Thursday, March 12, 2015

BREAKING NEWS FLASH: Sean Walsh, Director of Learning and Former Oak Principal, Tenders Resignation

Moments ago we received the following comment from a D181 Staff Member.  It speaks for itself.  Stay tuned......

"D181 Staff Member said...

Parents, can you make this a free standing post, please?

Just got a district-wide e-mail from Sean Walsh, Director of Learning. He says he will resign at the end of the school year as he got a principal job in his old district (200).

I wonder if Dr. White will find a new Director of Learning or will just replace it with the Director of Assessments position? Will Dr. White make this decision with the current board, or the new board elected on April 7th?

I've read this blog for over a year now, and have seen many comments about how various administrators are unqualified. I'd like to know how you, the parents, define "qualified"? What experience should the applicant have in teaching? Do you want just general ed? Just gifted? Just SpEd? A combination? If a combination, how much experience in each area? What experience in an administrative role? Experience as a principal? Besides an endorsement in administration, what else? I'd like to see at least a master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction."

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a loss. The only person in the DOL who was remotely qualified to help lead us out of this mess.

Anonymous said...

Here is the email "Don" sent to D181 parents at 11:45 a.m.:

Dear District 181 Families,
This message is to share news that Director of Learning Sean Walsh has accepted a position as Principal of Longfellow Elementary School in Community Unit School District 200 in Wheaton, Illinois, effective July 1, 2015. As many of you know, Mr. Walsh served as Principal of Oak School for nine years before accepting his current position as Director of Learning. He began his teaching career in District 200 in 1996, and now has the opportunity to return to the District. The move will also allow him be closer to his family. Please join me in wishing Mr. Walsh all the best in his new position. In regard to the vacancy in the Department of Learning, I am continuing to evaluate our current organizational structure and plan to discuss this topic with the Board at our next meeting.

Please click here to read more on this and other recent news stories from around the District.

Sincerely,
Don



Anonymous said...

A link from Mr. Walsh's new district. http://www.cusd200.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=143 The Superintendent of that district is a former gifted teacher. I can't help but wonder if our move to "learning for all" is related to his departure.

Anonymous said...

Working in Wheaton will allow him to be closer to his family? Give me a break. He wanted out of this toxic environment and was so eager to leave, he took a lower position to get the hell out. Now let's see if Dr White will find someone with a curriculum background from outside D181 or will reward a loyal D181 principal with a nice promotion regardless of qualifications. We're watching.

HMS Parent said...

Mr. Walsh was a wonderful principal at Oak School for many years. It was common knowledge that his long term professional goal was a Central Office position. As with past principals who have worked their way up the ranks, he probably hopes to become a Superintendent one day. I know for a fact that he applied for past central office jobs in D181 before he was promoted this year to be a Director of Learning. he has become the mouthpiece for Dr. Schneider's crazed L4A vision at many of the BOE meeting presentations, no doubt because Schneider realized that Walsh is so respected by parents. So it is quite shocking now that Walsh is resigning from D181 to take a demotion back to a building principal. No doubt White will spin it as a good move for Walsh, since Wheaton 200 is closer to where Walsh lives and it was his original district. But make no mistake, it is never a good professional move to take a step backward. We will probably never know the real story, but I wouldn't be surprised if Walsh decided that he couldn't drink the koolaid any longer and couldn't compromise on his principles of what good instruction should look like for elementary students. Take a look at the district he is moving to. They believe in gifted programs. They haven't been snuckered into a one size fits all approach that Schneider is trying to ram down our throats. It is unfortunate that he is leaving without taking a public stand that what D181 is doing is not good for kids, but obviously he can't do that or they'd kick him to the curb tomorrow.

Now, we all have to wait to see how the organizational structure is revamped, ha ha, by White. My prediction? He will use this departure to justify keeping Benaitis around and then argue that now we have $ to hire a real assessment person. What needs to happen is that Schneider should become the Asst. Sup. of Special Ed ONLY, the job he was originally hired for. Then, Benaitis should be released, as is allowed under her current contract as long as the BOE notifies her of this PRIOR TO APRIL 1 (but wait, how convenient that there are no more board meetings before April 1). Then with the combined $ that White will have if Walsh and Benaitis leave, he can pay a search firm to find D181 a qualified, experienced Asst. Sup of Instruction and Curriculum and there will be money left over!

