usd 475

Reta Kramer (employee of USD 475 school district) announced her retirement and subsequently her job opens (Human Resources). Then, when people try to apply for this position they don't even get an interview. Then out of the blue they hire someone from out of state. The School board should have to do the following:
1. Give a reason why qualified applicants were not given an interview.
2. Give a reason why this person was given the job.

There are a lot of questionable decisions made by USD 475 and the transparency is not there. It seems as those the school board is not holding anyone responsible and its business as usual. There needs to be more accountability and reasons why they are making decisions like this one. Our taxes support the school district (a large portion from our property tax). However, if no one cares it will never change. If you want change start looking for people with common sense and business acumen to run for the school board.

Interesting that you should comment, are you keeping up on the other shenanigans going on?

The school board is possibly the most secretive elected group in JC. I don't even know what they do.

That's not the only shady thing going on in the HR dept! Seitz Elementary School (new school on post) recently named their assistant principal and assistant to the principal. The state of Kansas requires administrators to have a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership, passing score on the Kansas State Building Administration exam, and current Kansas Administrative Licensure. The two applicants chosen for the adminsitrative positions at Seitz have NONE of these requirements.....NONE!!! Meanwhile there were applicants that held ALL of them that weren't chosen. How did the non-qualified applicants even get an interview, much less the positions offered to them????? It's time our community stepped up and asked for more transperency and accountability from the leaders of the school district! It scares the heck out of me watching the direction our school district is heading in right now.

Go to a meeting and voice it...

http://intranet.usd475.org/depts/administrati...

You're not allowed to express your opinion unless you submit your question in advance, and the school board agrees to hear you. No follow up questions, and in the spirit of wunder, no dissension allowed! Also meetings are only held during business hours, to make it difficult to attend.

school board is in it too wrote:

You're not allowed to express your opinion unless you submit your question in advance, and the school board agrees to hear you. No follow up questions, and in the spirit of wunder, no dissension allowed! Also meetings are only held during business hours, to make it difficult to attend.

Just like the county commission - is there anything we can do to change it?

On another note... Why are we allowing Administrators and Counselors live in another county?? If we are paying their salary, they should live in the Geary County area. Their kids should attend our school district. If they want to have one of the highest paying job in our district they should live in the Geary County Area.

It was prolly one of Walkers homies.

Concerned II wrote:

On another note... Why are we allowing Administrators and Counselors live in another county?? If we are paying their salary, they should live in the Geary County area. Their kids should attend our school district. If they want to have one of the highest paying job in our district they should live in the Geary County Area.

If we required them to live in the county we wouldn't be able to fill the positions.

Concerned II wrote:

On another note... Why are we allowing Administrators and Counselors live in another county?? If we are paying their salary, they should live in the Geary County area. Their kids should attend our school district. If they want to have one of the highest paying job in our district they should live in the Geary County Area.

Because we do what we want.

All the administrative positions could easily be filled by competent, well-qualified applicants that live in Geary County. These things would have never happened w/ Dr Devin in control.

And at least two bus loads of your children attend school in Chapman. So who pays the bills for them?

Nice Thought,
Are you keeping up with the posts? People that were in the district applied for the positions and were either not chosen for the position, or not given an interview. I understand that there were applicants that were qualified that were already working in the school district. Many questions have arisen as to who is chosen and HOW that happens. How can the Seitz principal give a librarian position to someone who had yet to take thier first librarian class? Don't these people have to have qualifications to apply? If not, why not? School Board........get involved!! And why is it that people that live out of district are hired for administration positions when people in the district are not? Why do they not have to live in the school district they are administrating for. School board, are there guidelines for this? If not, why not? Do the job the people of your town expect you to!!!

It is troublesome that they are hiring under-qualified people to fill positions in our schools. I heard of some applicants not evening applying as they knew that some positions were "filled" before the hiring process truly began. For all of the tax dollars that I am paying to support the school district, I would certainly hope that they are looking to hire qualified people for the positions. It certainly sounds like there is a good old boy network hard at work in the school district. I hope that this does not take away from the quality of education that is being provided at USD 475 schools.

Indian Queen wrote:

Nice Thought,
Are you keeping up with the posts? People that were in the district applied for the positions and were either not chosen for the position, or not given an interview. I understand that there were applicants that were qualified that were already working in the school district. Many questions have arisen as to who is chosen and HOW that happens. How can the Seitz principal give a librarian position to someone who had yet to take thier first librarian class? Don't these people have to have qualifications to apply? If not, why not? School Board........get involved!! And why is it that people that live out of district are hired for administration positions when people in the district are not? Why do they not have to live in the school district they are administrating for. School board, are there guidelines for this? If not, why not? Do the job the people of your town expect you to!!!

None of the previous posts said anything about the supposedly qualified people who got overlooked living in Geary County.

concerned wrote:

Reta Kramer (employee of USD 475 school district) announced her retirement and subsequently her job opens (Human Resources). Then, when people try to apply for this position they don't even get an interview. Then out of the blue they hire someone from out of state. The School board should have to do the following:
1. Give a reason why qualified applicants were not given an interview.
2. Give a reason why this person was given the job.
There are a lot of questionable decisions made by USD 475 and the transparency is not there. It seems as those the school board is not holding anyone responsible and its business as usual. There needs to be more accountability and reasons why they are making decisions like this one. Our taxes support the school district (a large portion from our property tax). However, if no one cares it will never change. If you want change start looking for people with common sense and business acumen to run for the school board.

Walker and others are taken us for fools! The board needs to investigate many many things.

Equally Concerned wrote:

That's not the only shady thing going on in the HR dept! Seitz Elementary School (new school on post) recently named their assistant principal and assistant to the principal. The state of Kansas requires administrators to have a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership, passing score on the Kansas State Building Administration exam, and current Kansas Administrative Licensure. The two applicants chosen for the adminsitrative positions at Seitz have NONE of these requirements.....NONE!!! Meanwhile there were applicants that held ALL of them that weren't chosen. How did the non-qualified applicants even get an interview, much less the positions offered to them????? It's time our community stepped up and asked for more transperency and accountability from the leaders of the school district! It scares the heck out of me watching the direction our school district is heading in right now.

Since they are not actually administrators (Principals) do they need to meet the same requirements? If you read the position description for those jobs they are more like the butt-boy/girl for the principle. If the district is not following proper hiring procedures then an unfair hiring complaint can be filled. I would advise you make sure you know exactly what you are talking about first so you do not end up with egg on your face.

Good discussion here, but what people don't realize is the school board does what they want, and do not answer to anyone. While ultimately we can vote them out, it seems to make no difference in the long run. The faces may change, but the secrecy and the answer to one attitude never changes. This is how it works in JC at all levels of government.

concerned wrote:

Reta Kramer (employee of USD 475 school district) announced her retirement and subsequently her job opens (Human Resources). Then, when people try to apply for this position they don't even get an interview. Then out of the blue they hire someone from out of state. The School board should have to do the following:
1. Give a reason why qualified applicants were not given an interview.
2. Give a reason why this person was given the job.
There are a lot of questionable decisions made by USD 475 and the transparency is not there. It seems as those the school board is not holding anyone responsible and its business as usual. There needs to be more accountability and reasons why they are making decisions like this one. Our taxes support the school district (a large portion from our property tax). However, if no one cares it will never change. If you want change start looking for people with common sense and business acumen to run for the school board.

We need the board meetings on our local channel. Then we could watch,