Ptacek picked as next 117 superintendent
Two separate searches and two interim superintendents later, the District 117 Board of Education ended a nearly year-long administrative search tonight.
The board announced Steve Ptacek will be the district’s new superintendent at a special meeting. He was one of two finalists along with Dr. Roger Scott, the principal at Huntley Middle School in DeKalb. Ptacek is the superintendent for Joppa Maple-Grove District near Metropolis.
Scott and Ptacek held question-and-answer sessions with the public last month as part of their final interview process. District 117 school board president Mindy Olson says that played a factor in the decision.
“It was very beneficial to the board to see the responses and the percentages of one candidate over the other, and the comments that were made by the public, by the administrators, by the teachers, staff, things like that,” she says. “We took those very seriously in evaluating which person we chose.”
What didn’t play a factor, according to Olson, was location- Ptacek is a downstate administrator, while Scott served in the Chicago region.
Ptacek says his main initial task upon starting next summer will be to develop positive relationships with the District 117 community.
“The system that I want to approach is that I need to help define our areas of pride and our areas of concern. Schools are going to function at their maximum capacity when they’re based on positive relations, focused on a shared mission and directed towards common goals and objectives,” states Ptacek.
“The only thing that I have stated that I am very interested in adding into the curriculum for Jacksonville Public Schools is an Advanced Placement curriculum at the high school. Other than that, I do not have any specific goals plans or agenda items at the time.”
The board executed a multi-year, performance-based contract that extends for three consecutive years, with a one-year renewal option after completion of the first three years.
Ptacek is married with two children, and he says he’s looking for a hometown community for his family.
“Tracy and I are very excited about moving to Jacksonville. We’re thrilled to be able to provide a hometown for our boys in such a wonderful community,” says Ptacek.
“I grew up a military brat. My dad was in the Air Force, and we moved around until I was in the fourth grade. In the fourth grade, I started in Lebanon. We moved to Lebanon, and I graduated from the Lebanon school system. I consider Lebanon my hometown, and it’s great to have a hometown. I want to provide that for my boys,” he adds.
Ptacek’s base salary is fixed at $140,000 per year over the entire course of the contract, which is $22,000 less than the district’s previous permanent superintendent. That’s a considerable savings according to Olson, who adds that the new superintendent was flexible on salary.
“There will be no salary increases over the next four years. And he actually was the one who made the suggestion to us, that he is in essence freezing his salary for four years,” Olson says.
“I think that shows something about his character and his desire to become part of this community, desire to become part of this school district, and really see it grow, understanding that there’s financial constraints coming up, and him taking the first step in addressing some of those financial constraints,” she continues.
Ptacek will assume the position on July 1st, 2013. Source
67 comments:
Good for Mr. Ptacek.
I'm happy for Steve. Even before he came to Peoria, he took the risk of getting acquainted with all of us through blogs. I certainly wish him well. I hope his time in Peoria taught him some important lessons with regard to being a superintendent.
Too bad we didn't keep him and eliminate others in leadership.
When I met with Mr. Ptacek I thought it was very straightforward, a direct talker.
Would be a refreshing change of pace if their were more individuals like him making decisions for the District.
Interesting that others deem him so talented and the District had such little purpose for his abilities that they essentially sidelined him.
I am happy for Ptacek. I think he did a good job at Richwoods. I agree with Frustrated and Sharon Crews. He will be an asset to District 117.
I worked for him at Richwoods and actually left teaching largely due to extreme limitations he placed on me and a group of other female teachers who were part of the international baccalaureate program. He made outlandish accusations of my personal behavior to HR which I had to defend. He was duplicitous at every opportunity and not respected by his staff. Morale among teachers dropped under his leadership as he pitted departments against each other. I thought he would be a new energy for our school when he came, instead, the effect he had was one of hostility, discouragement and underachievement.
Another carpetbagger administration with a "performance" based contract.
I agree with the last anonymous. He is all TALK. Loves to talk about how "great" he is. Too bad he couldn't walk the TALK....
Congrats to Steve and his family! He is one of the most positive people I working in a difficult job where on any given day it is a negotiation among community, board, students, admins, and teachers. How wonderful another ocmmunity agrees and chose him to lead their district as superintendent!
