to turn things around. So far its mostly the same old people, policies and practices in power. It appears he was hired to be a puppet of the same board majority. No surprise there.
Oh, the poor union teachers. Same old story and we do mean OLD. If things aren't progressing YOUR way, then it must be the wrong way. Sounds like you need your BuhBuh?
I am upset that they are hitting up the community to pay for track and football field upgrades when this should have been done out of normal maintenance budgets.
Why do they let things go to pot and then expect an expensive fix from donations or a bond? They had the money but it was wasted on mistakes, excessive raises, unnecessary legal fees, expensive outside consultants and similar expenses. All of this money could have easily paid for football, track, soccer and pool fixes and upgrades!
The people of Marshall are being taken advantaged of and the kids are being hurt and used in the process. I would not donate a penny knowing how much has been wasted and squandered.
And we are upset that eighty five percent (85%) of the total MPS budget is designated for UNION members salaries and benefits, what a travesty. We as taxpayers can no longer continue to condone those rediculous amounts of compensation and expenditures. If that will not be acceptable to some, then send out your resumes, because we are sure someone is just dying to hire you right now.
You bet your a-- they are. Why? Because we are intelligent, dedicated, hard working, and worthy of a fair wage.
Ignore these left over JKP supporters and board members who keep scapegoating the teachers and other staff for their own failures and scandals.
How about a defense of what they actually did? They obviously can't defend all of the wrong and foolish things they did. They did great damage to the MPS, without a doubt! So now they try to divert attention, cover it up and run phony PR campaigns. The truth is their enemy.
"and worthy of a fair wage"
Boy, if that doesn't sound like a true, BLUE COLLAR, union member. Your attitude alone might be enough to keep you from getting hired, so go ahead, give it a whirl. Oh, and we would like a Big Mac, fries and a coke to go.
To several posts above:
At any company in any city in any state the majority of the budget is salary/pension/benefit packages. This is not unique to school systems, union shops or Marshall Schools. Perhaps you should get yourself a job that will give you knowledge about the workforce in Michigan. I have one....after MPS...guess what? Your indication that this is a unique problem to MPS is 100% wrong!
How stupid do you think people are to indicate that this is only the case at MPS. Shame on you for your misdirection. We do not need any more untruths and deception.
I would hope and pray the school board could start a new process of respect and support for this community school system's employees. THAT WOULD BE PUTTING KIDS FIRST!
The MEA doesn't really care about any individual district. Their leadership just wants to perpetuate the organization and its political goals.
The MTA needs to stand up to its parent and be selfish about its own district.
I think that a strong, common sense stance from local union leaders would be respected. That doesn't mean wimping out. It means standing up for what's right for us.
It's amazing that talk about the budget in Michigan is directed toward how much money each school will lose, or how it will translate into what programs get cut. Why is there no mention about how the teachers in this state have not taken a pay cut, no benefit cuts, and retired teachers get full health care benefits. If teachers took pay cuts and a few benefit cuts , far fewer programs would need cutting, and budgets would fall in line. We need to stop holding the kids hostage and start calling out the teacher's union in this state. Or does Michigan have to go bankrupt to force the issue?
Too funny! Have you ever compared a superintendent's wages to a beginning teacher wage in Michigan. You get a new teacher for $28,000 and a new superintendent with no principal or teacher experience....$112,000 plus hidden benefits. Now - a super has no day to day contact with a student. So this = 4+ teachers - who nurture and teach our kids to one super who does not. It is far past time for our counties to consolidate the services of Curriculum, Payroll, AP/AR, Finance and Superintendent. I believe the Intermediate School District's already offer alot of these services. Smaller districts like Tekonsha have been using the ISD for years. Why can't Marshall suck it up and oursource our Central Office functions.
One district alone could save over $225,000 per year OR reinstate programs that have been cut. This is at least 10 custodians wages or 7+ beginning teachers.
Time to put kids first: Consolidate services of the MPS district and pay ISD to do payroll, ar/ap, curriculum and super! PUT KIDS FIRST
Links of interest to taxpayers:
1. http://meaexposed.org/
then look at Leadership and Staff salaries.
2. http://www.aftexposed.com/
then look at Financials.
3.http://neaexposed.com/
then look at Leadership and Staff salaries.
We can't wait to hear your rational in defense of these rediculous salaries.
What starts at the top ends up at the bottom, in this case we mean overpaid teachers with benefits that don't exist in the private sector and shouldn't at taxpayer expense. Time for a common sense approach to this problem and a reality check for teachers and their unions.
The pay and the standards should be lowered. I agree with those conservatives that say anyone can teach and teacher high standards should be thrown out the door. Imagine how cheap we could hire teachers if there were no requirements? The pay is way too high right now. We cannot afford to pay a teacher as much as a low level employee at State Farm. Kids can teach themselves, just give them the Internet and let them learn on their own. Let their curiosity leads them where it may. We are in a race to lower pay and benefits across most sectors of the economy (except Wall Street where they need to make $100 mil per year for talent). We can start importing teachers from India and the Philippines like they do down South. We need to outsource secretaries, bus drivers, and yes teachers too! So many great ideas to save money. Isn't that what is best for our country? Face reality and let the ship sink.
