Good Morning,
I've written my 4th press release and I want to share it with CBTL people.
Thanks,
Michele

Michele Nauyokas, retired teacher with over 35 years experience, and school board candidate, is concerned about discipline in the Michigan City Area Schools (MCAS). Discipline is an important entity in any school system. In order for our kids to learn, the atmosphere must be conducive to learning. Children need to feel safe, and they need to know what the rules are, as well as the consequences for breaking those rules. This creates stability in the school system and a sense of well-being. This allows the teachers to teach and the children to learn.

Nauyokas states, "In the MCAS, we have a discipline policy in place that is great. What we don't have is a fair consistent enforcement of that policy so that our kids understand that the rules will be enforced. What this means is that students are told the rules at the beginning of the year, but they quickly learn that they are not enforced. A student breaks a rule, and the consequence is not applied. I am not talking about basic rules like no running in the hall, being late to class, or kissing in the hallway. I'm also referring to fights, profanity in the classroom, coming to school high, or having weapons in your possession. Even for these infractions, many students are returned to the classroom, and the poor behavior continues. Sometimes a student is put up for expulsion; but they, too, are returned to the class after a few days. It is important to understand that there is a lot of inconsistency with discipline. It's very frustrating for adults and most students because they want enforced discipline, and they know that it is best for a learning environment, but their hands are tied."

This lack of discipline increases as the school year progresses. The consequence is that inappropriate behaviors continue; no consequence is sought or applied, and our student's learning suffers. Approximately 5% of our students are major discipline disruptions; but their negative behavior is consistent in all of their classes and often it escalates.

Nauyokas continues, "What is really happening is that the MCAS wants to reduce the negative behavior statistics, not the negative behavior. I believe that if we explained our discipline policy to parents and students, and enforced that policy, it would take less than one month to have a stabilized learning environment; as well as a significant reduction in discipline infractions."

"Our kids would have increased instruction, discipline in the schools, and we would be focusing on the kids and what's best for their learning. By establishing enforcement of the current policy, we will give our kids stability and a sense of harmony. If we were more concerned about learning, and less concerned about the statistics, real teaching could take place."

You make a point about stats vs the behavior itself. I basically agree with you but there has to be some way of measuring whether success is closer. It is possible to get some idea from anecdotal evidence, but establishing some way of measuring the stabilization you mention is the way to ascertain whether the behavior is better or not.

Given this, how do you propose behavior be measured?

If I understand your question, I'm not saying get rid of the statistics. Keep a record of behavior infractions. That information is stored in a database, and is at our fingertips. But accurately report the behavior infractions. The cover-up comes in 2 ways: sometimes the negative behavior is not addressed, it is ignored; and it is not reported. Or someone, for example, comes to school high; they are put into a counseling program, and the behavior is not reported as coming to school high. It is reported as being put into counseling.
The other frustration is that a student is addressed for a negative behavior, the parent loudly complains about the "injustice", and the consequence is changed. Standing firm is not current policy.
What I'm writing about is just the tip of the iceberg. The deception is so complex, it is hard to know all that is REALLY going on. Teachers make written reports, and the reports are sometimes lost, or they write a consequence on the teacher report; but in the database, something completely different is written, and the teacher never knows it.

The Board sets policy but the Administration runs MCAS. How would the Board influence the Administration in the direction you outline?

I know! Get rid of Michael Harding and Carla Iacona!

(This is my second time responding. I don't know where my first response is, at this time.)
You are exactly right, Rog. And in my opinion, if Administration does not carry out policy the way the board anticipates, then it is the Board's responsibility to change administration. The Board has to be the watch-dog. It is unethical for a Board member to not be responsible for the "streamlline" functioning of the school--schools with the kids in mind and what is best for them.

How tightly can the Board control the Admin? They are not marionettes. Under what conditions can the Supr. be fired? In his contract, there must be some list of unacceptable actions that could cause him to be fired without having to be paid severance.

Is the contract available for public viewing?

It is out there. Dennis Metheney has had a copy of it on his show before. I don't know how to obtain it, but I would imagine it would be available under the Freedom of Information Act.

Dare we ask Mr. M. for a copy?

Everytime I have talked to him, I found him approachable.

How tightly can the Board control Administration depends on the philosophy of the Board. I personally believe that a SB member has been elected to run the schools. So run them.
As to firing a Supt.; you can non-renew a contract for virtually any reason--we don't like the tie you're wearing. Of course that does not happen often
As to the severance, I don't know how that works. SS is right-- the Freedom of Information Act means his contract is open to the public. For teachers, the media has gone in to the Ad Bldng, asked administration for the actions against a teacher, and they were given the info (remember Scheimann?). Most administrations would not have done that. I know a little about his contract: his salary, car & gas; but that's about it.

I agree, again, with SS

Yeah, but try to walk in the ad bldg and ask for a copy of Hardling's contract. I'm sure it won't be handed over so easily.

The School Board specifically is not an administrative body and has not been elected to run the school system. The Board is to hire administrators who have the executive responsibility. See http://www.isba-ind.org/Code_of_Ethics.htm, second item in the first section. I would like a clarification of your statement quoted above.