Whoops- I know better than to comment from an iphone..forgive typos Emerge!
Ptacek signed a 3 year contract? That's funny, because he didn't stay the length of his contract in his last two jobs (Joppa and Peoria). I guess those multi-year contracts don't mean anything, right Michelle?
The proof is in the pudding. Hope he doesn't put down the district he is leaving, like he did Peoria. Not a nice word to say about D150...very telling.
Nice to see Lathan administrators read the blog- who else would comment on Ptacek finding a job before Lathan fired him as breaking contract? The red queen- off with their head!
The only people in Peoria that "liked" Ptacek, did not WORK with or for him....hhhmmmmm.
Ptacek had a 4 year contract that started in 2008. In 2011 he decided to leave for the Superintendent position in Joppa. You do the math.
Sounds like many who worked for Ptacek didn't like him. If Lathan was going to fire or demote him (but then he took the job in Joppa), maybe that was just Lathan looking out for the staff. You know, addressing employee's concerns?
Many don't like Lathan so maybe the BOE should address employee's concerns
Nahh. The board loves her. Lathan's good at managing up.
Steve's doing pretty well. That base salary is $30k more than what he had in Peoria just a few years ago. Not bad for a district 1/4 the size of D150.
Lathan administrators reading the blog? Sharon Crews gave the impression that Steve left to be top dog - not that he was about to be fired. Here's what she said at the time:
"I do not think there is any hint that Ptacek was asked to leave. I believe he has been wanting a job as superintendent as his ultimate goal--so I would imagine he was actively looking on his own."
Sharon works for the Lathan administration? Any person w a brain or backbone threatens Grenita the terrible. Principal Ptacek was picked to lead an IB school bc of his smarts- something the Lathanator couldn't handle. Or maybe the Lathan admins commenting here know something about her great support for people like Steve?
Boe members- questions for you-
1. Is the District better today than Steve was recruited?
2. What is the enrollment like now at RHS than Steve was recruited?
3. What is student achievement like?
4. What is the cost of admin prior to and after Lathan?
Is the grief and cost worth the reign of Lathan?
I believe that the staff was split in who did and did not like Steve. The ones that did like him were called names behind their backs. It was a great time at Richwoods.
He originally was supposed to be the principal at Manual, if you recall. However, that job was given to an elementary school principal (Peter Principal applies). He was then asked to be the principal at Richwoods. He talks a good talk, but he is a divider, not a kumbaya kinda guy AT ALL.
I am well aware that Steve was not liked by everyone at Richwoods--and some stories I have heard seem justified. People from outside the district (not moved up from the ranks) always have a hard time during their first year or so. We will never know if Steve would have won overall his faculty, etc., with time. It's difficult for a principal to win over his own faculty and to try to please a superintendent out to get him at the same time. And have no doubt Lathan was out to get him.
Seems Sharon has changed her tune about the reason Steve left. Now that he is a FORMER D150 administrator, that is.
Sorry this is off topic but looking for some answers . . .
Can any high school teacher or other informed individual tell me if District 150 requires high school students to take P.E. all 4 years?
My child only attend Richwoods for one year and she was not required to take P.E.???
I haven't changed my tune at all. I believed what I heard from Ungurait's report. I believe Lathan was out to get him from the beginning and her dislike (as with her dislikes of others such as Curtin) had nothing to do with employee reports. Remember she demoted Steve to adult ed and thought he would be content to stay there until the end of the year. Of course, he then sought another job. I still believe Lathan was mostly a big upset when he found another job so quickly--effects of her punishment weren't as severe as planned.
Sharon, you're living in an alternate reality. You're the one who said, on this blog:
"I do not think there is any hint that Ptacek was asked to leave. I believe he has been wanting a job as superintendent as his ultimate goal--so I would imagine he was actively looking on his own."
Here's the link:
http://emergepeoria.blogspot.com/2011/01/mrs-jenkins-is-she-in-or-is-she-out.html
But the more important point is that Ptacek was the RHS principal when HE decided to leave - See the PJStar story here:
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x448583850/Richwoods-principal-named-Joppa-superintendent
It was after Ptacek announced that he was leaving for Joppa - to take effect at the end of the school year - that Lathan decided she didn't want him at RHS for the rest of the year.
