The rejection of a rescission of a resignation

I am not surprised that Valda Ship has decided to fight. She is hardly the only Principal in District 150 who has given out errouneous information; or not followed District policies; or not returned parents calls and e-mails; or violated student rights; or not inform parents about rights to appeal. I don't see where anybody else has been fired.


Ex-principal suing District 150Valda Shipp files lawsuit to get Glen Oak School job back or be reinstated as a teacher.
A former Peoria District 150 principal is suing to get her job back or be reinstated as a teacher, claiming her job status at the district is in limbo. Shipp, a 34-year employee of the district, spent the last 10 years as a principal, with the three most recent years at Glen Oak, 2100 N. Wisconsin Ave.

In the suit filed in December, former Glen Oak Primary School Principal Valda Shipp said the district did not terminate her, that she never did anything that would merit being fired and she rescinded a decision to retire.

The suit notes Shipp had been reprimanded on some issues in February but none serious enough that would lead to her dismissal. But later, she was placed on administrative leave and Superintendent Grenita Lathan came to Shipp in June with two options: the district could terminate her contract with just cause or terminate her without cause and pay her $5,000 and her salary through the end of the month, provided she resign as a teacher and sign a full release, the suit states and copies of various letters from the district show.

Shipp did neither but on June 29 tendured a letter of resignation to the district. The following day, though, she issued a second letter rescinding her intention to retire. Another letter contained in the suit from Lathan, dated July 2, "rejects" Shipp's July 1 letter to rescind her retirement.

"I received your letter, in which you attempted to rescind the letter of retirement submitted to District 150 on June 29. I reject you rescinding your notice of retirement," Lathan said in the brief letter to Shipp.

Shipp's suit maintains that her resignation letter did not constitute actual resignation because she rescinded it and claims never to have received retirement benefits through the state's Teacher Retirement System.

The suit also maintains Shipp still has a valid contract with the district and seeks to be reinstated and to receive any salary and/or benefits owed to her since July.

Also noted was her unavailability and not returning calls to parents as well as being blamed for poor customer service, including incorrect information that went to a second- and third-grade student, leading them to attempt to walk to their grandparents' home in Pekin. Both children were found along Interstate 74 by a truck driver and authorities were called. Source

Glen Oak Principal on administrative leave

The Principal of Glen Oak School has been put on administrative leave. The reason why Shipp was put on leave has not been confirmed, however, Tuesday of this week a child was reportedly pushed down by a teacher at the school.

You may recall a previous post done here on Valda Shipp, entitled "Will the real Valda Ship please stand up", which followed an article done by DeWayne Bartles of the Times Observer entitled "Shipp leads school from 'zoo' to 'pocket of excellence'". The Bartles article piqued my interest, because it received a large number of comments from people who alleged to be present and/or former co-workers of Shipp and they considered her an absolute tyrant.

Since the Bartles article, staff at Glen Oak have made constant efforts to illustrate that Shipp's management style was counter productive to what the school should stand for.

It is said that today Shipp was put on leave because she was insubordinate. Interesting that the leave was not as a result of mistreating her staff and letting children run wild, since that is what has been alleged to date.

Will the real Valda Shipp please stand up

I came across a really nice article that Dewayne Bartles, over at the Peoria Times Observer wrote on Valda Shipp, the Principal of Glen Oak School, entitled "Shipp leads school from 'zoo' to 'pocket of excellence'". Shipp's philosophy is based on high expectations and the article is filled with wonderful little anecdotes about Principal Shipp (which are sprinkled throughout here).

Although Shipp came into the school "like a drill sergeant", in Bartles' opinion, (which is complete with a first hand account of Principal Shipp in action) Principal Shipp is doing a stand up job and making a real difference in the lives of the impoverished children of the East Bluff.

It's a real feel good article, that is until you read the comments - 27 of them - as old as seven days and as recent as 12 hours ago. What are they saying? They are saying Mr. Bartles has it TWISTED. That he has been fooled by Valda Shipp and he needs to take a second look. Actually, they are begging him to take a second look at the real Valda Shipp. Here is a sample:

AlyssWL12 hours ago
This is for DeWayne and the Editor. I would be more than happy to give you first hand accounts of things that have transpired in that building since the current 'administrator' came. E-mail me.

Just let me say for those that still have to work in that building, I am sorry for you. New name for the school should be 'HELL ON THE HILL'. I have witnessed on the occasions I have been there, not only staff belittled, but students and parents as well. She is an equal opportunity hater. She's told parents to 'take their ratty kids to another school as she didn't need them in HER building'. I've seen students screamed at, picked up by their arms and dragged down the hall to the office (these are kindergarteners), children pinched, bullied, humiliated, etc. The average person cannot just come into the building without an appointment, parents included. Traveling staff are encouraged to have set times/days to come in, as this keeps witnessing obscene events to a minimum.

These people are not kidding when they express how hateful she is, not can be at times, IS. Hopefully, now that the relative-tie is gone, she will be following shortly. I know some EXCELLENT people who could turn that building around through kindness, patience, encouragement and TEAMWORK.

Oh, and Mr./Ms. Editor...you may not get much response if you try to talk to current staff, as the fear of retaliation is high.

Reading the comments made me curious, so I Goggled Valda Shipp (of course). This article about a District 150 bus monitor who taped a child's mouth shut came up. Although the incident had nothing to do with Shipp, apparently one commenter thought Shipp should go to jail for her treatment of people:

Friday, May 1 at 5:46 PM Teacherwithamind wrote ...
I am talking about Velda "Hitler" Shipp the principal at Glen Oak. I would love to see the inches thick file full of parent, teacher, and student complaints about her. If Julie was fired because she upset a few parents...Shipp should have been fired years ago. If you have ever worked under her then you know what I am talking about. She is a female Hitler. She is cold, uncaring, mean, a liar...If they put her at the new Glen Oak it will become what all her others have been a concentration camp.

Friday, May 1 at 5:47 PM Teacherwithamind wrote ...
more about Hitler....she makes your life a living hell. She barks orders at you. She constantly lies and i think her goal in life is to see how many people she can make have a nervous breakdown. If you are not in her inner circle, then you are a nobody...just there to take her abuse. It is my opinion that she does this to make herself feel better. All of the teachers that wanted McArdle gone should transfer to Glen oak next year!!!!!!!!!

Friday, May 1 at 5:50 PM Teacherwithamind wrote...

They can fire a man for putting tape on a child's mouth...but not for stealing thousands or giving teachers nervous breakdowns......go figure....most of us know the reason for that...

So, who is the real Valda Shipp? Is she a misunderstood, no nonsense administrator that per Interim Superintendent Norm Durflinger, is responsible for making Glen Oak School a “pocket of excellence.” Is the fact that “She does not accept excuses,” and “She expects a safe school, a clean school.” an excuse for being a tyrant?

It is said that being liked was not on Shipp's agenda as she took the school’s reins. That's unfortunate, because being likable goes a long way towards the over all moral of the school and the District.