A diverse group formed following the Lamar R-1 Board of Education's recent decisions not to renew the contract of Superintendent Mike Resa and not to extend another contract to Athletic Director Chris Wilkerson will meet two weeks from today in the Thiebaud Auditorium.
The group has issued the following news release:
LAMAR, Mo. — A public forum regarding the Lamar R-1 School District Board has been scheduled for Thursday, April 24, 2007, at 7 PM in the south meeting rooms of the Thiebaud Auditorium. The forum is sponsored by The Lamar School District Advocacy Coalition (LSDAC), which formed in March to address concerns regarding recent actions taken by, and the general direction of, the School Board. All persons interested in the welfare of the Lamar R-1 school district are encouraged to attend. Past and present board members will be invited to attend.
The LSDAC has been circulating petitions requesting the Board reconsider its recent decisions to not extend the contracts of Superintendent Mike Resa or Athletic Director Chris Wilkerson. Over 320 Lamar R-1 constituents have signed the petition, including persons from all sectors of the community, previous Board members and current teachers within the district. The LSDAC feels this widespread and passionate support is a strong reflection of community members’ concern for the school and affirms LSDAC’s concern that the current Board's position on these matters is not in the best interests of the school. Spokesperson Bob Petersen spoke to the Board during an Emergency Meeting in March. Petersen also had a follow-up meeting with Board President Deanna Cook, Board Member Marilyn Selvey and Resa, addressing the concerns of LSDAC.
School records indicate when Resa began his position as Lamar's Superintendent in 2003, the district's Annual Performance Report (APR) issued by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) score was 57; by 2006, it had risen to 91. In 2003, the school district's accreditation (issued by DESE) status was deemed "Provisionally Accredited" and under Resa's leadership, the current status has improved to "Accredited/Full Waiver". In 2003, the school's financial reserves were at 2.3%; under Resa’s guidance, the reserves have steadily improved and are now at 22.18%. The average teacher's annual salary in 2003 was $24,000; it is now $28,000. These are significant improvements, for which the LSDAC believes Resa deserves a tremendous amount of credit. In January, the Board voted 4-3 to not extend Resa's employment contract, which ends next year. The LSDAC is disturbed the Board has chosen to end the employment of a highly successful administrator. (See included charts and graphs for additional district results.)
Athletic Director Chris Wilkerson received a very positive evaluation and was recommended for re-hire by High School Principal Kevin Baldwin. The LSDAC is highly concerned the School Board is not supporting administrators' recommendations and it may have allowed personality conflicts to enter into voting decisions. Booster Club President Jennifer O'Sullivan publicly praised the improvements Wilkerson provided the school’s athletic programs. He brought the program accountability, structure and consistency. He also was able to garner financial and public support from local businesses. As evidence of this support, many Lamar business leaders have signed the petition requesting the Board to reconsider Wilkerson’s employment. By overriding these accolades, the LSDAC feels the School Board is attempting to micro-manage the school. The LSDAC fears such failure to support and respect administrators' recommendations adversely affects the school’s ability to maintain current, or hire additional, quality staff.
Thank you as a media source for your consideration to this matter. If you would like additional information, please contact Bob Petersen at (417) 682-6179 or via cell (417) 214-3106.
20 comments:
only 320 have signed ? how many do you suppose would sign a petition to support the Board's decision ?
The Robin Leach bunch aren't getting their way so they are whining and moaning . This board was voted in by this community , let them do their job .
How many votes did Bob Peterson get in the election ? that ought to tell us something.......
April 24th is on a Tuesday...not a Thursday. Which is it?
Once again, thank you very much Randy, for bringing a problem before the public that local newspapers refuse to touch.
Two weeks from Tuesday, April 10 will be Tuesday, April 24.
And, Bob Petersen wasn't even on the ballot.
And, if the board would do their job without personal conflicts it would make a difference.
Careful Randy, you are stepping on the toes of Lamar's ruling elite!
Bob Petersen had filed as a write-in candidate for the school board election.
judging by the heavy voter turnout -- the secret "agenda" of the board is being revealed and two of these "members" WILL be voted out next April -- then you will see how the PUBLIC feels about their decision making abilities. Their decisions keep good teachers and families from committing to the Lamar community. 5 A.D.'s in 7 years -- yeah, it's just about time to stop the nonsense --
1. They are giving Resa the credit for things he was not responsible for.
2. Only 10 people or so know the REAL TRUTH why Wilkerson was fired. Very sensitive issues that should NOT come out. You notice how Wilkerson is keeping quiet and wants this to go away?
