At least 80 parents, students and teachers, including representatives of the Downers Grove Education Association, attended the Feb. 22 D99 school board meeting in an effort to convince the board to rehire North High science teacher Andrew Klamm, who reportedly will be denied tenure.
Anticipating the large turn out, the meeting was moved to the South High cafetorium and 20 minutes of comments allowed at the first reception of visitors, which is normally reserved for remarks on agenda items. There will be another, unabridged, opportunity for public comment at the March 15 meeting, during which the board is set to vote on the employment of Klamm and other teachers.
About a half-dozen parents and students, many wearing “Keep Klamm” stickers, offered heart-felt testimonials to Klamm’s dedication and effectiveness as a chemistry teacher and varsity tennis coach. The statements were part of a wide-ranging campaign on Klamm’s behalf, including meetings with school administrators and a Facebook group which numbers 1,150 members.
But a statement read by Lois Graham, DGEA vice president at North, carried potentially greater impact. Graham, who was accompanied by Lisa Counter, the DGEA vice president at South, told the board the union has launched an inquiry into the Klamm situation and the larger issues it represents, specifically “the clarity and consistency of the current evaluation process and how it is implemented.”
The decision by North administrators to deny Klamm tenure has prompted the DGEA to ask what it takes to be considered an excellent teacher in Disrict 99, Graham said. “What attributes of an excellent teacher do you consider to be most important? What do you really want in a teacher?” (Read the full text of the DGEA statement here.)
In other business, the board responded to a potential future shortfall in state aid revenue by approving an increased student-teacher ration of 22:1 on a 5-2 vote with member Deborah Boyle and Bob Lemke voting against. The action will allow the district to cut five full-time equivalents resulting in a $300,000 savings. Should more state funding becoming available “this would be at the top of our list to add back,” said Supt. Mark McDonald.
The board also approved fee increases for the 2010-11 school year, including a $25 hike for student parking, a $10 increase in the athletic participation fee and $5 increases in textbook, yearbook and non-athletic participation fees. Again, Boyle and Lemke voted against the measure.
District policy is to raise fees gradually rather than to implement period large increases, McDonald said, adding that the increases allow the district to increase revenue rather than decrease programs.
On the plus side, the district was able to negotiate a one-year bus contract at no increase in cost, as well as contracts for soda/water and food vending machines that will return a $15,000 more to the district.
The board also approved the district’s withdrawal from the Directions Alternative Program, which currently serves 20 to 24 at-risk freshman and sophomores, for a savings of $120,000. Administrators had been disappointed with the outcomes, McDonald said. Students will be better served on-campus at North and South, the district said.
D99 is looking at eliminating five teaching positions and Dr. McDonald has some very tough decisions to make. It’s a sad day when anyone has to be released but what alternative is offered if Mr. Klamm is to be kept? Is there someone else next in line that would be released? How does D99 compensate for the need to not pay the salary of that position?
Any and everyone might have been allowed to say their peace and get it off their chest rather than drag it out another week, but the end result is cuts will still need to be made. If there’s a problem with transparency or process in job evaluations that should be addressed in a timely manner so this doesn’t happen again.
If he has to leave, best wishes to Mr. Klamm and thank you for being what appears to be a dedicated and successful teacher. One hopes that will stand him in good stead finding a job, and maybe someday, when these hard times are past, returning to D99.
Mr. Klamm is not being released for budgetary reasons. Dr. McDonald made that clear in Bagels with the Board earlier this month.
It’s a question of tenure.
Maybe I am confused. Dr. McDonald has made it clear that Mr. Klamm is not being released for budgetary reasons. He is being released because the adminisrtation, for what ever reason, does not want him to work the first day of next school year and therefore become tenured. Just guessing, but I assume it is for administraive concerns not concerns about his teaching. He also coaches tennis, is involved in snowball and other activities at DGN. My understanding is that no teachers will be let go for budget reasons but, some openings created by retirements will not be filled. I may be mistaken but, don’t believe so. My only question (one that probably will not be answered in open session) is: were the issues that lead to not offering tenure new this year or have they been a problem for awhile? If they have been a proplem for a while, he should have been let go earlier, not in his fourth year where by law you have to give a reason. Just asking.
