Comments on: Local school districts allocate millions in federal money differently http://www.delmartimes.net/2011/06/28/local-school-districts-allocate-millions-in-federal-money-differently/ The Latest News from the Community of Del Mar Sat, 15 Jun 2013 22:23:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: disappointedagain http://www.delmartimes.net/2011/06/28/local-school-districts-allocate-millions-in-federal-money-differently/#comment-156882 disappointedagain Sat, 02 Jul 2011 08:47:35 +0000 http://delmartimes.mscsddev.com/?p=25011#comment-156882 He said the $1,000 per employee cash incentive saves employees’ jobs because “it keeps them from potentially leaving the district and looking for other jobs.” In this economy? Has he done a search on EdJoin? 3 K-6 Jobs in San Diego Country and one of them is at DMUSD. Zero K-6 district office jobs. Explain to me again why the DO employees (Peabody included) got $1000 from the General Fund? The Board of Trustees should have seen through this chicanery, isn't that their job? He said the $1,000 per employee cash incentive saves employees’ jobs because “it keeps them from potentially leaving the district and looking for other jobs.”

In this economy? Has he done a search on EdJoin? 3 K-6 Jobs in San Diego Country and one of them is at DMUSD. Zero K-6 district office jobs. Explain to me again why the DO employees (Peabody included) got $1000 from the General Fund?

The Board of Trustees should have seen through this chicanery, isn't that their job?

]]> By: sad4ourkids http://www.delmartimes.net/2011/06/28/local-school-districts-allocate-millions-in-federal-money-differently/#comment-156017 sad4ourkids Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:13:46 +0000 http://delmartimes.mscsddev.com/?p=25011#comment-156017 The $500k giveaway to teachers is what professionals call "Jelly Bean Management".... it is hardly an adequate substitute for leadership and fiscal responsibility for our schools. The trustees utterly failed to ask challenging questions about this policy, and the superintendent caved on a ridiculous proposal to give out meaningless bonuses in an economic time such as this. Shame on the leadership of DMUSD. That much money could have been used in a number of more productive ways. It is no wonder our public schools can't balance their budgets. Policy making like this is an excellent example of why our public schools are failing! Trustees, wake up and ask (politely, if you like) the tough questions! And please Mr. Peabody, get a spine and a competent Asst. Sup. of Finance. The $500k giveaway to teachers is what professionals call "Jelly Bean Management"…. it is hardly an adequate substitute for leadership and fiscal responsibility for our schools. The trustees utterly failed to ask challenging questions about this policy, and the superintendent caved on a ridiculous proposal to give out meaningless bonuses in an economic time such as this. Shame on the leadership of DMUSD. That much money could have been used in a number of more productive ways. It is no wonder our public schools can't balance their budgets. Policy making like this is an excellent example of why our public schools are failing! Trustees, wake up and ask (politely, if you like) the tough questions! And please Mr. Peabody, get a spine and a competent Asst. Sup. of Finance.

]]> By: dmusdmom http://www.delmartimes.net/2011/06/28/local-school-districts-allocate-millions-in-federal-money-differently/#comment-155768 dmusdmom Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:44:39 +0000 http://delmartimes.mscsddev.com/?p=25011#comment-155768 This is quite possibly the worst mismanagement of funds I have ever seen. So glad to see that Peabody and Staff have the best interest of the children at heart here and took $21K out of the General Fund for themselves. How can they possibly expect the foundation to raise money when they pocket it themselves. SHAME ON YOU DMUSD. Meanwhile, we are using up our reserves to pay our "fair share". How does this kind of thing happen? I was campaigning for our teachers to "save their jobs!" I had no idea they were so quick to throw each other under the bus. How many ESC teachers could we have next year with that money? How many temporary teachers are going to be let go? All this talk of "reorganizing" the library, raising class sizes, reducing ESC, all the while they gave themselves a bonus. I am a liberal democrat and I have defended unions over and over again- this is my last straw with DMUSD and DMCTA. Parents go to the BOARD MEETING ON JULY 6th and TELL THEM WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS! This is quite possibly the worst mismanagement of funds I have ever seen. So glad to see that Peabody and Staff have the best interest of the children at heart here and took $21K out of the General Fund for themselves. How can they possibly expect the foundation to raise money when they pocket it themselves. SHAME ON YOU DMUSD. Meanwhile, we are using up our reserves to pay our "fair share". How does this kind of thing happen? I was campaigning for our teachers to "save their jobs!" I had no idea they were so quick to throw each other under the bus. How many ESC teachers could we have next year with that money? How many temporary teachers are going to be let go? All this talk of "reorganizing" the library, raising class sizes, reducing ESC, all the while they gave themselves a bonus. I am a liberal democrat and I have defended unions over and over again- this is my last straw with DMUSD and DMCTA. Parents go to the BOARD MEETING ON JULY 6th and TELL THEM WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS!

