Archive: Around Town

Lansing's Board of Education (BOE) was at odds with district administrators last week when they put off hiring a school information systems specialist for the Technology Department.  Curriculum Director Deb Pichette explained for the second time what the need is for the position, and how her proposed reorganization of the department will solve problems the district is experiencing, but school board members weren't biting in what was at times a hostile exchange.


The Technology Department has seen a lot of upheaval since half time Technology Director Rick Miller left last year.  Miller actually works for BOCES, which provided his services to Lansing.  When BOCES was unable to provide a replacement Pichette was assigned to head the department and find a way to meet the district's needs.  At the end of August she outlined the tasks the department is responsible for, which include maintaining the network infrastructure, dealing with individual workstations and software, training and supporting teachers, and maintaining official records, among others.

The department then consisted of three microcomputer specialists, Caroline Parks, Nancy Raza, and Roger Jagoda.  Working closely with these technicians, Pichette struggled to understand  the various tasks and needs of the district, then put together comprehensive presentations to explain the scope of these tasks to the board.  She recommended promoting Jagoda to network specialist, and hiring a new microcomputer specialist to replace him, plus an information systems specialist to handle databases, mandated data warehousing, and similar tasks.

In her presentation she explained that state mandates and increased testing mean more data entry and control than in past years, and that the district could suffer financial consequences if it doesn't keep up with required reporting to the State.  She noted that parents received notice that their children were to receive academic intervention services about two weeks after it had already been implemented, only because she spent the weekend personally preparing the notices for mailing.  She also advocated for one person to be in charge of confidential data to protect students' and families' privacy and to insure the accuracy of the data, which included emergency contacts for each student as well as personal and performance data.

By bringing the network specialist and information technology positions in-house, Pichette was literally able to create two positions for the price on one.  With BOCES charging $77,361 for a network specialist, Pichette reasoned that she could hire two people with less seniority for that price this year, with some minimal impact on future budgets as raises and the cost of benefits accrued.  She also felt that the district would have more control over these positions by bringing them in-house.

The BOE did move Jagoda into network specialist position, and created the microcomputer specialist so that Business Administrator Larry Lawrence could work with the Civil Service to create a job category for the position.  That would lay the groundwork for the district to hire someone if the BOE decided to go forward.

But at least half the board members were unhappy about the reorganization of the department, and were loath to hire someone for the position, even though some acknowledged the need.  With Dan Brown unable to attend the meeting, it looked as if a vote would be split.

Board member Christine Iacobucci said, "People are frustrated in the district.  There are teachers and staff who are frustrated and overwhelmed and confused because of the restructuring."  Pichette explained that with the microcomputer specialists struggling to fill in to meet district needs the position would fulfill, that their own jobs are not getting done, putting the department months behind.


Superintendent Mark Lewis commended Pichette for stepping up to fill the gap in the Technology Department without complaint, although it is not what she was hired to do.  "I know she has the support of the technology team.  What I've heard around this table is that technology is a priority, and that's a significant mixed signal for me."

Board member Anne Drake said she would not be bullied into voting to hire the position.  But Tom Keane said, "Other districts are struggling to provide this service.  We have an opportunity to enhance our ability to perform this service.  It's not going to cost us any more money to do that.  I'm not a school administrator and this plan meets the needs of the district.  I say let's go for it."

Sandi Dhimitri was uncomfortable with the financial impact in future years, which Lawrence estimated would be less than $20,000.  But she said, "We definitely owe it to Deb to get her help."  Board President Bonita Lindberg proposed hiring an interim position for this year, but administrators were uncomfortable with that choice, saying that the caliber of people interested in a less than one year position wouldn't be as high as those applying for a full time job.

Even when Principals Michelle Stone and Jamie Thompson eloquently described how their schools are affected every day.  "I do not think that the position can be ignored," Thomas said.  "I just need to tell you that a great deal of the problems that I'm dealing with right now have to do with this issue."  Even so, the Board seemed split.  By this time it was already 11:00pm and tempers were fraying.  Lewis recommended tabling it until the November 16th board meeting, when a full board could consider it.  The board agreed to do so, and to vote on the position as an action item at that meeting.

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