As the District Churns

Just got word that as Lesley Rogers comes in to the district as the new head of Communications, long-time Communications manager Patti Spencer-Watkins is leaving.   Her last day is tomorrow.  

Here is a list, for future reference, of who handles what in Communications:

Paige Hatcher, 206 252 0200, pihatcher@seattleschools.org - general inquiries about communications support

Teresa Wippel, 206 252 0203, tewippel@seattleschools.org - media or communications planning advice; support for principals

Robert Teodosio, 206 252 0104, roteodosio@seattleschools.org - web, publications, logo queries

Bev Shanahan, 206 252 0200, bshanahan@seattleschools.org - principal communicator

Comments

cascade said…
What the hell title is "principal communicator"? See my previous comment on Chief Talent Officer.

That's a lot of people in Communications. Let's see them do something useful other than swanning at district meetings.

As to Patti SW leaving. Thank you for your service, but it was time. Onward.
3/30/11, 10:14 AM
cascade said…
"Logo queries" = Ditto.
3/30/11, 10:15 AM
none1111 said…
I understand that SPS is very much like a large company, with many employees and "customers". But doesn't 5 people dedicated to communications in a school district seem excessive? Seems like this is one place where some effort could be made to move from 9%->6%

Not my field though, does anyone work in communications or a related field that would care to comment?
3/30/11, 10:39 AM
Kathy said…
Our schools are suffering. Why do we have 5 people in communications?
3/30/11, 10:55 AM
Charlie Mas said…
I always presumed that one of the points of the new web site ($700,000 in spending during a budget crisis), was that it would make it easy for each department to upload their documents themselves.

If the District is going to be open and transparent then it doesn't need many folks to shape the message; it can just make the data and the internal documents public.
3/30/11, 10:57 AM
Anonymous said…
And that's what $575K in FTE salaries will buy ya.

grumpy
3/30/11, 10:58 AM
Anonymous said…
including bennies

grumpy
3/30/11, 10:59 AM
Anonymous said…
Argggh! The same ten people complain about everything. Really, do you like anything? It's really an unhealthy obsession some of you have with this stuff. Do as you will. And yes, as you always say, I will stop reading.

One piece of advice: Lay off the district people. It's a little over the top and minimizes any valid points that are sometimes raised on here.

-Sick of complainers.
3/30/11, 11:48 AM
Anonymous said…
Sick of complainers, light a little candle, will ya?

jeebus
3/30/11, 11:54 AM
Melissa Westbrook said…
"Lay off the district people."

Two word - Silas Potter.

When life is on track and under control in the district, I'll be glad to lay off. Until then, not going to happen.

If Pottergate didn't help you understand the dysfunction in the district, I don't know what will.
3/30/11, 12:05 PM
another mom said…
"...Lay off the district people. It's a little over the top and minimizes any valid points that are sometimes raised on here."

What are you talking about? I see nothing here that is over the top. A few questions about the best use of our tax dollars has you bugged? Please, elaborate -me thinks a nerve has been struck here.
3/30/11, 12:10 PM
ArchStanton said…
-Sick of complainers.

I'm not sure if you are being intentionally ironic, or not, but:

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. ;-)
3/30/11, 12:12 PM
Chris S. said…
Sick of complainers, do you have a child in a crowded classroom or a crowded school? It's not about the district people per se, but rather the specter of other desperately-needed things those resources could be used for.
3/30/11, 12:51 PM
Charlie Mas said…
Sick of complainers' comment comes quickly on the heels of LouiseM's comment in another thread (also about the District's Communications department) that wishes to discredit this blog as a bunch of disgruntled kvetchers and nitpickers who are never happy about anything.

The complaining that was so objectionable here was "Why do we have 5 people in communications?"

Gosh! How harsh and unreasonable! I guess there's just no pleasing some people.
3/30/11, 12:54 PM
Couple more words said…
I'd like to add a few more words to Melissa's "Silas Potter":

1. Fred Stephens

2. Internal Auditor

Possibly:

3. General Counsel
3/30/11, 1:18 PM
Anonymous said…
Seattle is not that large of an area.

Somehow our Seattle Ed blog seems to attract a lot of traffic and it's just me and Sue, part time at best.

Why are 4 people needed to handle communications?!

We have schools that are trying to figure out where to cut. Will it be the librarian or a teacher? And there are 4 people handling "Communications" within SPS?

We need to cut this administration in half.

There is this big push in Olympia for principals to manage their own schools. If that's the case, then we don't need at least half of central district.

Just because someone works for SPS doesn't mean that they are entitled to a lifetime job. In this economy no one is.
3/30/11, 9:39 PM
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