The board majority is clearly trying to turn attention away from their abuses and mistakes that have severely harmed the Marshall schools the last five years.
The "MEA" teachers have received an average of about 1% raises for each of the last five years while inflation ran at 4-5%, meaning they make less now than five years ago adjusted for inflation. They also get worse insurance and pay more towards it.
Yes, some in the MEA leadership make too much money or engage in things that upset many teachers, me included. But they are being paid out of teacher dues, not the school's money. So the teachers who are MEA members are the ones who need speak out on these issues. It doesn't change the facts of the situation of the Marshall teachers or Marshall schools.
The reality of what your local teachers, who are also MEA members, do and get is what counts. The vast majority do a great job, are not overpaid by far, care deeply about the kids, spend a lot of their own money to pay for supplies and help kids from low income backgrounds do school activities, and help the community in countless other ways. The truth is they care far more and sacrifice far more than any of the top leaders do. Those who simply hate all teachers, or the "MEA," or whatever, do not have all the facts and have a strongly distorted view. This includes some of the school board members.
I know first hand because I am a Marshall native and a retired MPS teacher. Also another myth, we do not get that much in pay and benefits. When I started I made $9,000/year while those working at Kelloggs and other area factories with no education or skills were starting at double this pay!
I hope those with the attitude that America is in decline, and all we can do is give up and keep taking job losses and big pay cuts to please big business and foreign countries, think about the end result for everyone. I think we can turn things around, regain jobs, offer reasonable salaries, and make America stronger, not weaker. We need "fair trade" with other countries, not unfair trade that is a threat to our economy and future.
To my critics, read all of the facts and all sides of all issues you care about. I do! Read a wide variety of points of view. The world problems are not simply black and white. All issues are quite complex and require a deeper understanding of both the problems and possible solutions. Listen/read more sources like NPR, TIME and Newsweek and less to "infotainment" like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Howard Stern.
The dumbing down of news and information is another negative trend in America. To those who say the critics of the local school board majority need to run candidates for office, you are right! Hopefully some good candidates will run and join good people like Bill DeSmet and John Coulter to help turn things around.
Can you dumb down the above post so some of our board members and their small group of buddies can understand it. Oh forget it, they really could care less what anyone else thinks anyway.
Step 1:
A 15% reduction in salaries and benefits, for all staff.
What else is on the board list of priorities to help build community support and trust for the bond? Is this part of the plan to improve staff morale?
Abolish all for profit Charter Schools (about 90% of them). They rip off taxpayers by getting $7,300+ for mostly elementary kids and spending half of that on the kids while pocketing the rest. Why do you think a certain local dentist has basically "retired" from dentistry? He makes big bucks on Marshall Academy, a family business with his sister and their company. Big profits, low quality in most Charter schools. This cut will help with the state budget.
Now where should we start making cuts in education? Who said staff???
I keep hearing that orchestra, bussing, secretaries, maintenance, bus drivers, the alternative school, the swim program, and middle school travel sports are all being considered for big cuts or elimination.
A simple 10% reduction in staff salaries and benefits would eliminate the need for the loss of programs and jobs of others. And it would be 'For the Kids".
Of course you mean after the rollback of all the huge raises given to the superintendent and JKP cronies in the last few years.
If the "Success Fund" leaders want to make up for what the district lost in waste, fraud, mismanagement and legal fees from when Joyce Phillips and their board buddies were in charge, they will need to raise millions more. The lost bond alone, if it eventually passes, will cost millions more in the future. We missed a golden opportunity to pass it last year and we could have reaped outstanding bargains in this economy remodeling MHS and meeting other needs. It would have passed if good, honest and trusted leaders had been in charge. Marsha Franke, Paul Beardslee and many other put JKP in charge and the clique that runs the board. Now they should pay for the damage they did. The Marshall schools may not fully recover for decades, if ever.
We can tell that you haven't supported the "Success Fund" in any way, and probably nothing else, or you would know the hard work and dedication that those you ridicule, provide the district...for free, gratis.
So this being November and because Thanksgiving is just around the corner, let us be the first to say to you, "Stuff It"!!!
There are a lot of good people involved with the "Success Fund" but I do not trust the motives and methods of Paul Beardslee and Marsha Franke, along with their fellow "ruling clique" of Vic Potter, Janice Darling, Dan Stulberg and Georgia Marsh. My guess is at least some of these folks are trying to get good publicity and focus attention away form all of the bad things they did while running the schools the last five years. Maybe they can rename it the "Kathy Petrich Memorial Success Fund." So far the money they have raised do not come close to what was lost through failed leadership and waste.
The worst part is that the same people still control the Marshall schools. No real change so far. Its all smoke and mirrors. Marsha Franke and Georgia Marsh were Joyce Phillips' best friends and biggest supporters not already on the school board.
