Left In Lowell

It’s a work in progress, retraining the site to do new stuff, but we’re getting there (you will notice a few old items, but I want to get the new stuff up first and foremost).

We have started posting agenda links, packets, meeting schedules, and such for as many meetings as we can get our hands on. We are also trying to write reports having sent an MLF member to those meetings. We started with the School Committees because those are the groups least paid attention to. Look for more reports over the weekend, I just have to sort through them.

Meetings posted on our front page along with the latest reports, but you can find our first one here, on the GLTHS meeting of 1/14/2010.

It appears, from reports of the meeting and from the Lowell Sun, that Mary Jo Santoro has a lock on the superintendent job at the GLTHS. (So much for a nationwide, transparent search eh?)

Has anyone asked, is Santoro actually qualified? Because I don’t want her anywhere near the job if she’s cut from the same mold [mixed metaphors aside] as Mr. Cassin, thanks. Given she was hired by him (I think - correct me please if I am wrong), I’m not encouraged. However, I don’t know the woman so I wouldn’t presume to know.

But the question should be asked, nonetheless.

The Sun reported today about last night’s subcommittee meeting on the subject of the next Super’s salary. Apparently some on the committee are worried that if the base salary range starts too low, Santoro could have to take a pay cut should she get the job. She [currently, as assist. superintendent] makes “$139,000 annually, with a $10,000 annuity.” Laferriere of Lowell and Olson of Dracut both made the point that a starting range of $125K was too low, specifically because Santoro makes more (not kidding). They should damned well be worried less about Ms. Santoro, and more worried about our kids, don’t you think?

We’re off to a great start, here. WTF? Kudos to Steven O’Neill who is out of Tyngsboro, for being the one to inject a little sanity.

The Sun also reports (bold mine):

Also last night:
[snip]

* Subcommittee members said they want candidates for the position to be certified as a vocational superintendent through the state, have a minimum of five years classroom experience, as well as experience in finance and business management and a master’s degree in education or administration, and have familiarity with state education practices.

* Members also said they would prefer the next superintendent to have a doctorate in education or a related discipline.

Really? Does Santoro have all of the required or preferred qualifications they are looking for in this list? Just thought the question should be asked. I should also ask, if another candidate from outside the system had more of these qualifications than Santoro, will the voke Committee hire that person instead?

There’s also this peach of a snippet from last night:

O’Hare doesn’t want potential candidates downloading the job application and information from the school’s Web site. All interested applicants will have to call the school to have information packets mailed to them.

“That way you capture the identity of the person applying,” O’Hare said.

Don’t people still put their names on resumes? Another WTF moment brought to you by the GLTHS SC…