I don't know about an alternate reality--memory loss, maybe. Yes, you are right. Steve did accept a job elsewhere before Lathan demoted him. However, I believe (almost 100% sure) that Steve knew that there was a good chance and/or a reality (not alternate) that Lathan was going to fire him at the end of the year. The surprise came when he left early instead of waiting until the end of the year.
That I would say things over a year's time that might contradict what I said earlier is no surprise to me, nor should it be to you. Information in District 150 is not easy to come by--I make new assessments when new information seeps out. And sometimes I just contradict myself. Certainly, Ungurait's legal brief made some of this clearer to me.
I thought that only Jon (my goodness I haven't thought of him in a long time) took the time to retrieve my earlier posts to prove me wrong, etc. Now I'm wondering.
Some people believe only what they want to believe. Hear a story that corroborates your world view and the story is taken as truth. Hear a different story that contradicts your views and someone must be lying. Eventually you end up believing certain things HAVE to be true (Ptacek only took a job elsewhere after he was demoted) even though it's quite easy for an unbiased person to verify a different story.
It reminds me of all the Republicans who truly believed Romney was going to win, despite so much polling evidence to the contrary.
And you are an exception to the rule, right? You do not believe only what you want to believe. Ptacek had obviously sought a job elsewhere. My view: he knew that Lathan wasn't going to renew his contract, so he applied for other jobs. Your view: he sought another job without any "hints" from Lathan that his contract would not be renewed.
My view would be supported, I believe, by Steve and Ungurait. Your view would be supported by Lathan. I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder and to whom you are beholden.
I never claimed he sought another job without any "hints" from Lathan. I'm not the one making specific allegations about specific people. I'm not challenging a specific person's character based on rumor or hearsay.
The funny thing is how you now like Ptacek and Ungurait. It seems the only administrator you like or believe is a FORMER D150 administrator.
I'd want to believe Ptacek took the job in Joppa as more than just a stepping stone to a better gig. I want to believe Ungurait was treated fairly. I want to believe Terry Knapp can speak at a Board meeting in a mature manner. I want to believe Lathan is a good leader. I want to believe Hinton knew what he was doing.
I want to believe a lot of things...but I just can't.
The little general has an ego in reverse proportion to his size.
If Lathan wasn't threatening Steve then why did she camp him at Trewyn. How did that help the students of Richwoods to take away their principal during the year?
Nothing Lathan does is for the students- it is all about her whims and her insecurities.
It should be a refrain at every board meeting- how have students benefitted? Higher grad rate? Better test scores? More opportunities? Or just more salary for Lathan for more chaos?
Lathan took Ptacek out of RHS AFTER he decided to leave. He was a lame duck...to the staff...to the parents...to the students. Once he announced that he was leaving, no one cared what he had to say or do as he wasn't sticking around himself.
Joppa is a small district of about 300 students in K-12. Not only did they lose their superintendent, they just lost their only principal, who left after the Fall semester.
http://www.jmg38.com/7/post/2012/12/principal-hired.html
I'm happy for Mr. Ptacek. Best of luck!
No one takes a principal out to replace them with an interim for a couple of months unless it is a PERSONAL VENDETTA. It is not good for the kids, the person you are doing it to, the staff, no one....it is only good for you if you as a leader are threatened by everyone. So sad for Richwoods- so much unnecessary drama for no pay off. None.
Ptacek couldnt keep from running his mouth. He doesnt like working for women, quite shovenistic. He could not keep his distain for Lathan to himself. In fact, he would tell anyone who would listen, how much he didnt like Lathan. He told many on this blog. He wanted out and she showed him the door. End of story.
Just because Steve didn't like working for Lathan is not proof that he doesn't like working for women. Personally, I think District 150 administration is much too populated with women.
The problem here, of course, is that the Anonymous who seems to know so much about the situation remains nameless. I have no objection (and understand why) to people who blog anonymously, but I personally find it difficult to assess the believability of statements made anonymously. Because you know who I am, you have an idea of the perspective from which I write. I have no reason to believe that you write from an objective point of view--it seems quite subjective--just as mine is--I have reasons for my own biases. By the way, bias isn't a bad thing--one can be biased positively and negatively. In this case, I am biased on Steve's side because of my own contacts with him--and I realize that I didn't work for him.
