Sunday, November 9, 2014

Concerned about the Future of the SCSD

Reflecting on those SCSD administrators who have spoken out publicly about the Code of Conduct, Character and Support, it is hard not to notice how very few tenured administrators are in that group. It is also hard to not to notice how many of those very same administrators are struggling mightily under the weight the very same document that they held in such high esteem...

PSLA, McKinley-Brighton, Dr. Weeks, H.W. Smith, just to name a few...

And now the sudden departure of Geovanti Steward at H.W. Smith. He is the first administrator to leave since the Code of Conduct was approved on September 10th. He announced his resignation on November 6th, just shy of two months into it. While many reports indicate that he is moving on to something "too good to refuse," one is left wondering whether it would have been too good to refuse IF things were going well this year and the lofty expectations he had going into this year were coming to fruition.

Instead, under the strictures of the Code, at H.W. Smith - as in many city schools - the principal's job has been reduced to being a combination of firefighter and student-wrestler. It is hard to imagine many jobs that would NOT be "too good to refuse" when your hands have been tied behind your back and you are no longer able to run a school and help improve the lives of your students.

Geovanti Steward may be the first administrator to leave, but he will not be the last... He was a good man and a good administrator, who wanted to make a positive impact on his school's community.

How many more good people is this district going to lose?

We've lost so many already...

We can't afford to lose any more!

7 comments:

  1. Good luck to Mr. Steward. I heard he was leaving to be closer to his family. But we may never know the real reason. I know three other administrators has left before him to go to better jobs. I wonder what was too good to pass up.

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  2. What was too good to pass up is not being physically harmed by children and having zero disciplinary recourse, being treated like a child by your superiors, being told to fix something or else and then having your bosses handcuff you, watching countless classes be repeatedly disrupted by one or two children and having to remove all the other students to the hall, etc etc etc. Basically Mr Steward possibly felt like he was intentionally being made ineffectual by those demanding his success!

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  3. I just read the Syracuse.com article about the Corcoran student who beat up a fellow student. The aggressor knocked the boy to the ground, repeatedly kicked him in the stomach and chest and then threw him down the stairs. For this the aggressor gets the highext level offense, 3B which results in five day suspension and the school can REQUEST a hearing for a longer suspension. THAT IS IT! Then the aggressor would come back to school with his victim. Are you kidding me!

    I certainly hope the police pursue stiff charges. Attempted murder comes to mind!

    5 day suspension and back to school while he awaits his trial or legal proceedings! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! What about a DIFFERENT LOCATION. What about anger management classes, what about mandatory counseling by a psychologist, what about family intervention plan!!!

    What support will the victim get from the District. The main thing Contreras is sorry about is that this story made it to the press! Incidents like this happen WEEKLY, if not DAILY, in the District!

    This district is a disgrace!!!

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  4. Mr. Steward. Quite the performance last night, hedging the truth. I am surprised that your nose did not poke the Superintendent in the eye.
    It's official, you sold your soul using each child in this district as collateral. I hope that you are ashamed. I hope that you have difficulty sleeping at night!

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  5. Do they keep a record online for the Board meetings they have for the public who could not attend to look at? To the above person who commented about Mr.Steward. I'm not surprised he didn't talk about the real situations that's going on in his school. After all the Super hired him. He may not be able to discuss that now he's leaving. It maybe something in his contract that states that.

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    1. Then Mr. Steward should have developed a cough and stayed at home packing instead of spreading his manure at the BOE meeting. He did a disservice to the hardworking staff and students of this district singing her praises. He gets to walk away. The kids can't!

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  6. Well I hear Mr. Steward is doing quite well since he left. But did the principals for Dr.King and Seymour leave last month as well and I hear Mr.DeSantis is struggling trying to run/keep up with HW Smith. It just doesn't end.

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