Riker is the former Superintendent at Easton. There were two components of this hiring I found interesting. First, the pay, and second, the 'savings'.
The Pay
The article notes that Riker was paid $124,000 as superintendent of schools at Easton in 2007 and was hired by Nazareth as an assistant superintendent at $120,000 this week.
Let's consider the comparable size of these two schools. Easton has 9050+/- students with a budget of about $120M, while Nazareth has 4740+/- students with a budget of $61M.
So in essence, as the top person at the school with twice the students and budget, Riker made $4,000 more one year ago than he is today at the school half the size and budget in a lower-level employment position.
This doesn't seem right.
The savings
The article quoted Dr. Lesky in the article:
"We have eliminated two positions with Mr. Riker's hiring," Lesky said,
explaining that human resources and support services had been handled separately
prior to the vote.
We've tried to appear as though we were cutting administration when in fact we're growing it.
The Human Resources job, as I recall was coupled with Transportation and was a half-time job held by Marge Grube (shared with another half-time at HS). Human resources was previously a job done at the building level and was created in recent years. How we eliminated two jobs as a result I'm not sure.
When I worked at the NASD in 2000 we had a Superintendent and an Asst. to the Superintendent. Now we have a Super, two Asst. Supers, and one Asst. to the Super.
Clearly we have grown, and so too have the salaries. How one of three assistants in 2008 can earn within $4,000 of the Superintendent at a school twice our size one year ago shows that we are spending freely.
Given our financial condition coupled with a potential economic crisis, this is really, very, irresponsible.
12 comments:
and it should be mentioned that a resolution for Dr. Lesky to recieve a 5% increase was passed on Monday---and another big surprise, it was a last minute agenda item
don't know about other homes but in this economy ours isn't expecting a raise, but then again we don't work for NASD
"pay" increase that is
Can or did the good "Dr." back up his savings claim with a simple FTE analysis before and after the hiring? If so, then good job and thanks for the savings. If not, accountability is called for (we have a better chance of seeing God).
While we are at it can we get Ken Butz's toys off of NASD property?
A Thought.....
What does the Superintendent do all day?
With a cadre of the administrators that are listed and the majority making 6 figures? There are more administrators than even the larger districts?????? making higher salaries than most of the size comparable districts in Lehigh, Monroe, Berks and Northampton counties.
Also, if you check out Mr. Riker's track record...He suddenly picked up and left Easton. He picked up and left the IU. What will be his track record at Nazareth?
I hear from the rumor mill that for many of the latest hires no other candidates were interviewed. Friends and acquaintances of whom is the question?
Cadre of Administrators:
Assistant to Superintendent for
Educational Programs Michael Roth
Tamara Gary, Director of Curriculum and Educational Technology
(K-12 Reading, English, Language Arts, Social Studies, Fine Arts, World Languages, Library)
Isabel Resende, Director of Curriculum and Educational Technology
(K-12 Math, Science, Health and Phys Ed, Technical Arts, Computer Literacy)
Assistant Superintendent for
Education Support Services Dennis Riker
Business Administrator Ms. Bernadine C. Rishcoff Applications Specialist Mr. John Eates
Coordinator of Transportation Ms. Marge Grube 610 Supervisor of Facilities & Operations Mr. Lewis F. Lengyel
Assistant Supervisor of Facilities & Operations Ms. Kimberly A. Crane
Assistant Business Administrator Ms. Nancy A. Ducey
Athletic Director Mr. Rosario Amato, Jr.
Director of Curriculum and Educational Technology Ms. Tamara Gary
Director of Pupil Services Ms. Rosemary A. Mentesana
Director of Special Education Ms. Therese M. Myers
Director of Food Services Ms. Sharon L. Ryba
Network Administrator Mr. David Trach
Assistant Director of Educational Technology Mr. Michael W. Uelses
Also, Mr. Riker picked up and left Catasaqua?????
Not sure about Catty, but I don't know of anyone worth his salt who leaves the top job in his field to become a department head at a support agency and take a 19% paycut to do so. My sense is that he got out of Easton while the gettng was good. If I am not mistaken, they were going through a lot of stuff with their track replacement and stadium/sports spending while he was there, so he should fit right in at NASD.
Also, if you take a look at many of the teachers that have come into the district in recent years, they come from what we would consider "tougher" districts, are connected to someone already in the district, and escape to the easy life in Nazareth. The board always accomodates their salary level, even though there is no contractual requirement to do so. Here is just one more situation related to me by a teacher with over 20 years in the district: Mrs. Dilendik at LNES was hired by Mrs. Krammes while Mrs. Krammes was taking courses at Moravian in the department headed by Mrs. Dilendik's husband in pretty much a quid pro quo. Lesky created a new 1st grade, the board rubber stamped it, and they hired her without even advertising for the best teacher. They waited until after the school year started to get around the posting requirement. They sent out a flier touting Mrs. Dilendik's qualifications which included "...volunteered in the cafeteria".
The very next semester, Mrs. Krammes went on sabbatical and later came back to a six figure phantom administrative position that, to this day, no one knows what she did.
I remember the admonishment from the bushkill volunteer about not posting negatively if you want her and her "Optimistic friends to keep reading this blog", as well as NOC's own encouragement to offer solutions and not just criticisms. The problem is that these people do not listen when solutions are offered. Even the most well-intentioned fall into the go-along-to-get-along trap once they get elected. This type of nonsense has gone on for years, and will continue as long as we just sit here and "be nice". The only tools left are forums like this where at least some measure of public scrutiny and humiliation might dissuade them in the future.
Can someone tell me when all the board members terms are up and from what region they come from. It is time we restore NASD back to the tax payers and the only way to do this is to send the current bunch of elitist, self-serving pseudo professionals packing.
news4less, want to clarify, while I do try to advocate solutions and suggestions, I don't have a problem with criticism when a person posting does so without making personal attacks. Frankly, the personal attack isn't necessary if the act is that bad. I didn't see anything in this comment that was a problem.
skizzrs, I'm pretty sure I've posted this before, but couldn't find it on a search, so I'll look for the notes and get a post up with the information.
NOC -
Thanks for the clarification. I will do my best to stay on the high road.
While you are on the subject of directors and terms, do you know if there is a document that outlines the steps one needs to take to become a candidate. If so, perhaps you could post it or a link to it? I am in agreement with skizzrs that we have been on the sidelines long enough. Even if I can't run myself (which is a possibility), I am committed to financial and "feet on the street" support of anyone who is interested in getting on the board to effect major change.
I'll see if I can find the material from the 2007 citizen to candidate night and maybe look into running another this fall.
You can read about the previous one here.
part of the problem is how many really want to get on the school board at this point and try to clean up the mess...not unlike the 11/4 prospective presidential candidate; there have been alot of decisions made that have left NASD in a financially precarious position, many or most due to poor planning and not much to do with the current economic situation
a cleanup crew is needed but you'll need thick skin to do it
Post a Comment