What's Going On At Curie High?

Speaking of LSCs (see below), I hear from a reader that there's a fight brewing at Curie HS between the principal and a faction of the LSC.  According to one source:

"Curie's principal, Jerryelyn Jones, is being driven out by Curie's LSC. I don't know the whole story, but to me it sounds like a situation of LSC politics at their worst. Mrs. Jones has wide support from her teachers and students, but the faction of parents and community members (one of whom apparently tried to become legal guardian of a current student so they could stay on as "parent representative") that has taken over the majority wants her out. There appears to be a racial element to the divide too."

What's going on?  Is she up for renewal?  If anyone knows more, or different, let us know.  Apparently they had an LSC meeting this weekend.

Here's the list of LSC members:

Jerryelyn L. Jones	Principal
Andrzej Derza	Teacher Representative
Wanda Szczepanik	Teacher Representative
Maria Lopez	Community Representative
Dwayne Eslick	Community Representative
Maria Bryja	Parent Representative
Otis Davis, Jr.	Parent Representative
Glydan Hoffman	Parent Representative
Sherry Swan	Parent Representative
Ryzard Mac	Parent Representative
Luis Zamora	Parent Representative
Yvonne Rodriguez	Student Representative

Comments

I'm not from Curie, but I know a few teachers from there (and they are very supportive of their principal, who is up for renewal in October.) I also know that on Jan 13, there was an LSC meeting with a lot of screaming and nonsense. I've also heard that there have been some shady LSC parking lot meetings much in the style of the infamous Brooks College Prep LSC.

[Marty McGreal]

I went back to Curie this year to get away from controversy.

Ms. Jones is a great principal. She is dedicated, supportive of teachers, and honest among other things. The LSC is hell-bent on removing her this year. I believe her contract is up in October. I have been at a few LSC meetings, and it is terrible. The LSC is extremely disrespectful to her and the rest of the audience at these meetings. It is a circus.

As far as the reason, I’m not sure. I think there are a few. I don’t know if it is racial as much as it is a power trip for the LSC members orchestrating this move. I know there is an issue with an LSC member who wanted his company (or a relatives company) to get a few contracts at the school. When the principal did things the right way and didn’t give in to the extortion, they started this maneuvering to try and remove her.

I also see an individual from another school attending the LSC meetings. This person has been trying to get a principal position on the South side for a long time. I am quite suspicious that she may be behind all of this.

No matter what is motivating the LSC to do this, it has nothing to do with education or what is best for students.

[Marty McGreal]

One more thing. I believe there are two meetings scheduled this week: Wedenesday and Saturday. I will post exact times if anyone wold like to witness this first hand.

[George N Schmidt]

Talk to the people from Steinmetz, who figured out how to deal with a cranky LSC after a year of problems (and headline stories in the Pioneer Press).

The most important thing is not to let bullies take over.

Does anyone remember what happened to Walter Pilditch when he was principal at Curie? I remember some of the details, teachers liked him a lot, kids liked him, school was achieving, students and teachers fought to keep him despite pressure from Pershing Rd. Then Wilfredo Ortiz is in, Pilditch out. Lickity spilt. I think Vallas hand his hands in that one. I hope it works out for Mrs. Jones. The trouble with bullies is that they have that perverse bully energy (like conservatives and facists) that keeps them going 24/7, while the rest of us try to have lives and enjoy life.

who voted for LSC members?

how do you find out when a principal's contract will be up?

What is the problem? Why does the LSC dislike Mrs.Jones so much? She is a great principal and a dedicated one. The support she has from the teachers is one thing, but when the students show up at the meetings to support Mrs.Jones and they see the way the LSC is acting (crazy) what kind of message our they sending to our students at Curie. I think it is a very sad that adults must act this way. Have they forgotten what is important here?

That is exacly what they have forgotten. This is one of the problems of non-educators choosing a principal.

The two things that disturb me, a Curie teacher, most about the current LSC is their disrespect for Mrs. Jones, Curie staff and students as well as their visible dislike for following LSC legal procedures.

At the most recent LSC meeting, the LSC secretary began the meeting by mispronouncing Mrs. Jones's name... again. Next the LSC chair demanded that an additional exit from the meeting room be unlocked so that he and the other LSC members would have an "escape route" if necessary. He refused to allow points of interest from students, teachers and parents and went so far as to threaten to have a student arrested. How could an LSC that truly wanted what was best for students disrespect them, staff, parents and our principal in these ways?