The criticism of the Success Fund was targeted at those that are named in the above posts as being responsible for the mess the mps is in, not at those good people who are trying to help. But unfortunately the good people are being used by the "ruling clique" in an attempt to cover up their past actions.
- Is Mr. Klochack an improvement over Mr. Behrenwald?
- Should Joyce Phillips have been showered with raises, perks and protection to cover up her failures and scandals?
- Should Kathy Petrich have been persecuted to the point of death?
- Should the teachers have been threatened to speaking up about bad leadership?
- Should the custodians have all been fired without looking into other options or at lest fazing this in over time like Lakeview did? Did this and other actions cause a crucial bond to be lost?
- Should board members be asked to lie to cover up big mistakes like the insurance cancellation scandal (ask Bob Lyng, he will confirm)?
- Should some administrators get up to a 40% raise despite known poor performance? Why was this done?
- Should less qualified candidates be hired over better qualified candidates for key positions as recommended by the established hiring committees?
The list of problems, scandals and bad leadership examples goes on and on.
So why should those responsible not be "ridiculed" and criticized? Are our kids, MPS staff and community not as important as the interests of the wealthy and powerful clique who run our schools?
Congratulations Coach Hulkow and the Varsity football team for their first big win in the playoffs!
We are amazed that there is so much negativity, posted here, at how the district is run. The blame from staff is pointed at administration, the Board and the clique. And yet, if you watch replays of the Board meetings on MPACT, all of those staff members in attendance appear to be quite content, always smiling and never question the actions of the superintendent or Board. If there are so many problems, then address them, as it appears to the public that all is well. Time to let the public know about your displeasures, at the Board meetings. Complaining here gets you nowhere. We are confident that you will be successful if you take this new approach, the results could be very rewarding.
Ask Ron Behrenwald: Expressing your concerns at Board meetings could assist you in having to seek another job. Yes - speak up at board meetings = equals = seeking new employment. Smiling in the face of a pathetic board = equals = keeping your job and paying your bills. Sure - speak up at board meetings. Kathy Petrich did on several ocassions. Ron Behrenwald did. Brian Burns did....hum....
This appears to be a no brainer once again!
If you don't have enough chutzpa to speak up for yourselves, then don't expect anyone else to do it for you.
Apparently all is well in the eye of the public and you deserve what you get.
Ha ha ha! The teachers are losers! You run in fear from little old JKP and Janice and Dan and Ali and Vic!
Maybe we just want to keep our jobs! Actually the administration and board may foolishly think they have full control by using unethical and possibly illegal threats and actions to silence dissent. But in reality they have made things much worse.
The "quiet" at board meetings they got through these tactics (read old posts for many examples) is a facade. The reality is that even the teachers who show up, smile and overtly cooperate, in private, are very mad at them and have low morale. This includes at least one who was recently promoted. Teachers cannot speak the truth. There is NO cooperation or teamwork.
The reputation of the Marshall schools has suffered immensely, that is why many top candidates for some key positions have stayed away. If the community, and key leaders like Rob Covert, fully understood the reality of the situation, I am sure they would use their influence for good to make changes. Maybe that is why someone good like Bill DeSmet ran for the board.
We need an entire board of people who truly care about the schools and the community. The alternative is that the problems will fester and get much worse. As of now the bond has no chance of passing unless there are big changes. It will only pass if Janice, Dan and Vic resign.
What should Supt. Davis do? What should he know?
Let's pretend that Supt. Davis came on this board to seek input from the mps staff, knowing they may be hesitant to share many things openly and honestly for fear of board revenge.
What does he need to know that is not already being said on this board? What could he be doing better? What does he need to know about the school board members who are HIS bosses? Who can he trust on the board? What can he do to earn the trust of the staff?
To be honest there is not much he can do. The real power is with the school board and the majority of the school board are the ones who have run things the last few years with JKP in charge. If he tries to turn away from the past they will turn on him. If he follows their orders he will be viewed as a weak puppet. He is between a rock and a hard place for sure.
So far they mostly parade him around to pose for pictures and shake hands with various people and groups. I think they are hoping to give the impression that things have changed since Joyce and Amy were in charge. Not sure if much has changed.
A nice guy. If he is wise he will consult his highly experienced staff who likely know far more than he does about teaching and running a building, areas where he has little to no experience.
Good advice!
Any update on the problems at MHS? Is it out, or is everything being covered up as usual again. The community needs to know.
Still wanting to see those numbers regarding the outsourcing of our local custodians. If the MEA article is correct then why are we not looking into reinstating our local custodians and eliminating the GRBS contract? Was/is this about money or was it a union breaking effort like many of the tactics at MPS?
We are also waiting for the complete results of the EPIC survey to be released. Lies, coverups and a paranoid mentality to control information and people is at the core of the problems of the last five years. Even their motives are largely based on false or inaccurate information. So these extreme measures have targeted mostly the wrong people.
Trust me. The MEA either slanted or misused the numbers. There may not be a savings, but the way they tried to prove it is flawed.
My guess is that there is, was, a saving.