"No one takes a principal out to replace them with an interim for a couple of months unless it is a PERSONAL VENDETTA."
That's funny, because Ptacek forced out the only principal at Joppa and just replaced her with an interim principal. Of course, he's leaving Joppa, too. I wonder if he'll last until the end of the year.
Students only have to take 2 years of PE in D150. Pretty sure they are not following state policy.
shovenistic=NC spelling of chauvinistic.
Frustrated - see 105 ILCS 5/27-6 of the Illinois School Code for exceptions to the 4 year P.E. requirement (such as students in marching band, ROTC, etc.)
Not talking about band or ROTC. Band now takes PE. The students who get out of PE are people who just do not want to exercise. The code does not address this. They should be taking 4 years of PE.
Marching band and ROTC are just a couple of the examples. A student with an IEP (which is over 25% of the D150 population) can skip PE in favor of special ed and support services. A student who is behind academically, and needs certain courses to graduate, can skip PE in order to take the required courses.
If "teacher" knows of students who do not have a legitimate reason to get out of PE, "teacher" should advise the BOE so as to protect the student and district.
Toy- thanks for commenting on Stevens chauvinism. Do spell check- oh that's right- you don't answer to anyone including Websters.
I always get a kick out of people trying to guess the identity of anonymous commenters. It's like a paranoia or something.
I understand that Illinois School Code requires that students K-12 have daily P.E. but . . . it is my impression that the District does not follow this requirement. My child took no P.E. in the year she attended Richwoods and she informed me that most of her friends did not either.
We attend another high school out of the area now and at this school it is BIG deal to be exempted from P.E. and such exemptions are granted infrequently.
Was your daughter in Band? If she was, D150 USED to count band as PE. They do not anymore, so this line of questioning is a dead issue.
I'm not sure, but this change about band not being a replacement for PE was a recent change to go along with the change from semester to year-long courses. The year-long courses are not defunct--I don't know about the other changes that went with that crazy idea.
My child was not in band. When she registered for classes there was no P.E. in her schedule either semester and no discussion of such a requirement. As mentioned in a previous post - other students' schedules were absent P.E. as well.
I cannot speak to this school year but last school year, IMO, the District was not complying with State law.
Sounds like the Lathan administration is discovering and correcting serious errors from prior administrations. Way to go Grenita!
Think again! Lathan's administration is making a multitude of errors that will take many years to clean up after she is gone, not to say the many children's lives the board has allowed her to ruin because of her arrogance.
Discovering and correcting...bahhhhaaaaaa More like unchecked procreating
I think Latham has one of her cronies writing/ snooping on here. I image them beginning a Monday meeting with "what was said about me on Emerge over the weekend?" HA HA We just cannot get away from them can we. Be careful what you say it may show up in your evaluation some day even if you sign anonymous. Just saying.
I think Emerge is a Lathan secret agent and this blog is a Trojan Horse
Above Anonymous, may I assure you that you are wrong about Emerge. You should recognize right off the bat that Emerge allows all of us to express our views on this blog--Lathan isn't interested in providing us a forum for our views.
It's called a trap, Sharon.
So, talking about administrators-today was Randy Simmons' last day in D150. How sad is that?
The historically really good principals are being forced into leaving us way too soon because Lathan is threatened by them, and not taking care of business with the students.
I haven't been trapped. :)
Yeah, it's too bad that Lathan was threatened by Valda Shipp, Tim Ryon et al.
Don't forget she felt threatened by Sharon Kherat, Annette Coleman, Steve Ptacek, and a few others.
Kevin Curtin, Michelle Ungrait, Michael Cox
the Washington Gifted principal who chose retirement instead of what Lathan had to offer
Look how many good and dedicated principals Lathan ran out due to her feeling insecure. What is wrong with the school board, are they that blind? It was embarrassing to tell people not from Peoria that our kids went to District 150. The problems with her are well known outside of the city. Thankfully we were fortunate enough to move to a different school district. It is sad to feel that way, because our parents and us went to school in the District and it was our home, but we had to think of our children and their education and they weren't getting a good one any longer in the district.
Good for him!!! Wish him the very best. Also, God love Randy Simmons.
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