Sup Says He Will Donate Half of Raise Back (Just for this Year)
New attachment to the BAR, Nyland's letter at end of attachments.
I am ceding my speaker time to Sarah Sense Wilson, a leader in the Native American parent community tonight but in my prepared remarks I stated I was puzzled. Because weeks ago, one director had said that they wouldn't be considering any kind of raise/extension until AFTER the State of the District and the release of the District Scorecard. Neither thing has happened.
SPS parents have to pay for basic supplies.
The district can't afford ORCA cards for RBHS students who truly want to be at school on time.
Maintenance can't even set the clocks in all the school to be on time.
Is anyone really impressed with his offer? I'm not.
I am ceding my speaker time to Sarah Sense Wilson, a leader in the Native American parent community tonight but in my prepared remarks I stated I was puzzled. Because weeks ago, one director had said that they wouldn't be considering any kind of raise/extension until AFTER the State of the District and the release of the District Scorecard. Neither thing has happened.
SPS parents have to pay for basic supplies.
The district can't afford ORCA cards for RBHS students who truly want to be at school on time.
Maintenance can't even set the clocks in all the school to be on time.
Is anyone really impressed with his offer? I'm not.
Comments
reader47
Regardless of whether I think he's done a good job, I don't, or whether anything that's happened in the district says that he deserves a raise, it hasn't, or if there's more than enough to go around, there isn't, or even if comparing the Seattle schools to NYC and San Francisco is reasonable, I don't think it is, $289,878.75 is an insane BASE SALARY to be paying for someone who self-identified as a temporary (3-years-only) employee and refuses to hold anyone accountable.
I'm sure this is just ONE of the wonderful things the outgoing board is going to push through before the new folks take over. Just a final F-U on the way out the door.
stu
reader47
How about just foregoing it all together - now that would send the right message to SPS families and school staff - that we are all in this together, that we are all operating under financial constraints, and that no one person at SPS currently has performed their job so superbly that they need to be rewarded in this manner.
Is Nyland so out of touch with the common folk, with the families his district serves, with taxpayers who've seen the teachers strike, the staffing reassigment/cuts, and other recent district missteps that he believes that we will not begrudge him his raise. Well, we will begrudge him the raise, whether it's half or the full amount. We do not think he deserves it and nothing will convince us otherwise.
It will just be another black mark against the district and the outgoing board who will not hold the administration accountable fiscally or policy-wise.
How about does not accept it or gives back the FULL raise so that perhaps I don't have to buy pencils for the school half way through the year when they run out or send in paper towels! I bet they never run out of stationary at the JSCEE! That money could cover a lot of stationary and supplies for our school.
my 2 cents
This business of "I appreciate the recognition and the need to keep Seattle's salary competitive for future superintendents" is flim-flam. How does raising the super's salary now affect how much they pay the next super? Nothing stops them from paying the next super more than they are paying Nyland, or even less than they are paying him. And if raising his salary did lock them into higher salaries the next time around? Even more reason to not do so hastily, geez!
But let's give them the benefit of the doubt, that only the act of raising Nyland's salary now will allow them to offer a competitive salary to the next super some day. Why donate back half then? Why not all of it? If they give him the raise, but he donates it back, they have still raised the salary, thus, by their logic, keeping Seattle's salary competitive for future superintendents. The only reason I can see to keep half is because he is a person who can't stand to lose, and he thinks donating it all back would be like losing, whether he "needs" the money or not. (A little bird who flies close to the JCSEE nest may have described this exact personality trait for Nyland...) Really, this is such a small, petty, begrudging offer. A real leader would go all in for his colleagues, families, and students.
reader47
All in the district had previously been operating under the assumption that Mr. Nyland would be working as Superintendent through June 2017. There was little controversy about his June 2017 departure.
Now from the language in the SBAR:
Not provide a contract extension. This is not recommended because the Board is granting this extension based on the Superintendent’s performance and historically an extension has been granted when the Superintendent’s performance matches the Board’s expectation. To not grant an extension would signal his likely departure in 18 months and this could create organizational and senior leadership instability.
