Some BOE members are questioning why they are being asked to renew the contract for Fay Ruotolo, the district’s embattled Director of Human Resources, and Assistant Superintendent Tony Daddona, a week before Norwalk’s new Superintendent of Schools, Susan Marks, starts her job. Ruotolo's current contract expires on July 1; Daddona's contract is being extended to 2013.
Ruotolo’s $145,216 contract and Daddona’s $187,464 contract, submitted by interim Superintendent Michael Nast, are on the agenda for a special meeting of the BOE which is being held tonight at City Hall. In recent months, the Human Resources department has borne criticism for a series of arrests that have put the spotlight on her department’s vetting the background of new hires.
Board member Steve Colarossi in particular has been vociferous in his opposition to proceeding with Ruotolo’s contract. In a series of e-mails to interim Superintendent Michael Nast, other Board members and even the Mayor and members of the Common Council, Colarossi asked to see a copy of Rutolo’s performance evaluation. He also questioned why her base pay was above the $143,147 approved in the BOE budget last month for her position.
“Although the contract states that the re-appointment is subject to performance evaluation, I did not see any metrics provided as to how this performance evaluation will occur.” said Colarossi in an e-mail to Nast dated the morning June 18, and obtained by the Daily Norwalk.
The contract was negotiated last week by a subcommittee of the BOE, including Jody Bishop-Pullan and Jack Chiaramonte. Board Chair Glenn Iannaccone said that there will be an opportunity to discuss the contract at tonight’s meeting. A revised BOE agenda was sent out yesterday afternoon that included an executive session to discuss the administrators’ contracts.
Board Member Sue Haynie said that she has problems with the timing of the contract renewals for both Ruotolo and Daddonna. “I think the both should be tabled. It doesn't make sense to discuss these appointments until Susan Marks is here. I’m not comfortable with it,” she said.
Interim Superintendent Michael Nast said he has “most definitely” consulted Marks about this matter. In addition, he says the district has no formal evaluation process for these two particular employees. “However, that is not to say that they haven’t been evaluated. I work with them daily. There is nothing negative in their files. This is the way it's been done for the past 10 years,” said Nast. “One of my recommendations to Dr. Marks is to create a more formal evaluation processes.”
Bruce Mellion, president of the Norwalk Federation of Teachers called Nast's informal evaluation process "suspect and pathetic." "They Board and Superintendent should be embarassed. The highest NPS offcials have no evaluation, nothing. It's an outrage," said Mellion.
Colarossi will not be attending tonight’s special meeting because of a pre-planned family vacation however he urged other board members delay considering Ruotolo’s appointment. “There should not be a rush to re-appoint until questions can be clarified, “ he said.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
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I'm sure they were just trying to slip this in under the radar, thank goodness for Steve Colarossi bringing this issue to the public's attention. There aren't many parents who would support the actions of the HR dept. Accountability people, accountability.... Welcome to real world, not the rules according to NPS Administrators....
ReplyDeleteI don't beieve this is slipping anything under the radar. When contracts expire, they need to be renewed by a certain date. I believe the HR contract expires June 30th. Also, I believe Nast has passed all of this by Susan Marks before putting it before the BOE. I can't imagine that he hasn't.
ReplyDeleteI am almost positive that only Ruotolo's contract expires July 1st. The AS has two more years on his contract. Only one part of his contract has been agreed upon to open for discussion. The way these two contracts are settled is different from union contracts, since one person for each of these positions does not make a union.
ReplyDeleteWhat's more troubling is the fact that there are not any formal performance evaluation policies in place for these positions.
ReplyDeleteRuotolo's contract specifically says that renewal is predicated on an evaluation, but as Steve learned there has been none.
Since Ruotolo is also responsible for HR it would seem that she would appreciate more than others to have such a system in place, but has not bothered to set one up.
Would it really be the end of the world to let Ruotolo's contract lapse until the new super is here? I really know nothing about any of this sort of thing, except I always hear on the radio of this union or that working without a contract for x number of months or years. I know she's not a union unto herself, but if they can do it, why can't she? Just curious.
ReplyDeleteI agree it is pathetic that there are no evaluations. No wonder our system is in such shambles.
ReplyDeleteHere's a real issue that our elected Board members need to be held personally accountable. The decision here is clear:
demand accountability and wait on the contracts or rush things through in executive session.