Both are correct. They are saving money, at least when factoring in retirement and benefits costs. But they also lost the friendly building custodians who did far more than their job description said, were not given very good equipment or tools to do their jobs and were often ridiculed by some board members, JKP and Amy Jones. Yes, there were a few bad apples that should have been fired, but it was a management failure that they were allowed to get away without doing much.Most were hardworking and dedicated, and most importantly of all, were trusted to keep an eye on our buildings and our kids. The new "service" does much less so if there is a savings there is also a loss in value of what you get. Also the lost community support cost us a $35 million bond. Now was that a smart move? It was obviously a big mistake factoring in the bond loss. The worst part is that I told JKP and board members myself the timing was wrong and the way it was being handled was making things worse. They ignored me and many others. I think they were on one of their power trips. Not good for the MPS.
I can understand why with tight budgets they wanted to make changes, but in a small town like Marshall they could have handled it better. I know they helped some custodians get jobs at the hospital or elsewhere, but they could have phased changes in to ease the pain and not harm community support for a much-needed bond. Also the big raises handed out for no apparent good reasons made everyone even more angry. Especially since some of the least deserving employees got the most money.
Comments are wonderful but I read the article by Dr. Davis and am still waiting to see the rebuttal to the MEA article. My experience with the MEA for 20+ years is 'they don't print articles without supporting documents'. So, again, I ask - where are the cold hard facts that Davis said would refute the MEA article? Talk is just hot air being forced through the mouth. I would like to see the back up!
I understand budgets and various needs for cuts. What I don't understand is how THE BOARD can justify totally ignoring all the people that encouraged them to take a different approach to 'cost savings in regards to privatization of any school support employees'.
I would suggest MPS start looking into this consolidation theory. Privatize the AP/AR, Payroll and look into what really goes on in departments that are 'out of sight - out of mind'. Justify why MPS needs a full time Bus Supervisor - who can never be found - unless you go to Central Office and look. Does MPS really need three full time transportation employees to work ALL SUMMER - FULL TIME - What are they doing? Do other district employ 3 full time employees to work 12 months. ???????
Unless Marshall can get better people to run for the school board, then you are stuck with what you got. We now have a board dominated by people who seem to enjoy political fights and can be very vicious towards their perceived opponents. The custodians were perceived as opponents that needed to be eliminated, as were some teachers and administrators. Those who enthusiastically carried out their orders were rewarded handsomely with raises, perks and political protection. JKP even got a lucrative 2nd Michigan retirement out of the deal. Good for her, bad for Marshall.
It is slowly happening with people like Bill DeSmet joining the board. If some of the others want the bond to pass the best thing they can do is resign first.
Why did members of the school board want to fire Mr. Hulkow?
Its a long story that many on here have posted about. In short a small group controls the schools board and dislikes many people on staff. Under Joyce Phillips they targeted many of these people one way or another. One of their main targets was Rich Hulkow. Public support and outcry forced them to back off. This group goes back to the "Anti Lou Giannuunzio" and "Redskin wars" and includes Stulberg, Varvatos, Potter, Beardslee, Darling, Marsha Haring-Franke, Georgia Marsh Janice Darling and a few others. Their battles has lead to much controversy and this blog (in response to unjust persecution, lies and abuse of power). Let's not forget they took extreme measures to end staff questioning of their motives and methods. It cost one teacher her life. Many others have been harmed in other ways.
And for the above: I beg Vic, Janice, and Dan to do the right thing and step down - resign - kick yourself to the curb - ALL SO WE CAN ONCE AGAIN PUT KIDS FIRST!
Rest in Peace - Kathy Petrich. You will never be forgotten. You stood up for all of us against what was and is still wrong at MPS. You worked diligently to try to right a wrong until you were persecuted by Metcalf, Jones, Phillips and Klockak! Backed by Vic, Paul, Dan and Janice.
What do you think about another MPS bond? What would you like to see covered? How can it pass?
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20091110/NEWS01/911100311/Marshall+school+board+seeks+input+on+bond
wow...all these nasty comments from board supporters makes me think...i will be voting no on the next bond. i really don't see a bond getting passed with a majority of the current board. if the next bond fails, will that be enough of a public outcry to make you swallow your pride and do us all a favor and remove yourself from the board?? please?
I think the bond will be a defacto recall vote against the board leaders who have ruled the last few years and backed JKP and all the bad that happened. I agree, if it fails they should resign. If they resign first, it can easily pass.
Pinckney, I think, defeated a bond last week. They say they're coming back, that they have no choice, the district needs the improvements so badly.
The nasty comments from the teachers and support staff outnumber the others 100-1. Get over it. People are moving their kids out of our district because of all the bitching and poor effort by some school employees. Move past your obsession with Phillips. She is gone.
Philips was the puppet, she did not hardly know anyone on staff even after five years. The puppeteers (JD, VP, DS and AW) are still in control, albeit somewhat weaker and quieter. They are not trusted and therefore the bond is in jeopardy as long as they are in power. There is still much anger directed at them for all the wrong they did to good people. There is a right way and a wrong way to deal with bad employees. They targeted the wrong people more often than not. They rewarded some of the worst on staff. That is why staff morale and community support is so low. And yes, it is costing us students too.
