Sunday, July 06, 2014

C. J. Huff, Joplin Schools paid $175,000+ for unqualified administrators

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) records show that the Joplin R-8 School District was paying more than $175,000 to administrators who were not qualified for their positions at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year.

According to DESE records, Lisa Orem, who now holds the newly-created title of Student Services Program Coordinator, pulled down a salary of $100,652 during the last school year, despite the fact that she let her administrative certification expire on September 1, 2011, and is currently only certified as an elementary teacher.

That lack of certification was one of the reasons why the Huff Administration had to add Mark Barlass, a former colleague of Lisa Orem's as her assistant two years ago. Barlass now holds the newly-created title of Executive Director of Student Services and is paid $101,281. Barlass is certified in special education, which is one reason they had to hire him, since Orem had no certification in that area (or any other administrative area) and the job at that time was called Director of Special Services.

Orem and Barlass made a combined $201,933 last year to do a job that was previously done by one person, Valerie Earl, who made approximately $99,000.

The Huff Administration also hired a new principal for McKinley Elementary for the 2013-2014 school year, who had no certification as a principal.

Despite the fact that McKinley had a young and almost completely new faculty, the inexperienced Terri Hart, who had been working in central administration was hired. DESE records show she was finally certified as a principal on December 18, 2013, more than four months after she began her job.

The pay scale for a principal with no certificate- Terri Hart received $75,511, according to DESE records.

The story of how Hart was selected when there are many people who are actually certified to be principals who were ready and willing to do the job was explained in the November 18, 2013, Turner Report:

Things were not going well at Joplin's McKinley Elementary School during the 2012-2013 school year.

Younger teachers were having a hard time dealing with Principal Jennifer Doshier's somewhat mercurial demands. They talked with a veteran teacher, who agreed they had reason to be concerned. The things she was hearing were serious enough that the veteran teacher called Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer, who suggested that the veteran teacher bring the younger teachers over to the administration building at 32nd and Duquesne to discuss the problems.

After the meeting started, the veteran teacher reassured Dr. Besendorfer that the teachers were not blowing the situation out of proportion.

Dr. Besendorfer offered a sympathetic ear, nodding as the teachers spoke, every once in a while commenting, "This is unbelievable," or "this should not be happening."

As the meeting closed, Dr. Besendorfer told the teachers not to worry. "I will take care of this."

As the veteran teacher and the younger ones left Dr. Besendorfer's office, for the first time in a long time they had a feeling that their jobs might just become a little more bearable.

Dr. Besendorfer, true to her word, took care of the situation. By the time her solution had been implemented, the younger teachers, none of whom had tenure, did not have their contracts renewed, and the veteran teacher, a woman well respected in the community, was escorted out of McKinley Elementary and placed on a paid leave of absence. Later, she was transferred to another job in the district. Probably the only thing that saved her position was that she had tenure and the district was already in the process of being embarrassed as it made efforts to fire another tenured teacher.

By the time, the year ended, nearly every teacher in McKinley Elementary had either been non-renewed or had resigned.

Angie Besendorfer did not forget about Principal Jennifer Doshier. Ms. Doshier was promoted to upper administration, in the recently created post of director of elementary education.

Meanwhile, Ms. Doshier's replacement, the principal who would have to deal with a completely new, highly inexperienced young faculty- is Terri Hart, who was moved from an upper administration ;position as curriculum coordinator...and who, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website, does not have a principal's certificate.

Parents of McKinley Elementary students should not worry about having such an inexperienced principal at the helm- she won't be here for long. She has told some people that her plan is to get a job at Pittsburg State University and others that she hopes to become a superintendent at a small school.

The one thing she makes sure everyone knows- McKinley Elementary is just a steppingstone.

It should be noted that Jennifer Doshier, who was promoted to the position of director of elementary education, now holds the title Executive Director of Elementary Education.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Janet Earl did the job that both Orem and Barlass are doing. Before that, 2 people did the jobs--one for special ed and the other for title one. After some retirements, Janet Earl took over both jobs. She had special ed coordinators and a title one coordinator working under her supervision.
Terri Hart only has 3 years of classroom experience then she was a TLC, the curriculum director then principal. She wants a job at PSU supervising teachers.
Jennifer Doshier allowed Sarah Stevens, the McKinley TLC at the time, to run down the staff. Stevens and her other principal at Royal Heights did much the same. Stevens and Doshier went to a national conference to tell everyone what a wonderful team they were and what wonderful things they had done at McKinley.
Everyone has complained about the 'good old boys network' but I'm thinking that the 'bad gals network' is much worse.

Anonymous said...

I believe the best thing for teachers in this school district is to go directly to a board member and bypass your admin. How long is your board going to let this admin ruin your school. You will be having students paying tuition to attend neighboring districts, with good cause. The board should ask for a breakdown of all admin job duties, just guessing that some of these positions could easily be deleted.

Anonymous said...

It is a bad case of mean girls, for sure. It appears that 100 grand is the going price in Joplin for selling one's soul to CJ. in exchange for false witness against a teacher. Orem also gets to go on lots of trips for Read 180, etc., and she gets to do lots and lots of shopping (think expensive art) for her million dollar house.

