NORWALK — The Norwalk Board of Education has selected Dr. Manuel J. Rivera as its new superintendent of schools, according to press release sent Monday afternoon by the BOE. -THE HOUR
So this is possibly a 60-61 year old who is looking to retire in Norwalk? Or will he only stay 3-5 years as he did in most of his positions? Do we know why he moved around so much? What about Edison Schools? Wasn't that a total failure? Please correct me if I am wrong!
Great credentials. Solid results in Rochester. Plus, government and private sector experience. People who knew him when he lived in Norwalk have nothing but good things to say about him. If the vote brings together the two factions ("Haters" v. "Status Quo"), then we'll know that this BOE can work together when the chips are down.
Edison's educational and financial performance has been the subject of criticism. Despite initial promises of costs reductions client districts reported higher costs for their Edison schools.[11] Edison's claims about academic improvement failed to live up to the company's promises. A July 2002 New York Times analysis of Edison's claims found that the troubled Cleveland, Ohio, school system achieved higher gains than Edison's schools when analyzed with the methodology Edison applied to its own schools' achievement.[12]-Wikipedia
Former Superintendent Manny Rivera provided top-level administrators with more than $164,000 in bonuses and salary increases without ample documentation;
A bad grade for the Rochester City School District means bad news for city taxpayers. The audit was done by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
DiNapoli says it shows a lack of oversight between 2002 and 2006 allowed former superintendent Manny Rivera to grant more than $164,000 in documented bonuses and raises and $36-million dollars to be paid to contractors without the required supervisor review.
There is no way that will happen here. Year after year the education budget takes a hit, where on earth would he find the money for such raises? Let's make sure we vote responsibly in November!
Steve Colarassi, it's not too late to do research in Rochester. Some of the information might be a legal agreement between the BoE there and the candidate, I am guessing...if the above is true. But the truth should be known somewhere there. . We want a fiscally responsible superintendent, don't you think?
Rochester’s school board is already famous for presiding over what amounts to the worst school district in New York State. They and their unholy alliance with the Teachers’ Union have produced the lowest math and verbal scores in the area, the lowest graduation and the highest truancy rates in the state. It’s bad enough that between the state’s mandated spending and the high amount taxpayers are forced to disgorge to maintain this failing enterprise. It’s even worse when the audit revealed the frivolous waste of money that occurred during Manny Rivera’s tenure as superintendent of schools.
Manny Rivera is well known for having received awards for his wonderful plans to improve the Rochester School District. None of these plans were ever implemented, which makes me wonder why he received these awards in the first place. And receiving a salary double to that of the mayor and the chief of police, his willingness to “share the wealth” with his buddies during days of necessary cutbacks makes the results of this audit even more galling. Apparently the school board members were unconcerned. Perhaps they felt Manny was accountable only to God, which effectively lets their ineptitude off the hook.
Here we go again. Please stop all this bickering and bad-mouthing. Let's, for God's sake, move forward and support EVERYONE who works for NPS including our new Superintendent. If you don't like it, retire, resign or whatever.
So you are saying that we should support the chosen candidate even if he was involved with overspending in his district, paying friends additional salaries, creating jobs....all without the approval of the BoE? You are saying that we should support someone who, according to what is posted, could have been involved with illegal activities regarding expenditures in the district? You are saying support the candidate who possibly left his district because he might have been asked to leave? I am not accusing, just stating what has been intimated here. You are saying that a background check wasn't in order? A site visit shouldn't have been done to determine if the candidate was a fit for Norwalk? There are red flags all over the Internet, but you want total allegiance to a questionable candidate? I don't operate that way. I would have thought that the Board doesn't either, but I was wrong. Apparently Mike Lyons is unwilling to question below the surface of what is known. Shame on him. The truth will come out. The Red Apples are claiming a home run. Let's wait and see before we jump to conclusions, shall we?
And to 7:52 am, are you forgetting about the employees at the BOE over the past few years who stole, lied, cheated, sit home and collect a salary for not being in the classroom or better yet, sit at CO instead of the position she/he was hired for. I don't see any difference! And still.... where is the 6 or 8 or 10 mil which was never accounted for!!
