Monday, August 19, 2013

Money, Money, Money

The new superintendent has a plan to reorganize central office. It's going to cost the taxpayers! I wonder how the Board feels a out his plans now?

According to an article on Nancy on Norwalk


• Changing the title of the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction to either deputy superintendent or assistant superintendent for schools. This is Tony Daddona’s position, and the change would carry no salary increase. It would, however, more aptly describe his reconfigured position as he would assume many of the day-to-day administrative duties currently landing on the superintendent’s desk. Rivera said that, as he needs to devote the majority of his time to major changes in the system that include the Core Curriculum implementation, Daddona would be called upon to handle day-to-day tasks along with “other major responsibilities.”
• Convert the chief operating officer position to chief business officer to oversee facilities, finance and accounting (including chief finance officer Rich Rudl), budget, transportation and food services. Information and technology and human resources would become direct reports to Rivera. The CBO would begin Nov. 1. This position would pay $160,000, down from $173,222.
• The chief human resource officer would report to the superintendent instead of the COO. The position would be enhanced “in keeping with new developments (i.e., professional standards, performance appraisal systems and other duties).” Start date would be Nov. 1. Salary would be $155,000, up from $144,776.
• Convert the current IT director position to chief for technology, innovation and partnerships, a direct-report to the superintendent. This is another significantly enhanced role, Rivera said, with responsibilities including partnership building and management, strategic planning and systems development, driving technology related to innovations and other duties. Start date would be ASAP. Salary $175,000, up from $162,590.
• A communication officer: This new position would assume multiple duties ranging from increasing and improving the quality of internal and external communications, public relations and marketing to conducting research and assisting with planning, administrative follow-up and other duties. This position would begin Nov.1 and is based on an $87,938 annual salary.
• Standards, quality control and assessment: Rivera termed this a “placeholder” in the agenda document. It is a position he would like to fill in the near future or possibly next year and is envisioned, he said, as akin to a chief academic officer, a dedicated lead person to assure the curriculum is rolled out and implemented “with fidelity” and that “we begin to instill district-wide standards of excellence and greater quality control.” The position would oversee Common Core implementation, professional development, assessment and relate initiatives “that will require undivided time and attention.” Not budgeted at this time.

9 comments:

  1. Central office needs clean up and reorganization after all of the 'resignations' this past year. In order to better support the schools. IMHO...Bring it ON! HR still hasn't been cleaned up since the Fay Rutolo days.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Has anyone wondered what is left for Rivera to do if Daddona is doing the work on Rivera's desk and Rivera wants a Chief Academic Officer as well?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Elementary schools are still suffering. I don't care how good a public relations guru is, she can't gloss over the problems the schools have.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Interesting how a change in job descriptions for other positions includes a raise in salary, but the Deputy/Asst Superintendent, who inherits the major responsibilities of Superintendent, stays the same. I know the position already carries a hefty salary, but I am simply pointing out how strange that appears. The new IT Chief isn't even hired yet and the salary increased to a level that seems quite expensive. Where is the logic behind this?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Corda was bad, Marks was bad and now Rivera. School hasn't even started yet. Good grief folks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Look, the fact is taxpayers don't feel comfortable to have someone walk into a job and start to reorganize before sitting back and observing how the system operates. It is costly! Hopefully the reorganization isn't meant to bring in 'old friends' (a la Corda). Of course there are questions about what will work, what might not... Maybe Rivera is right, maybe not. It is quite early though for him to draw conclusions. School hasn't even started. He has hardly warmed up his chair. Taxpayers, staff, etc. want progress. BUT they also want to have their reactions to proposals heard. Those who back Rivera without questions are naive and, in my opinion, out of touch with reality. Our past superintendents have been disasters. Believe me. Most of you had no idea what was going on.

      Delete
  6. Still I ask, where is all the money coming from? Librarians were cut by hours and benefits, some secretaries have lost hours resulting in a lesser paycheck. We can pay interim past employees HUGE amounts of money while they collect their HUGE pensions. This is wrong!! Again where is all this money coming from?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hmmm...IT Director job gets a boost in salary and now reports to Superintendent. When the new guy or gal comes on board lets see if there ever was a connection. Just saying.

    ReplyDelete
  8. @Norwalk Hour--- If Rivera, who will be paid $220,000 with $30,000 to be put into referral accounts, hits certain criteria, he could be one of the state's highest paid school chiefs, with performance-based bonuses putting him over the top.

    ReplyDelete