[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...e0715114645.txt

Kintzele: News soon on new MCAS chief

Building closures and staff cuts still at issue
By Alicia Ebaugh
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 4:14 AM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — A new Michigan City Area Schools superintendent may be named “sooner than you think,” according to School Board president Jim Kintzele.

At Tuesday’s MCAS board meeting, Kintzele said the board will meet in executive session today to determine who it wants to hire as the next superintendent. The board has not released the names of the four finalists it is considering, but has hinted at least one lives within the school district.

“We will probably put out a release on it before the next board meeting,” he said.

Also, officials likely will hold another public workshop soon before any budget-cut decisions are made that could close schools or eliminate jobs.

“There are good things in every plan submitted to us on these cuts,” Kintzele said. “We need another meeting to come up with the best of everyone’s proposals.”

At Tuesday’s meeting, Pam Swenson-Clarkson, whose son attends Edgewood Elementary School, presented to the board a petition containing nearly 500 signatures in opposition to the school’s closure. That school, along with Niemann Elementary and Eastport Early Learning Center, may be on the chopping block.

In the past few weeks, Interim Superintendent Carla Iacona said she has been working “intensely” with the teacher’s union, the Michigan City Education Association, to figure out which teachers will receive Reduction in Force notices. School Board members have said up to 100 teachers and curriculum coaches may receive notices, which would release them from their contracts at the end of the school year. Those notices are due Thursday in order to give noticed teachers ample opportunity to find another job before the fall.

“I don’t think anyone suggests a RIF is desirable, and it also doesn’t mean most of these teachers won’t be back in the fall,” board member Jeffrey Jones said. “Unfortunately, we’ve been through times like this before ... I know there is uncertainty and ambiguity involved, but we remain hopeful we’ll come to a favorable conclusion in the tax case.”

MCAS, along with Michigan City and Long Beach, brought a lawsuit in Indiana Tax Court against La Porte County Auditor Craig Hinchman and the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance in hopes of recovering property tax revenue the entities budgeted for and already spent. They are challenging Hinchman’s decision to certify 2005-pay-2006 property values instead of 2006-pay-2007 values, which would mean the loss of millions of property tax dollars for that year. MCAS stands to lose $8.2 million.

School Board member Dr. Vidya Kora said the board is eager to agree to any solution that is or will be approved by the DLGF, and will result in MCAS receiving no reduction in property tax revenue.

“There is no uncertainty that we are owed that money,” Jones said. “It’s just a question of when and how we’ll receive it.”

Regardless of the outcome of that lawsuit, the school district already is facing a $2 million reduction from the state to its general fund this year.

Board member Beryle Burgwald said he hopes efforts to solve the district’s budget crunch without closing schools or getting rid of teachers are not taking a backseat to the selection of a new MCAS superintendent, a task on which the School Board has been focused since mid-March.

“We need to have a superintendent who knows what direction they want to go before any of these decisions are made,” Kintzele said.

[Southsider2k12]

The rumor is that the next Super is getting announced tomorrow morning at 8:30, and it doesn't sound like it will be Iacona.

[eric.hanke]

The rumor is that the next Super is getting announced tomorrow morning at 8:30, and it doesn't sound like it will be Iacona.

It's no rumor..

Hi Eric,
Mr. Kintzele is announcing the final candidate tomorrow at the ad building at a press conference @ 8:30 a.m. - the person will not be there, however, just an announcement from Mr. Kintzele. (I plan to post info on the web site tomorrow morning, following the press conference.)
Betsy



Betsy Kohn
Director of Communications
Michigan City Area Schools
408 S Carroll Avenue
Michigan City, IN 46360
(219) 873-2000 x8365
(219) 877-7770 - cell

[Southsider2k12]

It's no rumor..

Yeah, if they aren't going to be there, it means it is someone who isn't an MCAS employee right now.

[Southsider2k12]

I saw Linda Anast's naming popping up. Is there really a chance of that?

[eric.hanke]

I saw Linda Anast's naming popping up. Is there really a chance of that?

Not sure. I had a meeting with PNC Chancellor Dworkin last week on an unrelated issue. Chancellor Dworkin was part of the search committee. We discussed the search including my criteria in a superintendent. He inferred I would be "pleased" with their recommendation and the new superintendent should the Board take the search committee's recommendation.

[Southsider2k12]

A caller to WIMS just said that Barbara Watkins, a retired Super from Chicago was going to be announced as our next leader of the MCAS.

