News-Record.com

It will very bad for us to lose the good Doctor.

This group that met with the SD people? Who decided who should be invited?

See: http://erikhuey.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/san-diego-watch-for-121207-griers-legacy/

Joe, you make a good point, as usual. This was obviously a hand-picked Grier-friendly group.

http://erikhuey.wordpress.com/2007/
12/12/san-diego-watch-for-121207-griers-legacy/

BTW, welcome back, Jennifer

FYI it was not a handpicked Grier friendly group. I was on the list and so was Darlene. I do hope they like him, San Diego is a great place to live and a very fun city with a very metropolitan population. They do not have our miserable winters or hot humid summers. Great beaches, shopping and the social and cultural activities are truly world class. Maybe they will take both of us.

I wonder what the public might think if the Board suggested to Terry that they would look at the way he is compensated and maybe extend his contract if he decides not to leave? I am sure they would also suggest that we wait until spring so the voters do not associate it with the San Diego affair. What if they found out what we really pay to keep Terry happy? Could another year added cost the taxpayers $300,000 or maybe $400.000 or could it be even more? Enquiring minds might like to know. But then again no one knows for sure because it is all hypothetical. I doubt Terry would be tempted by these things anyways, given the opportunity to finish his career in a great place like San Diego. A cut in compensation but location, location, location may be the final incentive. Can you imagine the after retirement consulting and lecturing money a former San Diego School Superintendent, one of the largest districts in the nation could command. Thank goodness he likes the Board and our kids so much.

We have to face the fact that San Diego can justify paying more than Guilford County. Offering money endorses the idea that people can be bought with money. I don't think the BOE should go that route. If Guilford Co. could buy him with money, then you know any other district could buy him with more money. I think Dr. Grier is in good health and wants to keep working. It is not likely that he could stay over 10 years in Guilford County. People expect some change in that position. What the BOE needs to think about is Plan B, how soon and how we should replace him if he accepts another position. The method used by the BOE in the past has been lengthy and non-inspiring. It ought to change. The BOE needs to determine what areas need immediate attention and hire someone who have proven abilities in those areas. The BOE should have a clear idea of where we should be going. For the past 10 years the BOE just rubber stamps any ideas the Supt. has. This is not good for either party. If this is handled right, it could be a winner for all sides. Is this asking too much?

Garth, you're a smart man, but honestly, my blog readers and supporters would not endorse another contract extension/raise. Please don't do it. I'm pleading with this board to do the right thing and let him go quietly into that good night. Joe's right, we need to use this upcoming transitional time as an opportunity to really get our house in order.

Please do the right thing.

I thought a contract worked both ways.

Does Dr. Grier's contract state that he is free to leave at any time or does he have to buy his way out?

At this point in his career, and just coming off the Supt of the Year award, this is probably the right time for Dr. G to accept a position with a larger, more metropolitan district.

As Garth points out that will allow him to finish out his career as a supt on a larger stage and may propel him to prestigious education posts on the federal level or with a private foundation.

Joe too makes a good point. If Dr. G goes to San Diego, the BOE needs to arrive at a consensus about the qualities GCS needs in its next supt. Dr. G liked programs. Sometimes they worked, sometimes not. The array of programs and rapidity with which they were deployed was at times dizzying.

It is perhaps time to consolidate. Stick with, expand, and fine-tune what's working. Jettison initiatives that are marginal. Focus on school atmosphere, student discipline and teacher morale. We must address the needs of our most challenging students and at the same time challenge our brightest students.

It is also time for greater transparency. It is disconcerting when BOE members express surprise that important decisions were made and implemented without their knowledge. It is also disconcerting when BOE members express frustration with the administration for obfuscation regarding agenda items and failure to graciously accept BOE decisions adverse to administration recommendations.

These same tendencies have led to conflict and confrontation with city and county bodies when a more diplomatic approach may have served the entire community more effectively.

If Dr. G goes to San Diego, let us wish him well. We should be grateful for the good he has done here. The BOE should then turn to the issue of what qualities GCS should look for in a new superintendent.

Regardless of if he goes or not the Board must recognise from all this that he is open for offers. This has now happenned twice! If he stays then the board should be actively thinking about how to replace him or develop a sucession plan. As employers we cant be held hostage to money grabbers.

Eric:
I must disagree with your last post most explicitly!
I am on the schoolboard therefore I cannot be intelligent.
Your readers and supporters do not matter to the schoolboard, the violence, the length of school year, the arts, the academics none of it matters as long as we get to be in control. With Terrys PR machine there is nothing we the Board can do to get enough voters mad at us to make a difference. It is apathy .

Ask almost any teacher, violence is getting worse, teachers are scared and so are kids. Threatening teacher and kids in classroom with knife is 10 day vacation then back to school. I am beginning to question my own kids safety!

I am beginning to appreciate your sense of humor and sarcasm. But if Terry goes, his PR machine is disbanded.

Garth, I think you'd be surprised. I know the community's concern regarding the cuts to instructional time in the arts runs very deep. I hear from parents, educators, business and civic leaders that this will be a major issue in the upcoming elections. You may be surprised at how motivated the voters will be.

Pierce

Surprises are wonderful creatures...too many Board members take their reelection for granted. In my case it is reversed, too many assume I will run again, I hope someone steps up in 2 years from district 2. Garth

Garth: don't tell me you've had enough already? I thought you were having fun (LOL)!