]]> By: DMUSD Parent http://www.delmartimes.net/2011/06/28/local-school-districts-allocate-millions-in-federal-money-differently/#comment-155167 DMUSD Parent Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:02:19 +0000 http://delmartimes.mscsddev.com/?p=25011#comment-155167 Thanks, Marsha Sutton, for turning over yet another rock to find another nugget of information that our community would not have otherwise known. So, while all the other local (apparently well run) school districts were using these federal taxpayer funds appropriately to hold on to teaching positions, DMUSD was either handing out $1000 cash bonuses as "incentives" (I guess for teachers to stay in their jobs while unemployment in CA exceeds 12% - do they really NEED incentives for this??)...at the same time, they gave pink slips to many temporary, yet capable (and younger, eager, energetic) teachers. All the while, our current teachers while pocketing their $1000, were out there picketing against the pink slips, and wearing pink in memorial for those poor teachers who were let go. Ridiculous and so disingenuous. And, the other way the funds were used was to give golden handshakes to others (like principals such as Susan Fitzpatrick), who will cost more to replace than retain! Really?? Does the DMUSD Board of Trustees and Jim Peabody genuinely think this was truly the intent and the best, highest use of these federal dollars? How can they look themselves in the mirror? Take a cue from other local districts (especially Solana Beach!) and get some integrity. What is happening to our community? Just when it seems there's hope on the horizon, it actually gets worse! So shameful. One more question (and one that maybe Marsha Sutton would be willing to investigate): Could these same federal funds have been used to save the jobs of ESC teachers? If so, why did parents knock themselves out to dig deep and try to meet the DMSEF's goal of contributing $800/student or whatever it was? Why didn't they just apply the $743,000 and keep our oh-so-valuable art, music, tech, PE and science teachers? This district and superintendent continues to lose credibility. So disappointing! Where's the leadership and integrity? Thanks, Marsha Sutton, for turning over yet another rock to find another nugget of information that our community would not have otherwise known.

So, while all the other local (apparently well run) school districts were using these federal taxpayer funds appropriately to hold on to teaching positions, DMUSD was either handing out $1000 cash bonuses as "incentives" (I guess for teachers to stay in their jobs while unemployment in CA exceeds 12% – do they really NEED incentives for this??)…at the same time, they gave pink slips to many temporary, yet capable (and younger, eager, energetic) teachers. All the while, our current teachers while pocketing their $1000, were out there picketing against the pink slips, and wearing pink in memorial for those poor teachers who were let go. Ridiculous and so disingenuous.

And, the other way the funds were used was to give golden handshakes to others (like principals such as Susan Fitzpatrick), who will cost more to replace than retain! Really??

Does the DMUSD Board of Trustees and Jim Peabody genuinely think this was truly the intent and the best, highest use of these federal dollars? How can they look themselves in the mirror?

Take a cue from other local districts (especially Solana Beach!) and get some integrity. What is happening to our community? Just when it seems there's hope on the horizon, it actually gets worse! So shameful.

One more question (and one that maybe Marsha Sutton would be willing to investigate): Could these same federal funds have been used to save the jobs of ESC teachers? If so, why did parents knock themselves out to dig deep and try to meet the DMSEF's goal of contributing $800/student or whatever it was? Why didn't they just apply the $743,000 and keep our oh-so-valuable art, music, tech, PE and science teachers?

This district and superintendent continues to lose credibility. So disappointing! Where's the leadership and integrity?

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