[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Meanwhile, in District 279

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Meanwhile, in District 279
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1217718353.shtml


   I've been reading some interesting material about the Osseo School
   District, #279. You may remember that a citizens group actually sued
   to get district emails last year. They won and have posted some
   portions on their news group. The citizens group (District 279 United)
   was unhappy about taxes, referendums, school closings, and the
   Superintendent. Sound familiar? Like at about half the Public School
   districts in Minnesota?
   Reading through some of the email excerpts, accepting them at face
   value, there would appear to be some problems. With one exception, I'm
   inclined to consider them largely matters of style and imperfect
   communications by the Board and the Superintendent. The 279 voters can
   make the appropriate changes this fall if necessary.
   But one issue is important, the hiring of a consulting firm
   (Teamworks) to make their hard budget cutting decisions. As one email
   excerpt noted, the intent was clearly to deflect parent, voter, and
   staff reaction. District 281 and others are doing it the hard way, the
   right way, i.e., directly, and taking the heat.
   It looks like the strategy may have worked, for Superintendent Susan
   Hintz received "a near perfect evaluation" and a new three year
   contract with a pay increase. Her score was 4.4 out of 5. In District
   281, Superintendent Stan Mack was scored at 3.4 out of 5. No matter
   what you might think of either Superintendent or the jobs they did, I
   have to believe that ducking the hard questions resulted in a little
   grade inflation for Hintz.