Friday, July 13, 2012

BIG NEWS

Dr. Susan Marks resigns as Norwalk Public Schools superintendent

37 comments:

  1. She guts the system due to her total lack of experience and then goes home with her tail between her legs. Good riddance to bad rubbish. Now let's look forward to her hallellujia choir (on the BOE and in the Apples) learning to keep their mouths shut in the pews. They need to talk and condemn less in blind service of their savior so they can open their ears and learn something from the public they represent and the professionals who know education! Can I get an Amen?

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  2. Amen and HALLELULIAH! We got rid of her and hope the Apples go with her. I won't even wave to them on the way out!

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  3. Time to hire from within. Time to give Daddona a chance. Those of you who dislike him do so for the very reason he should be hired. He is demanding on people. He actually wants what is best for the system. You may not want to give in to his demands, but he will clean up the mess left behind. At least put him in as interim superintendent. See what he can do. You naysayers who so desperately wanted Susan Marks, you were certainly wrong with that choice! So bring it on, call him names, say how much you hate him! It makes him look all the better!

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  4. The whole unfortunate part of this is we will now have to spend money to do a nationwide search for a new superintendent AND a principal replacement for Nathan Hale. I agree with 1:49, give Daddona a chance at interim, he did well holding Norwalk high together. If he does a good job then hire him as the next superintendent...Daddona has an advantage over all other outside candidates, he is fully aware of the current situation and he can hit the ground running and do what is best for our children...

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  5. Sorry Daddona fans, but the man is a number one SNITCH.
    He spends his time crying to his BoE buddies (like Jack and Rosa) and feeding info to Shirley Mosby.
    He violated more of Marks' confidences than anyone could imagine. That's not a guy who should be a number one.

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  6. Those of you who are championing Daddona have to be extremely burned out about the education scene in Norwalk. He is just another guy ready to retire with a big pension enhanced very well in the last ten years by the taxpayers of the city. There is no need to give this guy the "brass ring" now. He got the gold medal a long time ago. This town has to get out of the "old superintendent" malaise. Think about the last 5-6 people that have graced that office (actual or interim)--all so-called "experienced educators". It's a joke. Ralph Sloan could come back now and still be fresher than what we have had in the last 15 years. So-- Marks, Corda, Herbert, et. al. get to escape into that good night, and what has happened to the achievement of our kids? It's time to take a real serious look into the selection process for superintendent. Norwalk needs a current, progressive voice for our kids. Unfortunately, what we need is diametrically opposed to the body politic and the creepy (for lack of a better word) special interest agendas that pervade our city. The only person that knew she wasn't dead in the water before she started was Susan Marks. Think about that before the next person decides to take the job.

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  7. The only thing that most of us would probably agree on is that the Norwalk Schools have been on the butt of their behinds for over 10 years. No leadership at the top, which does not exclude the name Daddona. A BOE that has been weak and ineffective. A BOE that has consistently given away the store in contracts with the teachers and administrators unions. A city government that has by design help destroy the public school system in Norwalk by its own actions. These are the people that need to start taking full and complete responsibility for the dismal state of affairs we now face. Not the classroom teachers & aides. Not the janitors and maintenance men & women. Not the central office employees, or the library clerks, or the security people. We will continue to hear them blame the underfunding by the State as the problem. They will continue to blame everyone but themselves. The school system in Norwalk has been so badly damaged by the BOE and City government that I don't see it coming back to life for many years to come, if ever.

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  8. The last two interims were jokes. Pappalload's mission was to protect Faye, Dan Cook and make sure his boy, Tony Daddona, was considered for Superintendent. The other Stamford has-been, Mike Nast, was no better. He was the guy that stuck Norwalk with Faye Ruotolo for an extra year weeks before Marks arrived.
    But as long as the Mayor protects his boys and makes them chairman, we won't have any real leadership. A strong chairman could have helped Marks- but no, the last two clowns just rubber stamped what she wanted, kept their blinders on and made sure that Daddona was protected.

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  9. Right on 2:55am. No more interim flunkies, losers or has beens from Stamford. Let them go screw up another school district for a change. Any candidate with any kind of connection to Stamford should be automatically disqualified.

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  10. There they are, the people who supported Susan Marks and hate Daddona. I knew they would be here. Most of them are Apples and they know Daddona will mop the floor with them Scared, are we? You won't have control anymore? That is exactly why someone who knows what these Apples and their friends have done to ruin the school system is the one who needs to be appointed interim. Clean them up and get rid of them, Daddona! Otherwise they rise to power again with an unknown from out of town.

