Sunday, July 17, 2005

Goings on...

Just some quick notes...

Many of you are joining in the discussion, and we appreciate the dialogue. I think that this group is right on in saying that the parents are going to have to be the ones to push the district to fix the situation at VAPAC... Read the comments...

Black 47 reports that the district has said that they are going to be "doing something soon." However, we also share his suspicion that whatever the district devises might be too little too late...

At last count, Siegert, Spillman, Melcher and Kapp are all leaving the school to work elsewhere. Stratton has applied at Rosemont and other schools as well, but drama positions are in short supply in the district. Several other teachers are currently in the interview/application process with other schools and districts. It also looks as if some other key teachers/assistants in the drama department will be departing as well...

We, at this sight, maintain that the current administration has not only violated several key elements in their own charter, such as their claims to salary and the controversial vote of confidence in February, but has also obliterated any public trust with regard to the spending of public money and the well-being of this community's children.

On the salary situation, note the peculiar wording in the charter:

There will not be any changes in status for any of the certificated non-management and classified staff working at VAPAC Charter. Each person is currently a district employee and will remain a district employee under direct funding. There will not be any change in the district process for paying salary and benefits to either the general education staff or the Special Education staff. Our certificated non-management and classified staff will use the same salary and benefit schedule as their colleagues else ware in the district. The Board of Directors will determine the duties and compensation of unrepresentative staff members. Existing salary schedules will be used. At the expiration of the charter, unrepresentative staff members will assume their pre-charter school status, provided that there are vacancies in that classification. If none exist, the unrepresentative staff member will be assigned to an appropriate district position for which he/she is qualified. (p.36)

Last October, a parent wrote to the district with his concerns about this unusual arrangement. Here is what he wrote:

The district approved a charter where the VAPAC administration maintains their status as employees of the district but is allowed to create their own job descriptions and set their own salary.

Here is Joan Butt's (then district CFO) response:

VAPAC uses SCUSD employees and reimburses the district for the cost of their salaries and benefits. VAPAC employees work in accordance with SCUSD job descriptions and salary schedules.

Interesting response considering that the VAPAC administration not only refuses to acknowledge that they are SCUSD employees, but the district CFO surely knew about the exorbitant pay raises that they granted themselves.

To read the exchange, click the following links:

http://www.geocities.com/scusdwatch/jbuttresponse.htm

http://www.geocities.com/scusdwatch/originalletter.htm

Nevertheless, since the district maintains that the relationship between them and the VAPAC administration is employee/employer, we ask that the district, in keeping with this arrangement, fulfill their responsibility and hold their employees accountable for the failings of the school, the violations of the charter, and the numerous parent complaints.

Additionally, it looks bad for the district to allow one of its charter schools to continually violate the terms of its charter with impunity. And the district continues to ask the community to give them the privilege to grant more charters when they have shown that they cannot or will not police effectively when serious problems arise.

Just what is the school board's responsibility? We hope that they move swiftly and decisively to restore a modicum of respectability to their office and a bit of faith with the public...

17 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

i didnt know kapp was leaving.
he was allways talking about sports for next year and next school year in general.
but it doesnt supprise me if he is.

rainbowhale

18/7/05 02:06  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i've heard that fox is probably going to. Why should any of us go back? I know I won't.

18/7/05 07:04  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So it is definite that Mr. Kapp is leaving and will not be back in September? SCUSD has not had a Chief Financial Officer since Joan Butt left last December. They just replaced her with a someone named Tom Berantson (I think that is how he spells his name). Do a Google search on his name. Actually just read the press release the district put out on him. I think it is an option on the scusd homepage. Please let the parents know if more teachers are leaving.

18/7/05 09:10  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi All,
1) The district has scheduled a meeting with the DLC's for next week. I'll be leaving town next Thursday for about a week, but will try to find out the results of this meeting and post them before I leave.

2) I have heard that the following teachers have left; Siegert, Melchor, Kapp, Sirard, Fox, and Spillman. And as has been mentioned here, Mr. Stratton is looking. If he leaves that means that basically the entire English staff is gone, as well as drama. As a side note then 3 of the 4 teachers (if Stratton leaves) that were eligible to participate in the Vote of Confidence have voted with their feet to leave which can hardly be a real vote of confidence.

3) Some of you may have read the article on Page 1 of today's (July 20) Bee which indicates that the district will have to build a new Sac Hi in the attendance area of the old Sac Hi. When you file your complaints with the district remind them that they are responsible for the closing of Sac Hi which has led us to the current VAPAC fiasco.

Keep up the pressure, make WRITTEN complaints to the district about VAPAC. Most of us that have made complaints have also emphasized to the district our support of the VAPAC program, just not the incompetent DLC administration.

