A long-awaited independent review of the high school reform plan known as CSSRP was provided to the Board of Education by Leadership Capacity, Inc. at the board’s work session Monday, April 21st in Bel Air. The board received a 300-page report reiterating many of the issues brought to the board’s attention by teachers, parents, students and administrators as far back as 2005.
Particular interest was sparked by focus group reports indicating a low level of support among teachers for many aspects of CSSRP ranging from the block schedule to the mandatory class “Living in a Contemporary World”.
Board president Tom Fidler wasted no time concluding that this reflected of a “failure of leadership” on the part of Superintendent Jackie Haas and senior staff members Dave Volrath and Gerry Scarborough.
Is it possible that Mr. Fidler has grown weary of being misguided by certain members of senior staff? If so, he could do a real service to the students of Harford County Public Schools by embracing the feedback from this report and using it to guide immediate changes to CSSRP.
Or is his laser-like focus on the failures of others an attempt to deflect comparisons with the board’s history of discounting input from stakeholders who raised doubts about the plan?
The report from Leadership Capacity mirrored a presentation the board received from Councilman Dick Slutzky on March 17th. Slutzky’s address was prompted by constituents who were frustrated when the board did not address reasonable concerns in a timely way and turned to the county council to advocate on their behalf. (To anyone who may question what supporters of an elected school board mean by “accountability”, the council has provided a good example.)
It remains to be seen whether Mr. Fidler will avoid the temptation bury this report and instead lead the way to improvements in CSSRP. With only a few months left in his tenure, he has an opportunity, but not much time.
On the other hand, what is it called when someone charged with oversight points fingers when they should take action?
Oh right, a failure of leadership.
Click here to read the entire 300 page report on CSSRP
I hope the survey results were a wake up call.
This is the legacy of Dr. Haas and the Board and one would suspect that the band aids will soon be put on their fatal wounds. That Dr. Haas, said “no surprises” and there is “good and bad news” is the shocker to me. Those statements reek of “pointing fingers” elsewhere.
We desperately need leaders…not beaurocrats.
This was a long report and I hope that Cindy will be able to read and digest all the information within and supply we Dagger readers with more detail on the results. In yesterday’s Baltimore Sun, an article on this same issue stated that Harford County test results on the MD state assessment tests were up last year (as was the case statewide making me wonder if part of the increase was the test content itself.) Conversely, our county’s student scores on the SAT and AP tests were lower than previous years. Worrisome!
SZQ- the MD Assessment Test scores will continue to rise. It’s not a function of the test content, rather it is the result of teachers becoming better and better at preparing their students to take the tests (call that “teaching to the test”) as is their mandate.
Read the conclusions and recommendations. This sums it up quite nicely-
“Only school principals could identify in the focus group sessions any specific ways that they were involved in decision making prior to adopting the reforms. Teachers seemed largely unaware of any CSSRP pre-adoption discussions and felt that ‚there wasn’t extensive classroom teacher involvement? in the CSSRP development process. Some teachers mentioned awareness of a district-level committee that was addressing secondary school reform, but no respondents other than principals were clear about how or when this team was created. A few participants also mentioned open forums that addressed secondary school reform, but again, when prompted, offered few specifics.”
From the Madison Park article in the Sun —
“In standardized exams, Harford improved in all four High School Assessments, but declined in all three SAT subjects and Advanced Placement passing rates.”
It had been brought to the BOE by parents may times in recent months that in the 2006-2007 school year, for the first time, students that were not deemed “ready” to pass the HSA were not required to take the test. When you remove what might be classified as known failures from the cohort of students taking the test, logically the % of improvement will increase.
Unfortunately, that 8.6% increase in HSA scores in Harford County for 06-07, was because they were not measured the same way as they were in 05-06. Apparently, no one told Leadership Capacity Inc. that they were comparing apples and oranges when it came to HSA results.
The best conclusion that should have been drawn was that, based on the data provided, it was inconclusive whether or not the HSA results had improved or declined, but test scores had declined in all three SAT subjects and Advanced Placement passing rates.
I wonder if the implementation of CSSRP has anything to do with the teacher cuts in Harford County. Twenty-six teaching positions have been cut in the secondary schools. Do we need fewer teachers because we have teachers teaching an additional class?Think the block schedule has anything to do with that?
Anyone see season 5 of The Wire?
Is it possible that HCPS has adopted the paradoxical “do more with less”
Hopefully Lee Merrell will be named the next school board president, since he was the only one to see this plan for what it was. He has my vote, which of course means #(%)@.
At last night’s board meeting, Mr. Fidler stated that based on the number of e-mails he received during the week, he is now convlnced that “we have majority support for CSSRP”. He thanked Dr. Haas and her staff for their recent actions (without elaboration) and thanked several principals who attended the board meeting to helpfully reiterate their support for the plan.
This stunning turn-around was echoed by several board members who repeated the explanation that the failure relating to CSSRP was one of communication, not leadership.