News flash: The economy is not recovering as fast as most of us taxpayers would like to see and live. I cannot vote yes on any bond at this time. I do not like the tactics of the Board in the past 5 years, I do not feel they have or do listen to and support our teaching and support staff, I do not feel they listened or are really listening to this community of taxpayers. I do believe our buildings need repair - we all saw this economic plunge coming but yet - no one acted on the issues at our school district. NOW IS TOO SOON TO ASK FOR TAXPAYERS TO SUPPORT A BOARD THAT HAS NOT SUPPORTED THE TAXPAYERS.
Do you remember the $16,000 EPIC survey? Do you remember the outcry of people wanting to read the results instead we received a frosted over Board support Joyce Phillips version of smoke screens. Go ahead and pay for another EPIC survey - I feel there are not many people in this district that are any more able to afford a tax increase at this time. I would think waiting until late summer 2010 would be a much smarter move.
As much as I do support our school district I cannot commit any dollars going out of my family budget until jobs and finances are more stable.
Why pay for another survey. How about listening to people in this community and rebuilding trust. People do not have the financial balance right now to say yes to a school bond. Wait a few months and hope people forget that it was trying to rushed on them. Build trust - instead of Stulberg's comment 'we don't have much time to establish trust'....take the time and earn it - then ask for support.
Those who lost the trust, caused the problems and in effect blew the last bond vote need to step down. That is the best thing they can do if they care about the schools. If they do not care about the MPS, then they will stay in power. Then our kids and community will continue to be the losers in this mess.
As published on annarbor.com:
"Saline school board wants to open contracts with teachers, other unions. The Saline school board is asking its teachers’ union and three other employee groups to re-open their contracts to review wages and benefits.
That action, approved by the board Tuesday evening, comes in response to a budget shortfall resulting from the double whammy of a cut in state funding and the loss last week of a countywide millage proposal.
The board unanimously voted to direct Superintendent Scot Graden to ask the unions to re-open their contracts."
Time for Marshall Public Schools to follow suit.
First roll back the big raises that have been handed out to JKP lackies despite poor job performance. That includes big raises for the superintendent so we can "recruit talent." Well it failed, all we got was a Class D superintendent who was on his way out the door at Athens, and also has no teaching or principal experience. So there is much that can be cut before any teacher contracts are reopened.
if people are moving their kids out of the district, i highly doubt it's because of "all the bitching and poor effort of some school employees". i am assuming you inadvertently typed "school employees" instead of "school board". poor effort = inability to hear what the majority of the public (the taxpayers, i might remind you)is saying...that there is so much public mistrust of the majority of the school board members that no bond will be passed until they step down. like it was stated before, if YOU truly care about the kids and the well being of MPS, then do us all a favor and step down so people will pass a bond to better our schools. due to your track record, many people have no confidence in your money management or decision making skills!
Bullsh*t. Poor effort means we have teachers that are doing a crappy job, then have the nerve to get on here and bitch about this or that. My kids are getting a sub-par education at MPS right now. I can't remember when I ever felt that way. School board's fault? Perhaps, and they should be held accountable to a degree--that's our job at the election booth, but the professionals are the ones that should be held to the highest standard. We need to be able to get rid of the poorly performing teachers--and there are a number of them--and replace them with teachers who care (and there are alot of them). But no, the good ole union is there to protect the bad ones from accountability. Its sad when the highest paid teachers are the ones that have been there the longest rather than the ones who are doing the best job. Don't tell me you can't measure it either. I can tell you in two weeks whether my kid's teacher is worth a crap or not in terms of educating them. If not, a whole year of C level teaching. I bet an evaluation committee consisting of admin, teachers and parents could tell too. Take some pride in your job and educate our kids to the max.
As a Marshall teacher I agree with you! So much time and energy has been wasted on dirty politics when real problems festered. Good building principals were harassed and two were pressured out. Bad ones replaced them or were promoted and are not doing their jobs. Because of politics many of the best and most caring teachers are targeted, or have been, for removal or harassment. Some of the worst are smart enough to cozy up to the "powers that be" and get away with bad performance.
We hire superintendents who have never been a building principal and have no clue how to be an effective leader. We had a previous assistant superintendent who made $100,000/year and was allowed to work on his PhD full time in his office for two years, doing little to nothing for the district. We have a tech director who hides and delegates most of his job away and got a 40% pay increase over the last few years. For what? Joyce Phillips was given over a 10% pay increase while budgets were tight and she was incompetent and making thing worse.
The politics and leaders we complain about are responsible for creating problems or failing to solve them. We tried to work with them and were shot down time and time again. They ignore the wise and listen to the fools. They made their own mess and deserve all the criticism they get. They are ultimately responsible for the problems we have now. Should we not care and give up?
