Posted: 4:31 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, 2015

Board to decide Ison’s future Monday

Middletown superintendent wants to retire and be rehired by district

By Rick McCrabb

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

Dom Williams, president of the Middletown Teachers’ Association, expects a “strong presence” of union members at Monday’s board meeting when the future of the superintendent will be decided.

During a public hearing earlier this month, when board members discussed the possible retirement and rehire of Superintendent Sam Ison, more than 100 of the 400 union members packed City Council chambers, and five people, including the union president, voiced their displeasure with the district’s leadership and direction. In the three weeks since, Williams said union members have had additional conversations with the board members and presented them specific reasons the union believes the district needs to improve its climate.

“We need for that to change for the sake of our kids,” Williams said. “We can’t do our best work unless we have an environment conducive to learning.”

When asked about his confidence in Ison and his leadership ability, Williams said: “More important than the decision who’s in that job is to address the issues we talked about. That has to change. We want to be successful.”

In a short survey, 328 unions answered the district performed poorly in promoting a healthy, positive and productive environment, and 70 percent said they don’t see the working climate improving over the next two years if the district continues on its path. Williams said the district is losing too many quality educators, who are upset by the leadership. He said 66 teachers left after the 2013-14 school year, and so far this school year, 26 have announced plans to leave.

Ison, who has been with the district for two years, told the Journal-News he feels confident in his vision for Middletown schools and its 6,200 students. The board is expected to vote at Monday’s meeting whether Ison, 58, who wants to retire, will be rehired for three more years, with the possibility of a fourth. He has agreed to return for $120,000 a year and eliminate his 5 percent bonus, moves that would save the district about $12,000 a year, said Marcia Andrew, board president. Ison’s 2014 salary was $123,791.

Ison has said he wants to remain superintendent because he’s seeing improvements in the district’s academics and residents recently passed a bond issue and improvement levy that will fund the building of a new middle school and renovating Middletown High School.

Ison has said he understands some of the teachers’ frustrations, and he’s seeking ways to improve relations in the district.

“We have more work to do, more communication to do,” he said. “I need to look at different directions how I want to get to the ultimate goal: students’ success.”

To prepare for Monday’s meeting, the school board met in executive session for about 45 minutes Thursday night, partly to discuss Ison and his future with the district. No action followed the meeting, members said.

On Friday, Andrew called the possibility of rehiring Ison “an important and tough decision” for the board. She didn’t want to predict how the board will vote, but said the members want what’s best for the district and its students.

The last board meeting and the sequential talks with teachers and staff, she said, illustrated one point that needs to be addressed regardless of who’s superintendent: the district, its leadership and teachers need to improve communications.

Williams said he was surprised to learn that board members said they weren’t aware of some of the complaints from teachers and staff until they were brought forward at the last board meeting.

The Rev. Greg Tyus, board vice president, said on Friday morning he was “still weighing everything, figuring out what needs to go on and who needs to lead that.” He described the executive session as “informative” and said all the board members talked freely about Ison. Tyus said he probably won’t decide how he will vote until sometime Monday.

Longtime board member Katie McNeil said she never discloses what was discussed in executive session and wouldn’t explain her vote until after it was cast.

 

Ison will easily be rehired.

My God, they had one candidate standing in Rasmussen.

They aren't about to make life harder by hiring another, after maybe finding 1-2 candidates. Done deal.

Nice pr piece on Marcia Andrew's son heading to Penn. One of the perk's of being a board member is saving $250,000 on collegiate education per child. Once had a neighbor who was a board member in another state. Asked why hassle with it. It got his son in Yale.

Congrats to Ison for passing levy and "earning" his 2x dip deal. Done deal. No hard decision. But....there's always a but right MP, we appreciate the "boldness" of teachers. 

Hamilton is eating Middletown's lunch, and its because of those in leadership.

No drama, deal done. 4 year gig.

 

See how this plays out: Ison retires and is expected to be rehired. By state laws, a school employee who does this is mandated to be out of that position for 60 days. So, Ison retires effective June 30, but cannot be rehired (returned to the job) for 60 days (I don't know if that is calendar days, or work days). Guess who slips in as the "interim" superintendent!! Libby Lolli! But, if Ison isn't rehired, do we still get the pleasure of having Mrs. Lolli as a "fill-in" or even permanent superintendent. Part of this whole mess revolves around her; get rid of her and improve the relationship with the union. just 1chmoore, sittin' on the sideline, watchin' the parade.

acclaro, spiderjohn and others...