So I guess what you are saying, 5:02, is that this superintendent is a perfect fit with all the employees who 'stole, lied and cheated' at the Board of Education. Great job, Mike Lyons, for finding the perfect fit with all the other employees!
Oh my Lord, 9:25, are you for real? No that is not what I'm saying. Before you judge someone, look around at what we already have. A major change needs to take place at NPS. Let's hope this will be the change that is needed. Bullying, scare tactics, bad mouthing, and on and on need to be eliminated by any and everyone who's doing it.
4:52, you don't get it. How is this supposed to be the change when he appears to be the same as the others? Did you even read the above quotes from newspapers, blogs etc.?
I think he will be good for Norwalk relatively speaking. Unless you blow up public education as Steve Jobs suggested, we will still move at an incremental level.
I hope everyone who agrees with the Board and the Apples remembers the warnings about not doing a background check in Rochester if/when all the negatives start to roll in. Not doing a deep background check is not a smart way of doing business. I hope I won't be back saying 'I told you so.'
You won't find a nicer guy than Manny Rivera but you know what they say about nice guys. Rochester has the pleasure (or bad luck) of getting Dr. Rivera twice as their superintendent. Good luck Norwalk!
So this is possibly a 60-61 year old who is looking to retire in Norwalk? Or will he only stay 3-5 years as he did in most of his positions? Do we know why he moved around so much? What about Edison Schools? Wasn't that a total failure? Please correct me if I am wrong!
ReplyDeleteGreat credentials. Solid results in Rochester. Plus, government and private sector experience. People who knew him when he lived in Norwalk have nothing but good things to say about him. If the vote brings together the two factions ("Haters" v. "Status Quo"), then we'll know that this BOE can work together when the chips are down.
DeleteAnother retiree? Does this mean he is collecting a pension in New York?
DeleteEdison's educational and financial performance has been the subject of criticism. Despite initial promises of costs reductions client districts reported higher costs for their Edison schools.[11] Edison's claims about academic improvement failed to live up to the company's promises. A July 2002 New York Times analysis of Edison's claims found that the troubled Cleveland, Ohio, school system achieved higher gains than Edison's schools when analyzed with the methodology Edison applied to its own schools' achievement.[12]-Wikipedia
ReplyDeleteThe man left Edison schools. And, who relies on "Wikipedia" to do serious research?
ReplyDeleteDo your own research. It's the truth!
Deletehttp://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/RCSD-Cabinet-Members-Got-Tuition-Retirement/-QGfmpjnuk6e9TUhto0dVg.cspx
ReplyDeleteCould someone please follow up on this? Was Rivera responsible for these payments for tuitions for central office staff?
No wonder there was no site visit for the candidate. He didn't have a job as a superintendent! He was resorting to consulting. He needed a job!
ReplyDeleteI spoke with educators in Rochester. Someone did not do any research in Rochester!
ReplyDelete"Manny Rivera ... Rochester school results speak for themselves ... worse in the state"
Delete"Someone needs to investigate all the titles and jobs created by Manny Rivera"
Or Manny Rivera's ungraceful exit as Superintendent?"
ALL QUOTES FROM A BLOG:
http://www.lonsberry.com/readcomments.cfm?story=2203
Did this Board do a serious background check? What are these quotes about?
Continuing........
DeleteFormer Superintendent Manny Rivera provided top-level administrators with more than $164,000 in bonuses and salary increases without ample documentation;
Quote from: http://rochesterturning.com/2010/01/15/rochester-city-school-board-board-member-pissing-contest/
A bad grade for the Rochester City School District means bad news for city taxpayers. The audit was done by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
DeleteDiNapoli says it shows a lack of oversight between 2002 and 2006 allowed former superintendent Manny Rivera to grant more than $164,000 in documented bonuses and raises and $36-million dollars to be paid to contractors without the required supervisor review.
http://seanpcollins.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/all-over-new-york-nurse-mary-jane-mayoral-control-bad-superintendents-and-switchin-mayors/#comments
There is no way that will happen here. Year after year the education budget takes a hit, where on earth would he find the money for such raises? Let's make sure we vote responsibly in November!