We need to see a reduction in salaries and benefits for staff/teachers...a minimum of 10%. The budget (salaries/benefits/retirement) for staff/teachers is approximately $15,000,000.00, 10% would generate $1,500,000.00 (one million five hundred thousand dollars) for the Marshall Public School District. Administration amounts to about $1,500,000.00, which would only generate $150,000.00. Major difference, isn't it...we tend to think that the taxpayers would agree which choice would be more beneficial to the district. Multiply those kind of numbers across the state and the budget crisis in Michigan for education is solved. Now, lets get it done, "For The Kids"!
If we simply outsourced our business office personnel to the intermediate district we would instantly save money. So why aren't we doing that? Other local districts do. Why do we continue to pay three full time employees at the school bus garage to work all summer but yet you can almost never find anyone there during the summer months. Do other districts employ transportation employees during the summer - NO. Last I checked into this there was one bus taking students to Doris Klaussen and I believe that was cut last summer. You can drive around and find the supervisor about anywhere but at the garage. Would that be a savings? yes...but we continue to do nothing - this is how the JKP loyalists survive! When the top administration has received 10% increases to 40% then that is a no brianer place to start. The teachers, support staff, bus drivers, aids and food service staff have been receiving 1/2% to 1 1/2% consistently while paying more for their insurance for the past 6 years. They have continued to fall behind inflation for 6 years + already. Why don't you just ask them to give a kidney or something. Asking them for a 10% decrease in salary will only lower morale while they dig deeper into their own pockets to supply their areas. It is not the teachers that have caused districts to fall behind financially....it is not the teachers that have made the decisions that have affected the district financially. It is the Board and Supt. SO LET'S SET AN EXAMPLE HERE AND START AT THE TOP LIKE IT SHOULD BE. Once the Supt takes a 10% decrease and Vic, Janice and Dan step down I am sure the classroom, office support will follow suit. Budget cuts have to start at the top - a good administration leads in setting the example for the district.
Question here: If there are so many bad apples at MPS - why did it take the worst School Board EVER with the worst Superintendent EVER to find out about this problem. After 20 years at MPS I can tell you the problems talked about on this Blog are pretty accurate with EXCEPTION TO the talk of 'bad apples'. I could possibly name 8 employees that have left the district in 10 years that were not worth a crap. With 250+ employees and possibly 8-10 'bad apples' WOW ---now with 3 superintendents in the past 10 years (Bob, Joyce and Randy)---WOW --- we are about batting 100% on bad leadership. HUM????? Then you look at the School Board members we have had in the past 10-20 years.....HERE THERE IS NO COMPARISON. The Vilands, Ramons, Lyngs, Haleys, Varvatos, Coulters, Smutts, Jenrykas, McCarthys, etc. -- were plateaus above POTTER, DARLING-TINSLEY, STULBERG, AND BEARDSLEE Now there is another statistic we should not ignore! Back to the "A School Board member is elected to serve the taxpayers - not self serve"
To several posts above: So glad to hear you have the education and experience to make a statement like: "I can tell you in two weeks whether my kid's teacher is worth a crap or not in terms of educating them." Sure hope you have your teaching certificate while making a statement like that. To be elected to a school board does not make you an authority. It just means, in Marshall, no one else ran for the position you got elected to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Time for you to take your teaching certificate with you the next time you visit the bathroom, time for you to look for a new profession, time for reductions in salaries, benefits, and retirement packages, time for change. Better get ready, because like it or not, IT IS COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you complain about the quality of teachers, and how they are "overpaid" with their salaries and benefits, and you want to run them out and replace them with...who? who wants to work in a school district with well known animosity between the staff and school board? oh, and don't forget you don't want to pay them much...what stellar employees do you think you are going to attract? you are talking out both sides of your mouth! you usually get what you pay for in most areas of life. you want 4 star dining on a drive thru budget, and it doesn't work that way...no more cuts for the teachers...they are downtrodden enough and have basically been taking decreases in pay (with the small raises and increase of insurance premiums, they are already taking a loss). and lavish raises for the administration...what a joke. and now you want to try and pass a bond again. your poor leadership skills and ineffective decision making will cost our kids some more...and then when they bond fails, you will blame the commuinity for "punishing the kids". i know we need a bond passed, and do not want to deprive the kids of even more, but if you think i will turn 15 million over to the hands of the current school board, who has served us so well in the past 5 years (HA!), you are sadly mistaken.
Its no secret the school board wants to cut the teachers and support staff pay. This is their FIRST resort, not last. They will not roll back large raises dolled out to their buddies. They will cut teachers and threaten more layoffs unless there are big pay cuts. Going back to JP and Amy there were plans to replace bus drivers and secretaries with temps or whatnot. You can be sure that Vic, Janice, Dan and most likely Ali will enjoy making another round of revenge. Now if they can just get that pesky Coach Hulkow fired... they are working on it.
The board really wants a 5% cut across the board but will ask for at least 10% to make it look like a compromise. Also ask the board leaders what their good friend (remember their endorsement?) Jase Bolger is doing for (or to?) the Marshall schools in Lansing?
