We’re going to be at tonight’s Danville School Board work session that starts at 5:30 PM. Tonight’s meeting will be at the George Washington High School cafeteria and SouthsideCentral will be there LIVE! Be sure to refresh this page for the latest happenings, photos and commentary.
We’ll clean the article up and add bonus coverage and photos when we get home. Let’s get started!
5:00 PM – We’re starting our coverage now. Seating for 400 tonight.
Perfectly arranged seating! Too bad over 70% of it wasn’t used.
There is where you signed up if you wanted to be first to speak. We’ve also got packets on how the job search can be conducted and comment forms if you didn’t want to speak. It looked like around 15 comment forms were filled out by the end of the night.
Here’s tonight’s dais. And here’s Mona Whittle!
I just asked Kathy Osborne if she had interest in the superintendent job. She said she has nine years of working with the children and is interested in the job. All righty, she’s in the game… that answers that question. Philip Campbell is out of town for a school related meeting.
About 100 people here, much less than I expected.
Ed Polhamus explains the 180 day deadline to hire a superintendent. He also talks about how it can be done. Hire someone directly, conduct the job search themselves, use the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) search services or hiring a professional job search company are the options. He says the school board hasn’t chosen the method yet. Steven Gould asks Polhamus to explain what methods were used for the past searches. He was the only board member that spoke up. Nice.
Mike Adkins, director of transportation, will speak first in the public comment section.
He says we need a superintendent who already knows Danville Public Schools. He supports Kathy Osborne. Says he has over 500 signatures of support. I spoke to Mike Adkins before the meeting started and asked him how the new bus policy was working. He told me that the school system has no bus discipline problems so far and that everything was going smoothly.
Catherine Lassiter, Forest Hills principal, is next.
She says the focus must be on children. She supports Kathy Osborne for the superintendent job.
Terry Francisco speaks next.
He supports Kathy Osborne. He says he’s worked with Osborne as a business owner. Sherri Francisco, hello!
Elizabeth Leggett, GW Latin teacher is next. She suggests getting an extension of the 180 day rule while keeping Osborne as interim superintendent for the rest of the school year. Polhamus says within the last 48 hours, he’s learned that is a possibility. Leggett was so fast to speak and gone that I was unable to get a photo.
Greg Hairston is next. He’s representing “Citizens for Excellence in Education”. No idea who that group consists of yet
He’s supporting a national search with a job search agency. He disparages the petition idea and says educators and citizens should be in the final decision process. Um. No. We elected the school board to make that decision. Overall, he made a good positive speech. I may disagree with a lot of Hairston’s positions, but I respect the man greatly.
Now to people who didn’t sign up in advance. Terri Brinkley is next.
Terri Brinkley, hello!
She wants a superintendent strong on discipline.
Mae Crews, former guidance counselor is next.
She is questioning an issue with Galileo’s #2 student last year not being recognized.
Grant Poole, music teacher, is next.
Interesting point. He said to hire a superintendent that lets the principal run their own school.
David Wilson speaks next.
Good speech, saying the focus should be on the children.
Beverly Abbot, GW science teacher is next.
She says new superintendent should know the socioeconomic conditions in Danville.
That ends the public comment section and now to planning more forums for citizens’ input. We’ll have next Wednesday at Bonner & Gibson, and Sept. 2nd at Johnson & Langston. Board members are saying they can’t make certain days. The plan passes anyway.
We’re back after a recess. Mona Whittle presents the personnel recommendations.
Steven Gould asks how the coaching staff are paid extra as a supplement. Whittle says it’s based on years of coaching experience. Gould notices a $120 exception. Cheryl Bryant notices the difference is between a male and a female. Whittle says she’ll have to research that and get back to the school board on it.
One teacher had “quit without proper notice” and had 25 years experience. Interesting. Kathy Osborne said teacher had been contacted. Dones asks for more information but Osborne says she can’t say anything in open session. Sharon Dones gets that one pulled from the list and they’ll discuss that in closed session. The other personnel actions pass. Jackie Rochford now talks about mandatory advisory councils.
Most of the audience left during the recess. Special thoughts go out to Juliet Jennings who had to miss tonight’s meeting due to family matters. We still heart her.
School crisis plans will be online for the public to see. On to additional school system personnel needs. Two English class periods are needed, three elective periods. Four physical education periods and 1 teacher. Five GW classes still have class sizes over 40. This money will come out of the system’s contingency fund.
Steven Gould notes this is the second time where more teachers have been needed just in this August. He asks if more may be needed. There were 82 more students than expected at GW. Three additional teachers have been hired at the K-3 level, paid through federal funds.
Daddy Polhamus explains to the newcomers on the board that families move often in Danville to the new members and things like this happen all of the time. Thank you, Daddy P.
Kathy Osborne reports on the first nine days of school. She says everything is positive. She almost seems like she’s promoting herself. Heh. She recaps some of the donations that have came from the community.
Unbelievably, the school system has no credit card for purchasing and travel except in the name of the superintendent. Steven Gould wisely catches that this isn’t on the official agenda. Gould’s on fire because he’s right again. Heh. Heh.
I’m the last media person here. Hell, I’m the only non-school person here. We’re done, closed session for personnel and discipline next.
We’ll add some bonus photos tomorrow!
correction that is Beverly Abbot not Marilee Evans, Pay closer attention you should recognize the president of the Danville Educator’s Association
Thanks, will make that correction.
It’s actually Beverly Abbott, and she’s also president of the Danville Education Association: http://www.veanea.org/home/540.htm
I’ll make that change, too. Hope to meet her at an upcoming event next week.
what’s all the paperwork on the table? that stack?
Comment forms for citizens to make suggestions.
Looks like overkill, based on the underwhelming crowd you depicted.
