A couple of prefaces:
1) I was going to do a multi-part well-researched bit with links and quotes, and then I decided not to bother. What’s written here can be easily discovered as truth, I’m just too lazy to document it right now. After all, I don’t really blog anymore. 
2) With only one or two exceptions, every educator with which I have had contact – those my children have had as well as others from extra curricular activities – is spectacular. (One had an unfortunate incident with a Web cam, so he doesn’t get to be in that category; another looked me in the eye and called my kid lazy. I’ve mentally blocked his name, but whoever you are, you aren’t in here either.) The rest of you, and you will surely know who you are, well, I’d walk across a stretch of Oklahoma asphalt in the heat of summer barefoot for you guys. And that’s saying something.
It has been my experience that indeed, those educators working for the Elmbrook school district have a passion for their profession. All three kids have been at one time or another significantly inspired by you. I am eternally grateful. I was fortunate early on to have a teacher (I’m old – that’s what we used to call them) inspire me. It matters so very much.
I sincerely thank you for your really great work.
—
Now that’s said, I have some harsh words for this district.
You – and by you I mean board and administration – are beating a path in the wrong direction. My years in this district have watched you fuss over bricks and mortar when you should have been supporting your employees. You have built palaces and then complained because you can’t afford to air condition them. You have lied to stakeholders claiming you are at budget crisis only to have significant budget excesses at the end of the year.
If I were your employer, and I claim I actually am, I’d call you incompetent. I have no faith in your ability. None. Nada. Zip. Sadly, this situation is deteriorating instead of improving, and what’s worse, you seem content to drag the students into the mix.
Next, you are failing to keep students safe.
I want to know just exactly how you’ve managed to keep the guns – as in real weapons – showing up at Pilgrim Park Middle School out of the news. Combine those weapons with more press than any other district’s received in a decade for educators caught with their pants down or kiddie porn, and you’ve blown it. Honestly, in the real world you would have been fired ages ago for such gross neglect.
Instead you run for re-election or ask for a raise or, and this is my favorite, resign early to run for mayor.
I am holding you accountable. And just as soon as I find ten people who actually give a whip, the group of us will hold you accountable, and hopefully that group will grow until you finally understand that you can no longer behave in the irresponsible manner your lackluster reputation was built.
Because you see, while I’m gleefully having my last child leave this district before you run it into the ground, I still pay your salaries. You work for me. If you don’t like it, I can help arrange for your replacement.
—
Last weekend someone called asking my opinion about the budget crisis. I explained I don’t take you seriously as I’ve lived this roller coaster year after year.
I reiterated my concern that this district is overbuilt as to facilities and that two grade schools need to be closed. I suggested that if the district would quit recruiting students from outside our boundaries, more parents might feel comfortable enrolling children in their home district.
I said I was absolutely a bigot when it came to a student bringing a gun to school.
Decision makers, you really only have a few months to turn this mess around. You have two choices: work your backsides off to make the right decisions and get it done, or wear the label you will have earned as the ones who pushed Elmbrook to the bottom.
I could do it. Are you that brave?
Anthony: Does the bus not serve your area because you live so close? I thought all residents got bus service
Mike: “Regarding confidentiality elmbrook violated the confidentially laws of a family 15 times…” My point exactly. The district has a problem with people revealing info they shouldn’t. And sorry Mike, even criminals in this country have rights…even those who beat “one of your own resident children”. Not sure why you felt the need to designate a “resident” child. Makes me wonder if you would have cared if it was a non-resident.
Cindy: Not trying to downplay weapons at school. However, if district people are lax in their confidentiality about the people involved and the consequences then it is a huge issue. How would you feel if it was your daughter’s school info?
I do think there’s a little district overlap, too. If Dave is the Dave from FC, then definitely.
Whatever
I care about all children. Others have posted reasons why their children would not be a victim. You seem to not care.
You have yet to admit such abuse occured and try to redirect and confuse.. You defend the district.
Confidentiality law has been a reason to hide the truth.
Your statements lead me to believe bringing weapons to school should be confidential, like “administration” “advising” a vice principal “not to contact the authoritities” after seeing the welts and cuts on the girl’s body.
You know what happened but your agenda is to protect your friends in the district. You will not change until your child becomes a victim by one who was let off the hook bringing weapons or beating a child. But you won’t know about their past. That’s confidential, and then you can spend your time wondering if your child will ever recover.
