Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Emails members of the media requested, reveal concerns regarding unaccounted for funds, an unhappy school board and frustrated teachers.
The Hazelwood School District (HSD) did not formally announce why superintendent Steve Price was fired. It would only say it was a confidential personnel matter and the district was "moving in another direction." Still people emailed wanting to know why, especially last week considering the district announced it came to a settlement agreement to pay for Price's salary until he found a new job, or until his signed contract with the district expires. Copies of emails the St. Louis Post Dispatch requested via the Missouri Freedom of Information Law reveal turmoil in the days before Price was fired. He faced questions from the HSD Board of Education about a substantial surplus of money in the budget, declining test scores and tensions with …
Plus, newly announced superintendent Grayling Tobias will give a 60 day update on strides he has made while serving as district head.
The Hazelwood School District (HSD) Board of Education will convene Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., to discuss district business. The bigger matter of business Tuesday will be an update 2012-13 fiscal year budget. Information has been released that details how a $9 million surplus of funds was discovered in August, which indicates one reason former superintendent Steve Price was fired. Since the discovery, an average 5 percent raise was allotted for teachers and other employees in the district. The HSD Board of Education requested Dwight Lindhorst, assistant superintendent for finance and facilities, present a budget update on how such a surplus could have gone unnoticed. Lindhorst presents quarterly budget updates on a regular basis at school board…
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Steve Price will continue his salary until he finds new employment.
Following the announcement that interim Hazelwood School District (HSD) superintendent Grayling Tobias would be promoted to the position permanently, the Hazelwood School District announced it has reached an agreement with former superintendent Steve Price regarding his abrupt firing. "The Hazelwood School Board has reached an agreement with its former Superintendent of Schools, Stephen Price. Recognizing his existing contract, the District has agreed to continue paying his base salary and insurance coverage until he is able to locate other employment. To the extent he becomes employed elsewhere, the District will then be relieved of its obligation under the settlement agreement." Steve Price served as superintendent of the district from…
Saturday, October 13, 2012
North County native Grayling Tobias has set in motion a number of plans to get the district on the right track.
When the Hazelwood Board of Education appointed Grayling Tobias interim superintendent for the district, he wasted not a single second in getting a plan and goals in place for his new position. That weekend, which was Labor Day weekend, the newly assembled leadership team as well as the board met with Tobias and spent hours meeting and working on a plan to move the district forward. That has remained the interim superintendent’s top priority. “Our primary concern is our children and we want to provide teachers and principals and support staff with the necessary resources to help our students succeed in school and in life,” Tobias said. “My job is to build on strengths for the people who work closest to our children, meaning our teachers …
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Local Voices blogger Jeannine, a district parent, shares her experiences with Steve Price and the district. Other district parents also chime in.
As parents in the Hazelwood School District are left wondering why Superintendent Steve Price was replaced last week, one mom has published her opinions about and experiences with Price on her Patch Local Voices blog. When she had concerns with her son’s elementary school, blogger and mom-of-four Jeannine, whose son has a neurological disorder, said she went straight to Price for help, as well as the school board and assistant superintendents. “None of them returned calls to address concerns, made changes, or got involved to see if indeed things were as bad as I said. It was,” she writes in her recent post. “The U.S. Department of Civil Rights helped me get their attention.” Read More: Middletown Families Don't Want Former Hazelwood …
Sonny Pondrom
10:30 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Good points. Makes me think that the budget was not the real reason. more ›