I’ll give them the credit for being well prepared.
More referring to lukewarm showing. Must take scandal and indignation to pique interest with Danville citizens. Those two things, plus an organized group that is told what to be indignant about.
what are the teaching positions added to GW? Did they say?
2 English periods, 3 electives, and enough PE to get one new position.
Once again DPS has failed! How do you start off in the red as far as not having enough teachers like this? How do they expect for the children to fully understand and learn the subject, especially English, when they have to play catch up from day one! Totally unacceptable!
Mass exodus at the end of last year, with a certain amount due to the low morale one Ed Newsome created in only one year. My source: the readers of this very outlet.
Not enough time to recover, as the needed number was a surprise.
I don’t understand the petitions that were passed around during school/work hours today. If Dr. Osborne wants to be considered for Superintendent, she should have to go through the same process as other candidates. If the school board believes she is the best candidate to help all children have the opportunity of obtaining a stellar education, then so be it. If she truly understands and cares about the socioeconomic background of ALL children, then so be it. If she is willing to establish a leadership team of adults who demonstrate professionalism and respect towards each other as well as their teachers, then so be it. I can truly say it doesn’t matter whether it is a man or woman but what does matter is OUR children.
Agreed.
The petition was just a way to show support. Nothing more, nothing less. I’d be surprised if a petition moves this divided board to a center line. Heck, I’m not sure what would bring this board together. Too many personal agendas.
Your “who cares” points are dead-on.
The point of the petitions is to say that the rank and file employees are behind her, which is what they are going to claim was the problem that led to the little coup. The same majority that orchestrated it will pick her, and it will then be on with the community.
Still think McDaniel is the front-runner, Bruce? This has been Osborne’s job since the little coup was orchestrated. I’m now at about 90% that it’s her.
Yep.
“Yep”, what. You think it’s McDaniel, or you agree with Smallwood?
I’m sticking with my position. Gotta be bold!
I like the way you think
McDaniel aint going no where !! He enjoys his limelight, universe, and center of attention in Pittsylvania County Schools. His baby now is the STEM academy. +++ his wife works in DPS HR….isn’t there a name for that? husband wife in same employer and one is boss over other?? Osborne will get it—–then the blacks will have the Newsome show : the sequel / part II. and we will hear that song and dance all over again.
ALSO ps — any white who gets it? the Newsome show : the sequel / part II. and we will hear that song and dance all over again.
I don’t think that’s true at all. If they bring in an outsider who reaches out to the black community, they’ll get a fair shot. If they hire an insider who represents the same old same old, it’s going to be on.
Lee,
Have you considered running for the board? You seem to have the pulse of the education system, and the community?
I reside in the county.
the Blacks will never see it that way—race is an undercurrent—-it aint dying–they didn’t like davis—Newsome reached out—whites didn’t like anything he did——a NO WIN situation—a new comer ? God and Heaven and Angels help him or her—the man before Davis—didn’t like him—-LOCALS seem to last—Davis and Osborne are /were locals—
Let me get this straight….they want a Danville superintendent….who lives in Greensboro? Please…. I would venture to bet that rank and file employees are NOT behind Osborne. How quickly we forget that the downfall started under Davis and Osborne. Fiscally irresponsible superintendent……not needed in Danville. Follow the money……
The handwriting was on the wall today and it was clear that the coup mentioned earlier had its wheels in motion. It has been known by many for months that Dr. Osborne would get slid in that position, why didn’t they just give her the job after Sue Davis retired/quit (instead of the game played with Dr. Newsome) if she was so qualified as was heralded today? We are being set up for more of the same failings of the past!
I’m not too sure about that…
If McDaniel goes to the city I see some old want a be’s coming out to apply for his old job or ones still there. Oscar Robertson who was over special ed at one time , which is a joke! Maybe Bobby Lovelace who is over transportation . Even Don Johnson who was over finance. And others!
2 points: A. A “national search” usually goes through a search firm and costs over 20K. I’m skeptical that Danville is a magnet for national talent. Look at the Utilities Director position since King left. B. School’s begun everywhere. If it’s not Osborne, the earliest you will get a new Superintendent in here is next June. Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents aren’t going to just leave what they are doing during the school year and break their current contract. Unless the School Boards hires a retiree or someone who is currently unemployed. The retiree or unemployed individual could start immediately.
It is disappointing to see that most of the people expressing their opinions of a new superintendent were employees of DPS. The employees have valid concerns but they are just that – employees. The children and their parents as well as tax payers are the customers. I wish the customers were more concerned…
The reason gwhs is short of teachers is the former superintendent terminated 6 teachers the last week of school in may.
2 english, math and science, total of 6.
Now there are 3 levels of students in some classes.
Ist, 2nd, and 3rd year students are all in same class.
So how long did Dr. Osborne have to rectify that situation? If she couldn’t, is she really the leader this system needs?
Let us not to forget that the financial problems and the forced closing of schools at one time as well as the great IT debacle, happened under Dr. Osborne’s watch. Just because she went around “kissing babies” the opening day of school does not make a good superintendent.
The question I have is what has Dr. Osborne done to affirmatively reach out to the black community? She’s the one person who has a leg up in this hiring process because she is in place now. What is she specifically doing to assuage any concerns proactively?
Nothing really. Greg Hairston’s that said that group would like a nationwide job search is a clear sign that they’re against crowning Osborne.
Well the clock is ticking on her. If she is chosen and there is a problem with it from part of the populace, she will only have herself to blame for not taking advantage of this time.
I have to wonder why she was skipped over as superintendent the first go round when Dr.Newsome was hired.
It’s possible she didn’t want the job at that point.
[…] Here’s the article with the LIVE coverage of the meeting for reference… […]