Why don’t you lead the charge to remove district employees who broke confidentiality laws? It’s against the law, ya know.
no response from Dave and Whatever.
No concern for the beating and for the child.
Sounds like former and/or present Elmbrook boardmembers to me..
Come CE come SA .
No, this article just ended up like every other FC-like post. Cindy posts it, it gets some attention for a week or two, then it dies as Cindy posts something else of interest to many people. The blogging comments cycle, I call it.
And I couldn’t even find a handful of like-minded folks. Oh well. My kids are out of the district in a few months. Timing couldn’t be better.
2 things – could not access your blog at the Brookfield Public Library – your choice or theirs? And anyone hear rumors of Hillside closing and reopening as a Charter School Think Tank for Math and Science with cherry picked teachers from the other existing schools?
Mike: Not now, nor have ever been, a boardmember.
No real reason to respond further
No, I’ve haven’t heard the Hillside rumor, but I kind of like it. Interesting. Have to check into the bottom line of a “charter school” but it might work. Then again…it might be a way to let Elmbrook eat their cake and have it, too. This stuff gets so complicated.
Ahem, and my choice about the library. That could change in the next few weeks, but for now it’s doing what it needs to do.
Thanks for checking in.
Charter school would be interesting as would a virtual school. The “Elmbrook” name still carries a lot of weight outside Brookfield. If the Waukesha virtual school can succeed, not sure why an Elmbrook one couldn’t.
Closing Hillside and turning it into a Charter School wold not be a bad idea. The matter still needs to be confirmed, however. And I’ve read about Charter Schools having trouble with teachers’ unions due to the fact that Charter Schools do not have the same collective bargaining regulations as regular public schools.
Elmbrook opening a virtual school would be great. If they could get the staff to keep it running. Elmbrook’s IT department is not that large. And they’re still working on getting all of the teachers acquainted with Moodle.
You’re right about that, Anthony. Charter schools are just a back door way of busting unions.
I consistently said that instead of remodelling two high schools at such a high cost, that we should combine into one campus with one high school. Would have saved facilities, maintenance, and would have moved our capacity closer to our long-term enrollment.
With ya Lorax. As stated years ago, by closing Tonawonda and hillside, , converting PPMS into a grade school, then converting East to a middle school and building one High School campus (whether one or two high schools). The cost to the tax payer would have been zero rather than $62Million and scaled to the population without the huge extra capacity
At 4 pm May 12th, 2010, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle signed S.B. 154, the anti bullying bill into law.
Present at the signing, by invitation of the legislature and governor, was a young women, formally of Elm Grove, WI – the child victim of extreme, ongoing , physical and emotional bullying (ABUSE) at school, being recognized for her:
“…work on passing Senate Bill 154, the Anti bullying act. Your willingness to share your story was both courageous and inspiring. Because of the work you have done, thousands of Wisconsin kids will have greater protection against bullies. ……
I commend you for your work to ensure that no one else has to endure the pain and suffering that you have at the hands of bullies. Children across Wisconsin are safer because of you.”
As this young women stated, “I never want what happened to me, to happen to any other child”.
As Governor Doyle stated as he signed the bill: “ Now it’s up to the School Districts”
Congratulations. I know you worked hard on this. I’ll try to get something together in the next couple of days.
Thank you, Cindy
Link to WEAC regarding the Law.
http://www.weac.org/news_and_publications/10-01-12/Empower_students_to_quell_bullying_teacher_says.aspx
Thanks.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/98681389.html?sort=most+thumbs+up
Do you guys hear yourselves??????
Also why pay for parking whats our money going to the parking lots are crap so they are obviously not going there……..And Elmbrookschool district is a great district all scool districts have thier problems with guns teachers fights ect……….maybe instead of complaining about it go to school board meatings think of ideas to fix it! Hello sitting here is not going to help……
Katie,
You state: “all scool districts have thier problems with guns teachers fights ect……”
These issues are not acceptible.
“maybe instead of complaining about it go to the school board meatings think of ideas to fix it!
Per the above post (comment 66), a victim at your school, who was, according to court records Tortured at an Elmbrook “scool”, helped pass the anti bullying bill that protects you.
Please review this and appreciate someone who stood up for you, and made you “safer” .
You, Katie, can make a difference. If you are a bully, stop. If you are a victim, tell an adult, and authorities. If you are seeing problems with guns, fights, teachers, bullies, tell someone at the school, and more importantly, adults at home and in the community.
That is the way things get done in this world.