| Home Why This Website SDCOE CVESD Castle Park Elem Law Enforcement CTA CVE Stutz Artiano Shinoff Silence is Golden Schools and Violence Office Admin Hearings Larkins OAH Hearing |
Seattle Times
Friday, May 13, 1994
Eastside Briefly
School Board Member To
Step Down
BELLEVUE - Richard
Hanks, a Bellevue School
Board member since
1992, will resign from the
board next month to move
to San Diego, where his
wife is superintendent of a
school district.
Hanks, 45, is principal of
White Center Heights
Elementary in the Highline
School District and an
eight-year resident of
Bellevue. When his wife,
Libia Gil, took the San
Diego-area job a year
ago, Hanks remained
here. Gil previously was
an assistant
superintendent in the
Seattle School District.
How to replace Hanks for
the year remaining in his
term will be discussed next
week at the Bellevue
School Board meeting.
Friday, May 13, 1994
Eastside Briefly
School Board Member To
Step Down
BELLEVUE - Richard
Hanks, a Bellevue School
Board member since
1992, will resign from the
board next month to move
to San Diego, where his
wife is superintendent of a
school district.
Hanks, 45, is principal of
White Center Heights
Elementary in the Highline
School District and an
eight-year resident of
Bellevue. When his wife,
Libia Gil, took the San
Diego-area job a year
ago, Hanks remained
here. Gil previously was
an assistant
superintendent in the
Seattle School District.
How to replace Hanks for
the year remaining in his
term will be discussed next
week at the Bellevue
School Board meeting.
CVESD Superintendent Libia Gil and former husband
Richard Hanks
Richard Hanks
Chula Vista district has
new principals
By Chris Moran,
San Diego Union-Tribune
Staff Writer
June 18, 2009
Three new principals have
recently been appointed to
run campuses in the Chula
Vista Elementary School
District.
Richard Hanks, who had
been principal at
Palmer Way Elementary
School in National City,
will lead Hedenkamp
Elementary in eastern
Chula Vista.
Monica Sorenson, who
had been a teachers
union leader in the
district, will serve as
principal of Chula Vista
Hills Elementary.
Del Merlan, an educator
from Central California,
has been appointed
principal of Casillas
Elementary. Five
associate principals also
were promoted to principal.
The school year begins
July 27.
new principals
By Chris Moran,
San Diego Union-Tribune
Staff Writer
June 18, 2009
Three new principals have
recently been appointed to
run campuses in the Chula
Vista Elementary School
District.
Richard Hanks, who had
been principal at
Palmer Way Elementary
School in National City,
will lead Hedenkamp
Elementary in eastern
Chula Vista.
Monica Sorenson, who
had been a teachers
union leader in the
district, will serve as
principal of Chula Vista
Hills Elementary.
Del Merlan, an educator
from Central California,
has been appointed
principal of Casillas
Elementary. Five
associate principals also
were promoted to principal.
The school year begins
July 27.
Blog posts Libia Gil (San Diego
Education Report blog)
Education Report blog)
Libia Gil covered up crimes by
assigning Richard Werlin to
investigate himself.
assigning Richard Werlin to
investigate himself.
Libia Gil's husband
Richard Hanks
Richard Hanks
CVESD Reporter by M. Larkins
Monday, April 14, 2008
It was obvious all along that Lowell Billings didn't believe in site-based
management
Chula Vista Elementary School District's Superintendent Lowell Billings
apparently watched closely and learned from his predecessor Libia Gil, who
promoted a system she called "site-based management." Billings continues
to promote the system.
But the system as implemented at CVESD always involved top-down
decisionmaking, never democracy at the school site.
It also involved laziness and neglect. So things would often get out of hand
at various schools, and then the district office would swoop in and fire
people, or, if they were political allies, bring them back to the district office
for their own protection.
But now Lowell has a new problem. The school that is trying to make its own
decisions is a charter school. They don't seem to think that principal Erik
Latoni should make all the decisions.
Once again, Lowell wants to swoop in and take control. He is threatening to
to terminate the charter of Feaster Elementary School because the people
who run the school actually work at the school. Instead of "site-based
decisionmaking," this is now being called "a conflict of interest" by Mr.
Billings.
It's not ideas that matter at CVESD, it's words. And the meaning of the words
changes whenever the people in charge feel it's necessary.
It's probably worthwhile to note that CVESD recently rehired Daniel Shinoff
of Stutz, Artiano Shinoff & Holtz. Apparently the board was impressed with
Shinoff's work at MiraCosta College. I notice a striking similarity in the
arguments used to attack Feaster Elementary and the arguments used to
justify the actions of the majority-bloc of trustees at MiraCosta.