Okay, so you want a documented evaluations on Ruotolo and Dadonna, well here ya go; they both are part and parcel to the systemic serious transparency, accountability and yes we can say it INCOMPETENCE that plagues central.
ReplyDeleteBut alas, this is Norwalk where everything is fine, dont rock the boat, have another drink and a valuim. Its all under control.
CONTROL?
Look at these folks on the BOE. Take a close look.
Jodi BS Pull A Fast One is pulling yet another rabbit outta the hat. Even with everyone watching. ABRACADABRA. A little twinkle of the nose and walla. MS. Pullman may be a decent soul as are all the BOE members but Pullman neads a strong leash and at the earliest sent to the dog house.
Hamilton, again nice lady but no way she should be in a seat of any substatantial decission making capacity. Nor should she be in a classroom. Stamford is weeding out so Hamilton will be history shortly.
Than we have Glenn, with his hat and his official EGO scout badge, I am in charge and I know better. Good guy, wrong place for his talents. There is no place for ego's or partisanship in education.
Now there's that lovable big Jack, one of the few who really are connected. Many had high hopes for Jack once he was seasoned. But Jack is used to the sand box, Parachute him into Times Square and watch a kids eyes open wide and be awe struck. Thought by now he would have acclimated himself to all the intimdating lights, sounds and smells but its quite a leap outta that sand box. Who wants to work, lets play with jewerly and hang out the laundry. All this paperwork and boring meetings, where is the fun part?
Steve is proving to be a freethinker and not intimidated by ballon heads and is aware of the enviroment he is in.
Sue Haynie is a scholar, she knows the deal and is determined to get it right.
And Migdalia, sure she goes over the details, isnt that what everyone is supposed to be doing? All the misdirected heat that little girl has taken just because she wants it all out in the open, to get it right, its downright shamefull.
There are only 3 awake minds. 3 minds that are awake and really give a hoot in those seats.
Yes, it is systemic and yes it will continue on this way, completely dysfunctional, until parents and teachers get their respective act's together and demand accountabilty and yes that word that some hate to hear TRANSPARENCY.
Steve is sending a clear signal. Smart guy and although I had my misgivings about him when he arose out of obscurity in one meeting, appeared to be politcally niave, the chap has a brain and a concious.
The board is apparently attmpting to gain some power. That is why they signed up the tech guy and pupil service director and are holding onto Dadonna. They love those strings. If they let Marks come in and evaluate and create an action plan and let her assemble her own team, that would limit the influnce the board has. A complete 180 from the Corda era where they just handed the keys to Corda and said you handle it and rubber stamped everything he told them. Hook, line and sinker.
We are fools in deep states of repose, so its no surprise Dadonna will get his raise and so will Ruotolo with (no one) watching them.
Talk about fox'es running the hen house.
and so it goes...
Well done, 1:49! Let's not forget that Mike Nast was a former super in Stamford (a la Papallo)--and guess where Fay hung her hat before she got to Norwalk?....no more calls, we have a winner...yes, that's right-- STAMFORD! Ya think this might be the "network" at its best? Poor old Norwalk will get kicked in the shins again, and the new super will have to play mean girl next year. But you know what? I bet they both retire.
ReplyDeleteWe have to get this right, people. This has been known for a long, long time. Principals at building sites have not been properly evaluated and this is exactly why you have a situation like a vote of no-confidence in Wolfpit's principal when proper formal evaluation monitoring would have caught this problem and corrected it before damage was done. Please... fix our schools!
ReplyDeleteIn response to 3:52, I really don't think it's about networks and who knows who. When Mike Nast says that he doesn't have anything in writing, but rather, he knows what he needs to know about Faye from face to face contact, this is simply how administration has been dealt with for years. Rumor had it, and PLEASE correct me if I am wrong, that the Corda administration was focused on teachers, specifically veteran teachers, to rid the district of high paying salaries. However, no one can deny the low morale that lingers still from central office down to the building sites where it permeates the student body like a very bad stench. There was a specific "gotcha" feel to those years that still continues. In the interim, the building administrators, and it appears central, as well, are not heavily assessed with the same continuums, rubrics, and/or surveys as teachers and their students. In an age of data, this is uncanny. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but evaluation of principals was based on that very same, "So how's it going?" face to face dialogue Mike Nast refers to re his assessment of Faye Ruotolo on a contact basis. There has been no hard input from staff and/or parents at a specific building site regarding the leadership there. Sadly, any principal on an improvement plan (of sorts) who should have been closely monitored may lack the appropriate papertrail needed for reassessment and/or removal. Steve, if you're listening, this is something you definitely need to check. Thank you for your support!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could say that I'm shocked that there is no formal evaluation process for two of the highest paid people working for the Norwalk BOE, but I'm not. This is a very sloppy operation, and it isn't getting any better.
