With Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer leaving the district, instead of searching for someone who might be qualified to take over the duties, it appears that Superintendent C. J. Huff has instead promoted Besendorfer's attack dog, human resources director Tina Smith to the newly created post of chief operations officer.
The move comes at approximately the same time that the Turner Report published information from Division of Employment Security documents that indicate that Huff and Ms. Smith buried allegations of insurance fraud and violations of other laws against Mike Johnson, the former district director of buildings, grounds, and transportation and current head of building projects.
The documents also included an allegation that Ms. Smith hired a district employee to paint her house.
Ms. Smith has also worked hand-in-hand with Besendorfer to remove principals and teachers who either dared to oppose Besendorfer or who stood in the way of someone Besendorfer wanted promoted to certain positions, often making sure that they are escorted out of the building, sometimes by police officers, not only to humiliate them, but also to send a message to other employees.
The one thing Ms. Smith is not is a chief operations officer.
But then again, perhaps I am being a bit too harsh. Promoting someone who is not qualified has been a hallmark of the Huff Administration, always backed by 7-0 votes from the Board of Education.
Consider this segment from a post I wrote November 25.
Anyone who thought the Joplin R-8 School District saved money when two of its four superintendent positions were eliminated has not been looking into the growing number of $50,000 plus employees who work out of the Administration Building at 32nd and Duquesne.
During Jim Simpson's last year as superintendent, he had three assistants, Besendorfer, Doerr, and Domer. Paul Barr was CFO, a position he still holds, Angela Neria was in charge of technology, a position now held by Klista Rader, and Janet Earl ran special education.
Since that time, the following positions have been created:
-Director of Community Development- held by Kim Vann, who also serves as head of Bright Futures. Ms. Vann's background is not in education. She previously worked with the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.
-Human Relations- Tina Smith, with no education background, handles the job that was previously done by Steve Doerr, a veteran educator.
-Director of Curriculum and Instruction- Sarah Stevens was brought up from Besendorfer's personal training ground of junior administrators, the teaching coaches, this year to take this position.
-Director of Elementary Education- Jennifer Doshier was rewarded for her part in the elimination of nearly every teacher during her final year as McKinley Elementary principal by being moved into the central office.
-Director of High School Instruction- Jason Cravens handles this position.
-Assistant Director of Special Services- Mark Barlass had to be hired for this position since his immediate superior, Director of Special Services Lisa Orem, is not certified in special education. In fact, she is not even certified as an administrator any more. DESE records indicate Orem's principal certificate expired more than two years ago, on Sept. 1, 2011, and she is only certified as an elementary teacher.
Director of Buildings- Michael Johnson handles this position.
Teaching/Learning Coaches and 21st Century Learning Coaches- In addition to having principals and assistant principals at each school, Besendorfer has added teaching/learning coaches, ostensibly to help teachers, but with the understanding that they are to serve as the eyes and ears of upper administration (Besendorfer) at each school. The coaches have weekly all-day sessions in which they report to upper administration about what is going on in their buildings. After the addition of laptops for all high school students in the fall of 2011, the district added four 21st Century coaches, and then requested money for seven more in its 2012 federal Race to the Top application. Despite the U. S. Department of Education's rejection of the request, the seven coaches were hired.
Career Pathways Directors- Many of us can remember a time when principals ran a school, and if the school was big enough, there might be an assistant principal or two. Joplin has a principal, three assistants, and six Career Pathways directors. The district, under the Besendorfer plan of moving every high school student into one of five Career Pathways, has one director in charge of each pathway, and then a director in charge of the directors. Again, all of this was included in the Race to the Top application, which was rejected by the federal government. And again, despite the large amount of money, the cost was absorbed by the local budget. Of the six Career Pathways directors, only two are educators. Like so many of the other positions that have been added, they have been given to either people who have no educational background or who are woefully underqualified for the positions they hold.
During Jim Simpson's last year as superintendent, he had three assistants, Besendorfer, Doerr, and Domer. Paul Barr was CFO, a position he still holds, Angela Neria was in charge of technology, a position now held by Klista Rader, and Janet Earl ran special education.