[Southsider2k12]

Here is her CPS bio

http://www.cps.edu/About_CPS/At-a-glance/P...on-Watkins.aspx

[Southsider2k12]

All righty so I just got back from the press conference. It was interesting. It is Watkins who is the new leader of the MCAS. Jim Kintzele made most of the new announcement. Apparently she was the Chief Education Officer of the Chicago Public Schools. She was a person who started coming out to MC as a tourist. A couple of years back she bought the Von Mason house in Pott Park. Apparently she was attracted to the community, not the job according to Kintzele. They have scheduled a special public meeting this Friday night at the Admin building to have the school board vote on her hire. This sounds like a formality, as in Dr Jones's comments he said that it was unanimous behind closed doors.

[lbl]

All righty so I just got back from the press conference. It was interesting. It is Watkins who is the new leader of the MCAS. Jim Kintzele made most of the new announcement. Apparently she was the Chief Education Officer of the Chicago Public Schools. She was a person who started coming out to MC as a tourist. A couple of years back she bought the Von Mason house in Pott Park. Apparently she was attracted to the community, not the job according to Kintzele. They have scheduled a special public meeting this Friday night at the Admin building to have the school board vote on her hire. This sounds like a formality, as in Dr Jones's comments he said that it was unanimous behind closed doors.

Barbara Eason-Watkins Expected to be Named MCAS Superintendent
by admin — last modified 2010-04-20 09:11

At a press conference held on Tuesday, April 20, MCAS Board President Jim Kintzele announced that Dr. Barbara Eason-Watkins is expected to be named as the district's new superintendent.

Mr. Kintzele read the following statement at the Press Conference:

Dr. Barbara Eason-Watkins, Chief Education Officer for the Chicago Public Schools, is expected to be named as the new Superintendent of the Michigan City Area Schools in Michigan City, Indiana. The Board of Trustees for the Michigan City Area Schools is expected to select Dr. Eason-Watkins as their next Superintendent based on her exemplary credentials and wealth of experience in K-12 education, after an extensive search. The Board is expected to name Dr. Eason-Watkins as the next Superintendent at a special board meeting to be scheduled soon.

"I am truly honored to be selected as the next Superintendent of the Michigan City Area Schools, and I look forward to working closely with the Board of Trustees, teachers, staff members, and the entire Michigan City community as we continue to improve our schools," said Dr. Eason-Watkins.

Dr. Eason-Watkins received a Bachelor's Degree with honors in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan, a Master's Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Chicago State University, and a Doctorate in Education, with a specialty in Curriculum and Instruction, from Loyola University Chicago.

In 2001, Dr. Eason-Watkins was appointed Chief Education Officer of the Chicago Public Schools by the Chief Executive Officer, Arne Duncan. As the lead curriculum and instruction strategist for the third largest school district in the nation, Dr. Eason-Watkins has led numerous reform initiatives to raise student achievement levels and create innovative educational opportunities to benefit students and schools. Prior to her appointment as Chief Education Officer, Dr. Eason-Watkins was a nationally recognized school principal in Chicago, where she served from 1985-2001. Prior to joining the Chicago Public Schools, Dr. Eason-Watkins taught in Highland Park, Michigan, near her hometown of Detroit. She has spent her entire 35-year professional career working with schools, students, teachers, parents, and community members to improve the quality of public education.

In response to the announcement, United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan stated, "Dr. Eason-Watkins deserves a lot of the credit for Chicago's progress over the past decade. She is a world-class educator who gives her heart and soul to helping every child in every school learn. It was a great honor to work with someone as experienced, knowledgeable, and thoughtful as Barbara. She will be a great asset to the Michigan City school system."

Dr. Eason-Watkins will begin full-time employment with the district on July 1, 2010.

THIS IS GOOD! VERY GOOD!

[taxthedeer]

A couple of years back she bought the Von Mason house in Pott Park.

I'm really pleased that Dr. Eason-Watkins is going to reside in the Michigan City School District.

[Southsider2k12]

I'm really pleased that Dr. Eason-Watkins is going to reside in the Michigan City School District.

Yeah, that is a great statement. She wanted to be here, even before someone was paying her to work here.

[lbl]

I'm really pleased that Dr. Eason-Watkins is going to reside in the Michigan City School District.

More properly, for Michigan City historians, she lives in the Al Pontius house.

[Southsider2k12]

Two other interesting bits of info that came out of that meeting...

-MCAS board President Jim Kintzele is all but positive he is not running again for election to the board. He said it isn't 100%, but "I have had my time".

-Current Interim Super Carla Iacona would not comment on her future with the MCAS, saying only "I want to thank the board for the opportunity that they have given me." when asked any questions about her intentions.

[Ang]

Hmmmm.......