I know, I know, it's a pipe dream. More likely than not, Benaitis will stay and move into Sean's role (even though she shouldn't), White will promote another principal or teacher (another starter administrator) to fill Dawn's shoes and nothing will change........

Anonymous said...

Ah the spin machine continues. Dr. White, we are not stupid. No one gives up a promotion and higher salary to become a principal in another district just to be closer to his house. STOP THE SPIN!

Anonymous said...

Isn't the district paying his PHD tuition? Doesn't he have to pay the district back if he leaves before completing it? He's not Dr. yet, so I am assuming that he owes the district $. And did Kevin Russell ever pay the $ back for his tuition?

Anonymous said...

Don't all the 1 year administrator contracts automatically roll without formal board approval if no action is taken before April 1? Check out the language in the contracts! It is absurd that the BOE is not being given an opportunity to have each board member cast a vote on whether any of the one year administrators -- including Kurt Schneider -- should be given a new contract for 2015-2016. If Turek doesn't call for a special meeting before April 1, then this is another reason why he shouldn't be reelected. He could have put this on the last meeting agenda, but did not and he and White set the agendas together. How dare he tie the hands of the other 6 board members!

A British Tar said...

While I don't know Sean's reasons for leaving and taking a lower position, I have to disagree with the idea that people take lower positions ONLY because the district's toxic. I personally have had opportunities to go to other places to get more pay, or a more "prestigious" job title, but I truly love what I do. I love what I do in my job, I love the people I work with. So while you're definitely entitled to care more about your own pay and job title over closeness to home or loyalty to a former employer, please do not assume that goes for everyone. Different strokes for different folks, right?

Anonymous said...

Here is a link to all of the administrator's 2014-2015 contracts: http://www.boarddocs.com/il/hccsdil/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=9KHPTR66348D

Here is a link to Benaitis' 3 year contract: http://www.boarddocs.com/il/hccsdil/Board.nsf/files/9KMKL752571B/$file/Benaitis_Contract_5_30-14.pdf

Section 7 of her contract specifies her salary for this year and the next two. I guess she gets automatic raises, even if she hasn't done a good job. How fiscally irresponsible of Turek and the rest of the BOE. Section 10E of the contract, does however provide the BOE a way out of this contract for NO CAUSE, but requires board action before 4/1/15. That provision states: "Termination by the Board. The Board may terminate this contract unilaterally providing notice to the Employee by April 1, of the current contract year. In such instances the board is responsible for payment of all remaining salary and benefits in the current contract year. In consideration for such payment, the Employee waives any requirement for cause and the right to any hearing regarding such termination."

The BOE owes it to the D181 taxpayers to discuss before April 1, 2015, whether or not Ms. Benaitis should be allowed to finish out her two year contract or whether it should exercise this clause in the contract. Ms. Benaitis could finish out the 2014-2015 school year and then the BOE would not have to pay her any penalty.

Here is a link to Schneider's 1 year contract that expires on June 30, 2015: http://www.boarddocs.com/il/hccsdil/Board.nsf/files/9KMKNU52983E/$file/Schneider_5_30_14.pdf

Section 1 says the term of his contract ends on June 30, 2015. However, Section 10 of his contract (which I think is really slimy and allows for the administration to renew contracts by default without any board action) states: "Extension or non-renewal: A decision on this contracts' extension, revision or non-renewal will be made by the BOARD no later than April 1 of each contract year. Failure to so act on this contract's extension or revision or to provide a notice of non-renewal shall automatically renew this contract for one (1) additional year under the same terms and conditions of employment in effect at this time."

How much you want to bet that the BOE under Turek's leadership will not call for a special meeting to allow each board member to cast a vote on renewing Scheider's contract, that it will automatically renew through Turek's inaction and yet, then the current BOE (before the new board is seated) will be asked to revise the new contract to give Schneider a big fat raise?

I am completely disgusted and hope the administration, Turek and BOE prove me wrong and call a special meeting to allow full discussion and a public vote cast by each individual board member.

Anonymous said...

