Apr 14, 2001
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Probably, in later life if Rosa Smith is asked to describe Hell, she'll probably answer, ''I once was Superintendent of Schools in Columbus, Ohio.'' Before the community again goes on a witch-hunt for a new school Superintendent it is time to have the State Board of Education take over. Our system needs to take on a new direction. In the meantime until July lst, the State should be looking for a successful retired businessman who is not through with life yet. And, wants a challenge because he/she loves young people and wants to turn around a system that is battered and has lost faith and confidence by its backers, namely the tax payers. Consider the following: 1. The system is 650,000,000 businesses. 2. It is the second/employers in the county, Ohio State University, first. 3. About 80% of the employees are under the umbrella of John Grossman, President of the Teacher's Union. 4. About 15% of the other employees are tied in with other unions that are equally (at least they are not carrying signs every other day) well managed. 5. So basically, 5% of the employees in our system (downtown administration personnel) would be the new School Chief's problem. So quickly the new School Chief's concern would be with the Unions. It is imperative that the new Chief be union minded; and the ability to negotiate when it's show down time. But there is something else the new Chief needs to do: Know the difference between a debit and credit and a Balance Sheet and a Profit and Loss Statement. And, he can balance his own checkbook. 650,000,000 dollars in some parlance is ''A hell of a lot of money.'' And, we had better be careful with it. It belongs to the taxpayers and the writer is one of those taxpayers. President's Message (New School Chief) We have covered two segments of our school system: People and money. Now the tough one he will face is: The Bureaucracy that exists in our downtown administration and the bureaucrats that are emplaced. Dealing with this problem may be the toughest of the new Chief's job. But therein lies (the opinion of this writer) part of the answer to our school system's dil6nma. The job of straightening out this ''mess'' would take some time but the State of Ohio wants this system to improve and the new Chief would have carte blanche in doing it. Anything is better than what the taxpayers of Columbus, Ohio, the State of Ohio and Federal Government who is about to pour some money into the educational system is getting now. When President Bush came to Columbus, Ohio, that was a good signal for us. Of all the thousands upon thousands of school systems in our country why he picked Columbus, Ohio is still a mystery to many of us. Now the hunch line of this message is this: The School Board has to become history. The function of this organization has outlived its time. The public is ?“fed up?” and want it and its members to go away. With the State of Ohio taking charge they are not beholden to anything ...or anybody. The writer understands (from serving on past committees to find a new Superintendent) that State law requires a Doctor of Education degree to manage a school district. I?’m sure Ohio State University has someone right now to step in and supply this requirement. The new Chief should have his pick of who the doctor of Education might be. Looking forward to a great school system in the not to far distant future, Please note that the original copy had Mr. Hildenbrands signature, but I would not scan.
-By Jim Hildenbrand
By Jim Hildenbrand
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Probably, in later life if Rosa Smith is asked to describe Hell, she'll probably answer, ''I once was Superintendent of Schools in Columbus, Ohio.'' Before the community again goes on a witch-hunt for a new school Superintendent it is time to have the State Board of Education take over. Our system needs to take on a new direction. In the meantime until July lst, the State should be looking for a successful retired businessman who is not through with life yet. And, wants a challenge because he/she loves young people and wants to turn around a system that is battered and has lost faith and confidence by its backers, namely the tax payers. Consider the following: 1. The system is 650,000,000 businesses. 2. It is the second/employers in the county, Ohio State University, first. 3. About 80% of the employees are under the umbrella of John Grossman, President of the Teacher's Union. 4. About 15% of the other employees are tied in with other unions that are equally (at least they are not carrying signs every other day) well managed. 5. So basically, 5% of the employees in our system (downtown administration personnel) would be the new School Chief's problem. So quickly the new School Chief's concern would be with the Unions. It is imperative that the new Chief be union minded; and the ability to negotiate when it's show down time. But there is something else the new Chief needs to do: Know the difference between a debit and credit and a Balance Sheet and a Profit and Loss Statement. And, he can balance his own checkbook. 650,000,000 dollars in some parlance is ''A hell of a lot of money.'' And, we had better be careful with it. It belongs to the taxpayers and the writer is one of those taxpayers. President's Message (New School Chief) We have covered two segments of our school system: People and money. Now the tough one he will face is: The Bureaucracy that exists in our downtown administration and the bureaucrats that are emplaced. Dealing with this problem may be the toughest of the new Chief's job. But therein lies (the opinion of this writer) part of the answer to our school system's dil6nma. The job of straightening out this ''mess'' would take some time but the State of Ohio wants this system to improve and the new Chief would have carte blanche in doing it. Anything is better than what the taxpayers of Columbus, Ohio, the State of Ohio and Federal Government who is about to pour some money into the educational system is getting now. When President Bush came to Columbus, Ohio, that was a good signal for us. Of all the thousands upon thousands of school systems in our country why he picked Columbus, Ohio is still a mystery to many of us. Now the hunch line of this message is this: The School Board has to become history. The function of this organization has outlived its time. The public is ?“fed up?” and want it and its members to go away. With the State of Ohio taking charge they are not beholden to anything ...or anybody. The writer understands (from serving on past committees to find a new Superintendent) that State law requires a Doctor of Education degree to manage a school district. I?’m sure Ohio State University has someone right now to step in and supply this requirement. The new Chief should have his pick of who the doctor of Education might be. Looking forward to a great school system in the not to far distant future, Please note that the original copy had Mr. Hildenbrands signature, but I would not scan.
-By Jim Hildenbrand
By Jim Hildenbrand