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So Directors Carr and Peaslee, who had previously believed that Nyland would be leaving in June 2017, find that the organization they will not be directing could suffer organizational and senior leadership instability, if his contract is not extended.
Interesting thought but is it believable?
Would it not be best to leave a decision of this magnitude to the incoming directors after an evaluation of the superintendent? Why the destabilizing rush? Is there some needed stability this rushed extension will create?
The two directors responsible for this SBAR, by their action, may well be responsible for "organizational and leadership instability". To Deny the incoming board the opportunity to evaluate the superintendent and decide on a contract extension of its only employee seems disrespectful of both the voters and the new board.
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historically .... When it comes to history and looking at past SPS leadership, it would be a good idea to learn from history and strike out on a new path.
-- Dan Dempsey
(1) Nyland is not going or staying based on salary.
(2) The board can determine advertised salary for recruiting a new superintendent. The board is not bound by the salary of an outgoing superintendent in recruiting a new superintendent. It can be hired or lower.
(3) There is no need to raise Nyland salary or extend his contract this month.
This SBAR is pathetic. I wonder if Directors Carr and/or Peaslee would care to respond? Or better yet how about a response from the staff that actually wrote this SBAR?
-- Dan Dempsey
Unimpressed.
By the way, did you know that the number of higher-ups who get car allowances has been growing? I know some need to travel around the district quite a bit, so they do need a car, but it would be interesting to see what percentage of their time is spent at JSCEE vs. on the road in their taxpayer-funded wheels. Hey, it's Seattle, can't we just give them a bike allowance instead?
appalled and wondering
We live in a management society. The working class isn't going to get anything they don't demand. Our last strike was pitiful. And now we teachers have lost those few days that we all spend catching up, correcting papers, and planning ahead. Our union is out of touch or perhaps high school and middle school teachers are out of touch. Elementary teachers are too busy being doormats to have time to become active.
Three of us were discussing that today. One is a teacher with a few years of experience and is already thinking about leaving the profession. The other is an experienced teacher but new to Seattle who wonders what she got herself into in Seattle.
And parents, you keep asking for more. Honestly, most of us are doing the best we can under tyrannical overpaid principals. From my perspective, Dave was one of the good ones. But then I don't teach at QAE. So who knows.
It was an introduction item. The action item vote will be in two weeks is my guess.
Maybe since Ms. McLaren campaigned that district needed Nyland and she then got 25% of the vote, Marty will vote against the extension and raise at this time. This vote would, in a sane world, be the next board's business.
-- Dan Dempsey
Whoops, didn't add link above to this great article from BAT (bad ass teachers)
Tresanos, good for you. I'm sure you're the best teacher and I envy your ability to do it all. But, your link reminds me of teachers lounges of long ago. Nobody in my school has time to go to the teacher lounge. In fact, it was taken over by an IA in sped a couple of years ago.
-SPS Parent
-SPS Parent
Nyland's "success" metric is sadly the same. The bottom line is the Board has gotten a superintendent butt to sit in a superintendent seat for more than 18 months.
For that he is getting an extension and raise.
Nyland's leadership beyond sitting in that seat lacks across the spectrum. Pick one leadership trait or district priority accomplishment and he rarely rises, to put it in SBAC terms, to 'proficient' status.
The extension and raise is offensive. The new board won't be able to undo the contract but they can, and I believe will, make things much more uncomfortable for central staff. Nyland will have to get his butt out of his seat and answer to Board priorities. Either he and his mediocre at best upper management can get with the program of serving our student and teacher needs in the classroom as the highest priority, or our community can help the Board move forward with getting rid of many of those seats - downsizing - as well as moving the majority of those upper management butts right on out of Central. Including Nyland's.
Seen It
McLaren ran on her ability to continue SPS stability and praised Mr. Nyland as an extremely capable superintendent. She received 25% of the vote.
What thinking is behind any directors voting for an extension or pay raise at this time. What is the rush?
-- Dan Dempsey