Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Plans Move Forward to Find Off Site Location for HMS Should There be Further Delays with the Mold Remediation Work

While the hope is still strong that HMS will reopen for business on Monday, February 3, the Board of Education directed Dr. Schuster to develop a feasible plan to move students to an off site location if further delays occur.  (Note:  This is the 4th of four posts we have published today that deal with issues discussed during last night's board meeting.  Be sure to read the three preceding posts for information on the mold remediation work and future costs at HMS, the HMS asbestos issue and an update on Board member attendance at meetings.)

During the 1/27 Board Meeting, the BOE decided:

  • Split shifts will continue, with no change in the start or end times, through this week.
  • After reviewing the options presented for off-site locations, National Louis University, in Lisle, was selected as the most viable option.  Board docs includes a memo describing each option.  Click to open HMS Alternatives memo prepared by Dr. Schuster.
  • The Administration has been tasked with obtaining all permissions needed to utilize this site which would cost approximately $5000 per day ($140/day per classroom for 35 classrooms).
  • Should it appear that HMS will not reopen next Monday, the Board might convene another emergency meeting to determine when to end the split shifts and switch to the off site alternative.
Parents spoke during public comments and indicated that their preference is to not displace HMS students a second time.  Since D181 has been given permission to run split shifts through 2/28, the parents said that it would be easier to continue with that schedule.  Board members and administrators raised concerns that the split shifts are not the best educational option, but said that no decision would be made until further information becomes available on a possible start date at the off site location and end date of the HMS mold remediation work.

14 comments:

Mr. Everett said...

Again, I would warn that if the folks that run/frequent this blog really want to help the situation in D181 there ought to be less focus on things that any sane person ought to understand are picayune -- the district renovated or rebuilt every facility while relying on outside consulting firms (as opposed to even temporarily adding a qualified Professional Engineer or Architect to staff) so to suggest that a single piece of floor tile is some kind of "grave concern" is foolhardy if not downright reckless. Let the district rely upon oprofessional air testing and remediation firms unless of course one really wants to fuel the "money is no object" fantasies of those that want to a shiny new school...

Make no mistake, anything that results in more polarization of irrational dreamers opposed by the equally irrational "tax cutters" at the other pole will distract the BOE and district staff from addressing the pressing and legitimate need to coherently lead the district forward...

Anonymous said...

FOIA Requests made by Marty Turek. The Parents and readers of The Blog can google for authenticity.

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HINSDALE TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 86 May 20, 2013
D. Freedom of Information Request. Request of April 19, 2013. Mr. Marty Turek, Vision Solutions, requested copies of 1) List of District Wide Computer Servers with the number of physical, virtual, web and database servers detailing processors, cores, memory hardware maintenance cost and design models; 2) List of all application vendors with version number; 3) Upgrade schedule for servers; 4) List of data storage environment: Terabirts of NAS, SAN, Incremental Backup and Long-Term Archival Storage with manufacture and model; 5) Upgrade or expansion plan for data storage; 6) current disaster recover vendor contract or plan; 7) Main IT vendor with last three year spending for 2012, 2011, and 2010; and 8) annual yearly IT budget. Documents responsive to item #7 and item #8 were provided. Requests for Items 1-5 are exempt pursuant to Section 7(1)(o) of the Act, which exempts “Administrative or technical information associated with automated data processing operations, including but not limited to software, operating protocols, computer-program abstracts, file layouts, source listings, object modules, load modules, user guides, documentation pertaining to all logical and physical design of computerized systems, employee manuals, and any other information that, if disclosed, would jeopardize the security of the system or its data or the security of material exempt under this Section.

School District 13
Freedom of Information Act Request
Dr. Bartelt reported that three FOIA requests had been received since the last meeting. Marty Turek requested information regarding the District’s technology equipment and maintenance, i.e., list of computer servers, upgrade schedule, and annual budget.

Regular Meeting of the Board Of Education Of School District #90, Cook County, Illinois
Freedom of Information Act Request
A FOIA request was received from Marty Turek on April 15, 2013 regarding computer networking equipment. The response was emailed on April 18, 2013. 

Anonymous said...

Looks like we have Turek by the short hairs! Really, how can a BOE president makes such crude remarks during a public meeting (and children were present)? Moreover, why is he allowed to be a bully and file FOIAs be we cannot? Most importantly, what is his line of work and is he benefiting personally from his position as board president?