Since that time, the following positions have been created:
-Director of Community Development- held by Kim Vann, who also serves as head of Bright Futures. Ms. Vann's background is not in education. She previously worked with the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.
-Human Relations- Tina Smith, with no education background, handles the job that was previously done by Steve Doerr, a veteran educator.
-Director of Curriculum and Instruction- Sarah Stevens was brought up from Besendorfer's personal training ground of junior administrators, the teaching coaches, this year to take this position.
-Director of Elementary Education- Jennifer Doshier was rewarded for her part in the elimination of nearly every teacher during her final year as McKinley Elementary principal by being moved into the central office.
-Director of High School Instruction- Jason Cravens handles this position.
-Assistant Director of Special Services- Mark Barlass had to be hired for this position since his immediate superior, Director of Special Services Lisa Orem, is not certified in special education. In fact, she is not even certified as an administrator any more. DESE records indicate Orem's principal certificate expired more than two years ago, on Sept. 1, 2011, and she is only certified as an elementary teacher.
Director of Buildings- Michael Johnson handles this position.
Teaching/Learning Coaches and 21st Century Learning Coaches- In addition to having principals and assistant principals at each school, Besendorfer has added teaching/learning coaches, ostensibly to help teachers, but with the understanding that they are to serve as the eyes and ears of upper administration (Besendorfer) at each school. The coaches have weekly all-day sessions in which they report to upper administration about what is going on in their buildings. After the addition of laptops for all high school students in the fall of 2011, the district added four 21st Century coaches, and then requested money for seven more in its 2012 federal Race to the Top application. Despite the U. S. Department of Education's rejection of the request, the seven coaches were hired.
Career Pathways Directors- Many of us can remember a time when principals ran a school, and if the school was big enough, there might be an assistant principal or two. Joplin has a principal, three assistants, and six Career Pathways directors. The district, under the Besendorfer plan of moving every high school student into one of five Career Pathways, has one director in charge of each pathway, and then a director in charge of the directors. Again, all of this was included in the Race to the Top application, which was rejected by the federal government. And again, despite the large amount of money, the cost was absorbed by the local budget. Of the six Career Pathways directors, only two are educators. Like so many of the other positions that have been added, they have been given to either people who have no educational background or who are woefully underqualified for the positions they hold.
In this kind of atmosphere, it would be a surprise if Tina Smith didn't rise to the top.
Angie Besendorfer may be headed for Western Governors University, but her legacy will live on.
16 comments:
Well, thank you, Mr. Turner, for clearing things up. This explains why she needed an assistant with the same qualifications as her own job--she was moving up and no one wanted to say to what--Chief Oppression Officer. And what does this illegally unposted job pay? After all, the law is a mere triviality for King CJ.
They just can't seem to help themselves. That's why they need removed. Good grief. There won't be a teacher left in that district. Give the bulldog more power, why don't you?
So, what exactly does CJ do all day with all of these helpers he's hired hanging around? Oh yeah, he flies around the country crying about his heroic behavior after the tornado.
Formula to get ahead in R8? Break laws, break knees, break the bank.
I thought it was illegal to hire someone in a public school setting without posting the job?
6:54--
Don't you mean "Covert Operations Officer"?
That's what they do best...
7:09--
Many, many jobs have been made and filled without posting in R8, including some of the junior league administrators. At least a few of them didn't even have to interview. Just kissed up to the right person.
There are a lot of people working for the Central Office. Usually, those people are highly qualified for their job positions and have pursued the necessary education for higher levels of administration. It is also assumed that they have the experience to do their jobs. But not in R8. No one, other than CJ, has a doctorate in education in the R8 central office. The director of curriculum taught third grade for two years in two different schools. The director of special services no longer even has administration certification and hasn't for years, according to DESE records. And the new COO doesn't seem to have any experience in education at all, other than intimidating and terminating staff. Is it any wonder things aren't going well?