In addition, the LSC's willingness to ignore LSC procedures to serve their agenda has been clear in their refusal during the 1/13/2007 meeting to accept documents for their evaluation of Mrs. Jones (such as teacher surveys, etc.) or to open the evaluation process and closed-door meetings to additional student, parent and teacher representatives. Although at the last meeting the LSC, likely realizing the increased scrutiny they are being given, began to try and give the illusion of following legal LSC procedures, it seems that they will quickly devolve back to extralegal procedures in their closed door meetings.

The list of LSC members posted above is not the present list.

Mrs. Jones is a great principal. Shame on these LSC members. Another reason to remove them. They should be suspended from the LSC. If a CPS employee is coming to these meeting and looking for Mrs. Jones' job, shame on her too. CPS should discipline this person. it is a shame. Mrs. Jones has done an outstanding job there.

Don't worry about Walter Pilditch. Vallas gave him an easy, high paying job in Accountability--almost making as much money as Hanson. And when he retired, got lots of money for his pension, for sick days and vacations days too. There is no gold parachute for Mrs. Jones.

[Carmen Marquez- Rivera]

I am in agreement with the post stating that thier was a person in the audience that has wanted a principalship for a long time sitting in the audience and she probably is their candidate. What most angers me is that the board personnel that is hired to be impartial, to state the rules, and monitor the proceedings seems to be on their side. Who provides the training for the members of the LSC? Where must these trainings take place? in a home? at the board? in the school? Who do they answer to? Does the buck stop with them?

[Carmen Marquez- Rivera]

OOPs! disrecard the spelling error their for there. Second language interference.

Who voted for the LSC? Who didn't vote?

Whatever the merits of this, I'm sure that PURE will support the LSC bullies.

The list of the current Local School Council members should actually read:

Tom Ramos Jr., Parent Representative and Chair

Norma Valle, Parent Representative and Secretary

Maria Cruz, Parent Representative

Otis Davis Jr., Parent Representative

Jose Gutierrez, Community Representative

Maria Lopez, Community Representative

Maria Macias, Parent Representative

Tomasa Ortiz, Parent Representative

Andrzej Derza, Teacher Representative

Wanda Szczepanik, Teacher Representative

Jerryelyn Jones, Principal

and Jennifer Lopez, Student Representative (however we should note that since the Board of Ed has not approved Jennifer yet, she has not been able to sit with the LSC as a formal representative of students' voices yet).

[ParentCommunityInvolvement]

Number of Votes Recieved (school with more than 3000 children)
Ramos --189
Valle --182
Ortiz --163
Cruz -- 116
Davis --112
Gutierrez --47
Lopez --42
Szczepanik --37
Derza --36

[Alexander]

just out of curiosity, who else besides the Board is supposed to get involved when LSCs go into crisis -- does CTU get involved, does the school's local community organization? is there an LSC intervention squad somewhere to help out?

The LSC is supposed to be elected REPRESENTATIVES from community and parents. I would suggest that members of those communities make their views known.

[JulieWoestehoff]

PURE supports the law and democracy. Our reputation in this is well known at CPS and in the schools.

That doesn't mean that we always like the results, but that's not PURE's call. The vote totals at Curie make it clear that more involvement could make a huge difference

Anyone who thinks CPS central office makes better principal selection decisions should take a close look at some of the interims out there (all CPS-appointed). Aldermen, state reps, and the occasional mega-church pastor who are attempting to exert greater influence over LSCs' principal selection now would have direct access if all principal selection were turned over to the Mayor's team.

LSCs do need more and better training. Unfortunately, there is almost no foundation or corporate support for independent LSC training.

[Concerned Parent]

I used to be on the council and I know that Tom Ramos Jr. is only there for personal gain. Mrs. Jones refused to allow him to take several members on a trip because it wasn't for student benefit. He wanted to spend money that was suppose to used by students. When he no longer had a child in school, he got guardianship of a relative so he could get Mrs. Jones out as principal. I wish the board of ed would get involved

[Alexander]

what does ramos have to gain, and who is the person who apparently wants jones' job?

Rita Hernandez looks like she is after Jones’ job. Hernandez was written up in featured articles in a few local papers last year. She is crying foul that she has not been hired as principal. She looks like she is now trying to take matters into her own hands. Having nothing to do with Curie, she has been in the front row of the last several LSC meetings.