Information discussed during the 8/26/13 Board Meeting regarding the Administrators' Attendance at Kurt Schneider's "On the Side" Symposium

Earlier this week we were asked by a reader to discuss the attendance of numerous D181 administrators at Kurt Schneider's summer symposium at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM).  This topic was discussed at some length during the 8/26/13 Board meeting after Board Members Heneghan and Garg asked for an explanation of the $2760 check to UWM for Administrative Professional Development that the board was asked to approve.   This post will review and discuss information regarding this expense that was provided prior to the meeting (Click to view Check run,  Click to View Board Q&A's)  and during the board discussion and what appears to be a lack of transparency in the release of documentation regarding the symposium.  

Information we have learned:

1.  Less than 2 weeks before the teachers in D181 were to report back for training and the start of the 2013-2014 school year (July 29-August 7), Kurt Schneider was a presenter at the National Leadership for Social Justice Institute.  The full title of the symposium was:  "Leading Proactive High Achieving Schools for All Students."  (Click to view symposium's agenda.)  According to what Superintendent Schuster said during the meeting, Schneider used vacation days to teach at this one week symposium.

2.  Seven additional D181 administrators, including the entire Department of Learning, also attended this conference.  They were:  Kevin Russell, Assistant Superintendent of Learning; Christine Igoe, Director of Pupil Services;  Dawn Benaitis, Director of Assessment; Principal Griffin Sonntag; Principal Casey Godfrey; Principal Eric Chisausky and Principal Justin Horne.

3.  The $2760 check was for the registration fees the District paid to have the administrators attend the symposium.

4.  More expenses incurred by these 7 administrators -- meals, lodging and transportation -- will be submitted for reimbursement and approval by the Board at a future meeting.

5.  Board Member Heneghan asked for an explanation of why so many administrators, including the entire Department of Learning, were gone from the district so close to the start of school to attend a seminar that had some topics that were not relevant to D181.