BTW, have you heard any rumblings among the six incumbent seats up for grabs next year as to who's running again? You can e-mail me offline if you'd like.

Garth, there are many wonderful private school alternatives for your family in HP. Your fellow Board members convinced me of that back in the Winter of 2004.

Being a product of a large metropolitan public school system I hated making that decision. Unfortunately Dot, Susan, Alan, Marti, etc., etc. left our family with no other alternative.

E.C.

Do not know, only two have given any indication, it is for these to decide, running is individual decision for all, Anita has quite publicly indicated that after 16 years she might retire from Board, this is a great loss to the Board and I hope she will reconsider, she is fantastic and no taxpayer has right to complain about her great service.

Joe,

You are right that San Diego could afford to pay Grier more money, but did you know that the current superintendent's salary was $250,000? There is little difference in his compensation and Terry Grier's currently, and the current occupant in San Diego has been running a huge district. So, do you think that this county has been grossly overpaying Grier? Yes, if he decides to stay, there should be no more money and no extension. He is generously compensated now for what he contributes. Given the fact that we are paying a large district salary, can there be any doubt that we could attract a very qualified replacement?

Good point Stormy, not to mention that the cost of living is probably higher in San Diego than it is here. I don't know that for a fact but it would seem so.

However I do have to say that the county has been grossly overpaying the good Dr. or "Terry " as Darlene Garrett refers to him. Good for her, knocking him down a few notches. But then any amount over minimum wage is a gross overpayment in these regards.

I hope that Anita stays with the board. She is an incredible board member, has a sense of numbers, money and data and is not afraid to call Grier out on issues and plead to common sense. For the sake of the children, I hope Anita will consider serving a little longer.

And as a point of clarity, I did NOT organize parents to speak to the San Diego board members. That was a mis-quote. Grier's staff organized all that.

"Picarello, who organized parents to meet with the San Diego officials last week, said Grier has had a "hot and cold" tenure. She said he is a dynamic and persuasive person, and has done a good job working with the business community."

So, Terrina, none of this is accurate? Who mis-quoted you, Amanda or Jennifer?

Ms Picarello

What is a life coach?

What does it have to do with multicutural training?

Terrina, I agree with you 100% about Anita. I really hope we dont lse her. I can only think that a decent, smart woman like her must find it very difficult to keep doing this

"And as a point of clarity, I did NOT organize parents to speak to the San Diego board members. That was a mis-quote. Grier's staff organized all that."

Griers Staff? On our time?

Why am I not suprised?

From the above, it appears that Terrina was interviewed by the paper, but that the paper incorrectly reported that she arranged the parent interviews. She is by all accounts a PTA president who is independent-minded and intelligent.

I understand that.
It just seems a bit cheekie for Grier to use his staff.

Sorry David, I was responding to Omar and didn't make that clear.

"Grier's staff organized interviews with parents"

What the heck is that? Fire his backside out of here right now!!!

I demand a full explanation! My / our taxes are paying to help this guy get another job!

He is already costing us almost half a million bucks per year and he cant do it himself. IN HIS OWN TIME!

This guy has no shame.

ITS DISGUSTING!!!!!

That is just par for the course for Grier and this Guilford Conty school board.

OK, so did Terrina say that Grier "is a dynamic and persuasive person, and has done a good job working with the business community"? Do we have a correction from Amanda or Jennifer on Terrina's quote?

Dave raises a good point about the San Diego visit. Who gave Grier permission to have the San Diego delegation here to interview people in support of his getting a new job there, and use his staff to organize it? Did Grier unilaterally take action? Grier has a contract with GCS, which was recently extended. It is enough that he has interest in breaking that contract and goes for an interview, but inviting people here to interview locally seems rather unethical doesn't it? Of course, we are talking about Terry Grier here. Perhaps, the board should grant him his free agency to pursue other opportunities.

Omar, according to the S.D. schools website
(http://www.sandi.net/issue/supt_search/), part of their search process was to visit the home site of the finalist, so it appears that SD were the ones doing it on their own. I reported this last week on my blog (see: http://erikhuey.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/san-diego-watch-for-121207-griers-legacy/)

http://erikhuey.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/
san-diego-watch-for-121207-griers-legacy/

E.C.,

That is fine, but didn't anyone at GCS have anything to say about their visit, along with Grier's staff arranging everything? Again, he has a contract, so why doesn't someone in authority say what he can do and can't do? So, is Grier have sole authority here? Where is the school board?

Omar...excellent question. I guess you can't really stop someone from leaving or looking, but considering he just got another raise and contract extension some months ago, everyone thought he was happy. But then again, this is Guilford County, and considering the man isn't too popular these days, I guess he started seeing the writing on the wall. If I was on the Board already, I'll admit I would be caught off guard too. That's why I want to encourage more effective and more proactive dialogue once elected. That would certainly prevent a lot of problems we've seen recently.

He has never been popular and that has never stopped him.

I went to San Diego School website and checked it out. They are the 8th largest school district in the country. That seems to be a big step up from Guilford.

TERRINA

Where are you??? What did you say then?

Who misquoted you? Which reporter?

Why are you being so mum about this?

Why are you so hostile toward Terrina?

Didn't she do you a favor by providing an opportunity for Dr. Grier to get employed elsewhere?

Isn't getting rid of Dr. Grier what you desire?

Lord Hear Our Prayers