Sam and Libby

For those of us who are not informed about the goings on at MHS, tell us what is going on there and why Sam and Libby are disasters.

The school board doesn't care about results, it just wants levies passed. Their reward for passing levy, extensions too mature. MCSD epitomizes the failure of the local, state, and federal public school system.

You want to know why the school board is doing this... Because they are pissed that the Middletown Teachers Association backed new board members. It's their way was telling the MTA to go screw themselves.

Thank you for proving my point about retaliation against teachers. Until you have a board and administrators that can put their power trip aside and actually work with the teachers instead of against them the MCSD is going to remain in the toilet. The big losers her are the students. I hope the new board members will stand together and not bow down to the establishment,  

MJ:
Middletown school board expected to approve administrator contracts

By Rick McCrabb
Staff Writer
MIDDLETOWN —
The Middletown City Schools District board, in its last meeting of the year and the final for four outgoing board members, is expected to offer two administrators two-year contracts, rewrite part of the superintendent’s contract and give the treasurer a two-percent raise, according to tonight’s agenda.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. today with student awards in the Middletown High School auditorium, and then will move to the school’s Media Center.

Elizabeth Lolli, the district’s senior director, and Carmela Cotter, MHS principal, are expected to be approved for two-year contracts, effective July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018, according to Eric Gearhart, senior director of human resources.

Superintendent Sam Ison’s contract, signed on Feb. 23, 2015, is expected to be amended to include that he may terminate his contract for any reason after Dec. 31, 2016 by providing the board at least 120 days advance written notice; and the board may terminate his contract after Dec. 31, 2016 with at least 120 days advance written notice.

In the original contract, the board had to give Ison a 90-day notice, then fire him without cause with no severance.

Earlier this year, the board unanimously approved the retirement and rehiring of its superintendent, despite reservations from union members.

At that meeting, more than 100 of the 400 Middletown Teachers’ Association union members voiced their displeasure with Ison’s performance during the past two years. The union members filled the city’s council chambers, with the overflow crowd sitting in the balcony.

After the vote, most of those in attendance left the meeting.

Ison said he was “honored and very humbled” after the board showed its confidence in his performance. Ison, 58, who has served as superintendent for two years, retired on June 30, 2015, then was rehired July 2, said Marcia Andrew, school board president.

Andrew said the retire/rehire saved the district money because it didn’t have to hire an interim superintendent. Ison also volunteered to surrender two months of his retirement that saved the district an undisclosed amount of money, she said.

Ison agreed to return for $120,000 a year and eliminate his 5 percent bonus, which saved the district about $12,000 a year, Andrew said. Ison’s 2014 salary was $123,791. The contract is for three years with a possibility of a fourth year.

He promised to improve communications between the administration and the district’s staff. He also said he wanted to periodically meet with the faculty council and improve the climate and professional development in the district.

The contract for Treasurer Randy Bertram, entered into on June 30, 2014, is expected to be amended that will give him a two-percent raise, effective Aug. 1, 2015.

His work year is based on 260 working days and he’s entitled to 25 vacation days, and the days don’t accumulate. Five unused vacation days may be paid at the daily rate of pay at the end of each contract year.

Also at tonight’s meeting, the board’s four newest members — Todd Moore, Michelle Novak, Anita Scheibert and Chris Urso — and expected to address the board and its four outgoing members: Christi Delloma, Katie McNeil, DeAnna Shores and the Rev. Greg Tyus.

Board members clash over Middletown superintendent’s reworked contract

By Rick McCrabb
Staff Writer
MIDDLETOWN —
The outgoing and incoming Middletown City Schools District board members and the teachers’ union clashed over personnel decisions Monday night during the last meeting of the year and the final for the outgoing board members.

Dom Williams, president of the Middletown Teachers’ Association, called the consent agenda “a very crucial decision” and one that could have a long lasting impact on the district and community. By voting before their terms ended, Williams said the four outgoing members were expressing “sour grapes” about not being re-elected this fall. He also said the decision was being rushed and he urged the board to “do the right thing” and reject the consent agenda.

Despite the concerns, the four members — the Rev. Greg Tyus and board vice president was unable to attend — voted unanimously to approve the consent agenda. After the vote, several members in the audience quickly left the Media Center at Middletown High School.

The board decided to eliminate the “no cause to fire clause” out of Sam Ison’s superintendent contract for at least one year. Earlier this year, after the MTA expressed concern about Ison’s leadership, when he retired and was rehired, the board implemented a clause that said he could be fired with no cause with no severance, what Board President Marcia Andrew called “an extraordinary clause” rarely seen in the educational field.

Andrew said following the 2016 calendar, after the four new members have more experience and worked with Ison, the clause will be added back into his contract.

Ison agreed to return for $120,000 a year and eliminate his 5 percent bonus, which saved the district about $12,000 a year, Andrew said. Ison’s 2014 salary was $123,791. The contract is for three years with a possibility of a fourth year.

The board also approved two-year contracts for Elizabeth Lolli, the district’s senior director, and Carmela Cotter, MHS principal. The contracts are effective July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018, according to Eric Gearhart, senior director of human resources.

Andrew said the decisions made by the board were not rushed and the board didn’t want the decisions left to the new board members.

Katie McNeil, a 20-year board member, said the consent agenda was not “a last minute deal.”

Another outgoing board member, DeAnna Shores, who wasn’t re-elected, said the claims by the union and incoming board members were “hurtful and disappointing.”

Then she added: “I care about education.”

Christi Delloma, another outgoing board member, said she will remain active in the community.

“I believe in this city. I believe in the kids,” she said.

Then she added: “Let’s end this on a good note.”

The board’s four newest members — Todd Moore, Michelle Novak, Anita Scheibert and Chris Urso — sat together in the audience.