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  11. You forgot about the Daddona haters in central office who are worried that he will hold them accountable. He is known for going after people up there. No one wants change in a system that has no accountability,, therefore staff will not want Daddona as the interim. He held staff accountable at Norwalk High and cleaned up that mess. Sometimes messages that show contempt have a hidden message! I vote for accountability!

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  12. Susan Marks' biggest mistake was to align herself with the Apples. Get rid of bad apples and bring in the Asst. Supt. to handle them. The Apples will undoubtedly not want him, since they have tried their best to ruin him. Watch the Apples go crazy if his name is brought up.

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  13. I'm not sure who the Apples are and what they represent, or advocate. Is it a formal organization with membership, leadership and an agenda? Something like the Tea Party, but only involved with Norwalk education?

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    1. Something like that. They have a website. Sue Haynie is the ringleader who seems to want to get rid of Mr. Daddona the most. She was Susan Marks attachment at the hip!

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  14. Enough already! Call in the state and put these various NPS faction ringleaders on administrative leave.

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  15. WOW.....I pulled up their website.....pretty scary stuff. Another bunch of know-it-alls, that have nothing better to do with their lifes. They have a perfect little house, on a perfect little street, filled with perfect little kids, drive a fancy SUV and really wished they lived in Westport, Wilton, New Cannan or Darien.

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  16. Yes, they are the worst of the know-it-alls. They have really destroyed the school system. Whoever takes over for Susan Marks needs to clean up a real mess.....and I don't even know if it is possible to clean it up! We need an insider who knows what needs to be done, and we need him STAT. Tony Daddona is my choice.

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  17. Big problem for Daddona is he's not a LEADER. Look at how he never takes a stand. Come on, gang, he is silent about the crazy Core Knowledge b.s. that King Mike Lyons wants Norwalk to adopt. Daddona also did a lousy job evaluating principals- he has held no one accountable ever.
    He was the ring leader who tried to get rich of Auto Shop at Norwalk High School- bad move that would have hurt lots of kids.
    Finally ask yourself where he's been during Marks' mismanagement over the past 2 years- I haven't seen him trying to fix anything?

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    1. You are so wrong! He definitely opposed Core Knowledge and absolutely holds principals accountable. It is a fact that evaluations are confidential. You have no idea what you are talking about. I have heard comments from administrators who were not well evaluated by him. As for the mismanagement over the last two years, blame Marks. She made the decisions and aligned herself with the Apples. She wouldn't listen to anyone else! Once again, someone trying to tarnish the reputation of a good candidate.....perhaps you are a member of the Apples or even a person who was poorly evaluated by Daddona? Sure, deny it....as 'anonymous' how would we know?

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    2. Oh the wonders that you'll see
      if you're an assistant superintendent named Tony.
      Blame is something for his bosses
      But you can't blame him for their losses.
      He harasses staff and makes them cry
      To call it "accountability" is a lie!

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    3. You seriously took time to compose a poem to answer me? Okay...
      You speak in generalities. Why don't you give a specific example of how he makes staff cry? Or don't you have anything to back up your stories?
      Apples, Apples! They never give up!

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    4. Actually, no one could make the staff at central office cry....Unless they were afraid someone might really make them work! Then they would cry harassment so that they wouldn't be bothered again. They are all a piece of work!

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  18. I'm not the poet- just someone who's been around far too long (and I'm not an employee).
    Lots of legitimate reasons- none APPLE related- to think that Daddona is not a good choice for interim. What's so funny is that he has support from at least 7 BoE members- Marks' cheerleaders and critics. I don't know how many of them would want him in charge.
    When he was in charge of Norwalk High, there were gang problems that he chose to ignore.
    As the Asst. Supt., he's been responsible for evaluating the middle school principals and the high school principals. Loads of problems at Ponus suggest that he has done little to effectively evaluate principals.
    He's been responsible for overseeing Academically Talented and Social Studies. Can anyone explain what he's done to improve those programs? Elementary AT is floundering-- it is not a structured curriculum like you find at the middle schools.
    He is in charge of curriculum. But, has he ever said anything about the all the time that has been wasted looking at Core Knowledge. That program gets poor results in diverse student populations.
    He is notorious for violating confidences. Ask him how many times he ran to FORMER BOARD MEMBERS, or to his protectors, with distortions about budget proposals?
    Look at how poorly he handled the situation at Nathan Hale. Instead of working to try to make the program comply, he chose to end it. Did he think of the kids who would have their schedules changed? Did he think of the kids who were thriving in that program? Nope- but he did try to embarrass a principal he never liked.
    Have you ever heard him give a straight answer when he's asked a question about the budget? That would be because he doesn't.
    He want after the teacher in the auto shop program at Norwalk High and tried to eliminate his job- it was all personal even when it was going to hurt lots of kids.
    Now, he wants to be in charge to take vendettas out on everyone else.

