BT's Profile

Located in: Rochester, MN

Current Status: (Offline)

Total Comments: 185

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Improvement for Rochester schools might sit in core curriculum
Blogger’s; Have any of you watched the show on Sunday Nights on Fox-47 called, “Undercover Boss”.

Where CEO’s and Executives go “undercover” and into the trenches of where the real work is being done?

They witness firsthand how their business is being ran? From people behind the scenes to people with close customer contact. They see the good, the bad and the ugly of their business and then they make changes.

And before he/she, the CEO leaves to go on this 1-week undercover mission, they inform their board.

And then when they come back he/she informs the board of what they learned.

If you been following this series, you will all see two main common factors that come back from all these businesses and they are this;

1] WE NEED TO GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES MORE SUPPORT!

2] WE NEED TO SHOW OUR EMPLOYEES THERE IS GROWTH IN OUR BUSINESS.

Maybe if Dr. Dallemand and his high cabinet, top heavy paid salary cabinet at that, would leave their desks, roll up there sleeves and for ONCE listen to their employees [without any type of alleged retribution], then maybe, just maybe something positive could be done for this district!

Just maybe, if we gave our staff support and just maybe if we showed them there are growth opportunity’s in #535, we all win; more importantly the STUDENTS win!

Why Dr. Dallemand is costing tax-payer money to drive to St. Paul and testifying to request legislator’s to sell school property and put those sale proceeds into the General Fund is beyond me.

It would be my recommendation he should be personally visiting each home of students of where we have lost Rochester students to try and get them back; two visits per night on weekdays and three on Saturday’s! Ask their parents/guardians why they choose to take them out of #535. Ask the students why they wanted to leave! THEN MAKE CHANGE!

But the fact is, Dr. Dallemand and his high priced cabinet do not have a plan to retain and recruit back our students, thus we will continue to lose more STUDENTS and more money each year!

Good CEO’s and Leaders meet their employees and learn the good and the bad and recognize they need to listen to the people truly doing the work; their staff! They they have to put a plan into action to make things better!

Really, when you think about it. It is not that hard, rather, it is common sense!

The moral of this story; with this Superintendent and his lack of leadership, #535 does not have a good CEO as it’s Superintendent. I said I do not support this Administration 2-years ago and in my opinion, from what I have seen the past 2-years, my mind has not changed one bit. Rather, it further strengthens my belief of my position 2-year ago.

Furthermore, we have a majority of board member’s that are equally out of tune with what is truly going on in this district.

When will we see a Superintendent and majority Board come out from the break room and help their staff on the line to truly make this a better school district for our students, families and staff?

Regards,
Brad Trahan
03/09/2010 12:03 AM
A vote against the leaders punishes kids
Salariat; My point being is I hope we get 4 school board member’s that hold this Superintendent accountable! Right now, we have four that do not!

The reason I won’t support this referendum is because I do not have trust in this Superintendent that funds approve would be spent on staff and students.

Being a property tax payer, something this Superintendent is NOT, many of us have funded public schools. If we have a board we can trust that will make sure funds are used appropriately, no problem...I would support.

It is not something I am shameful for, rather, it is common sense.

It is called transparency and accountability; something a majority of this board has not held this Superintendent to be.

When this Superintendent is up in St. Paul testifying to allow our district to sell land to help our general fund, why isn’t he and his high priced cabinet develop a plan to 1] Retain the students we have and 2] Try and bring back the hundreds we have lost.

I totally agree with your ending statement Salariat; I really do. My point is that all those you mentioned would be collateral damage with this current Administration and the passing of the referendum because the trust of him putting where the money needs to go; students and staff, is GONE!

I appreciate your view and comments. I should have done a better job explaining myself. It doesn’t always have to go how I feel, I just want to be assured this Superintendent is finally held accountable.

Anyone hear how the TAC meeting went Thursday? I will leave that as an open ended question that I know the answer to!

Regards,
Brad Trahan
02/26/2010 11:30 PM
A vote against the leaders punishes kids
Madrick; Nice cheap shot at our son with your “Special Education” comment....whoever you are, you are gutless!

There are federal laws in place to help those students with special educational needs. And rightfully so!

As it relates to autism Madrick; it is costing the U.S. Taxpayer $90 billion dollars annually to care for our individuals with autism; a figure we can reduce by up to 2/3rds with Early and Intense intervention Why aren’t we doing it?

But we are taking these issues on at the State Government [Legislation introduced for private insurance] and Federal Level; two laws addressing this w/insurance company’s as well.

At least, Madrick, Myself, and many other fine individuals and organizations make an effort to bring positive change in this field, unlike you who will takes cracks at our Special Ed. Department.

Your note was a simple cheap shot to our students in Special Ed. Must make you feel real good to take a shot like that huh?

Madrick; do me a favor; come stay w/us JUST for 1-day and see the demands put on ALL families that have a loved one with special needs, no matter what that special need is!

We don’t whine about it; we step up to the plate and do what we need to do for our kids. In our cause, 50% of our kids are non-verbal so someone as to speak for them!

I am WELL aware of Special Ed getting their cuts Madrick. Ex: Budget Cuts 2008; Special Ed received huge cuts in this district and that’s why for the 2009 year, many of us argued to “leave Special Ed alone”. And the school board did and I commend them. They too acknowledged Special Ed had been cut hard the previous year.

But your post Madrick was simply a cheap shot to all our students in Special Ed. and to their parents/guardians that love and care for them.

Hope you rest well tonight!

Regards,
Brad Trahan
02/25/2010 6:08 PM
A vote against the leaders punishes kids
Mr. Carson;

I will not support any referendum under this current Superintendent or school board with 4-3 votes going the way they are. If we get a school board in place where 4-3 will go the other direction, I will think about it.

I am fully supportive a referendum for our students and staff but I need assurance on what is going where.

Right now, we are dealing with a Superintendent who doesn’t want to be “micromanaged” but at the same time enjoys eating out on taxpayers dime, creating the most top heavy cabinet Rochester has ever seen and more.

It is very sad it has come to this and I have yet to see any results from the Bush Foundation visit/mentoring/counseling, whatever it is called.

Mr. Carson; this is not about making a political statement against our Superintendent and School Board, rather it is a lack of trust by several citizens in this community in that we are concerned that the money will not be truly used for its intended purpose.

Until I see how this Superintendent has personally, fully vested in this community with his tax dollars for our public schools as a whole, I sure don’t need him telling me as a citizen in this community that NOW is the time to embrace and support public schools in Rochester financially.

Many of us as property owners have been doing that for some time now.

I am sure you won’t here any of us argue that we wish our district had more state funds. But maybe this Superintendent should look at cutting some of his own cabinet and spending and lead by example first!

Another discussion topic is the number of students who have left our district. If we are thinking about ideas and getting creative to bring in some more money; I have yet to see a proposal by this Administration to “recruit” our own back into our own school system.

Trust is not given Mr. Carson, it is earned and this Superintendent has FAR from earned any trust from this tax payer and I would venture to guess many others.

Thank you for your view point and your Editorial and most of all; teaching our kids!

Regards,
Brad Trahan
02/24/2010 5:33 PM
Efficacy's message of blame
Michael,

Very well written my friend!

I am sorry that LetsB had to turn its focus of attack on you now rather than me.

I do thank you Michael for your previous post in a separate blog when I was accused of “hate” when I was simply trying to explain issues of concern.

Thanks for taking the time to write an excellent editorial. And thank you for all the work you have done in our school district in the past!

That $375,000.00 would sure be nice to have right now!

Regards,
Brad Trahan
02/13/2010 12:22 AM

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