Teacher salaries and benefits are sucking schools systems dry. I bet they represent 75-80%+ of school district costs. When you give up MESSA, the Hummer of insurance programs (do you still get massages paid for?), work a full year and enjoy a flat paycheck for the privlidge of having a job, then we can talk. There are alot of people that would kill for a zero % pay increase or even a 5% or more cut out there. Much less a benefit plan unmatched by anyone. So don't fly out the downtrodden crap on teachers. I know alot of teachers with $300,000 plus houses in this area--not exactly downtrodden to the rest of us working stiffs.
The teachers would be foolish to give anything more back to the current board leaders who have wasted and squandered so much money, including $20,000/year for life to Joyce Phillips for her second Michigan retirement (yes, JKP should have been fired for many valid reasons, the board should pick up this tab out of their own pockets).
Most teachers I know live in modest houses unless they have a spouse with a much better paying job as some of them do. Also I know of one teacher couple who got a big inheritance so that is how they bought a nice house. Most make less than an unskilled Kelloggs employee with no degree. The average pay for a Marshall teacher is about $45,000/year if they have a masters degree and have been in the district 5-10 years. My accountant son started at $50,000 last year. Also the health insurance is not nearly as good as it used to be. MESSA is basically just another form of Blue Cross. If a better package can be found for less money, the teachers would gladly support switching. So there are many myths out there. Unfortunately some of our board members believe them too and have spread misinformation.
The root cause of all of our current economic problems is mismanagement and bad government during the Bush years. Yes, some foolish Dems supported the "hands off" Wall Street special interest policies that got us the AIG and other disasters that nearly destroyed our country last fall. That affects everyone's job and well being. So that is where the blame and anger should be focused.
I am curious is any Board members actually watch television. Dr. Davis - did you hear about Campbells 80 employees? Did you hear about the glass company? Nice that the really small company Johnson Systems is going to put on a few employees (located out 27 N on N Dr). They only employ about 25 at tops to start with. Now do you really believe a bond is going to pass. It is my hope that dr. Davis will let his heart and this community help to guide him through intelligence not 'self serving motives'. To try to pass a bond this spring will be disasterious. I would ask you to have your board stop attacking the teachers (Step 1). Start showing respect toward the staff (Step 2) Learn and educate yourselves about the roles of our district employees and how their employment effects our community students(Step 3) Start a new trend and give back 10% before asking everyone else to do it first (Step 4) Show some compassion and understanding to your taxpayers (Step 5) Stop letting the board pupperteer your position(Step 6) Look at the waste within the district and make those cuts first (Step 7) Take one step back and really look at the picture in Marshall - try to understand what the outsourcing of 24 local custodians - without listening to any reason and without even recognizing the 2400 petition signatures that were collected within 8 days -- this decision has caused more damage than your board would ever admit (Step 8) Address and recognize the damage that was done prior to your arrival and how you are going to repair these bridges (Behrenwald, Petrich, the ignored staff survey ((have you read it - this will give you insight))Coats, Lambert, Cable, Townsend...how is it all these administrators were wrong as soon as this Board/Phillips took control?????? Or could it have been the Phillips/Board???? (Step 9) and once you admit wrongs have been done and allowed to be done to great school employees....then you will have arrived at Step 10...apologize for wrongs and ask for help in moving forward = Step 10.
Without a plan to address and repair the harms that members of this board have had a hand in you will not get support. Marshall is very small with very good memories. Without a positive step this attacking will continue. This community used to support the Board. When the lies and coverups started to become public - then the Board starting their tactics of attacking their own employees - the hearts turned cold and the cold war went into full rage. It is time for a true leader to step up to the plate and call a truce. Possibly after some damage control and repair - then you will have the respect and confidence of your community. You have the chance to become the best superintendent or the worst superintendent....it is totally up to Dr. Davis on which approach - continue with the same and get nothing - or start the admission and repair. You can do this - when you do - we will get your trouble makers off the board for you. Give it a try....help to move us forward or sit back and let Vic, Janice Dan continue with our downward spiral of schools.
Excellent advice! Unfortunately most of our board could care less what anyone else thinks unless you are a rich buddy of theirs.
We need to see a reduction in salaries and benefits for staff/teachers...a minimum of 10%. The budget (salaries/benefits/retirement) for staff/teachers is approximately $15,000,000.00, 10% would generate $1,500,000.00 (one million five hundred thousand dollars) for the Marshall Public School District. Administration amounts to about $1,500,000, which would only generate $150,000. Major difference, isn't it...we tend to think that the taxpayers would agree which choice would be more beneficial to the district. Multiply those kind of numbers across the state and the budget crisis in Michigan for education is solved. Now, lets get it done, "For The Kids"!
Thanks for the advice- by any chance is your name Vic, Dan, Janice or Ali?
you keep reiterating the same thing...more cuts for the teachers. let me give you a clue since you don't seem to have one...no one wants more cuts for the teachers!! here is a major part of the problem with the current school board...they don't listen to the majority of the community WHO THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE REPRESENTING!! your lack of commuincation and comprehension is astounding to me. this situation is ridiculious and SAD. i am begging you DR. DAVIS to take some of the suggestions on this board (not the ones from the obivious board members either) and actually listen to the people of this community and start to return this school system to how great it used to be! this situation now is JUST EMBARRASSING!
