Administrators receive raises against backdrop of cuts

During a closed meeting of the Board of Education on August 9^th, the board unanimously approved pay raises for all of its top administrators except for new superintendent Dr. Kevin Skinkis who is in the first year of his contract.  Beneficiaries include Principal Pam Bylsma, Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction Tim Scanlon, Assistant Principal of Student Affairs John Passarella, Dean of Students David Sibley, and Director of Special Education Gayle Brankin.

Scanlon’s raise (6%) was predetermined in his contract, approved in 2009, because he will be retiring at the end of the current school year.  At the time it was approved, Scanlon’s raise structure mimicked pay raises offered to retiring classroom teachers.  No other administrator’s raise was arranged due to terms of a previously existing contract.

Each administrator has a different contract, and each one expires after a certain number of years.  However, after each school year, administrators are eligible to receive a raise.  The school board discusses the outcome of the school year and reviews job performances in closed sessions and goes on from there to determine appropriate raises.

The raises have sparked strong negative reaction from some of the public, notably those commenting within the anonymous forums of the Riverside Brookfield Landmark.  Those posting have questioned why raises were granted to administrators following a summer where significant student activities such as the Fall play, Spring musical, and Math Club were cut for budgetary reasons.

In response, Skinkis said, “This item was already on the table from [former superintendent] Dr. Bonnette.  It just never got finalized.  No employment group at RBHS took a pay freeze this school year.”

In a much publicized announcement, the RB teachers’ union offered a partial pay-freeze last year if the referendum had past.  The freeze would have affected the base pay of all non-retiring teachers, though teachers still would have received raises for increasing experience.  When the referendum failed, the teachers’ union retracted this offer.

While no employment group at RB saw a pay freeze this year, most other aspects of the school faced budgetary cuts.  22 clubs were eliminated, at least one assistant coach was removed from each sport, and a “Pay to Play” fee system was instituted.

School board President Matt Sinde explained some of the decision-making process behind the raises.

“The salary increases that were given to our administrators were a percentage of CPI (Consumer Price Index).  By doing this, we are managing within our revenue stream.  District 95 recently renewed the contract of their superintendent with salary increases as a percentage of CPI,” he said.

Sinde also noted that RB’s administrators work hard for the benefit of students and deserve a reward for that work.

“The administrators at Riverside Brookfield High School work long hours to provide the leadership needed to provide our students with an excellent educational experience which will help them to succeed in their future endeavors,” he said.

He also acknowledged how the budgetary constraints facing RB have changed the scope of the administrators’ work.

“Our administrators will be asked to do more with less this school year and next school year,” he said.

Other than Scanlon’s contractually guaranteed 6% raise, administrator raises ranged from 1.53-2.7%.  According to the Illinois Interactive School Report Card, administrators at RB earned an average of $130,855 in salary during the 2010-2011 school year.  In comparison, administrators at Lyons Township earned $137,525 and administrators at Oak Park River Forest High School earned $154,697.

Administration cracks down on bullying

Most schools in the country have reports of bullying each year, unfortunately RB is no exception. 15% of kids report being bullied “frequently” across the country annually. Bullying is believed to be responsible for fueling a number of school shootings and violence in schools generally. Gender also appears to play a role, boys are twice as likely to experience harassment by other students as girls. One of the largest roadblocks in preventing bullying is the fact that it is widely unreported. It’s estimated that as much as 60% of instances of bullying go unreported.

Assistant Principal John Passarella said “bullying at RB echoes national trends, it just doesn’t always get reported. If one student is being bullied, it is a significant problem.” When asked about what classifies as bullying, Passarella stated “anything that makes a student feel intimidated or uncomfortable.” Passarella commented that “students have a right to come to school and feel safe.”

An anonymous victim of bullying came through, and said students have bullied the victim since the victim moved to the district in sixth grade.  “I’ve had to deal with being called “fag” “homo” “freak” … and other terrible names,” said the anonymous victim. This person also said that peers at school  have inflicted physical abuse, “people throw their lunch at me,” The bullied also mentioned that it wasn’t just at school that these wrongs occurred, the harassment happened on Halloween, and even over the weekend while the victim was hanging out with friends.

When asked how this feels, the victim replied, “sometimes I just wanna scream back at them and throw things back at them, but I know it won’t solve anything. I feel tension everywhere.”

Although the victim reported the harassment that happened throughout grade school, it was never resolved. “I dealt with it for four years until one day it went too far. I felt like I snapped and broke down crying in my classroom and ran out. That was the day I reported it, and things started to get resolved,” the victim said.  “It hasn’t been resolved, and never is going to be fully resolved. People are just insensitive to me.”