You can be of the opinion that Ison is decent. Ison is "making improvements". Ison deserves or doesn't deserve the double dip. You could say that there is really no need to change the super because there is no one else out there to choose from. End result for me......

NOTHING has changed in the scholastic category. NOTHING has changed in the indicators. NOTHING has changed in the discipline arena. NOTHING has changed with this "build us new buildings" concept. NOTHING has changed in the way the board is operating. None of us, including the school people, if one wants to be truthful with themselves, is happy with the performance of this district. IMO, those who choose to turn a blind eye and believe this district is making progress is not being honest with themselves. It is what the periodic state test reports say it is. There is nothing to read into this but complacency for years.

To judge and reward Ison because he got a dam levy passed is totally misfocused IMO. The judging/rewarding for a Super is based on test score improvements, continuity of district operations, a positive relationship between management and worker and the community satisfaction that they have a quality system and are getting their money's worth from the taxes paid.

Currently, and for many years, I don't feel as if any of these criteria have been met by Ison, nor his predecessors.

What will it take for me to raise and eyebrow?

Take the district higher than Continuous Improvement. Stop being the cellar dweller on all proficiency testing. Get the indicator numbers beyond the 6 to 10 range and score at least 20 of 23. You people have had plenty of time to have better numbers than this. Better relationships between management and worker. Inclusion of the city, rather than a "protect at all costs" attitude toward new ideas offered and modes of operation tried. A little change is in order here. Has been for a long time. You all can see what "business as usual" has gotten us can't you?

I'm not satisfied with the message from this school district as they try to appease the people with empty talk but produce literally no concrete improvements. It is all passification with no content. They have been stalling with rhetoric as opposed to actually accomplishing anything for a long time. The state results tell us that. I don't know why the people of this city tolerate it. IMO, wholesale changes are in order.

Good evening spider !

spider:

"it is in the hands of the few constant citizens who are willing to work with the situation. Honestly no one else wants the job. Example--last election one other candidate won a BOE position, and immediately withdrew upon winning. No one else stepped up to apply."

I believe you are referring to the physician who resigned soon after being elected. We will never know but perhaps he was driven off because he wanted to change some things that never worked and became frustrated by the lack of effort to change by the others on the school board. I could see that happening with the board and council too. The ones who run for board or council, and are successful, are the ones who offer the same old same old with the same old block of voter support which outnumbers the vote for candidates for change. The city political climate won't allow new ideas and a change of venue. The city wouldn't have the "few constant citizens who are willing to work with the situation" if the groups elected would have an open mind and be willing to accept ideas from those "outside the click". If more ideas, different in nature from the same old doctrine, were considered, perhaps more people would offer themselves as candidates. I would imagine that potential candidates are turned off by the "reject new people/new ideas" philosophy from the same old recycled faces and feel they have no chance of winning. The inner click is hoping it stays this way as it keeps the redundant, no change ball rolling.

Still, perhaps other good potential candidates own a business and have little time to participate. Others who wish to run couldn't attend the daytime meetings/retreats as their employers wouldn't allow them to leave work in the middle of the day. Still others may not have the money for the signs and other costs associated with elections. Perhaps family needs take a greater priority in their lives as well. City residents who have lived here a long time know that it is almost impossible to change the mindset of these habitual recycled board and council members and don't want the hassle to going to battle with them to see that things head in the right direction. Laubach is a prime example of one who wished to change things and was cast aside for his thinking. Scott-Jones started out with that mindset but in the last few years has either given up or, worse yet, has actually bought into the town destroying mode run by the rest of them. It may be easier to get elected than to change the council/board thinking. That is an impossible task.

spider:

"You and I are proof(5000 musa posts--2000 musa posts) that talking about it here changes little other than occasionally provide interesting discussion."

Yep. We are both smart enough to know that this forum will not change anything unless a majority of the city population read it, get mad enough about the city situation, register to vote, and actually show up at the polls to vote out the current officeholders and their ideas. We both know that won't happen. So, it becomes a place to go to vent your frustration, expecting absolutely no action on the discussions. If there are no expectations as to action, it makes it easier to accept that it is just a place to visit and discuss things.

spider:

"So--some of us choose to support those we see trying to work within it all, whom we have a level of confidence and hope."

