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Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2007 > August > 01 > Entry
Mack to speak to staff
Percy Mack
Dayton school Superintendent Percy Mack is set to deliver his convocation address in a few minutes at 9 a.m. from the district’s television studio at Patterson Career Center.
The annual “convocation” event, usually held at the University of Dayton Arena featuring bands, musical performances and speeches to inspire district employees at the kick-off of the school year. But this year, school officials decided the $5,000 cost to rent the arena for the morning was too much, given the district’s tight financial budget.
So instead Mack will speak to employees, many of whom returned to work on Monday, through an internal television network at the schools. Other speakers include Deputy Superintendent Debra Brathwaite, board President Yvonne Isaacs and the district’s teacher of the year Keith Cosby.
More on the speech shortly.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Comments
By Teacher
August 3, 2007 7:57 PM | Link to this
As I prepare for school Monday, let me say this, the 200 plus teachers that were laid off, are for the most part back.Oh, yes by the way some people are placed in jobs they are not certified to teach. They have k-3 certificates and are teaching in 4,5,6,7,and 8th grades. DPS rules by threats! Yes, they manulipitated the media. Classroom teachers are back, now we need to fight for art music and gym. We are going back in a heat wave, while the Administration sits in the air. Our contract is being violated from the get go, we have no “planning time” and no one seems to care. Our Union is weak, we will probably give this up, and never get it back. I have been given no supplies. I mean that nothing, we usually get a case of paper, and a box of tissues. I’m not getting a raise. The class lists in my building have 26 to 28 kids in a class (even in kindergarten) We tricked the city into giving us money for bussing. We’ve fallen back a rung on the ladder. What a year it will be!!By charterschoolhater
August 3, 2007 1:14 PM | Link to this
AS for the comment by D.T that I am somehow angry. You are very correct. The gall of these people to come to us for money when they have wasted so much of what we have already have given them. When your child’s wastes his allowance, do you give him more? Heavens No. You tell him he has to learn to wisely spend what money he does have. Mack and Co. just don’t get it. The problem is that this Bd. of Ed. and the people they employ, continue to foolhardily waste money. That is why the tax payers told them No in May. You know who loses? The very kids that Mack proclaims to love. I’ll tell what he loves, his weekly paycheck!By charterschoolhater
August 3, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this
No doubt D.T., there have been some very limited improvements on the educational side. I credit that more to the dedicated teachers than the administrators. The problem is, Dr. Mack and his underlings need to be held accountable for the fact the financial house is in shambles, and it has only taken years to take a baby step toward improvement. For the big bucks we pay Mack and his lieutenants we are not getting our money’s worth. It is time for a purge, in particular those responsible for managing the district’s finances. Let the first one out the door be Mack. Let the second one out the door to be the person who proposed buying the Ludlow Street Building. Corporations in financial trouble do not buy palatial estates. This one did though.By Anne
August 2, 2007 10:04 PM | Link to this
I think that Jill actually does an incredible job. She works miracles, keeping the amount of money wasted downtown out of the media’s eyes; she also manages to get the press to print the ‘Dr. Mack’ version of reality, without even thinking that the truth could be different than her releases. She is doing her job very well. Maybe this is why she and her staff stay at Ludlow while hundreds of TEACHERS lost their jobs.By D.T.
August 2, 2007 11:55 AM | Link to this
Charterschoolhater, I understand (and somewhat agree with) your position concerning the happiness people in DPS feel towards earning “Continuous Improvement” and “Academic Watch.” You must realize, however, how much work from dedicated teachers, administrators, & support staff it has taken to simply get this far. Rather than simply use the analogy of a random business going bankrupt because it is under performing, use the analogy of inheriting GM or Ford and working to make them profitable companies. While one should never be pleased with losing money, the company (DPS in this case) can celebrate the fact that it has cut costs considerably (raised test scores) and is moving towards profitability. I can’t (nor do I wish to) defend all of the actions of this administration, but you must be able to see the upward swing during the past several years. Finally if you have solutions get involved in the process rather than complain in this forum. I don’t see how your consistently angry comments are helping improve the education these students receive.By Scott Elliott
August 2, 2007 10:47 AM | Link to this
Well, I deal with Jill Moberley all the time and I just have to say that I appreciate her professionalism. Her office may have trouble pleasing everyone, but they work very hard, they’re responsive to the media and deal fairly and honestly with people. That can’t be said for every PR operation.By charterschoolhater
August 1, 2007 10:18 PM | Link to this
I agree about Ms Moberly. How did she become the information officer? Maybe she is another inept teacher elevated to an administrative position. That seems to be the norm in the DPS. No wonder they can’t educate students and are out of money. But they want more money? NOT!! One other thing, I think it is an outrage that Mack seems to be proud that the DPS is in the second to lowest category a school district can be in and seems to be ok with it. I as a tax payer I am not ok with it. It is time for Percy and his underlings to go. How can you be OK with mediocrity? If my business was in the second to lowest performing category I would be bankrupt. Oh I forgot, the DPS is both in finance and in education. But Mack is such a great superintendent. I say NOT!!By David
August 1, 2007 10:11 PM | Link to this
They now are going to pretend how they’re saving money. $5000, garbage. Save a million and eliminate athletics completely!!!!!! If they really cared about cutting to spend money on academics which is what school is about, that’s what they’d do. The $5000 they probably could get from Lieberman’s slush fund with the County—they’re so anxious to donate County money to the city schools.By null
August 1, 2007 9:04 PM | Link to this
Mack gets credit for making a wise fiscal move that should have been done earlier. However as former DPS teacher these convocations were neither inspiring or meaningful.By dps teacher
August 1, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this
What a crock of bull. Percy is a terrible public speaker. If they wanted to have the convocation at the arena I am sure that they could’ve found some donor to front the money but instead Percy and his minions chose to hide in a room at the beached whale of Ludlow blather on about nothing. He is gutless and so is Braithwaite. They were afraid to face us. Our supposed face of the district, Jill Moberly, has no personality, which I guess is an indication of our administration. Am I surprised? No, just disappointed that the people of Dayton would settle for such a fool but I guess we get a what we deserve.By ashamed of DPS
August 1, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this
Wow, maybe he is using his head now and not spending money they do not have. I am truly surprised!