Hart will throw anybody under the bus. She can't manage people like a professional, so if she thinks anyone is against her she runs and tattles. I wonder who her daddy is now that Bess is gone. Stevens is just as bad. It pays in R8 to be wicked and inept. None of them should be allowed to continue in education anywhere.

Anonymous said...

11:31--
CJ announced at the last board meeting that a special committee will be made in September to examine the job positions and their pay, and determine whether some of them need paid more (I'm sure he believes he does) or some, watch out, even less (I'm sure he doesn't believe this applies to himself). The committee will be chaired by Tina Smith, his prize executioner.

Think this will be fair and unbiased? It will be as badly handled as the dream committee was by her predecessor. Nothing will improve until King Charles is dethroned.

Anonymous said...

11:31--
You think the board cares about us? It's not like they don't know what's been going on for several years now. But Landis, Steele, Sticklen, and Banwart will protect CJ and his followers every time over a teacher. The other three are outvoted until one of the others decides to do what is right instead of hang on to CJ's superhero cape. I'm hoping for Banwart. I think the others are a long lost cause.

Anonymous said...

And they can't afford to pay teachers and staff competitively? Gosh, I wonder why. Could it be the big hogs at the trough? I'd say so.

Great priorities. A handpicked, overpaid cheerleading squad that has set academics back, destroyed teacher morale, and has bankrupted the district.

And yet, CJ Huff is still employed. One of the greatest mysteries around at the moment.

Anonymous said...

I bet an Executive Director gets paid a lot more than a common, everyday Director. And, I'm sure scores will go up in equal proportion to her salary. If they don't, then she should be put out the door with her boss.

Anonymous said...

On the subject of unqualified people being appointed by CJ Huff, one can't help but wonder how Tina Smith was Human Resources Director for two years and then became COO. That is not exactly a natural progression. Aren't high level administrative positions typically filled through a search, allowing qualified candidates to apply?

CJ seems to be making a lot of his own rules.

Here's a thought for the BOE: DO YOUR JOB AND EITHER GET THIS GUY UNDER CONTROL OR GET HIM OUT.

Anonymous said...

This is yet another sad tale for Joplin Schools. It does appear one must be near the right hand of CJ Huff to climb the district ladder or even be hired. Yet Dr. Kerry Sachetta seems to be left holding the bag for Huff and the school board since he doesn't seem to just roll over, he has the best interest of the students. Sadly, he will one day leave a community in which his family calls home to be able to further his career. The school board needs to take a long hard look at corruption within, hopefully Banwart will take a stand.

Anonymous said...

And then there is Kim Vann, Bright Futures guru and Communications Director for Joplin Schools. There is absolutely zero information regarding any college degree on her bio or anywhere else that I can find. If she has a degree it is certainly being kept a secret. Still, she is pulling down almost $100K. Another CJ appointment. Hmmm, is there a pattern here?

Anonymous said...

Here is a LinkedIn profile.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kim-vann/9/348/81a

Kim Vann Director of Community Development at Joplin Schools

Kim Vann's Education
US Chamber of Commerce Institute
2006 – 2009

Missouri Southern State University
Business Management/International Business/Sociology
1988


No specific degree listed here, so what does that mean? Is it possible she attended but did not receive a degree?

Anonymous said...

The real story about JD and the veteran teacher who was escorted out is this:
JD had one of her "spies" in the building fill out a HARRASSMENT charge against the veteran teacher. The Executioner, Tina Smith, then came over, and interviewed each teacher about what the problems were at McKinley, her final question was about the veteran teacher. I know that most of the teachers told Tina exactly what the problem was, because we had all discussed what we were saying. The problem was JD and SS. SS passed out a survey, THREW IT AWAY when she saw that the results were TOO NEVAGTIVE. In fact, she threw them away in front of the other teachers on that committee and said, "these are TOO NEGATIVE", so there you have the rest of the story.

Anonymous said...

Heard a lot of not so flattering things about JD & TS. How the former (JD) there were many issues. Mostly not being there when she was needed. In "meetings" much of the time. Not at all surprised that that school had so many behavioral problems with the person who was responsible for those was never available. Most of them went unreported as she was dying to get an award for no bad behavior. Anyone who has stepped foot in that school knows all to well about that. Then to promote someone from that to the bunker at 32nd and Duquesne is beyond me. Let's give astronomical raises to those who are proven secret keepers.

Anonymous said...

Regarding the highly-paid Kim Vann:

US Chamber of Commerce Institute is a training program consisting of 4 years of 5-days per year workshops (24 clock hours, not credit hours) for people working or wanting to work for a non-profit organization. It is not a college.

In 1988 she was enrolled at MSSC and took Business Management, International Business, and Sociology. Again, no degree.

It appears that educational requirements can be waived at Joplin R-8 if you are a friend of CJ Huff.

Anonymous said...

Maybe start WGU Missouri can start awarding honorary degrees? Mission Accomplished!