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No District Office Cuts?

Letter to the Editor in the Daily Journal from Nels Johnson, English Teacher, San Mateo High School

"I am an English teacher at San Mateo High School, but I am writing this on behalf of the assistant principals in our district. Seriously. It is a tough time for our APs, who, because of the $3.5 million district deficit we are facing, now have the double burden of evaluating new teachers then firing them thereafter. It is APs who will have to figure out a way fill the various positions left vacated because of the cuts, as they become quasi-deans, counselors, librarians, and even computer technicians, just to keep their schools afloat. As our district's 12 APs find themselves directly in the line of fire at their school sites, facing angry parents and trying to maintain order in chaos, they will undoubtedly envy the comfort of their brethren at 650 N. Delaware St.: the various managers, directors and associate superintendents who inhabit the district office. More than half of our district's management budget goes to these off-site administrators. Ten of the district's directors and assistant directors are paid at the same salary range as our APs (top step $125,852); two others make nearly $15,000 more. The superintendent has suggested cutting one, smaller manager position, but all of his proposed cuts leave the higher paid directors and managers intact.

As the certificated (teachers) and classified (aides and support staff) endure the vast majority of these cuts, each of our schools will be affected directly and dramatically. Yet, at the district office, far from the classroom, there is no talk of collapsing or eliminating any of these costly director's positions. If I were an assistant principal, I'd feel pretty insulted."

– Written by Fiona

Posted in

19 responses to “No District Office Cuts?”

  1. concerned parent

    I agree with Mr. Johnson the cuts should come from the district office first – They have to feel the pain of their fiscal mismanagement before the school sites are impacted. Our students deserve as much.

  2. KRN

    Here is the cost to run the District Office. The total…$2,769,262.00 These figures come from public records. These figures DO NOT include Health Benefits or the mandatory district 8% contrbution to retirement. Should it really cost this much money to run a district of so few schools?

    District Office Salaries Salary

    Superintendent (?) $180,000.00
    Executive Asst. to the Sup $84,000.00
    Adm Asst to Sup $72,000.00
    Adm Asst to Board of Trustees $84,000.00
    Director of Alternative Programs $139,253.00

    Deputy Superintendent-Curriculum $171,178.00
    Adm Asst to Asst. Sup $57,500.00
    Dir. Of Curriculum Services $125,852.00
    Director of Assessment
    and Professional Development $125,852.00
    Director of Technology $125,852.00
    Manager of Technology $85,444.00

    Director of Special Ed $125,852.00
    I.E.P Speciailist $125,852.00

    Associate Sup.-Business $161,178.00
    Adm Asst to Asst. Sup $57,500.00
    Dir Fiscal Services $125,852.00
    Director of HR $125,852.00
    Manager of Accounting $93,609.00
    Manager of Fiscal/Budget $93,609.00
    Manager of Purchasing $93,609.00
    Manager of Transportation $85,444.00
    Facilities, Operations,Work Manager $85,444.00

    Associate Superintendent-HR $161,178.00
    Adm Asst to Asst. Sup $57,500.00
    Dir. Attendance and Welfare $125,852.00

    DO Total Costs $2,769,262.00

    School Site Expenses (per school-six schools)
    Principal $139,253.00
    Asst Principal $125,852.00
    Asst Principal $125,852.00

    Per Site Cost $390,957.00

  3. ExSMUHSDteacher

    Thanks KRN for the financial break down. Cuts at the top? Absolutely!

  4. Anonymous

    Nobody is lambasting ASE! I was very impressed to see all these students expressing themselves and being active. All too often students this age are apathetic, and this issue really affects them.

    I might wear a tee saying “Are you Nuts? No Cuts!” or something, but not one with a personal attack emblazened on it. That’s all I’m saying.

    In referrence to one of the newer entries today, I’d also say that this administration needs to make at least as many sacrifices as they are imposing on the teachers/staff/students. They need to show by example, that everyone is in this together.

    Also, there are many examples of waste that haven’t even been discussed. Why, for example, did every BHS student receive an invitation to the ribbon cutting ceremony at the school? That means, in some cases, two and three duplicate invitations were sent out to the same family. Add printing and postage, and you have lots of waste. Have they ever heard of mail-merge or the like?

  5. student X

    jen, going back to what i said earlier about rainbows and what not-what makes us think that everyone is in this together. if they were to make cuts at the top, showing us that we’re all in this together it would be from a radical shift their thoughts about this issue.

    on the other hand, speaking for ASE, thank you. it’s important to us to know that putting ourselves outthere is appreciated.

  6. Joanne

    Student X — perhaps you didn’t hear on Thursday that he was taking a pay cut; he asked the teachers to do the same.

  7. student X

    the way i heard it, i thought he refused his cost of living pay raise.

    if that is the case, why not ask everyone in his office to do so as well…

  8. Pete

    “Student X” That is so cool.

    I was the “Phantom Student” at my school; hardly ever glimpsed studying.

