It isn't pretty.
Reacting to the community firestorm over combining Stall and North Charleston High Schools, Charleston County Schools Superintendent McGinley has put that proposal on hold "for a year." Now she claims to want community input, so here comes another PR campaign, no doubt complete with community representatives.
As long as she was in reverse, she decided to scotch the plan to assign principals to head more than one school. Maybe a few have figured out where that leads (remember a school named Fraser?).
Meanwhile, a Board of Trustees subcommittee has wisely decided to take back its proposed plan to keep students captive in their designated sending districts.
Wait for the other shoe to drop. The next step will be cuts to the budget that will be even less palatable.
None of them will involve McGinley's rejecting last year's raise or her travel budget or burgeoning staff. Why do I surmise that teachers will get hit again?
Thursday, February 17, 2011
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She needs to reverse her action against the day porters, too. Cut five of her top heavy administrators and 89 school custodians won't have to unnecessarily join the ranks of the unemployed. CCSD could save a lot more if we only knew how many were on McGinley's staff.
I think this sequence is a wonderful sign that this Board just ain't taking her crap. Winbush should be fired for the way he "bullied" the Stall and NCHS staffs.
Will someone please give some facts about McGinley's raises and benefit increases over the last 3 years? How do those increases compare to what teachers and other regular employess have received since the recession began?
Let's just hope the Board is on to the superintendent now. Know that we are counting on you, Board members, to not accept anything without questioning it. Be sure you get the facts! Ask once, question over and over and over--and then ask somebody else!
Does anybody have any idea how much the new "innovation zone" costs? (1 associate, 1 learning specialist, a big group of curriculum people, a secretary, and who knows who else--not to mention all the costs for keeping that building open.) Somebody needs to get an expense report for how much that new "zone" is costing...
Does anyone find it sort of funny the way Dr. McGinley explained her retraction of the proposal. Keep in mind that she played it out in the media before ever really asking for any input from the Stall HS and NC HS communities.
"I didn't want to win the battle and lose the war," she said. "Sometimes slowing things down creates a stronger chance of success than doing it on a time frame that skips over the need for stakeholder understanding and buy-in."
Not "input" as her shill, Diette Courege stated in the first paragraph, but "understanding and buy-in". She doesn't want their opinions, she wants the North area to just accept it.
"I'll be criticized for this decision, but I believe it's in the best interest of students, the schools and the city."
I was told by some community people that only a dozen or so people were involved in the design of this program. I suggest anyone who'd like a laugh look at the PowerPoint of the plan. It is insane. And most of the things proposed already exists at Stall High School.
"I do not want to perpetuate a belief that we are not willing to listen and work with the community," she said. "There certainly were a number of concerns raised about the timeline for moving forward. People just heard about it and it is a major change in what has traditionally existed. People have not had enough time to absorb this change and get comfortable with it."
People aren't comfortable with the change because it is stupid. How does it make sense to ship one of my students all the way down to North Charleston from Ladson Road? And you are supposedly a smart woman, Dr. McGinley. Didn't you think the community would react this way, or did you think that you could railroad this through?
Sounds like Mr. Winnbush is going to be blamed for this one.
From McGinley's perspective (which isn't where most people are standing) the North Area doesn't have neighborhoods. No wonder she didn't seek a community buy-in. To her there are no communities in that part of Charleston to buy into anything.
Nothing quite like the Superintendent not knowing the people she works for. Oh, but in her mind she doesn't work for them either.
McGinley is out of touch and the previous board just circled the wagons around her which made her even more unconnected. This board isn't reading the same game plan, but they aren't ready to throw her out yet. They don't have the votes.
The "votes" are a matter of time, short time hopefully. I want to hear the "Gipper" speech now that her and her whipping boy Winbush have totally ripped on their high schools way up North.
Hey James, can you hear me now? Little Elliott, who sounded the retreat bugle for the boss, you or your high-paid assistant?
What a sad reality we endure.
I still say if 60-70 are on 12% that means there are 560 workers at the taj.
How does the top heavy CCSD administrative staff compare to Horry or Greenville counties? Before any final votes are taken on budget cuts this board needs to see what the comparable pay scales are for those school districts. It might be a good idea to check what the ratios are in all three districts between class room teachers and non-teaching staff.
Is it time for a real audit of CCSD yet?
Audit the Innovation District or whatever they call it. Someone told me they have a staff of 24 people or somethin up there.
It would be a wonderful time for the proctologist to pay a visit to Calhoun.
Would that be ok Elliott? Don't worry, they will bring a step-stool for the little fellas.
How about reconstituting Calhoun? There are a handful of people down there who do work hard and do work for kids; send the others packing please.
Ohhh Tricia, can you hear the door knockin? If Nancy isn't around to turn a cheek to your intimidating crap or worthless ways, whats ya gonna do?
I love the "proctologist" post except Bill Lewis and Fred Feil would be first in line due to the fact they lead with their behinds most of the time anyway.
"Clean" house Board.
I would like to see exactly what Nancy McGinley receives in salary, perks and benefits. I've heard she has an iron clad contract which includes automatic raises based on her performance review. No additional board approval is required. On top of that she receives an additional payment equal to 10% of her base salary to invest (presumably in a retirement plan) as she sees fit. Then there is that pesky car allowance that went from $600 to now over $1000 a month. Altogether, Nancy has moved her starting salary as superintendent way up the scale in just four years. It started at$174,000 plus benefits in 2007. Now it is well above $220,000. Michael Bobby, CFO, and John Emerson, General Counsel, receivers of hefty raises themselves, will do their best to prevent anyone from getting specific information on administrative salaries and perks. They say this is "personal" information. According to state law it is public information, so I wish they would stop using the word "personal" as cover for what McGinley wants to keep "secret".
As one North Charlestonian put it, the superintendent will give a one hour presentation on her plan and call it community engagement. Five meetings, one hour each, spread over two days. This is a lecture. There is no public input.
She is set on this plan to merge two high schools, if not this coming year, then the year after. She needs to erase two at risk schools from her to do list. NJM isn't one to consider alternatives once her mind is set.
There is an idea floating out there which involves Trident Tech pretty much taking over both and running them separately under a system that could give dual high school and college credit. No matter how good an idea, NJM will oppose it if it gives up too much control to TTC and the community.
Trident Tech would not be able to run two public schools. TTC is an elective school where students pay.
They'd have no clue how to run a school where students do not.
Trident Tech is working with Berkeley High School now in a joint program. Why would that not apply to Charleston County?
Joint programs are often one sided as far as responsibilities. Wando and TTC have a joint program, but Wando is responsible for staffing, administering, following clear guidelines, teaching the courses, getting the students to Tech, giving the grades. Not really a joint effort, but TTC gets to jump in and have advisory prestige.
I have heard horror stories about other schools trying to utilize TTC and told they'd prefer to put resources where they will be seen as successful.
Not everything is what is told.
Not everything at Wando High School is managed as well as we are told. The proposed Middle College at Wando is supposed to be cosponsored with TTC. Berkeley High School has a cooperative relationship with TTC. The Post and Courier reported it was going very well. I hope that isn't just more spin. If it is then the planned Middle College at Wando presents more questions and few answers. With Stall and North Charleston High Schools located so close to the main TTC campus, it should be an ideal opportunity to make this work.
Well then get rid of the current Garrett Tech sham and use that facility the way it should, and was meant, to be used.
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