"you keep reiterating the same thing"
WOW!!! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. LOL. You have posted the same drivel on here for so long that you probably actually believe it? Try a fresh approach, because that same old trash-talk, just ain't gonna fly.
This entire blog is making me sick to my stomach. Why I continue to read this drivel is a mystery. It is disheartening to live in a community where the school's are not supported.
Oh, they're supported alright, by overburdened taxpayers and their ever shrinking dollars. Who do you think pays your salary and over-the-top perks...the tooth fairy??? Time for you whiners to stop living in 'La La' land. Time for staff/teachers to level the playing field, time for reductions in salaries, benefits and retirement packages!
From above: "you keep reiterating the same thing...more cuts for the teachers. let me give you a clue since you don't seem to have one...no one wants more cuts for the teachers!!"
Let me give YOU a clue. The general public is sick and tired of teachers damanding pay raises and better benefits through their union when millions are losing their jobs or taking pay cuts. So yes, people want the teachers to cut and the administrators to cut and the government to cut. Our teachers at the top end are making close to $80,000 a year. AND its not based on merit--only longevity and degrees with a splash of pay for extra curriculars. Tenure has created substandard teacher expectations--look at Foreman, he chased after girls in schools for years and finally he was caught, but to get rid of him was about ridiculous a process as possible--because he had tenure. He should have been fired immediately. This is the stuff that the public is sick of.
I know of no teachers making $80,000 per year, but I do know many people at Kelloggs, Eaton's and State Farm making that kind of money, some without college degrees. Even if a teacher coached three sports and was at the top of the pay scale that would be a stretch. It would also be a teacher working about 70 hours per week. Now I know some administrators making over $80,000/year that do not do much of anything. Cuts can start there.
"you keep reiterating the same thing"
"you keep reiterating the same thing"
"you keep reiterating the same thing"
"you keep reiterating the same thing"
"you keep reiterating the same thing"
Oh, almost forgot...We need to see a reduction in salaries and benefits for staff/teachers...a minimum of 10%. And we need it NOW!!!
Good luck tonight Redhawks on your quest to get that elusive State Championship. We'll be there supporting you!
I am so happy the community and many active on this blog pulled together to support Coach Hulkow last spring when JKP, Potter, Stulberg, Darling and Webb were conspiring to have him removed. They see all "excellent" teachers, support staff and administrators who oppose their disastrous reign as being enemies worthy of revenge. This clique are the ones who need to be replaced to improve the Marshall schools.
Great job football team and Coach Hulkow!!! Let's all pull togehter to make big changes to improve the Marshall schools. We can recall these board members AND pass the bond! Yes, that is what is needed the most!
i would vote yes on a bond if they were recalled, no if not.
You can be sure that this group will launch big phony PR campaign to pretend the past never happened and focus as much attention as possible away from the real problems and their causes. The last thing they like is when the truth gets out. I thank whoever started this blog, it was needed when they shut down all other avenues to honest cooperation, teamwork and communication. We learned the hard way, talk to the board and you may lose your job or suffer other retribution. If you are lazy and do a bad job, become their buddy and get a raise and a promotion. It has been the reverse of "excellence" for some time now.
"And we are upset that eighty five percent (85%) of the total MPS budget is designated for UNION members salaries and benefits,"
Salaries and benefits have taken about 80% of school budgets for the past 50 years, probably even longer if one were to look over old budgets. Paying the people who do the work is the major expense of a school -duh. What would you like, spending 50% on salaries and the rest on what?
So I think I hear you saying, we want teachers to take a 10% cut, but continue to provide the same service; in other words to subsidize the educational program at MPS. I wonder if the same thinking would apply to other expenses?
Pay 10% less to Consumer's Energy; but get the same amount of energy; or 10% less for gasoline, but get the same amount etc.
Would be interested in where the poster claiming salaries and benefits take up 85% of the school's budget got their figures. From the Mackinac Center's own site (which is hardly pro-teacher) it shows that the the percentage Marshall Public Schools paid for teacher salaries and benefits in the 2006-07 school year amount to about 49% of the total revenues; In the 2007-08, that percentage fell to 48%. (These are the latest figures available.
So, if 85% are going for salaries, then 35% must be going for support personal, transportation and ADMINISTRATION salaries. Seems a bit hard to believe. Either the 85% figure is wrong; or administrative salaries are way too high.
Why don't we just have volunteer teachers and the parents can give them some money if they like what they are doing? That way we would get teachers who just have a big heart and go to work every day not expecting a salary and the parents could give them a little money so they could buy a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. Maybe the parents could also provide them with a ride to and from their job every day and some old clothes so they could at least have something to wear.
Maybe we could go back to the days when a teacher lived with a family in town because she didn't make enough money to live on her own. The family provided all of her meals and gave her a room with a bed.
I know some of you will be all over this like it is a good idea. Please leave your name so we'll know who you are.
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