Posted by Maura Larkins at 9:08 AM
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
CVESD has two bullying programs: the one they talk about, and the one
they don't
Chula Vista Elementary School District boasts about its program that solves
students conflicts by talking them through.
CVESD has a different program for adults. It involves strict silence. The
target of the bully isn't told about secret attacks. She never hears the
allegations. No one ever asks for her side of the story. And she is usually
one of the best and brightest teachers in the district. At the same time,
incompetent and dishonest teachers remain in their positions.
Top district administrators and the school board don't ask what the truth of
the matter is. They simply dismiss the victim of the attack from employment.
And then their lawyers spend tax dollars to defend the indefensible, instead
of paying those tax dollars to the people who should get them: employees
and students.
Today is the final day of arguments in San Diego Superior Court in the
Danielle Cozaihr case, a case that fits the mold perfectly. Superintendent
Lowell Billings testified yesterday, making clear that he makes no personnel
decisions himself, and then turning around and saying that he is responsible
for the decisions. He sounded like an uninvolved figurehead who thinks he's
among the highest paid public employees in the county simply because he
goes around being seen (apparently without seeing anything, or at least not
remembering what he sees.)
Five years ago, it seemed that Superintendent Libia Gil and Asst.
Superintendent Richard Werlin were the problem. They were pushed out,
and replaced with new faces.
Now it's clear that Lowell Billings and Tom Cruz, their replacements, are
equally incompetent and mean-spirited.
How can this be? CVESD has a board of trustees consisting of five clones of
George W. Bush: they all try to stay as ignorant as possible, and they think
they are so morally superior that no matter what they do, God will approve.
This may be something that the "Christian" board members haven't thought
of, or haven't cared about: they have been given very specific instuctions:
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." This is an
admonition that Pamela Smith, Cheryl Cox/David Bejarano, Bertha Lopez,
Pat Judd, and Larry Cunningham disobey everytime they pay their lawyers
to perpetrate a fraud on the court.
Monday, April 14, 2008
It was obvious all along that Lowell Billings didn't believe in site-based
management
Chula Vista Elementary School District's Superintendent Lowell Billings
apparently watched closely and learned from his predecessor Libia Gil, who
promoted a system she called "site-based management." Billings continues
to promote the system.
But the system as implemented at CVESD always involved top-down
decisionmaking, never democracy at the school site.
It also involved laziness and neglect. So things would often get out of hand
at various schools, and then the district office would swoop in and fire
people, or, if they were political allies, bring them back to the district office
for their own protection.
But now Lowell has a new problem. The school that is trying to make its own
decisions is a charter school. They don't seem to think that principal Erik
Latoni should make all the decisions.
Once again, Lowell wants to swoop in and take control. He is threatening to
to terminate the charter of Feaster Elementary School because the people
who run the school actually work at the school. Instead of "site-based
decisionmaking," this is now being called "a conflict of interest" by Mr.
Billings.
It's not ideas that matter at CVESD, it's words. And the meaning of the words
changes whenever the people in charge feel it's necessary.
It's probably worthwhile to note that CVESD recently rehired Daniel Shinoff
of Stutz, Artiano Shinoff & Holtz. Apparently the board was impressed with
Shinoff's work at MiraCosta College. I notice a striking similarity in the
arguments used to attack Feaster Elementary and the arguments used to
justify the actions of the majority-bloc of trustees at MiraCosta.
Posted by Maura Larkins at 9:08 AM
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
CVESD has two bullying programs: the one they talk about, and the one
they don't
Chula Vista Elementary School District boasts about its program that solves
students conflicts by talking them through.
CVESD has a different program for adults. It involves strict silence. The
target of the bully isn't told about secret attacks. She never hears the
allegations. No one ever asks for her side of the story. And she is usually
one of the best and brightest teachers in the district. At the same time,
incompetent and dishonest teachers remain in their positions.
Top district administrators and the school board don't ask what the truth of
the matter is. They simply dismiss the victim of the attack from employment.
And then their lawyers spend tax dollars to defend the indefensible, instead
of paying those tax dollars to the people who should get them: employees
and students.
Today is the final day of arguments in San Diego Superior Court in the
Danielle Cozaihr case, a case that fits the mold perfectly. Superintendent
Lowell Billings testified yesterday, making clear that he makes no personnel
decisions himself, and then turning around and saying that he is responsible
for the decisions. He sounded like an uninvolved figurehead who thinks he's
among the highest paid public employees in the county simply because he
goes around being seen (apparently without seeing anything, or at least not
remembering what he sees.)
Five years ago, it seemed that Superintendent Libia Gil and Asst.
Superintendent Richard Werlin were the problem. They were pushed out,
and replaced with new faces.
Now it's clear that Lowell Billings and Tom Cruz, their replacements, are
equally incompetent and mean-spirited.