Board member Pat Hess specifically rejected the idea that there had been a failure of leadership, reacting to a “wonderful on-line report” and newspaper stories as if they were the source of the charge. But it was Mr. Fidler who voted in favor of a failure of leadership, before he voted against it.
Mr. Hess also called for people to focus on how they could help. A good idea to be sure, but he might want to review the section of the report documenting frustration with the sense that CSSRP was a “done deal”, unaffected by stakeholder input. The fact is that other ideas were offered, especially on the block schedule, but so far they have not been part of the discussion. Will they be looked at now?
Only board member Lee Merrell noted concerns about outcomes from CSSRP such as lost instruction time resulting in cuts to the curriculum.
Finally, Dr. Haas directly addressed County Councilman Dick Slutzky who was in attendance, saying that she did indeed take responsiblity for the failure, which was to communicate an implementation and evaluation plan for CSSRP.
So what we have here is a failure to communicate. Is that like the “Cool Hand Luke” failure to communicate? Or will communication finally begin to flow in more than one direction?
See folks, this is how you can hold the school board accountable! They are using emails to build consensus! If we want more classrooms, just send them favorable emails. Don’t like the recent teacher cuts? Send them emails! They will magically change their minds!
Board President Fidler’s email: Thomas.Fidler@hcps.org
Unbelievable. Do they not understand that great communication is the essential trait of great leadership? When CSSRP fails because of poor communication, that is a reflection on the leadership?
What else is new? I guess I was expecting some real changes. Silly Me!!
Okaay…I need more information from Mr. Fidler..Please clarify how emails expressing majority support for CSSRP solve the many issues/concerns raised by not only parents, teachers and community leaders BUT also the ones raised by the Independent analysis –Leadership Capacity?? We are all aware that the CSSRP is complex…do the emails support ALL aspects of the CSSRP?? Career pathways?? Less instructional time?? Block Schedules?? Opportunity for more electives?? (worthwhile ones I hope..) to name a few…
I don’t know maybe I am reading between the lines but if all we have is a failure to communicate, then I guess only the positive effects need communicating..not the negative ones. So lets do a better job communicating and evaluating that we have lower SAT and AP scores as a result of CSSRP…that still doesn’t correct the issues/concerns identified.
I can’t help but feel like there is so much insecurity from the “owners” of the CSSRP that they are unwilling to behave like adults and acknowledge that the CSSRP is not perfect and is truly a work in progress with the students of HCPS being the guinea pigs.
And now we’re continuing the failure of leadership. Let’s not forget that, while all of this was going on, the Board of Education re-hired Dr. Haas without any critiques or reviews. Mr. Fidler believed–for a week, anyway–that there was a failure in leadership: that failure occurred at the time that he, as a school board member, had the power to higher, fire, and advise the superintendent. The leadership failed at the one time the school board was actually in a clear position to lead HCPS!
I’m not saying Dr. Haas should have been fired–but before she was rehired, a performance evaluation, and recommendations from the “leadership” of the school board, certainly would have been appropriate. Instead, the board gave her an enormous raise in salary and benefits. There are no checks and balances in HCPS, however, and we will have a failure in leadership until there are.
What do you mean, Brian? We have checks and balances, as stakeholders. We can always elect school board members who reflect our values and represent our views….wait….no we don’t…..
Over the past months and even years, I have watched the “activities” of our Board of Education and Leaders in the HCPS fairly closely. Up till now, I have been silent in public forums. Based on what I heard transpired at last nights BOE meeting, I feel I can remain silent no more,
While I can express only my opinion and mine alone, I can say with great confidence that a large percentage of the population is on the same side of the fence as I am.
As a newcomer to this party, I will start off slow. For now, I have but one question (albeit rhetorical) for members of the BOE, and slected others who spoke publicly last night…….Please tell me, is the Kool-Aid red or purple??
Whatever color it is Lew it must be plentiful and very tasty. I am afraid to go to BOE meeting because I have an overwhelming urge to stand up and yel THE EMPRESS HAS NO CLOTHES ON!!!!!!!
As for Fidler flip flopping all the time that is because he can’t remeber what his stance was at the last meeeting. He truly makes it up as he goes along. It would be funny to watch if it didn’t effect our children and cost $422 million a year.
It’s official: 4 members of the Board and the Superintendent and the Director of Secondary Education and other senior staff have placed a moratorium on reality and accuracy. CSSRP was self-serving in its genesis, utterly ill-concieved, pushed through dishonestly, and is now being protected by massive walls of misrepresentation. And we all KNOW, that, if there was a shred of positive information on the reform, then we would absolutely drowning in a tsunami of self-congratulatory Powerpoint presentations from the director of secondary education!
But just be quiet all of you unwashed ignorant masses and let the emperor insist he’s wearing clothes. If this wasn’t so disgraceful and malfeasant, it would almost be comical.