It has been found that bullying has veered away from its former stereotype of haggling people for lunch money, and has adapted to new forms like cyber bullying (internet bullying). Social Science Department Chair and staff sponsor for AST (association for student tolerance) John Beasley noticed this when he said “this is the sort of thing that is more frequent between younger girls and boys labeling each other or calling each other names.”

Last month, AST held a meeting, where the subject of bullying, was discussed. Beasley said AST “talks about issues when they percolate “. “AST’s big focus is community service, we haven’t discussed bullying much because there hasn’t been a groundswell of interest,” said Beasley. Beasley did say “though bullying is not the main focus of AST, they still promote peer tolerance, as I believe every organization in the school does”.

Recently, there has been an increase of bullying awareness around RB, this can be seen on the morning student bulletin, as well as on bulletins around the school hallways. Passarella explained for the recent action being taken, “I had a student being bullied for being gay. When that occurred, I realized there may be other kids being bullied that don’t know there is help for them.”  Beasley said he noticed “no increase in bullying activity”, and also mentioned “RB is not a place where cliques are as present as they are at other schools, or they are at least, more subtle.”

The victim said the only way they get through their day is by “standing strong, I tell myself every day that I am a great person and that everyone who looks past [my opinions] gets to truly know me.  I really try hard to take care of people and help a person who are bullied for all reasons, that’s why it’s so important that [my message] gets heard.  We all try to prevent all types of bullying.”

“If a problem starts at school, and continues outside of school, the school has a legal right to punish the bullying student.”  Consequences differ for bullying based on the level of severity. “Worst case scenario, students can be arrested, suspended, or removed from a setting, lunch/classrooms etc. Other consequences may also have affect. In the one case I dealt with, it was affective,” said Passarella. Beasley believes its “incumbent on all schools to protect all students, and make them feel safe to express divergent viewpoints.”

Passarella stated the school “takes bullying seriously, in my opinion it is an act of cowardice. In most cases, it’s a large group of students picking on single students that appear to be weaker. You never see a bully in a good fight.”

So far, only one major case of bullying has been reported at RB, along with several subtle cases. Bullying has happened for a multiple of reasons, ranging from sexual orientation, to race. Teachers have worked to intervene with bullying, but it often happens when teachers or security is not present, instead in the presence of other students. “Some students have called it out in an act to prevent it” said Passarella. 

Since December, only one more case of bullying was reported, it was a case of cyber bullying. “The students responsible for the bullying were disciplined and the family of the victim as happy with the consequences that took place”, said Passarella. “It is not a game to us, the discipline for bullies is stern and appropriate,” Passarella said.

Victims of bullying are encouraged to contact Mr. Passarella, David Sibley or any teacher at the school for help. Identities are promised to be kept anonymous, and the RB community is doing everything in its power to put a stop to the problem /and or limit it. Passarella stated “the last thing I want is for a student to feel desperate.”

Featured below is what students have been saying about bullying at RB.

Segway into the new year

As of the start of the school year RB security has been using a Segway to patrol the halls, and make sure kids get to class on time.

Many students have noticed that Segways have been roaming the halls of RB, and the student population has had mixed opinions on them.

“They’re dangerous and irresponsible,” said senior Hugh Berglin. In contrast side senior Sean McGonagill said, “They’re a awesome and a great addition to RB.”

For the first three weeks of school, “Segway of Chicago” loaned one Segway to RB. The loan comes from Jim Renyolds father of  RB graduate Preston Reynolds. The Segway was on loan until September 25 when it then had to be returned, and now the decision about purchasing is up to the school board.

Much of their decision well rely on Assistant Principal John Passarella, and whether or not he believes Segways are the answer to the problem that RB now faces.

“We have gained 80,000 square footage in the building, but we have gained no extra security guards,” said Passarella “so to be fiscally responsible, with our budget the way it is, I want to be creative, and figure out if we can somehow supervise the building without adding a person.”

This brings up the issue of how much benefit a Segway actually bring with its five thousand dollar price tag.

“I can circulate around the building and within minutes be back in my office. Security members could do the same. They can circulate the floor and wrap around numerous times, which you just couldn’t do before with foot traffic,” said Passarella when asked about the benefits. “It’s more efficient, and beside that you are eight inches taller a the crowd, the average person, and you can watch for problems. For example if you see kids hanging in a area and it seems it may be a problem, you can see that. It’s a great advantage.”

Community reaction was mixed when news of the Segway trial reached the public.  After a Riverside Landmark article detailed the Segway trial, several commenters mistakenly thought the school had already purchased the scooter.  Given RB’s difficult budgetary situation, taxpayer reaction was not strong.

Currently RB’s halls are Segway free while RB waits for the Board to make the its decision.