I am glad that they picked someone who is pleased with our community and applying for the super job is an after thought to moving here, not the other way around. To me, it shows she has an interest in our community and wants to be a part of the improvement process versus just taking a job here.

[lbl]

-MCAS board President Jim Kintzele is all but positive he is not running again for election to the board. He said it isn't 100%, but "I have had my time".


Cue classical triumphant music, release the doves, the balloons, ring the church bells, buy him a watch, and say thank you and good luck!

[greatgrand]

-MCAS board President Jim Kintzele is all but positive he is not running again for election to the board. He said it isn't 100%, but "I have had my time".


Cue classical triumphant music, release the doves, the balloons, ring the church bells, buy him a watch, and say thank you and good luck!

lbl your response to the announcement of the new Supt was "THIS IS GOOD! VERY GOOD"

For whatever reason, you seem happy to hear that Jim will probably not run again, but I would just like to point out to you that he does deserve some credit for the major role he played in the selection process for
the new Supt.

I would also challange you or anyone else to find a board member that has been more dedicated than he has been. He has devoted countless hours preparing, researching, listening, negotiating, in an effort to make the best decisions for MCAS.

I will tell you that I too am very glad that he probably will not run again. He has given enough and he deserves time to enjoy life.

Melinda Kintzele

[lbl]

lbl your response to the announcement of the new Supt was "THIS IS GOOD! VERY GOOD"

For whatever reason, you seem happy to hear that Jim will probably not run again, but I would just like to point out to you that he does deserve some credit for the major role he played in the selection process for
the new Supt.

I would also challange you or anyone else to find a board member that has been more dedicated than he has been. He has devoted countless hours preparing, researching, listening, negotiating, in an effort to make the best decisions for MCAS.

I will tell you that I too am very glad that he probably will not run again. He has given enough and he deserves time to enjoy life.

Melinda Kintzele

I totally agree with you! "...deserve some credit..!? Absolutely!

Mr. Kintzele, as he should respectfully be called, deserves a great "thank you" from the schools AND the city. He has served both entities admirably for years. However, it is time for a change, for some diversity, and for some board members with educational research or practice background. While I congratulate Mr. Kintzele, Mr. Green, and Mr. Burgwald, they, with no offense intended, can't possibly understand what today's classrooms are like. Also, if you look at our numerous boards and committees around town, you'll see they don't really reflect our population.

I meant no disrespect. The fanfare is for the change afoot. I think everyone is ready for one. Also, we should celebrate that one issue is out of the way (the supt.), next is the cuts or the tax issue, and then I assume there will be a shakedown at the Admin building.

The city should award Mr. Kintzele, and thank him, and wish him an excellent and relaxing, and well-deserved retirement.

[Southsider2k12]

lbl your response to the announcement of the new Supt was "THIS IS GOOD! VERY GOOD"

For whatever reason, you seem happy to hear that Jim will probably not run again, but I would just like to point out to you that he does deserve some credit for the major role he played in the selection process for
the new Supt.

I would also challange you or anyone else to find a board member that has been more dedicated than he has been. He has devoted countless hours preparing, researching, listening, negotiating, in an effort to make the best decisions for MCAS.

I will tell you that I too am very glad that he probably will not run again. He has given enough and he deserves time to enjoy life.

Melinda Kintzele

I honestly feel that Jim has done the closest job to anyone on that school board in recent years in reflecting what the public wanted to see in their respective voting record.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...b7117133408.txt

Eason-Watkins named MCAS superintendent

Barbara Eason-Watkins
By Alicia Ebaugh
Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:03 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — Barbara Eason-Watkins, chief education officer for Chicago Public Schools, is to be named as the new superintendent of Michigan City Area Schools on Friday.

She was appointed as Chicago chief education officer in 2001 by the chief executive officer, Arne Duncan, who is now U.S. Secretary of Education.

“I am truly honored to be selected as the next superintendent of the Michigan City Area Schools, and I look forward to working closely with the Board of Trustees, teachers, staff members and the entire Michigan City community as we continue to improve our schools,” Eason-Watkins, 57, said in a press release Tuesday.

As the lead curriculum and instruction strategist for the third largest school district in the nation, she has led numerous reform initiatives to raise student achievement levels and create innovative educational opportunities to benefit students and schools. Eason-Watkins has owned a home in the town of Pottawattamie Park, which is within Michigan City, for two years and has enjoyed being a weekend resident of Michigan City, said School Board President Jim Kintzele in announcing her selection Tuesday.

The School Board will take official action on her appointment Friday.

Read more about this story in Wednesday’s News-Dispatch.