6 March 2013
Dear Governor Deal:Here are my recommendations for DeKalb County School District Interim Board of Education characteristics. These points are in no specific order of importance.
1. Background checks are essential - constituents will be looking for flaws
2. Look for potential conflicts of interest - vendors, contractors, etc - who may want to do business with the school system - or relatives of the same
3 . No current relationships (such as relatives, former employees, romantic interests) with DCSD employees
4. Dr. Johnson is a former employee so, this base (#3) is covered
5. No desire to actually run for the seat - civil servants willing to help hi the interim
6. Geographic diversity for the at-large districts - try not to pick folks from the same areas as McMahon, Orson and Johnson
7. A couple of appointees should be able to read/comprehend/analyze budget sheets and data
8. One appointee with a technology background
9. Members who can articulate our language through speaking, reading and writing
10. A willingness to move towards authentic transparency - online checkbook and forensic audit are a good start
11. Time to commit to weekly meetings, preparing for meetings (ex: APS BOE met weekly and worked in front of the public to go through all policies, address all SACS issues and worked from a strategy/problem solving chart on action items each week
12. Acknowledges that every school and it's needs are different do not fall into the mindset of one size fits all and as such, needed programming hi one school does not have to be in every school - though we are one county school system
13. Representation that values our Hispanic/Asian/Indian etc stakeholders
14. Experience with collaborative models. And as such...
15. Willingness to host town hall meetings, coffees, etc to collaborate with and listen to constituents
16. Independent thinker - doesn't go along to get along - unwilling to agree to backroom deals
17. Committed to establishing an ethics board to govern themselves
18. Some significant level of higher education
19. Skilled communicator
20. Some level of experience with operational management of a large organization
21. Humility — actually putting children first
22. Prior governing experience
23. The whole should bring a variety of professional skills to the table which includes some level of knowledge about the school system and it's challenges
24. Clear vision about their immediate purpose - one county - all members must agree to not buy-in to the rhetoric surrounding north/south issues
25. With budget issues coming up it is necessary for some interim members to have the skillset needed to create and trim
26. Ability to comprehend the recommendations of the superintendent that lead to student success (grades, sense of value, purpose and relevancy)
27. Willingness to seek board training and apply such training during tenure
28. Willingness to work collaboratively with board members to resolve all of the issues outlined in the SACS report in the specified time frame
Knowing that the entire state and possibly the country will be paying close attention to this entire process the need for getting it right should override the need for speed in determining the interim board.
Every decision, from this point forward, from the Gold Dome to the DCSD Boardroom should be determined to insure stability and confidence, especially with our students who are counting on us to educate them in a safe, nurturing, and well-equipped environment.
Highly effective DCSD BOE governance will, at all times, keep the classroom as the focus.
Thank you for all you do every day, as Governor, for our children's education.
Sincerely,
Rep. Tom Taylor (R-79)
Representative Taylor addressed the Dunwoody City Council on Monday evening where he submitted into the minutes the form shown above, regarding his recommendations on the future characteristics he would like to see shown by the future DeKalb County School Board. After a complete update, the City Council informally agreed that the City of Dunwoody may spend up to $50,000 to finance a study of the feasibility of operating a city school system.
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ReplyDeleteOne recommendation that I have for Georgia State Representative Tom Taylor (Republican - Dunwoody District 79) - the next time that he formally documents his rambling and disordered suggestions in a letter to the Governor, especially when this letter of advisement is associated with the improvement of a board of education, that Representative Taylor ensure all his spelling and grammatical errors are corrected prior to sending his missive to the Governor.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable! No wonder Jane and Johnny can't read when our Georgia politicians are illiterate as well!
Go easy on Representative Taylor's spelling, Miss Colleen, at least I'm thinking that one of his criteria (albeit it's only an "etc") just might address this type of culturally insensitive thinking -
ReplyDelete---- --- has left a new comment on the post "Dunwoody Street
Naming on Monday's City Council ag..."
Why don't we adopt the USPS Guidelines for naming a stamp after a individual - 5 years after they are deceased, or better yet, just do not name anything after a person at all.
btw, ----, nice to see that you removed the racist rant from Boortz' blog that you posted on your blog. Did you offer an apology to ---- ---- of DES?
Posted by ---- ---- to Heneghan’s Dunwoody Blog at December 20, 2009 10:14 AM
---- ---- has left a new comment on the post "Dunwoody Street
Naming on Monday's City Council ag...":
---- ----,
I removed the post since I was not there to authenticate the story and
a few people interpreted the quote differently than I did. To be clear, the alleged racist remark was from someone posting on Boortz's site, not from me. Simply referring to music involving 'banging on bongos, sticks, and chanting' as 'jungle music' is not taken as racist by all readers.