But if you are supporting those currently running the ship, and you know that the ones you support are constantly running the ship into the rocks, I see no reason to offer support for people who are always taking the city/schools down the wrong path. The condition of the city and the schools tell us that the people you are supporting are a losing proposition. My question is.....what have they done to gain your confidence and hope? I see nothing from the city/schools as to hope and their very actions do not lend to any confidence. The city/schools spend alot of money but they produce little to nothing as to value for the money spent. How many years do the schools/city have to flounder before we label them as failures?

I'm not Motel 6 and I won't keep the light on for them.

spider:

"Life is a journey with many ups and down"

True, and right now, for me until the end, more down's than up's.

spider:

"We know that we can't change our past, but we can definitely control our future to be the best, most productive people that we can be accenting our differences instead of making them a confrontation"

Personally, don't want to change our past here. IMO, they were the best of times in this city, certainly better than the present. I would like to see us get back to the past as to quality of city leadership. The current crop of leaders doesn't come close to the past leadership IMO. Unfortunately, the current city situation lends itself to confrontation. The leaders are the catalyst for this. Because they refuse to acknowledge new ideas and differences in city direction, they are the poster children for non tolerance toward differences.

spider:

"We all need to lift up as many others as we can--what else are we here to do?"

I guess we need to ask the city leaders the same question. So, when are they going to start?

I had forgotten about McClure being elected and then resigning for the reasons stated by acclaro. Correct me here if wrong but wasn't there another physician. Kabathi (sp?) who was elected to the school board and resigned shortly after?

Ms. Andrew, having attended a highly selective institution(s) and scoring very high, I get the requirements of an Ivy. I was accepted at Wharton and Tuck but did not attend. 

Acclaro pal--u r 2 smart 2 take a shot at a proud mother's son and his credible accomplishments lol.
We can't help u here--u r on yer own!

Actually I was thinking how cool this young man must be, and how proud the family must be to see their years of combined effort play out so well.

Besides, Ms.A might be somewhat stressed over 2nite's bored(far from it!) meeting

Bad subject--worse timing imo

Vet--u might b wise 2 sit this 1 out

spider:

"Vet--u might b wise 2 sit this 1 out"

Not going to touch this spider. The discussion between the two party's is well beyond my pay grade. Not even close to the level of education being discussed. Best my family can do is MUM, Sinclair or Wright State.

I will say that I'm impressed by Ms. Andrew's son's accomplishments both in the classroom and in sports. Something to be very proud of Ms. Andrew. You and your husband did a great job in helping chart your son's life course.

Well, the school board just rehired Ison as a double dipper. Was there any doubt? Rubber stamping at it's finest. Done deal before the announcement I would imagine. Gonna save $12,000. Also gonna keep the Super versus teachers conflict alive and well. Teachers jumping ship left and right under his command. Apparently, he doesn't work and play well with others.....but that doesn't seem to matter to the board. Apparently, saving 12 grand is more important than any internal harmony between management and worker and the school board thinks that is just fine.

He claims he loves this district and wants to see it succeed. Also claims he has made improvements on performance. I don't see this in the data to date. Don't see it in the new schools built either. Where is the proof to your claims Ison? However, to his credit, he has accomplished his main objective given to him by the board.....he got the bond levy passed, albeit by a slim margin. Then again, isn't that why they hire any super in this district.....to get levies passed.

The internal strife will continue. Ison will continue to deny the fact that the numbers don't reflect what he is saying under his guidance. The school board will continue to make decisions that defy logic. The district will continue to operate in the bottom tier, the teachers will continue to be unhappy with a constant revolving door of those leaving and those unaware of the working environment coming in. The district will continue to embellish the surface rhetoric knowing most in this town won't delve into the specifics and all will be right in the world of the Middletown educational world as they continue their journey into the abyss. Isn't that an iceberg ahead?

It doesn't take much effort for a leader or leadership to say no than yes.

http://youtu.be/vhv1w3M9sgI   this sure sounds like there is a huge problem with MSD, with this many teachers against this guy!! and to piss off the ones you have left to teach in this screwed up city!! is not a good thing IMO don't think any good teachers that are good at what they can do, want to fool with a school that stinks has bad as the city!!  A brand new fancy will not bring them too middletown!!