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Back to topDo You Know Where YOUR Money is Going?
The Oak Grove For Education committee feels it is important for the tax-paying citizens of the Oak Grove School District to know…
• Over $200,000 of your tax dollars have been spent to settle lawsuits due to decisions of our current school board and superintendent and pending lawsuits could more than double that figure
• The current school board voted to extend Dr. James Haley’s contact by three years and gave him a 3.5% pay increase for an approximate salary of $126,000…in spite of the fact he is actively seeking employment elsewhere
• The current school board voted to cut Principal Randy McClain’s salary nearly $9,000 for his questioning of school board and administrative decisions
• The current school board voted to pay $25,000 an acre ($300,000) for 12 acres of land bordering the Oak Grove and Grain Valley district line. Would you pay $25,000 an acre for rocky farm land with no water and sewer on it???
• An additional month of contract and pay was approved for the District Athletic Director, but just last year the current school board and superintendent approved a Student Activities Director to help that position with assigned duties
• Several instances have occurred allowing for additional administrative jobs, however, several teachers have not been allowed to purchase needed materials and supplies in the interest of their students
• The current school board has approved, once again, for Superintendent Haley to have a “staff vehicle” – a Silver three-quarter ton Chevy Truck with trailer hitch…available for anytime usage, plus unrevealed entertainment benefits
• The current school board has hired an engineer and architect to make plans for a near MILLION DOLLAR “renovation” to the existing band/shop building for the super indent’s existing staff and new staff offices
• The CTA conducted a free survey of teachers last year; however, another $20,000 survey was conducted by the current school board and superintendent this present year with the same results and opinions, no known action taken
• Last holiday season, for the first time ever, nearly $15,500 in questionable gift certificates (hush money) was given to every employee and non-employees (bus drivers, etc.) by the school board, there is no mention of this in any board minutes
If you find an issue with any of the decisions of the current school board and superintendent, please vote for school board members that will ask: Why? When? How much?
Vote for
Sue Alexander, Mick Ross and
Scott Fleming on April 8th
Our Mission
We, the Oak Grove for Education committee, support these candidates
based on the idea that they will ensure the Oak Grove School District is
run in a sound financial manner, support the needs of the staff and
students, as well as improve communication to the public, while providing
the best educational opportunities for our students.
Oak Grove for Education supports candidates that:
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Did You Know?
Retention has been an issue in the district based on the fact that our district has more building level principal turnover in the last three years than in the previous 20 years. Only one building principal has remained in that position more than 3 years and 30% of the high school staff are new to the district.
We want School Board members who will look into the retention rate and find out why administration and staff would leave this district and what concerns current staff members have.
In the past 4 years alone our district has suffered a 23 % decrease in our teachers years of experience and the Oak Grove School District this past year fell below the entire state average in teacher years of experience. The current Board of Education and the Superintendent have dismissed members of the teaching staff with outstanding evaluations, in spite of the objections of building administration
We want School Board members who will support the hiring of experienced teachers and try to keep current well-performing teachers in the district.
Overall district state mandate test scores have dropped and in some cases fallen below state average.
We want School Board members who will focus on the needs and demands of keeping our students in the above-average category regarding test scores.
A teacher survey conducted by the local teacher’s association expressing numerous concerns was presented to the Board of Education and Superintendent. The current School Board then spent thousands of dollars of district money to determine the same information that was shared in the no cost teacher survey.
We want School Board members that will take the concerns and issues of the staff and get to the bottom of the issues of the district.
Decisions on behalf of the district that were once made by district committees are now made by the Superintendent and the Board of Education. They have repeatedly made decisions as to policies that affect the entire school district and its constituents with no input by the community or building principals or staff.
We want School Board members who not only value the building principals and staff input, but also have open communication with the community.
There have been hundreds of thousands of dollars in cost over runs of former and current construction projects headed by the Board of Education and Superintendent. Additionally, over $200,000 has or will be awarded to district employees. Other pending lawsuits could more than double that figure.
We want School Board members who are constantly looking at the best financial decisions for the district and have an open policy on money being spent by tax-paying citizens.