THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IS THURSDAY
4 MARCH 2010 5 PM
Big Oak Flat - Groveland Unified
School District
Board of Trustees
During the 24 February
2010 Board Meeting, as you could see, many people were absolutely
astounded that the Board would even consider going outside
of the district for a Superintendent/Principal. Considering the very
poor financial situation in the district and the real possibility
of terminating teachers and staff, to hire a
Superintendent/Principal from out of district is completely
irresponsible. To contract with a Search Company is
absurd when we obviously have qualified people within the
district. The cost of the Search Company fees, and related
administrative costs of the search process, could easily exceed
$50,000. There is a very obvious, simple, and cost
effective, solution to the Superintendent/Principal and Principal
positions, Sandy Bradley, Superintendent/Principal at Tioga, at
probably $20,000 or so more a year, instead of an out
of district Superintendent /Principal at probably
$120,000, and Paul Andrews as Principal at Tenaya. Additionally,
if Sandy Bradley, who has been Principal of Tioga for about 15
years, and currently the Principal of two high schools, at no
additional pay, was replaced as the Principal at Tioga, and she
goes back in the class room, that would of course eliminate
another teachers position. The cost of an out of district
Superintendent/Principal would probably also cost at another
teacher position. Since it was apparent, at the
Board Meeting, that several members of the Board of Trustees, were not
interested in recruiting from within the district, before
contracting a search company, it appeared these members of
the Board had already decided to hire from outside the
district. It was noted that once contracted a search company would
be paid even if a Superintendent/Principal was hired
from within the district, which would certainly be poor
business and a waste of district funds. If
the district is in such a poor financial condition that teachers
or staff might be terminated, why would you ever add any
administrators from outside the district. The last two
Superintendent's hired from out of district did not work out,
however the last administrator (Tenaya Principal) hired within
district worked out very well. We have been through this before
with out of district Superintendents and I would have thought a
lesson would have been learned. This district could easily go
under financially. Sandy Bradley as the Superintendent/Principal
at Tioga and Paul Andrews as the Principal at Tenaya is such a
simply and cost effective solution, I think that many people
assumed that this would be the obvious action of the
Board. This is tax payers money.
Sincerely
John Olson