Tony Ditrio is facing an unexpected challenge to his leadership of Norwalk’s school administrators’ union. Last Tuesday, the Norwalk Association of School Administrators (NASA) held closed door officer elections. Ditro and Silvermine Principal Ivette Ellis tied with 24 votes each for the top job. A run-off election is scheduled for the end of April. Three of the other four officer positions also up for re-election went to new candidates.
The challenge against the incumbents was led by Nathan Hale Principal Bob McCain who nominated the slate of new candidates. A turnover in union leadership means that a new team might be in charge of the administrator’s contract negotiations which begin this summer.
“Many of us felt like it was time for a change,” said one administrator on condition of anonymity. “We feel we don’t need to be so oppositional with the BOE. We’re willing to come around a table and talk.”
There have been grumblings within NASA for more that a year over the union’s confrontational attitude with district's Central Office. In January 2010, Ditrio put forth a” no confidence letter” to the Board of Education about central office signed by all six union heads. The purpose of the letter was to express “the high level of frustration and concern” regarding cabinet level central office leadership. A week later 30 administrators wrote their own letter countering the union leaders' no confidence letter.
Tony Ditrio, Ivette Ellis, Bob McCain and several officers/candidates were contacted, but had no comment.
Here are the results of the NASA elections:
President: Tony Ditrio, Principal Kendall tied with Ivette Ellis, Principal Silvermine
Vice President of Administration: Bob Polselli, Director of Information Technology defeats incumbent Sue O’Shea, Asst. Principal Kendall
Vice President of Negotiation: Incumbent Mike McGrath, Special Education Administrator, defeats Roslynne McCarthy, Center for Global Studies Director.
Treasurer: Susan Koroshetz, Brien McMahon Principal defeats Incumbent Alene LaMendola, Asst. Principal Tracey
Secretary: Incumbent Joan Glass stepped down. Marie Allen, Asst. Principal Ponus defeats Lynne Moore, Principal West Rocks
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Instead of "Remember November" --"Don't layer the taxpayer" with the overgrowth of highly-paid do-nothing administrators in the Central Office.
ReplyDeleteWhile I have had disagreements with Ditrio, I think he is the best candidate for the job. What a shame it would be to lose him at a time like this.
ReplyDelete11:10 I Absolutely Agree!
ReplyDeleteI haven't always agreed with Tony either; but it is stupid to change horses in midstream!
ReplyDeleteHe has the work ethic, knowledge, history, and dedication to fight for Norwalk's children, most especially the poor and minority kids.
I also agree that it would be foolish for us to change leadership at this critical time. Give him 1 more year.
ReplyDelete6:18 - Please tell me what, in his role as NASA president, Tony Ditrio or any other union president has done to "fight for Norwalk's children, most especially the poor and minority kids." If he has fought for them in his role as a principal, he has been doing his job, for which he is generously compensated.
ReplyDeleteI do know that when I sought help from him in his role as the union president, he wasn't interested. So rather than telling people to vote for him because now isn't the time for a change, well, maybe now is exactly the right time for a change. Given the results of the other races in this election, it is apparent that the NASA membership agrees.
NASA needs an experienced leader right now. Concessions with the BOE that an inexperienced leader might make could backfire. There are reasons for unions that do make sense. This is one time that Ditrio and his experience are necessary. I am not a current, active member of NASA, but I have been in the past. You may not agree with Ditrio all the time, but his record has been to fight the battle that needs to be fought. Don't change leadership now. That's not good thinking!
ReplyDeleteIts time to give somone else a chance - one never knows what a new leadership will do. Clearly the facts and final call lays on the administrator - if they believe Tony is not cutting it - get someone else and let that new leadership do its job. Now, the next move that should take place is to vote for a new leadership and get Bruce M out of the picture!
ReplyDelete"get someone else" OK think about that. Let's put in someone who is new to Norwalk, has little history of the people and process and works at a failing school. Does that make sense?
ReplyDeleteI agree. Too new in Norwalk. Tony kept our jobs and $$ every year. He doesn't care if they like him in negotiations. We need a pit bull in there right now.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting aspect of this whole thing is that the upheaval came from within the union, not from outside.
ReplyDeleteAlso, 6:13 p.m. - it seems to me that one can not lay the blame of a "failing" school on Ms. Ellis. She is relatively new here and when she arrived, the school was already in trouble. Ms. Ellis has been working hard with the District Data Teams to implement the changes that have been recommended by the State. Short of waving a magic wand over the school, she's doing what needs to be done.