3. We have a system in place. You start criticizing that system you are asking for trouble. WE elected these people...like it or not. You don't like it don't vote for them next time.
4. This LSDAC or whatever is made up of mostly football parents who don't want to see their precious football program disrupted. You don't see them fighting for teacher raises or some of the other MANY issues the teachers have.
5. It is too bad this group was not around when Barbara Burns left the school in such disaray. Yes, Resa did do a lot for the school but was not the sole savior.
Those are very good statements!
Maybe the reasons for Wilkerson's dismissal SHOULD come out , and if is that bad , it would also define the motives of this "LSDAC"
Amen to that!
THE REASONS WILL BE OUT SOON ENOUGH AND WHEN GIVEN WILL BE SHOWN TO BE LAUGHABLE. THERE ARE MANY MORE THAN 10 WHO KNOW THE "REAL" REASONS AND THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY ASKING QUESTIONS -- DO YOU REALLY THINK IF THEY WERE EVEN CLOSE TO REAL THAT THIS MANY PEOPLE WOULD SHOW SUPPORT? BRILLIANT COMMENT ABOUT "FOOTBALL PARENTS" ON THIS PANEL -- OVER 300 SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION ALONE AND I AM GUESSING THEY ARE ALL PARENTS OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN GRADES 7-8 IN A 2A FOOTBALL SCHOOL WITH MAYBE 70-80 KIDS ALL TOLD --LOL WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS THE RESULT OF A FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING FOUND OUT AND THEY DONT HAVE A BAND-AID BIG ENOUGH TO COVER THE WOUND -- LOL!!
I just hope it isn't like the Casper thing where he was sleeping with a student.
see the above post concerning casper!!
300 signatures from people who do not know the whole story. I could stand outside of Walmart today and get 300 sigs of people who think Elvis is still alive.
And the WHOLE COMMUNITY is not behind these LSDAC people. Most of us still support the Democratic system and don't form a committee every time we don't like a decision.
I find this actually very amusing. See, this is the SAME group of people that did not hire Kent Medlin as Supt. for the main fact that he spoke his mind and told it the way he saw it. This is the same group who let Don Tuck get away, a Lamar lifetime person, committed to the community. Resa has had his own personal agenda since he started in Lamar. Several people who were integeral to the Lamar community are now gone because of Mike Resa. I am glad to see him go. When I worked for the Lamar School District several years ago, I saw the type of community it was. It is a BEAUTIFUL community, like Mayberry, away from city life nice and relaxing. However, if you are not an O'Sullivan, or related to THORCO executives, you have ZERO chance of becoming a leader in that community. Heaven forbid if you were to stand up to any of them, (see Kent Medlin not getting Sput. job). It is a travesty about how that district is ran, and really the entire community, it really could be one of the BEST communities in the area. WAKE UP LAMAR! Get Resa out, move on, and get the school district going back in the right direction. I am an adminstrator and would LOVE to come there and straighten it out.
"Same group of people"?? I don't think any of the current board members were there when Medlin was fired. I may be wrong but I think that is how I remember it.
I think some of them were, but also there were connections with the board as well. It is just one of those "small town" things. You make one person mad and the entire group stands up against you. Like I said, when I lived in Lamar, I loved it, I really enjoyed working with Kent, Jan, and my fellow teachers. Dewey Pennell had such a distorted view on how to run things, so I really did not enjoy him too much. Kent was someone who genuinely cared about the students, staff, and community of Lamar. Lamar really missed out on having a great supt. One of my regrets was leaving Lamar too soon, I would love to come back. I have learned a lot since I have been gone. One of the things Lamar has to do is learn to be proud of all of their activities, from football, band, choir, math league, cheerleaders, or whatever. There is a lot of close-mindedness when it comes to any other activity other then football. I once had a parent tell me that the basketball team lost because my group was not there. WHAT? I was totally taken aback from that statement, and this was from someone who worked for the school as an aid. The HS secretary DO runs that school, and if she did not like you, she made life hell for you. I am sure she ahs ran off some good teachers because she does not like them or their activity they sponser. That is a travesty. Someone without a degree pulling crap like that.
I also find it sad that O' SULLIVAN's is closing. It is all about greed. I pray that something will come in and be successful in that building.
Good luck Lamar, you are in my prayers.
The HS Secretary runs the school. Jeez, get real.
Hey, yeah, I thought the same thing, GEEZ GET REAL, but at LHS, at least when I was there, you bet she did. She treated people so unprofessionally and does not deserve to work there.
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