Joplin will lose its accreditation next. Teachers won't even apply to teach there any longer.
Here's a prime example of how promoting within helps the schools....... McKinley Elementary is a a very dangerous place this year. No one from admin. ever comes to help since they promoted one of their own to principal. Teachers are told to just reward the bad behavior and when that doesn't work, reward some more. Students are bringing guns, threats to kill/hurt teachers and students are made on a daily basis, teachers and staff are verbally abused everyday, students are afraid to go to class and yet they still have to go, classrooms are being destroyed, students aren't learning except how to escape the room when someone wants to go on a rampage. They tear smart-boards off the walls and hang from the projectors in the ceiling. They jump on tables, scream, cuss, and spit on teachers. And these are just a few things that are happening. The principal is Terri Hart who is one of Besendorfer's buddies and worked in the admin building prior to being a principal. If you were to ask her and the admin building they would tell you there is no problem at McKinley. So let's keep on promoting everyone to every position they are not qualified for in the R-8 system.
The overload of inept and unqualified administrators is why we're having to sell memorials and ads to the classrooms, fields, and who knows, the bathrooms if the situation is desperate enough. The Seymore Butts Memorial Restroom sounds so noble, doesn't it?
Cut out the riffraff and pay the teachers more. It would be nice if Joplin teachers at least made the state average. The more you pay teachers the better teachers you can hire, and that's when you'll see results. Until you do that, it won't matter what stupid classes you put in the catalog or what programs you have in place. Teachers make the school, not admin flunkies.
Huff really has a thing for dominating and powerful women, doesn't he? Considering what the last one did to him and the district, you'd think he'd learn to be a little more cautious.
This is one of the most outlandish promotions I have ever heard of. How long are the teachers, citizens, and state dept. going to allow the illegal activity to continue? My heart goes put to the teachers, and staff who are on the front lines trying to teach.
Lets look at this from the business side of things. What business hires more employees and creates more positions when they continue to lose money?. After the tornado, many families moved to other districts due to their homes being destroyed. Roughly, Joplin lost about 30% of its student population, which, in turn cost a loss of tax dollars paid to from those citizens. Yet, the school district is hiring more employees (not teachers) and creating new jobs for them to fill. Folks, please wake up! All this talk about the new and improved Joplin schools is smoke and mirrors. The school academic levels for R8 are among the lowest in the State and were there well before the tornado hit. The tornado created a diversion away from that. None of those in charge care whether these kids are getting a good education, all they care about is making sure it looks good on paper. This is all for CJ to pad his resume for his next job. You can mark my words, he will be gone to his new job within two years after the high school is done. Watch and see. That is about the time people will start questioning where all the money went. And shame on any of you for voting for and buying into the tax bond that was approved for the school! You have got to stop drinking the 'Lets do it for the kids' koolaide and start asking where the money went before CJ high tails it out of Joplin. Can someone please explain to me how Joplin R8 got insurance money for the school, plus FEMA money and a tax bond and currently still don't have enough money to finish the school that they promised its citizens it would give them. Much of what was promised by the administration has already been cut from the school and they still dont have enough money to finish the high school. It wont be long before crying CJ will be giving another 'do it for the kids' speech. Too much of this tax money is going into paying for the newly created positions. And lastly, you can build the biggest most highly sophisticated building on the planet but with the same administration, you will get the same results you had before the tornado. You can put lipstick on a pig but its still a pig!!
The Dominatrix didn't even had a college degree when she was hired by R8. She finished it after she was hired, and it isn't in education. She knows nothing about running school districts. What she knows is how to fire anyone who dares to go against Huff. She has NO business having this much power over our school district. I don't want this person making decisions that affect my children't education. The lawsuits against the district plainly display her mentality and lack of morality. We can't wait two years after the new school opens for Huff to leave (and we're assuming that the school will open). We need state or federal agencies to step in and do what our spineless board will not do, and that's investigate this district's spending and bullying.
Someone tell me how Smith qualifies for this position? And how do I get one of those 50K positions? Lol
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