As a parent, I am tired of the life-time NPS status quo mentality. With all due respect, for all of the 'experience' that folks have lauded, it is has been left to 2 'welcomed' outsiders (Marks and the new CFO) to come and clean this district up from the pettiness that could be more often be seen on a school playground than in the offices of educational professionals. There is no doubt about the committment of the individuals mentioned, but sometimes new faces brings new beginnings and new attitudes. It's time for the adminstration to start acting like professional leaders and work together as a team for the kids sake. This new slate of officers looks like they want to do just that.
ReplyDeleteNorwalk has had more than enough of the good old boys' network. It is time for a change.
ReplyDelete7:53 AM, I agree...EXCEPT now is not the time to change it. How are the educated professionals not able to see that the timing is all wrong? I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteLet's not get manipulated into voting out our pres by a few angry union busters. Ditrio has my vote. Think for yourself every body. I work for money. I'm not here to volunteer from the goodness of my heart. That's real world thinking.
ReplyDelete6.33 I am glad you are in it for the money! Now lead and inspire your staff and give the students and parents some results.
ReplyDelete6:13 - yes put someone new to lead - clearly the "leaders" that have been running NASA are not doing the job
ReplyDelete6:13 - let's put in a couple of new people who are very good at cutting side deals for themselves or for their school..... I thought we were trying to get away from those situations.
ReplyDeleteNot doing a good job? That must be a parent speaking. A parent who wants give-backs that will be very dangerous for the union in the future.
ReplyDeleteWhy must it only be a parent that thinks that Ditrio isn't doing a good job? There are more than a few teachers (myself included) that believe that it is time for a change!
ReplyDeleteI'm sick and tired of hearing what is "dangerous for the union" and not having an organization that is working for what is best for the students. After all, if you became a teacher "for the money", that was the wrong career path to choose.
2:36, I don't think you really know what the purpose of a union is. Of course everyone in education (hopefully) wants what is best for the students. Union leaders know that, but are in existence to protect their members.
ReplyDeleteYou are probably not aware of many meetings held by supervisors years and years ago that lasted until 6 pm, held by central office administrators. Teachers' unions put a stop to that. Administrators had other issues that have been corrected by unions. The point here is that unions have been extremely important in the past. Do they still need to protect the educators now? You bet they do. Teachers don't know how bad it was before the unions. Ask some of the older retired people who attended two or three meetings a week that lasted and lasted and lasted into the evening hours. Talk to teachers who had no time for a life of their own. Talk to the teachers who couldn't exist on the salary they made if they were single. Don't kick the unions when it's popular to hate unions. If you are a member of the profession, I guarantee you will regret the give-backs that will ensue.
My biggest gripe with the givebacks is that no one wants to do the math and figure out how much is lost in retirement when raises are given up.
ReplyDeleteIf a teacher gives a hard freeze and loses, say $2,000, that's $2,000 less in earnings at the time of retirement. If the teacher has enough years in, that means she'll earn at least $1,000 less every year she's retired. Figure she lives 15 years while retired-- that's $15Grand she gives up. She ends up giving up more than the amount the city benefits. That is totally inefficient (and unfair to the teachers).
The NFEP group had NO salary increase in 2009-10, therefore, our potential pensions were jeopardized. That was a done deal!!!! What's good for one group should be good for another!
ReplyDeleteTo the last person who commented:
ReplyDeleteWould anything other than spite make you wish that our union should also get the shaft? I would think that if you realized you got a raw deal you would not wish that same fate on anyone else no matter which union they are from. We don't sit around hoping to see your members get a raw deal, why do you want to see it happen to us? Two wrongs won't make it right for any of us.
Spot on, 7:12! You are absolutely right.
ReplyDeleteTeachers and administrators get reasonable salaries, but parents might want to compare to New York where lifetime benefits are paid for retirees. Norwalk educators don't get lifetime benefits. Maybe if there is a new president of the administrator's union, administrators could take a pay freeze and get lifetime benefits instead?
New York educators used to get lifetime benefits. Those that have been hired in the last 10+ years do not get them. How does it make sense to take a pay feeze and get lifetime benefits instead? That would certainly add up to much more money spent in the end for the Board of Education.
ReplyDeleteSo then educators are satisfied with what they get? Sounds to me that the union leaders have been doing a great job. Why look for better when one is satisfied with what one already has?
ReplyDeleteSo 10:05 you are one of few lucky ones in the NEFP to get a pension the majority of us are not as lucky. We did not get a raise in the 09-10 contract nor did we get our retro active pay. Hopefully we all can go forward and hope we all keep our jobs next year
ReplyDeleteWhere's the update to this column???????
ReplyDelete