Those looking to invoke race at every turn should offer an apology, not me. Google blues singer C.W. Stoneking and see the title of his 2008 CD. It is 'Jungle Blues'. The CD mixes Southern blues and calypso music of Trinidad. Simply search the term 'jungle
music' and you'll find mostly positive references. Most folks refer to jungle music as music derived from areas with jungles as part of the geography. I can't speak for the Dunwoody grandfather who posted on Boortz, but perhaps his complaint was that the directer had chosen calypso music for a large part of what we all know was a Christmas concert. They may not call it a Christmas concert anymore, but that's
what it was.
I see no reason to apologize to anyone. I posted a quote from another person. The quote's content (describing the deviation from music traditional to our culture)was consistent to a prior post I made on the subject.
A few people questioned me on the post so I took it down within a few
hours. If you wish to continue to discuss the issue publicly I can put the post back up along with the first post on this issue and other
tidbits I received on the topic.
Merry Christmas to you, all the kids, all John's readers, the music
lady, and all the Infidels.
Posted by ---- ----- to Heneghan’s Dunwoody Blog at December 21, 2009 9:30 AM
Perhaps we should only choose from candidates who are NOT from DeKalb. Seems like fishing in that pond has yielded only carp so far--the trophy bass are biting elsewhere--and it would more effectively address the "will not run for election" than another hollow promise from a political wannabe.
ReplyDeleteColleen - this is an issue that has moved a little bit beyond your "red pen" mentality. I went back and read it again, and oh yeah, I found a couple typos, but my first read focused on the intent, so do try to look at the big picture. If one were to consider the scope of what Representative Taylor has been asked to do, the multitude of obstacles in the way, the timeframe in which he was given to do it, and his actions thus far toward achieving a positive result, the few and tiny typos (which can likely be attributed to a bossy spell-check), would, um, be forgiven, understood, by any rational person.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the "muli-gendered" troll from the Patch has migrated back over to the big boards.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of migrating, how is your "injured hawk" Colleen Robespierre,Ken, dg, and of coarse, GaryRayBetz...
Poppycock, dpgroupie!
ReplyDeleteThis is a formal letter to a state Governor, which stresses the import of the task at hand describing how the entire nation will be watching what we do here in DeKalb County; therefore, considering the self-admitted significance of this project, you would think that this elected official would have taken the time to proofread his letter or if he isn't aptly versed in structuring grammatically correct sentences or aware of how to make "it" possessive, then have someone else review it prior to sending it off to the Governor.
We expect at least that much from our students in their homework assignments, you would think a letter to the Governor would warrant at least a little bit of circumspection.
OK Colleen. Hang on to that thought if it makes you happy. I'll try not to think you sound like you're carrying some sort of grudge or that perhaps your knickers are one size too small. I still say the challenge of the task is daunting, and I, as well as many others, am very appreciative of his efforts. He works really hard to tend to the needs and desires of his constituents. As Kerry would say, I'm just sayin...
ReplyDeleteFolks,
ReplyDeleteThe below site is in honor of the heroic brother of a good friend of mine from Chicago, Gloria Bianchini.
http://www.gofundme.com/Chicago-Tough-Mudder?pc=fb_d
Gloria's brother, Sgt. Luis Santiago, was a two tour veteran of the Iragi and Afghani wars. Disabled veteran Sgt. Luis Santiago died traumatically and tragically last December 2012 up in Chicago leaving behind a very beautiful and sweet four year old daughter.
I share this with you only as a reminder of what just one of our brave soldiers suffered in serving in our country's military at war; however, if you do decide to access the site and donate, I can vouch for its legitimacy. This is a very good and patriotic American family.
Thank-you and God bless.
Gary Ray Betz
Gave up on the "Hawk" did we?
ReplyDeleteROFLOL
BTW: Dekalb animal control does not pick up birds :-(
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ReplyDeleteHey, I'm really tired of the troll that you are Rob, just about as tired of you as are your next door neighbor's twin daughters who had to seek protection against you, but still you continue to beleaguer their parents.
ReplyDeleteThought I didn't know the weaselly trolling creep you are, huh? And I know exactly who you are, so denying that aspect of your character won't do any good.