Anonymous said...

Commenting on the previous post-If Mr. Turek doesn't have kids in grades K-5, perhaps I should save some of the work that is being done, so that he understands how this curriculum really isn't that great. I'll make copies and send those to Mr. Nelson as well.

Anonymous said...

Ironically, both Turek and Yaeger have fourth graders. Wonder why they are not more concerned by the disaster of fourth grade math?

Mr. Everett said...

OMG!

I knew Marty was not exactly dedicated to finding the most effective ways to improve classroom learning but this suggests that his interest in 'serving' on the BOE is more along the lines of the kind of insider profiteering that one would expect in Proviso or Cicero.

Appalling that anyone with any sense of ethics would so blatantly attempt to abuse their position.

I actually feel sorry for him as I believe he does have children in the schools as well as history of growing up nearby / family. Wow.

Anonymous said...

Shame on you, Mr. Turek! So, it is OK for YOU to file FOIAs to public schools, but the rest of us should not?

I would love to find out why you have been trying to find out information through FOIAs, at least since April of last year. Why were they filed under the name of your business? There certainly is no shame in trying to make a living, but I don't understand why you have publicly berated so many people, including parents and other board members for doing the same thing. Those people and others, were not even doing it for financial gain.

Yvonne Mayer said...

Turek is a hypocrite! How dare he call me out for filing FOIA requests in D181 when he is filing very broad requests in multiple districts? Who is the bully now?

Anonymous said...

Turek's hypocrisy now explains why he protects Schuster's incompetence at every turn. Both of them should resign, but they are too stubborn and full of themselves to do so.

Anonymous said...

Surprise, Surprise, he sell IT equipment...

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marty-turek/1/474/a25

I need to take a shower. I get slimed just listening to him on the podcast.

jay_wick said...

I disagree that this is a smoking gun for anything other Mr. Turek's lack of ethics and his own shocking hypocrisy. Sort of like Blago getting arrested before he actually had any personal gain from selling Sen. Obama's vacant seat, Mr. Turek does not yet seem to have gotten any business for his employer's products or services...

There is similarly no evidence that this troubling but inconsequential discovery creates any special ties of incompetence or collusion between the superintendent and Mr. Turek.

The fact is that Mr. Turkek's lackadaisical approach to the tasks before the BOE have no special blind spot for the superintendent. Similarly the superintendent has exhibited classic behaviors of a staff member that has not been given clear policy direction by her Board -- Ineffective Governing Boards

Between Mr. Clarin's reluctance to look at anything from other than about 99,000 feet, the literal non-presence of Mr. Nelson, the incompetence of Mr. Turek and the various lack of either effective subcommittees OR consensus of a majority of the BOE it is not surprising that the district is in disarray.

I would urge anyone that is concerned about reversing this slide to make less noise about whose heads need to be put on pikes and instead reach out to the few members of the BOE that seem to be capable of working in the best interests of students and the community.

Anonymous said...

My grandson is a student at HMS.

My grandson asked me to explain why HMS is closed and my response was simple, it all comes down to reason and responsibility.

Regrettably, neither is present in the case of HMS.

I told my grandson that adult responsibility is no different than doing your homework, completing the homework on time, and not waiting until the last minute in order to avoid careless error.

You just can't do a months worth of work in one night anymore than you can fix a 10 year mold problem with some hastily prepared rhetoric and some PowerPoint.

My grandson is blessed to have such a great opportunity to learn from this failed leadership. It's one of life's great lessons and such a privilege to have a ringside seat at the circus of the government education process.

Anonymous said...

With a daughter at HMS, I've heard rumblings of a class action wiht the objective of testing the districts solvency.

The endgame is to force the exit of Schuster wiht gross negligence being the key driver. Not a D&O claim but essentially and equitable pursuit with equity being the dismissal of Schuster.

Have to wonder how the district would handle a $500,000 per month litigation tab for about 7 years.

Anonymous said...

Well that would just be stupid. Parents need to get up and demand that our leader and her cohort's contracts NOT be renewed in a few short months. Now is perfect time because their contracts are all up for renewal. But, if parents don't pull together and demand that the board of education NOT RENEW THEIR contracts, these same people will still be in charge of the remodel and declining educational standards.