It is infuriating to realize how the contracts are crafted to protect the administrators and allow BOE's to shirk their obligations.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Walsh is a highly respected man of integrity who holds strong morals and values. His resignation is a tremendous loss to D181. 12:27, his PhD has been paid for out of his own pocket, no money owed to the district. He followed all the rules, no broken contract, and is leaving in the "right" way. I wish him the best of luck on his new journey. He will be missed.

A Blogger Fan said...

Here's a link to the Clarendon Courier's hosted D181 Candidates' debate held tonight at CHMS. The Bloggers may want to watch it since you got a lot of free publicity.....

http://new.livestream.com/ccsd181/events/3881701?origin=event_published&mixpanel_id=145f0d80116165-0caa36786-1e114552-13c680-145f0d801173c7&acc_id=8457864&medium=email

Anonymous said...

7:46: I completely agree with you that Principal Walsh is a man of the highest integrity, and I would bet that this integrity made him decide to jump ship because he couldn't support some of the programs being forced on our kids. Regardless of his reasons for leaving, however, he did receive tuition reimbursment payments for his coursework towards earning a doctorate. Here is a link to two tuition reimbursement payments he received totalling $4722.85 (scroll through the check listing to Walsh, Sean. The checks are listed in alpahabetical order.):

http://www.boarddocs.com/il/hccsdil/Board.nsf/files/8VFQTM6AD689/$file/JUNE%2019%20DETAIL%20CHECK%20LISTING.pdf

Joan Fitzgerald Clopton said...

In regard to the Clarendon Courier debate in CH, I found it extremely sad and disappointing that TWO questions (and one follow up) were in regard to this blog....the scenario played out as if in the McCarthy era of GOTCHA in trying to incriminate "certain" candidates if they had read or posted here. Obvious audience members applauded in this Gotcha game....that failed miserably as 4 of the 6 candidates agreed that transparency and the First Amendment are vital to our community. For anyone who grew up in Hinsdale....with its obvious cliques and country clubs should know, everyone has an opinion here in America and blogging is another channel that perhaps busy, educated parents can use to share information, data and experience, much like people do at say a coffee get together or a tennis match. As a very full time educated parent myself, I am grateful that we have candidates (Burns, Czerwiec, Giltner and Gray) who believe in free speech and an open forum, as many other forums operate outside of this blog as well. Next time, let's hope any media outlet would focus on queries and questions that were much more substantive in nature, perhaps both quantitative and qualitative, in reference to the education of children, which should be the focus. Hinsdale and D181 obtains its often negative reputation from this lack of depth in the real issues. I come from a long line of Chicagoans and although Hinsdale has a solid reputation for great schools, it is very sad that this topic would take up so much time at a school board candidate's debate. Are some candidates afraid to discuss the real issues ? This is my first post and it is not anonymous.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree more with Ms Clopton. Three of the seven questions posed to the candidates were about this blog. Obviously I am a reader and value the forum, but to address the issue in the way that it was was a complete waste of everyone's time - candidates and audience members - and an insult to those who attended the debate in an effort to educate themselves about the candidates and the issues.

I also could not help but wonder if there was some sort of agenda or unknown reason why this happened. The questions for the debate were supposedly submitted by readers of the Courier. If that is true, I am surprised and disappointed that those readers care so much about gossip and so little about the serious and important issues facing our district. The whole experience was hypocritical at best and a downright sneaky at worst. The Courier showed its true colors as a gossip magazine last night and made a mockery of the election process. It also lost this reader. Advertisers should think twice about advertising in such a forum. Respectfully submitted anonymously. Because this is the United States and I can. Don't like it, don't read it.

Anonymous said...

Listened to the LiveStream last night and I agree with Joan. What kept going through my head was: "Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party?" http://www.ushistory.org/us/53a.asp

One question would have been tolerable. 3 was ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

I just read the comment that Sean Walsh's departure from 181 is a loss....really? I worked under him at Oak & found him to be one of the weakest principals I have ever worked for. He was absolutely no educational leader...at all! The only good thing was he left the teachers at Oak alone to do their own thing. Anyone who thought Sean Walsh was a good educator was just someone he fooled!
No loss for D181.....poor Wheaton 200.

Anonymous said...

That's exactly how most of us felt when we heard Christine Igoe was leaving. It was the best thing that could have happened to D181's children. We're so glad she's messing up Naperville's children instead of ours. Too bad she didn't take ALL of the Pupil Services Administrators with her!