Normally, an employment contract will specify situations that will lead to dismissal. How specifically this is spelled out is what I am after. If someone is let go under conditions not covered in the contract, he is normally entitled to whatever the severance package is.

I stand corrected. I wrote too fast, before the head kicked in. I have a copy of that document you listed. Let me restate: The Board is not an Administrative body; but it is a policy-setting body. In that way they control the direction they want the schools to move. When the policies that the Board wants Administration to carry out, aren't carried out, who's to blame? I say it is the Board's responsibility to make sure their policies are carried out by Administration. If you can't control Administration, then they need to be replaced. And if the Board doesn't replace Administration, eplace the Board. The Supt. has to answer to the Board.

To your other question, I think you are right, but I honestly don't know that answer. In MCAS, we love to buy out supt.--at a huge cost to taxpayers.

And not just Superintendents, but other administrators as well. Case in point, the Cary Laramore/Plant Planning debacle.

The Board has not held the Supt. to account, and for that, the Board should be replaced. Knowing the terms of the contract is the only way to find a way to make him answer to the Board.

Right on Ang. What a terrible administrator with a terrible temper. Unfortunately, there are even more.

I'm guessing that I am REALLY naive b/c I'm having troubles following your thinking and I usually like the way you think.
This is what I think: Supt passes the interviews and is offered a job. School Board offers salary, benefits, perks ie--car, gas, # of vacation days, the usual stuff. I have never perceived that he (or any other administrator) has a paper contract stating his working conditions, rights & responsibilities, etc. My concept is that he takes a yearly direction from the Board and goes from there. Since this Board does not make him accountable, he's carte blanche.
I believe that his contract has been extended to 2012; but I could be wrong. Is that what you mean? But I also thought that a Board had the power to reduce the contract as long as the October deadline was met and he was given a year to find another job.

Yeah, I know. I worked for the man!

I am surmising that the contract would include the outlines of the terms I mention. Probably not every single possibility, but at least discussing and specifying the general terms of acceptable performance and unacceptable performance.

I actually thought that such a contract would be common practice, and to just hire someone and verbally give directions leaves too much open to disagreement.

I know there is a document administrators have to sign, but I'm not sure what its contents are.

In the example of Cary Laramore, this guy would read employees email, stand outside offices and eavesdrop, go through desks (I actually got wrote up cause someone was going through my desk and I knew it so I left a note in my desk to that effect and he found it--I found out who was going through my desk!). I wasn't allowed to listen to music in my office because Cary thought I was playing video games. I wasn't allowed to write letters to the Anvil Chorus because Cary thought writing to the paper gave MCAS a bad image. He wrote me up 5 times in one month for petty stuff. I had to meet with Dr. Anast and she threw out all the write ups. Cary was so bad that the other girl in the office and I went to see an attorney about work place harassment. A couple letters from Tom Rutkowski to John Malloy did the the trick. Finally, they realized the error of their ways when Cary started unjustly harassing the classified employees. Then things got really ugly. Finally, they "reassigned" him and brought in a new director (Ed Mullins--Great guy!). Cary was allowed to complete his contract at full pay while he basically did nothing for six months. All at the tax payers expense.

Do you honestly think they're going to can the Superintendent?

If we can get some new blood on the Board, and I mean the next election, too, then we might see some positive changes.

If we oust the incumbents, I think that 4/3 vote will change. Before the election, every candidate should state their opinion about their perception of the Supt. The voters need to know candidate's position on that issue.

In my post above, I am referring to the election in two years when the rest of the board is up for reelection.


Would any administrator on the mb be able to post the contract of Mr. Harding and the paper Ang refers to?

I would love to if I knew where to find a copy of it. I'd have to do it online, but if someone can get a hard copy and scan it that would be wonderful. (Hey Heath! Hint hint)

We could scan it in and post it as a picture attachment at worst. If someone has the skills to make a PDF, we could also do that.

Sorry guys, I don't have a copy of the contract.

I will have a copy of M Harding's contract in my hands by mid-next week. A friend of mine and I were talking, and this came up. She said she had an old copy. You have to follow some guidelines; but she's emailing me the info in the next couple days. I'll give the website to anyone of you that wants it. I'm excited about this.

The hint was not because I thought you had a copy, but because I know you have the resources to get a copy and make it a pdf. But, it appears Yokas can get a copy posted up here, so never mind the hint.

I went in this morning to the Ad Bldng and brought the email info that I was given. (I'm not sure you really need that). They gave me a duplicate form to fill out that included the date/time. I was told they had to be in touch with me within 24 hours; so expect to hear from them Monday morning. I'm curious to see how this pans out.
I forgot to mention that in the old contract my friend had, she remembered that Harding was to move to this community within a short time.

How do you think the School Board forum went yesterday?

I thought it went well. Time lines were followed, it was organized, there were about 40-45 people there--many were the next round of candidates and their spouses. In my opinion, in addition to audience questions, it would be beneficial to have a committee brainstorm questions that they believe the community would like answered. Some of the questions were mis-understood by the candidates; either b/c they didn't understand the question, or it was worded poorly. I wanted to stay to hear the other candidates, but I had another commitment.