Before you go and question my credibility in front of the entire community, please check with Officer Head at DeKalb Animal Control, who is an officer with the DeKalb County Police Department, she was called by my neighbor, Hermes, whose property the hawk was on initially, and picked up the hawk from my garage.
- Check with my neighbor Susan and daughter Lauren who first saw the hawk in the tree and informed me of its plight.
- Check with the Shelby Edwards family, whom are my neighbors, and did so much to assist in the rescue.
- Check with my next-door neighbor John who came in my garage to see the hawk and have a beer with Hermes and me while we were awaiting Officer Head to pick up the hawk.
- Check with my wife who saw me giving the hawk water with her turkey baster and chastised me when I wanted to merely wash the baster and not toss it out.
- Check with the neighborhood kids who witnessed the entire rescue and were so very worried about the hawk that it would die before the night was through and told their teachers and classmates about the incident in school.
Really, Rob, you are pretty much beneath contempt, not even sure why I have to justify myself with you, but if you do insist on your innuendos associated with the credibility of my good name, you will have a libel lawsuit on your hands. But if you mess with my daughters, I won't be taking out an order of protection for them like your next door neighbor did, I will deal with you myself. And if you check with folks in my neighborhood, that won't be pretty.
In fact it might even be too late for your cowardly ass to seek absolution from me, that is if I find out that your car was involved, after I get through running the license plate number, which I collected after eggs and rocks were tossed at two of my daughters' windows.
A valuable lesson, and I assure you hard lesson as well, that you shall learn, that the stones from a spite fence between you and your poor harassed neighbors, shouldn't be collected by your loutish little hands and thrown at my daughters' windows.
Not sure about all your existential drivel, but I did check, and they don`t...in relation to Dekalb animal control, and yes, even Supervisor Head.
ReplyDeleteNow I know why you are the @dunwoodydumass on twitter that only follows young girls at DHS, you really are one!
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ReplyDeleteAll right Rob, here's my only Twitter handle - @garyraybetz and take a good look at the entire page (as well as pictures of the hawk that you say doesn't exist), because you have stepped across the line and I shall address issues with your lying cowardly ass like the parents of the identical twin girls that you have harassed for years should have as apparently their court order didn't.
ReplyDeleteAnd that it has been confirmed that you are the one who has been harassing my daughters as well, and now I shall deal directly with you and not through a blythe court. Expect it.
Lighten up, Francis
ReplyDelete@GRB and friends…LOL
ReplyDeleteSo after being called out on your @dunwoodydumass Twitter account you think that making your tweets to the young girls you follow private will keep some of us (and the authorities) from reading them?
FYI: We can still see them!
Now what could a grown man be doing tweeting to young girls all during the night?
Hummmm....
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete***Update
ReplyDeleteAfter exposing a person imitating numerous people on these boards (and other boards) and the associated twitter account @dunwoodydumass that only interacted with young teenage girls at DHS, the page was made private.
As of today, the @dunwoodydumass twitter account has been taken down in an obvious attempt to hide the person who originated it.
A call to Twitter resulted in them remarking that they keep the IP information on closed accounts for at least a year.
I emplore everyone in the Dunwoody community to email Chief Grogan and request he have a subpoena sent to twitter to identify the persons IP address who was running this account to ascertain what conversations transpired between the man who ran it and the young teenage girls. I also think the man should be identified to the public at large to determine if he has any other history of this type of questionable activity.
For some of you who read this blog, YOUR young daughter may have been a victim!
Rob / Dunwoody Dad (the two pseudonyms you use to harass your neighbors on-line and ridiculed them because they brought an issue to the city council and when you hacked into their un-secure router) or Stuart lately, or whatever you call yourself, it's a bit obvious that you have an issue with teenage girls as you couldn't stop talking about them on the Patch site.
ReplyDeleteI too would urge the exposure of the person who is responsible for harassing teenage girls as it will result in the police showing up at your Mommie's basement and taking you out in cuffs. It's time for you to do the perp walk, you miserable vicious little man. Grow up and get a life!
Something is very fishy here, Rob.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you need the entire community to petition the police to find out who @dunwoodydumass is? You're the you who claims to be the expert on that Twitter account and have chronicled all the Twits on that account.
Why don't you just take all your many printouts of that account's Twits, that I'm sure you read and reread lasciviously every day, and turn them over to the police? Or are you prevented because the police already know your history of being a sick twist and would assume you are turning yourself in?
Just your detailed knowledge of this account and its supposed goings on, coupled with your repeated daily tormenting texts on every other local blog, just seems a bit specious.