  9. ASE

    To all those opposed to my efforts: Please explain to me the overwhelming use of “personal attack.” I don’t feel as if I am trying to hurt Mr. Johnson. Is it wrong to hold someone accountable for their actions, or in this case their words? In my anger something may have slipped out, but if I recall correctly I haven’t said anything insulting or vulgar. I have simply stated my opinion in a composed an collected way. Yes, I think that Mr. Johnson made bad decisions, yes, I think that our district would be better of under different management, and yes, I think that something is to be said of Mr. Jonhnson’s record of making decisions against the advice and better judgement of the rest of the board. Does that mean that I’m personally attacking him? I don’t see it that way. Please explain to me where you got the feeling that reminding the public of his hasty words becomes a personal attack.

  10. student X

    i do what i can

  11. Anonymous

    You might have misunderstood what I meant, though I cannot speak for all these other bloggers.

    I am not opposed to any effort of a student to express him/herself in such a way. It is very impressive to see some engaged students. You are future voters and we need more of you! I just have an issue with that particular slogan. The shooting connotation is offensive simply by association. It makes it sound like he runs around with a gun, which he surely doesn’t do.

    Also, it may be a familiar quote to some who have heard it said. However, for those of us who haven’t heard it up until now, or would perhaps see it on a tee, it sounds more like something taken out of context, or said spontaneously as a joke (not funny, I know). Does he say this a lot? If so, then maybe that would be different, because it would be “his” phrase.

    As it is, I wouldn’t think it would be helpful to use that to get your point across. In a way, it is capitalizing on what might have been a slip of the tongue, perhaps. From what I’ve seen, he is not a very strong public speaker; I don’t know that I’ve ever heard him speak at functions or district meetings without prepared speeches.

    There are probably many other phrases you could come up with that would express the same thing, but leave you a notch above. That said, if you feel so strongly about this slogan, then don’t let me be the one to talk you out of it; I’m not your parent or mentor. I wouldn’t wear one, however, because it doesn’t appropriately reflect my views about this debacle. I hope that helps explain what I meant.

  12. concerned parent

    I love
    “Are you nuts? No cuts…
    except at the district office……”

  13. RCC

    Jen I see where you are coming from. Tell me if I understand you correctly. You simply don’t want to see students dilute their own message by making too strong of a statement or one of poor taste. That is understandable; you don’t want it to be over done.
    All I’m saying is hear is where I’m coming from if students(such as myself)could wear a shirt or carry a sign or scream at the top of our lungs loud enough maybe then those who think this isn’t affecting us will realize that we have been deeply affected by this. In school teachers guide, mentor and many times entertain us through the year. We bond with our teachers. It is therefore very natural that we would try our best to protect them with the little bit of influence we have. Many (not all) people on these bloggs have made clear that those who oppose what we believe belittle our decision making ability by calling our opinions altered by adults with ulterior motives. Believe it or not, we teens just a few years, months, or days off voting age have a few of our own opinions.

  14. ASE

    I do, bloggers, feel strongly about the slogan on the t-shirt. Not becuase I can’t come up with anything better, or because it’s familiar to me. I had never heard it before. We chose it because IT’S SAM JOHNSON’S OWN WORDS. That’s the whole point of our choice. I think the fact that it references fire arms may even help our cause. Why, when the superintendent was talking about schools, would he use a weapon analogy? Seems questionable, although I’m not opposed to him because of something so trivial. Anyways, those of you who don’t approve, look to Mr. Johnson, for he said them, not I.

  15. Rich Grogan

    Jen, the “shoot/aim” means, to me, the same thing as “jumps first looks next.” Tipically this saying is used to describe a person who acts first and then researches the decision afterwards. Guns are not the issue!

    ASE, you, too, are getting an “A” in Civics 101.

  16. Anonymous

    Okay, fair enough. I wouldn’t pick that slogan, but I’m not the one wearing it. I probably have some tees you couldn’t relate to, either. I do understand why you are upset. Believe me, I am not a happy camper at this point, either.

    More important here is that everyone appreciates your involvement and I hope that when I or others comment or ask for more information about what you are thinking or doing, it certainly isn’t meant to belittle you. I appreciate articulate and passionate people, and it is great to see kids, like you, who have these qualities.

  17. Anonymous

    I agree with Rich’s interpretation. In the military we used to describe this approach as “Ready, Fire, Aim!” – it actually has nothing to do with shooting (although in this case it looks like there may be some firing).

  18. Rich Grogan

    KRN, great job of providing us the financial information. It looks like the district could save approximately $700,000 in eliminating any title that contained ASST. I was amazed to see two ASST had ASSTs. Then there is the Director of Technology and then the Manager of Technology. One needs to go. And then there is the embarrassment of all positions, especially in light of the current situation; Manager of Accounting and the Manager of Fiscal Budgeting. These people FLUNKED in doing their job, so we can eliminate these postions. Well, I have just saved some teaching positions. Anyone else wanta take a go at it?

  19. ASE

    Rich, while I highly approve of your recovery strategy I only have one suggestion. Instead of cutting the manager of accounting and manager of fiscal budgeting who as you say “FLUNKED,” why don’t we just replace them, because we will obviously need those positions, if they are well staffed, to recover from the mistakes made by past financial district officers.

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