Is he one of the five, or is he #6? If he’s a great teacher, and he gets let go, then that oath about kids and learning coming first is just an oath betrayed.
I’ll step back and defer to you guys, that Klamm is not part of the budget cuts. That makes it even curiouser. No room for him at either school?
Mark- this is only a guess on my part but what has occured here is that he got a bad review from his department chair and has not been slated for tenure, therefore he is being released. Schools can release a teacher for any reason for the first four years they are employeed. After they work one day of the fifth year, they are tenured and a new set of rules apply. Again, just a comment generally, but most of these types of releases (in the 4th year) are based on administrative issues, not teaching ability. For example, the dept. chair thinks the teacher does not follow certain rules, does not do good lesson plans, fails to keep his class under control, does not respond to parents, etc. Because of the law, we will not know the exact reason although a reason will be placed in his file. Again, my problem with this situation is that normally the above type of issues do not just start in year four. If they started in year one ( which I assume they did) there is no excuse for letting him hang on for four years then not tenure him. Seems like a lack of administrative oversight to me. We can discuss whether tenure has a place in our Schools later, right now it applies and this situation seems to have been handled poorly. We will probaly never know the Dept. Chairs real reasons for letting him go. I assume the BOE will follow the recommendation of the administraion on this one.
Here’s what I don’t get. The Board will only say that Mr. Klamm is a non-tenured teacher wtih four years of service at DGN.
Would it have hurt to say something to the effect, “The outpouring of support for Mr. Klamm has not been lost on the Board. There is further discussion on this issue, and the comments made tonight and elsewhere will be considered along with other information which can’t be shared due to privacy policies.”
Obviously, the Board is considering information that we don’t have, but it would certainly put the Board in a better light, if it at least gave the appearance that the comments from parents, teachers, and students were going to get some discussion as the final decision is made.
I know for a fact teachers worked longer hours than 7:40 a.m. to 3:40 p.m at North. I hope the board listened very well to what Mrs. Lois Graham has said. These teachers that already have tenured spend time to mentor this new young teacher. Dist. 99 has already invested time and money into Mr. Klamm and has wonderful results with the current and past students he teaches. I wished I had spend more time writing those papers in European History my senior year at North (than thinking I was high-speed) because my writing skill would have been better today. Mrs. Graham was willing to spend the time in aiding us, students in writing good papers and grading them properly. Most teachers in her field at the time didn’t take the time to grade long essay questions and written research papers just multiple choice, short answers and short essay questions. Mrs. Grahama’s words weigh a lot of merit, in my book; it would be silly for anyone to ignore her. It is because of Dist. 58 English teacher and Dist. 99 that I force myself to type correctly using Mavis Beacon software at the College of DuPage. I may never be published author like David Ellis, but I can and have defend my co-workers from “favoritism and nepotism” on the job to the best of my ability even if I received ACT of 16 in high school.
only if they want parents, teachers and students think they have a say. This BOE is not very open to letting people address concerns with them This three minute limit at meetings, never answering questions, not putting workshops on line and fighting against TV for meetings is a concern with me. The last time I looked a School is 100% funded by tax money( although a liitle is from interest income made from tax money invested) and yet the BOE and by extension, the Administration wants everything done as secretly as possible. Really, if they want community support they need to open up when possible. Ckfred should be the PR person for 99, his suggestion of a proper response is spot on.
Simple solution.
Vote them out.
If Dan’s assumptions are correct, why would DGEA hang one of their own members (Department Chair) out to dry?
Obviously the teachers’ union would like this type of temperament. Depending on your views, union leaders are either naturally combative with management when things do not go their way, or they have a responsibility to advocate for one of their own.
Three questions:
What happens when our teachers’ union needs to choose sides between two members?
What type of message would taking one side over another send to union members who want to become school leaders (Department Chairs)?
What do we need this to look like for our high schools?