ReplyDeleteSteve Colarassi, it's not too late to do research in Rochester. Some of the information might be a legal agreement between the BoE there and the candidate, I am guessing...if the above is true. But the truth should be known somewhere there. . We want a fiscally responsible superintendent, don't you think?
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.democratandchronicle.com/rochester/?p=1115
ReplyDeleteRochester’s school board is already famous for presiding over what amounts to the worst school district in New York State. They and their unholy alliance with the Teachers’ Union have produced the lowest math and verbal scores in the area, the lowest graduation and the highest truancy rates in the state. It’s bad enough that between the state’s mandated spending and the high amount taxpayers are forced to disgorge to maintain this failing enterprise. It’s even worse when the audit revealed the frivolous waste of money that occurred during Manny Rivera’s tenure as superintendent of schools.
Manny Rivera is well known for having received awards for his wonderful plans to improve the Rochester School District. None of these plans were ever implemented, which makes me wonder why he received these awards in the first place. And receiving a salary double to that of the mayor and the chief of police, his willingness to “share the wealth” with his buddies during days of necessary cutbacks makes the results of this audit even more galling. Apparently the school board members were unconcerned. Perhaps they felt Manny was accountable only to God, which effectively lets their ineptitude off the hook.
That’s scary.
Here we go again. Please stop all this bickering and bad-mouthing. Let's, for God's sake, move forward and support EVERYONE who works for NPS including our new Superintendent. If you don't like it, retire, resign or whatever.
ReplyDeleteSo you are saying that we should support the chosen candidate even if he was involved with overspending in his district, paying friends additional salaries, creating jobs....all without the approval of the BoE? You are saying that we should support someone who, according to what is posted, could have been involved with illegal activities regarding expenditures in the district? You are saying support the candidate who possibly left his district because he might have been asked to leave? I am not accusing, just stating what has been intimated here. You are saying that a background check wasn't in order? A site visit shouldn't have been done to determine if the candidate was a fit for Norwalk? There are red flags all over the Internet, but you want total allegiance to a questionable candidate? I don't operate that way. I would have thought that the Board doesn't either, but I was wrong. Apparently Mike Lyons is unwilling to question below the surface of what is known. Shame on him. The truth will come out. The Red Apples are claiming a home run. Let's wait and see before we jump to conclusions, shall we?
DeleteAnd to 7:52 am, are you forgetting about the employees at the BOE over the past few years who stole, lied, cheated, sit home and collect a salary for not being in the classroom or better yet, sit at CO instead of the position she/he was hired for. I don't see any difference! And still.... where is the 6 or 8 or 10 mil which was never accounted for!!
ReplyDeleteSo I guess what you are saying, 5:02, is that this superintendent is a perfect fit with all the employees who 'stole, lied and cheated' at the Board of Education. Great job, Mike Lyons, for finding the perfect fit with all the other employees!
DeleteOh my Lord, 9:25, are you for real? No that is not what I'm saying. Before you judge someone, look around at what we already have. A major change needs to take place at NPS. Let's hope this will be the change that is needed. Bullying, scare tactics, bad mouthing, and on and on need to be eliminated by any and everyone who's doing it.
ReplyDelete4:52, you don't get it. How is this supposed to be the change when he appears to be the same as the others? Did you even read the above quotes from newspapers, blogs etc.?
DeleteI think he will be good for Norwalk relatively speaking. Unless you blow up public education as Steve Jobs suggested, we will still move at an incremental level.
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone who agrees with the Board and the Apples remembers the warnings about not doing a background check in Rochester if/when all the negatives start to roll in. Not doing a deep background check is not a smart way of doing business. I hope I won't be back saying 'I told you so.'
ReplyDeleteYou won't find a nicer guy than Manny Rivera but you know what they say about nice guys. Rochester has the pleasure (or bad luck) of getting Dr. Rivera twice as their superintendent. Good luck Norwalk!
ReplyDelete