THE VISION THING
Feature in local paper stated it was going to cover the "vision" of the School Board President.
Nothing about SAT/ACT scores, NMS awards, future of the Vo-Tech program, retention rates, graduation rates, attendance improvement, five year goals, ten year goals, tech adaptation, infrastructure maintenance.
Sounds to me like "I want to be President because I want to be President."
(Note to creative readers: This is NOT a comment on the merits of the pending lawsuit or one absolving the other six for their part in this cluster.)
posted by UMRBlog @ 20:53
4 comments
4 Comments:
So, whadaya think of his vision? I think we all have had a chance to see how he thinks and, well, I'm just thinkin someone needs to toss him a life preserver, because he's in way over his head and you just can't dog paddle forever.
I'm not prepared to go that far. I'd just like to see some evidence that he understands our schools are someplace to prepare youngsters for life, 21st century life.
I had hoped for more from Mr. Husar's interview, but from what I saw, he lobbed a few questions at Mr. Niekamp, who answered many of them in the same manner he always does, and Mr. Husar NEVER seemed to ask any follow-up questions. Some that I would have liked to see:
• Niekamp said he thinks the school district goes overboard in conducting life-safety projects. "Now, if a roof was leaking, I can see that we'd need to take care of that first. But some of these projects are just cosmetic," he said.
Which projects would you consider cosmetic, Mr. Niekamp?
• "They always use the kids," Niekamp said. "In reality, 83 percent (of all school spending) goes for salaries and fringe benefits. It's not the kids we're spending the money on. It's the personnel staff (that teaches the kids). That's just the way it is."
So are you saying that spending money on teachers is NOT spending money on kids? And what do you mean by fringe benefits, Mr. Niekamp?
• "Looking at the check register, there are many places I feel money could be saved."
So where could money be saved, Mr. Niekamp? Can you show one example of how is it being spent frivolously?
• Another goal of Niekamp's is to do away with what he calls "business as usual" in the public school system.
Please define "business as usual," Mr. Niekamp. The district cut 26 jobs and $2.1 million last year, it closed one school building and is trying to sell the former School Board offices.
• "If they would e-mail me first, I have a little bit better understanding of what they're trying to communicate to me, because sometimes I don't pick it up when I'm talking to somebody on the phone."
Then why did you refuse the district's offer of having a device installed in your phone to help you hear better?
• Niekamp believes his relationship with other board members has been steadily improving since his controversial first meeting as president in early July.
How has that relationship improved, since most of the board members essentially gave you a no-confidence vote at the first meeting of your presidency?
UMR, does it scare you that the person in charge of the schools that are preparing youngsters for the 21st century is still charging prices in his business from the 1970s?
It bothers me much more that he has no driving dream for what the actual mission of the SD actually is.
TYFCB
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