Superintendent Dave Allison’s future with the Gilbert Unified School District may be decided Thursday.
Allison’s current two-year contract expires June 30. The district’s governing board held a meeting Tuesday night to discuss Allison’s contract during a closed door executive session.
Allison told the Tribune on Wednesday that a meeting will be held Thursday to discuss the fate of his tenure.
Allison has been superintendent of the district since 2008 when he was tapped to replace Brad Barrett. Allison was then given a three-year contract. That was a followed by a two-year contract that was signed in October 2010 to start July 1, 2011, and end June 30.
Allison previously served as associate superintendent of administrative services.
According to Gilbert governing board policy CBI, “On or before the end of January, the board shall offer a contract for the next school year to the superintendent if the administrative contract is in its last year, unless the board gives notice to the superintendent of the board’s intention not to offer a new administrative contract.”
There is a new board in place since Allison’s current contract was signed. Three board members took office in January – Jill Humpherys, Daryl Colvin and Julie Smith. Board president Staci Burk and board member Lily Tram have served on the board since 2011 and 2008, respectively.
Allison said he did not attend the executive session or the public session that was held afterward. At the public portion of the meeting, the governing board voted to table any decision on Allison’s contract until Thursday, board member Tram told the Tribune.
The board room will be open for the public Thursday, though some board members may attend via teleconference, the Tribune has been told.
The school district has been under increased public scrutiny the last few months as the previous board voted to close Gilbert Junior High School in October and the new board voted to rescind that decision on Jan. 22. Many have said the matter divided the community and some raised questions of whether or not the district followed legal procedures for the school’s closing.
Under the state’s latest school ratings, the district moved from a “B” to an “A” and it was recently honored by The College Board, the national organization that administers advanced placement exams as well as the SAT, for the number of students passing AP exams.
Contact writer: (480) 898-6549 or mreese@evtrib.com
Happy Gilbertian posted at 4:24 pm on Wed, Jan 30, 2013.
GET HIM OUT OF THERE! DANGERFIELD NEEDS TO GO WITH HIM.......... It's time to clean house GPS BOARD!!!
Mike McClellan posted at 4:38 pm on Wed, Jan 30, 2013.
So, let's see, the district has some of the best scores in the state, some of the best AP programs in the state, some of the highest SAT and ACT scores in the state, a significantly higher graduation rate than the state, millions of dollars in scholarships each year to graduates. GPS graduates retained in college at a higher rate than the state.
And the district's bad?
Please. Are there problems? Sure. What large organization doesn't have some.
The only significantly "bad" part of the district is the teachers' salaries, which have been frozen for years.
Let's just see what happens when the new school board majority tries to change things like curriculum. And be assured, they will.
Ivanna posted at 7:02 pm on Wed, Jan 30, 2013.
Mike, you are right as usual. The morale in the GPS district is in the toilet right now (even at its best schools). I have very little faith that the new school board will do anything to improve the situation. Very likely they will only make the situation worse. A teacher shortage is a brewing Gilbert! Wake up before it's too late...
vwkaferman posted at 9:11 pm on Wed, Jan 30, 2013.
Exactly. Moral is very low. Principals buckle to parents pressure, don't back up teachers, no pay raises etc...no wonder my gal left. Couldn't be happier.
Happy Gilbertian posted at 8:23 am on Thu, Jan 31, 2013.
So this is what employees recieved this morning !!! Funny do ya think he felt something coming? hehe
To All School Employees,
After 20 years of being employed by Gilbert Public School I have decided to retire, effective June 30, 2013, which is the date my employment contract expires. Although it is relatively early in the school year for a retirement announcement, Board policy mandated that the Board had to decide on my contract by January 31. Because of this, I decided to make the announcement at this time. It also allows the Board a significant amount of time to hire a new superintendent.
During the past 20 years that I have worked for Gilbert Public Schools I have seen many changes. In my first 15 years with the District, it was one of the fastest growing school districts in the country. During the past 5 years, growth has not occurred but enrollment has been maintained. Both situations have provided me with challenges and opportunities during my tenure at Gilbert Public Schools.
Gilbert Public Schools has a stellar reputation of being one of the best school districts in Arizona. Some of the reasons for this are great facilities, solid community and parental support, student oriented Board members, students who have a positive attitude toward education, being a designated "A" district but most importantly, employees who work hard every day to provide a quality educational program to all District students.
The most rewarding part of the 20 years I have spent working for the District is my association with some of the greatest people I have ever known.
The Mission of Gilbert Public Schools is to "Ensure exemplary education that inspires excellence and success within every learner". I would ask all employees to work daily to achieve this mission. In doing so Gilbert Public Schools will become "World Class".
The Board and I will work closely together during the next 5 months to further enhance the objective of increasing student learning.
Thank you for a great twenty years.
Dave Allison Ed.D
Superintendent
Gilbert Public Schools
JMJ posted at 11:06 am on Thu, Jan 31, 2013.
Hey, Mike, you should know better. It's not the administration in Gilbert that has kept Gilbert scoring well, it's the teachers. Just like in MPS, where the "leaders" are so lacking and devoid of any values [think about a few of one of your adminsitrators at DHS who was hush-hushedly ushered away to "lead" another department before taking over another high school when the coast was clear three years later...]. The teachers carry the day, not the uppity-ups. Morale in Mesa tanked [and is still in the dregs] because of the obvious promotion of those with helium brains who float to the top like at the behest of the dullards who promote their brainless friends. Gilbert is another place I'd never work. The people in charge could care less about the people they allegedly "lead". Thank the teachers of Gilbert for their kids' scores. Not the idiots at the top of the heap, raining down so much drek to those at the foundation of the process--who ARE doing their jobs. In spite of all the krap from above.
Mike McClellan posted at 4:49 pm on Thu, Jan 31, 2013.
Absolutely, JMJ. But I think you have to go beyond "administrators" to get into the malaise that teachers across the country feel.
I was talking with an administrator yesterday, and told her that the problem with so many of her "kind" (administrators) was that they see their current position only as a step to the next higher one. That kind of ambition might get them more money but not necessarily make the schools they supervise very good.
In fact, often schools are good despite the administrators, not because of them.
Cirrus posted at 10:16 pm on Thu, Jan 31, 2013.
From the trenches, this week's events look like the first volley of a polarizing hatefest.
LiveInGilbert posted at 1:52 pm on Fri, Feb 1, 2013.
No - haven't you read Cirrus - the new Board chair and majority has said they are here to heal the community ... interesting strategies they have to date - looks more like gasoline being thrown on the fire.
JMJ posted at 6:44 pm on Fri, Feb 1, 2013.
Yes, Mike, I agree with the fact that many schools are good in spite of their administrators. The trouble is, as time passes and more of us veterans retire, the bubbleheads that Mike Clown enjoys promoting are having no effect on the newbies' success in education, nor the advancement of their schools' output. The schools' students are losing out because the new teachers need time to come up to speed, and with no lead, without the veterans who are no longer there to mentor the novice teachers. But, if you're in with the stupidintendency, you're promoted. It's a terrible system that is taking its toll.
Two of the schools that feed into Dobson have gone down a grade on the state's report card grading system. And, their two "leaders" are idiots who just happen to have been promoted under the new regime's friendship promotion plan.
It's a sad situation for those of us who cared and still care about the kids, first and foremost. But, the happy helium club just keeps inhaling and talking in suspiciously high voices. You know, no alcohol and all that.