Centralia School District: frustration, anger, shock. The more I find out, the more disgusted I become. The handling of many issues that have come up with the district office and its leadership is, at best, shady. Multiple things have been lied about or covered up.
The district’s continued push for a K-6 transition is an example. Not only did the superintendent fail to do accurate research, he also failed to consult those most affected, the teachers.
The board gave its approval without following due process, and now it seems heels are dug in as a matter of getting one’s way, instead of stepping back and evaluating what is best for the students in this district.
Do we continually lag behind scores of neighboring districts because of our third-fourth, and then sixth-seventh, building transitions? I don’t believe so, and none of the educators or administrators I’ve talked to believe so either
The upheaval coming to this town is going to be chaotic. Students will be shifted, families inconvenienced, teachers moved involuntarily, and taxpayers continuing to pay for a system that, quite simply, isn’t working.
The district had a parent committee to help with the upcoming boundary line shifts. I’ve heard from parents on the committee that they didn’t give input at all. They were shown what the three options are, and that was it. Yet another farce the district is enacting so it can claim they were open for “community involvement.” The truth is the opposite.
A common theme with our district office under current leadership seems to be placing Band-Aids on problems, by throwing money at perceived issues without taking any time to examine the root cause. This points to a lack of leadership, from the top down.
Where is the integrity? Where is the accountability? Why does our district office suddenly have so many more employees and administration positions, and yet progress isn’t being made in achievement? Why were we unable to attract a qualified, full-time human resources director? Why does money continuously seem to be mismanaged? Where is the foresight for projects and budgets? Something is happening at the district office and it isn’t good or honest, that’s for sure.
The superintendent’s contract is up for renewal in January. After a teacher strike on his watch and this K-6 transition mess, if the school board renews his contract, it will be yet another example of throwing money at a problem with no real plan to fix it.
Are they worried they won’t be able to attract someone else with leadership skills and honesty? That doesn’t seem a valid reason to continue paying well over six figures to an employee who isn’t performing.
Students in this district deserve leadership that is effective, and, frankly, the taxpayers deserve their money’s worth as well. I think most of us in Centralia are tired of being forced to settle for mediocre, while being told we don’t have a choice. Let’s do better, and get better — starting at the top.
Monica Laufenberg
Centralia