ReplyDeleteI'm the last person to argue with the charge that principals haven't been properly evaluated, but it isn't because there isn't an evaluation instrument for them. It is because the people who are supposed to be evaluating them aren't getting the job done.
I applaud the board members who have the dedication and courage to question the way this school district has done business for a very long time.
To those who say that they have to approve the contracts before they expire, I assure you that the two administrators in question aren't going to go anywhere. It can wait. This is another insulting (to the taxpayers and students of Norwalk) attempt by the board to ram a contract through without proper deliberation. It smells very much like that last contract they approved for Dr. Corda. As I recall, he received all kinds of benefits that few would think he deserved.
The curriculum side of the central office did have formal evaluations. Karen Lang followed the process and was tough on those who did not successfully follow the goals that were mostly set by her. It was about the only thing she did, but she did ride herd, especially on the women in the department.
ReplyDeleteBut did she also ride herd on the people who were supposed to evaluate the principals? They fell under her watch, too.
ReplyDeleteThis is very troubling but no surprise to us who have been around for a while. I thought the new board members would make the changes that our students deserved. Unfortunately, only one has - Colorossi.
ReplyDeleteHow is it that a $150 million organization doesn't have an evaluation process in place for those that are making $100,000+ in salary????
And then these $100,000+ executives allow child molesters in our schools? Can you say Incompetence?
sickening is all that one can say. to approve a contract for individuals especially the Asst. supt. who everyone knows spends the entire day in and day out on a cell phone trying to get votes to support a contract.
ReplyDeletehe gets endorsed by the NASA president, who claims he represents administrators and a coaliton of unions. He speaks of himself and for himself.
this same union head sent a letter to the board and posted on this very website three mos ago. a vote of no confidence in the very same individual he endorsed.
these individuals are not about education, nor are they about what is right for norwalk. they are about themselves.
shame on the board! shame on the unions who allow bullying to address the needs of others.
watch when you side with the devil!
What kind of message are they sending to us hard working taxpayers? We have to make cuts in our households, the teachers were asked to make cuts, but did Dadonna and Ruotolo make any concessions? NO! Dadonna did not need an extension. He still has 2 years left in his current contract. Let's not mention incompetent Ruotolo. Apparently, you only care about yourselves. Heartless!!!
ReplyDeleteCould anyone enlighten us and explain just what these two DO to earn those salaries? What is a typical day as the head of HR or AS? They both sign a lot of papers and delegate the real work to staff, but have either of them done something substantively positive for this system in the last few years? Morale? It just took another nosedive!
ReplyDeleteHere's an evaluation for Ruotolo....She hired people who hurt children!!! Enough said!
ReplyDeleteJust so I'm clear, the "Negotiation" Cmt. has a meeting to give someone a contract but has no evaluations in front of them and still gives the person a raise?
ReplyDeleteThat's not "negotiating"-- that's going behind closed doors to help a friend of the insiders.
What's up with all these "conversations"?
Nast and Iannaccone say they talked to Dr. Marks who supported the choice, but she doesn't put anything in writing? Are lessons in not creating a papertrail required to get an advanced degree in educational administration these days?
The AS did have an evaluation in his HR folder! Where are these comments coming from..certainly not from people in the know!
ReplyDeleteAs for his accomplishments, the State Department of Education gave him credit for holding things together and moving ahead in spite of Corda!
1:20 - And just how would you know what is in the HR folder for the AS?
ReplyDeleteAnd please stop being a shill for the AS. No one believes you.
4:35, YOU are speaking for everyone? YOU want to know who I am, but YOU are anonymous? YOU think I am a shill? Go get help!
ReplyDelete