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    1. It's interesting that you seem to think you know so much. As an employee, I can tell you that you are really wrong. I can't imagine who is feeding you these lies and distortions. It must be a very disgruntled person who lost her position. Or maybe you are that person! Now you are jealous that the Board backs the person you love to backstab? Get a life!

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  19. Before we talk about replacements, shouldn't we talk about what went wrong with Marks?
    Is there anything we could learn from the experience?

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    1. She didn't know what she was doing....inexperience, lack of knowledge about the workings of unions.....no leadership....made friends with the wrong people, ignored her staff...didn't have a clue about budgets.....

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  20. Let's be honest, folks -- it might be a while before a suitable candidate for superintendent appears. If you are an aspiring superintendent, would you really want Norwalk to be your first attempt at the position? They'd get eaten alive. If it's someone with experience, it would need to be someone who really wants a challenge...how many of those candidates are out there? Dare we say it might be another out-of-towner (or out of stater) who has no idea of what they are getting into?

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    1. So what do we do? leave it to the likes of mellion, ditrio and moore?

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  21. It appears that we need a pit bull, with apologies to those who know that pit bulls can be very nce dogs. That said, we need someone who knows the score, knows who has to be tamed and who has to go. We need someone who has worked within the system and who knows the legalities of what can and can not be done. It will take time, because in most cases there is no paper trail that will topple the evil empire that has been built. We need someone who knows exactly how to weaken the opponents who resist change. We need an interim who is not afraid to make a commotion. BUT most importantly, we need a strong enough Board who will not back down when the Interim Superintendent needs their support.

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  22. The 10:29 comment is admirable, but will never happen in Norwalk. The die has been cast. Interims never come in to make a "commotion". They are merely conciliatory placeholders, for the most part. The only help would be someone who was controversial in another district and wants to be controversial again, and walk away after setting the table for the new ass kicker. Can anyone envision this BOE doing that, with Mr. Ex-Officio breathing down their necks? Hardly. A real question seems to be this: How much longer will some of the "problem" people continue to hang on and continue to do damage to the district? Many are well past time for retirement, but as we have learned, Norwalk has become the haven for raking it in during those "golden years"--especially if you once worked in Stamford. You want instant controversy? Make Daddona the superintendent.

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  23. Time for all of you to stop suggesting who should or who should not be the Interim Superintendent. You all desperately wanted Susan Marks and that was a huge mistake. Time for the Board of Education to choose and see what happens. We are lucky if anyone would take the Interim position!, for heavens sake. No one walks on water. Get used to it!

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  24. 3:39--Dorothy, keep clicking your heels. You are definitely not in Kansas anymore. Lucky if anyone takes the interim position? So it comes to luck, huh? Maybe the BOE should all go to Foxwoods for a retreat, and Capt. Jack can do a tutorial at the craps table. Lucky? For heaven sake......

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  25. There is a serious lack of trust anymore....in anyone associated with the Norwalk Public Schools. Outside candidates appear to be so much more qualified than our home grown candidates, but guess what? That gets you Corda or Marks or even Herbert. Not one of them was successful! What did we learn? Nothing! I give full support to Daddona.

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  26. Your camaign for dadonna is a little bit of overkill, don't you think. Tell us your argument for the difference between being the AS versus the Super. He's already been in charge of curriculum and instruction and the principals have thumbed their noses at him.

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    1. I know who you are. I am not the person you are writing to, but it seems to me that you are the one who spends her life campaigning against Tony Daddona. It's as obvious as can be!

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  27. Thank you all for the hearty chuckles- - -
    You claim that the Apples don't support Daddona, but they support Angry Jack and he supports Daddona, plus the Mayor supports the ultimate in puppet superintendents (a guy with such a flexible conscious he probably was baptized at St. Gumby's). If Haynie is the Mayor's new girl, then chances are she'll come over to supporting him too.
    But now for the really big question, will all the Board-bashers demand allegiance to Tony D. the way they required a blood oath for the Rookie? If he's the superintendent, then everybody should support him, too, right? Or do you think they'll be a different set of rules?

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