How can this be? CVESD has a board of trustees consisting of five clones of
George W. Bush: they all try to stay as ignorant as possible, and they think
they are so morally superior that no matter what they do, God will approve.
This may be something that the "Christian" board members haven't thought
of, or haven't cared about: they have been given very specific instuctions:
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." This is an
admonition that Pamela Smith, Cheryl Cox/David Bejarano, Bertha Lopez,
Pat Judd, and Larry Cunningham disobey everytime they pay their lawyers
to perpetrate a fraud on the court.
What did Libia Gil bequeath to CVESD?
1) A top-down decision making system that calls itself
"site-based"
2) A culture of secrecy and dishonesty
Libby Gil, Richard Werlin & Jim Groth (CVE president) hoax
1) A top-down decision making system that calls itself
"site-based"
2) A culture of secrecy and dishonesty
Libby Gil, Richard Werlin & Jim Groth (CVE president) hoax
Libia Gil prevailed at CVESD
CVESD Reporter
July 14, 2007
Former Superintendent Libia Gil remade the district in her own image,
and it has remained the same even though she herself was pushed out
in March 2002.
[I suspect she was pushed out not because she broke the law, but
because she made such a mess of it.]
Gil beat the union (Chula Vista Educators) by co-opting and corrupting
its leaders, specifically Jim Groth, Virginia (Gina) Boyd, Tim O'Neill and
the board of directors.
They became like her, and achieved her goals instead of the goals they once
had. It's no surprise that the union endorsed in Chula Vista's 2006 elections
the very same incumbants that it had fought for so many years.
CVESD Reporter
July 14, 2007
Former Superintendent Libia Gil remade the district in her own image,
and it has remained the same even though she herself was pushed out
in March 2002.
[I suspect she was pushed out not because she broke the law, but
because she made such a mess of it.]
Gil beat the union (Chula Vista Educators) by co-opting and corrupting
its leaders, specifically Jim Groth, Virginia (Gina) Boyd, Tim O'Neill and
the board of directors.
They became like her, and achieved her goals instead of the goals they once
had. It's no surprise that the union endorsed in Chula Vista's 2006 elections
the very same incumbants that it had fought for so many years.
Seattle Public
Schools
Media Resources
October 6, 2003
News Release
Libia Gil Withdraws from
Consideration
for Superintendent of
Seattle Public Schools
Dr. Libia Gil, one of four
candidates for
Superintendent to visit
Seattle last week, has
withdrawn her name from
consideration. In an email
to School Board President
Nancy Waldman, Gil said
that she was "grateful for
the opportunity to meet
with each School Board
member and the many
staff, parents, students,
and community leaders
who understand the
priority for raising student
achievement levels for all
students." Dr. Gil cited the
"increasing polarization of
the (superintendent
selection) process" as the
reason for withdrawing her
candidacy.
In concluding her email
message, Gil
acknowledged the Board's
commitment to identify the
best candidate for
Superintendent. "The
challenge of selecting a
leader who is the right fit
for Seattle Public Schools
is a formidable task and
the single most significant
responsibility of the School
Board. I applaud your
efforts to make the right
decision that will benefit all
children in the Seattle
Public School system."
School Board members
are reviewing hundreds of
comments received from a
broad range of
constituents who
participated in candidate
interviews or public forums
on September 29 and 30.
The Board is scheduled to
meet at 7 p.m. on
Tuesday, October 7 to
make a decision regarding
the Superintendent's
position.
Schools
Media Resources
October 6, 2003
News Release
Libia Gil Withdraws from
Consideration
for Superintendent of
Seattle Public Schools
Dr. Libia Gil, one of four
candidates for
Superintendent to visit
Seattle last week, has
withdrawn her name from
consideration. In an email
to School Board President
Nancy Waldman, Gil said
that she was "grateful for
the opportunity to meet
with each School Board
member and the many
staff, parents, students,
and community leaders
who understand the
priority for raising student
achievement levels for all
students." Dr. Gil cited the
"increasing polarization of
the (superintendent
selection) process" as the
reason for withdrawing her
candidacy.
In concluding her email
message, Gil
acknowledged the Board's
commitment to identify the
best candidate for
Superintendent. "The
challenge of selecting a
leader who is the right fit
for Seattle Public Schools
is a formidable task and
the single most significant
responsibility of the School
Board. I applaud your
efforts to make the right
decision that will benefit all
children in the Seattle
Public School system."
School Board members
are reviewing hundreds of
comments received from a
broad range of
constituents who
participated in candidate
interviews or public forums
on September 29 and 30.
The Board is scheduled to
meet at 7 p.m. on
Tuesday, October 7 to
make a decision regarding
the Superintendent's
position.
San Diego
Education Report
Education Report