BTW, the new district CFO (Berantson?) doesn't seem to have the proper qualifications according to the districts own job description, but that is only my opinion.

If you have time, you might want to consider coming to this week's SCUSD Board meeting Thursday evening at the Serna Center and make comments during the public comment period. The meeting ought to have some entertainment value as the district will be discussing the new Sac Hi survey and the districts more recent fiasco at the Success Academy, and a new home for The Met.

Black47

20/7/05 12:00  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thankfully I don't go to Vapac anymore, but all I can say is without those teachers the school won't function. Kapp ran evrything as far as school dances and spirit activities. Melchor and Siegert were two of the best teachers I've ever had in my entire life,and probably will ever have, and even though I didn't have a class with spillman, my friends who work with her say she's awesome, and she was always nice to me. Whats up with Stratton trying to teach at another place? It seemes like he never had problems with the dlcs like everyone else did.

20/7/05 21:27  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't blame any of the teachers for leaving. Kapp needs to have a good job and who knows what will happen at vapac. I think he wanted thigns to be better but knew that without the other teachers things would get worse. Good luck to all of the great teachers i had who are going to another school next year.

20/7/05 21:40  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mr. Fox is not leaving. Another teacher called Mr. Fox who was very surprised by the news posted on this blog.
The De la Cuestas are not good about giving parents information. It would be nice if the information posted on this site, at least about specific teachers leaving VAPAC, was accurate, since the DLCs are so unwilling to post anything on their website. So at least as far as Mr. Fox is concerned the rumors are not true.

21/7/05 08:29  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So, with all of the job openings, why aren't there any job postings at vapac? Waiting until the last minute is just another sign of really bad management.

26/7/05 08:51  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

They have to wait until August 1 to post the positions. They are afraid that they'll get a teacher that won't be part of their team. It's called the Surplus game or administration hiding positions from the union. I'm sure they'll hire new teachers out of school who will go with their style of school management. I wish them good luck and I had a great time at VAPAC teaching the finest students at Sacramento City Unified.

26/7/05 16:52  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Did anyone from VAPAC get there grades?
i havent yet and my mother kinda wants to know why.

-RainboWhale.

1/8/05 22:37  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't know of anyone who has gotten a report card at this point. I have called and called and noboby answers. My Mom and I have gone by there and nobody lets us in. (Even when both little black cars are there!). Does anyone know what the hell is going on? Do we call someone at the district or at this point should we go to the state dept of ed? I need my grades and a copy of my transcript for my new school.

2/8/05 16:39  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, I'm having the same issue. If someone can post who we should file a complaint with at the district office and the state dept that would be great. My parents will do both.

2/8/05 16:42  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The person to contact about what is wrong at VAPAC is the charter oversight person. Her name is Amari Watkins. Her phone number is (916) 643-7838. Her email is amari-watkins@sac-city.k12.ca.us . The mailing address is 5735 47th Ave., Sacramento 95824. The best thing to do is either email her or write a letter. You need a paper trail. If you have access to a fax machine you could fax a letter to her at: (916) 643-2190. Good luck. We haven't received grades either.

3/8/05 12:46  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

kapp is GONE. my aunt works for the district and told me he resignd. she also told me that the school has posted a stagecraft job so that must mean that fox is gone to.

i don't want to go back now. i already told my mom. fox sigert melcher and kapp were the only ones who watched the kids and detention to. i don't feel safe because the dlcs wont hepl kids who get picked on adn dont even walk around at lunch.

5/8/05 07:44  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

the dlc's care about themselves only. they didn't want a school to help the kids/students they wanted a school to put money in their pockets and 10% of the schools general fund at that. They need to resign or the district needs to fire them.

5/8/05 18:57  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I did hear about a parent that happened to drive by when one of the Mercedes were parked in the lot and was able to go in and get their student's transcript for college.

Evidently, the school has hired some temp Manpower employees to enter data.

This parent also mentioned there were fireman there and they were testing the alarms, and the AC was shut off for some reason.

I would recommend going by the school to see if you could get lucky too.

Black47

5/8/05 19:50  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I dont care what the district says, I am a former VAPAC employee. I never worked within my job discription, it was never re-written by VAPAC. I lost countless hours of sleep worrying about my job their. Concerned about the safety of students. THe DLC's are ruining what was supposed to be a great experience for their students. A one of a kind school in Sacramento with two nut cases for management, what a shame. I would never advise anyone to attend that school, I would not advise anyone to work at that school. Why are students still attending this hell hole? Thats the big question, I got out as soon as I could. Shouldn't you?

30/9/05 09:39  

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