This is so sad for our students. And there is nothing we can do about it. Mr. Hess was the crushing blow last night. We expect nothing more from Board members Fidler, Rich and Wolkow than for them to arrogantly and irrationally defend the superintendent and themselves at the expense of the children. But we were hoping that Mr. Hess, as a last resort, had the courage and clarity to stand up to this shameful and transparent attempt to misrepresent a misguided, self-serving failure. But alas, he chose the easy and wrong path; and joined in the inexplicable wagon-circling.
But we are powerless. We can’t fire Haas; we can’t fire Volrath; and we certainly can’t fire the above-mentioned members of the board unless of course the governor, or Mary Dulaney James lets us.
In case you missed it, the board meeting will be broadcast at 8PM and 11:30PM tonight ,Tuesday April 29th, on HCN (Comcast Channel 21 or Clearview Channel 7.)
Thanks, Cindy, I tuned in and it is quite curious that Tom Fidler “thanked” the super and staff without the explanation of why. The rest of the comments I think are predictable given the “us against them” mentality. Working together for answers means– just do what we want. Of course, celebrate the positives but don’t sweep away the negatives. It sounded like Ms. Rich said we need to get the teachers on board, does that mean the Supers way of thinking? Anyway, Mr. Hess who someone thought was out last hope, has the same arrogance, if not more than the others. Not equating leadership with the ability to communicate is ridiculous. Hasn’t that been the same issue that they were going to improve after other battles with the public? We just need to Communicate? Communication was their lowest grade but continues to decline. I would grade them below an E in the latest survey, as shown in the Leadership Capacity Inc results. I also found the Principals comments at the Board meeting again a top down push for the program. Are the principles now in the classrooms teaching? Let’s get the word from the 83% of the teachers who felt they had no say in the CSSRP and do not believe that it is a good program. I still am baffled by the “Do you learn more in the block scheduling class of 82 minutes vs. the 45 minutes? Duh, I don’t know? Does learn mean cover more material with the extra 40 minutes or does it mean retain for the rest of your life or helps you progress? Silly questions with open end meanings to decipher. I wonder why no discussion on the 4th Math Credit only on the LICW course? I would expect little changes to take place other than making sure the teachers are on board for the next survey
I am disheartened, but not surprised by the turnaround in attitude. If you pay close attention, the BOE was allowed to view the report without filters from central office. They read it and interpretted it correctly which led to the comments about a lack of leadership.
The superintendent does not allow her employees to communicate with the BOE directly. Speaking from experience, we are told not to speak with the board. In fact, I was once contacted by a board member directly while I was an administrator and was told that that was not allowed and that the board member would be spoken to.
Brian,
As for deciding the superintendent’s position based on performance evaluations and recommendations…I can only say that my first hand experience is testimony that a life long commitment to public education and stellar evaluations add up to nothing. I would find it interesting if the position of superintendent could be reassigned just because the BOE wanted to wield such power. That power belongs ONLY to the position of superintendent.
I watched the BOE meeting from Monday night and I was really taken back. I saw several teams from Harford County get recognized for a creative problem solving competition and then I heard a board member talk about people not doing anything or being helpful. Really? Weren’t most of the team managers a parent of a team member? I also heard him mention that no one talks about the good things the school system does. Well, there was an example of good things that are going on but that was because of the support of PARENTS. The school system does do some good things but that is mostly because of the teachers and the school community. I was appalled that the principals were paraded in front of the Board and were forced to recite the party line. I thought it was apparent in the survey that the administrators were already indoctrinated by the school administration and it was teachers and school personnel who weren’t sold on it. It was also apparent at the meeting that there are principals in the school system who are doing a horrific job and the school system is not doing much about it. I have a lot of respect for the teachers and school personnel who were willing to voice their opinions. I’m thankful that they are not going to promote a reform movement that does little or nothing to improve student achievement, and even if it does there is no real measurable data to prove it. What data are they going to start using to measure improvement anyway? Did the school system ever consider the reason WHY teachers and others are not happy with CSSRP? Oh yeah they paid a company money to find out, but they are going to basically ignore the comments and findings.
Shame on the Board members who said little or nothing about what this is doing to the students currently enrolled in the school system who are being adversely effected by this. They were so worried about protecting their egos and reputations that they forgot that they are supposed to be working on behalf of all students in Harford County and apparently are suffering from memory loss. I remember several teachers and the former Director of Secondary Education who proposed different types of schedules. The Aegis wrote several articles about how there was only one schedule ever proposed but no other ones considered and every Board member with the exception of John Smilko was on the Board at that time. I bet one of those kids who was on a Destination Imagination team could come up with a schedule that works better than the one we have now but that would mean that the school system would have to admit they might have made a mistake.
Until HCPS is willing to listen to the teachers and other personnel who are delivering the services to our kids, the school system is going to continue to suffer. Communication is only effective when all parties are listening to what the other parties are saying and that is a two way process.
Since I have yet to see one comment which supports the CSSRP, I question where all of Mr. Fidler’s pro-CSSRP e-mails came from. Should we start to send him our comments? Oh I forgot, the parents and teachers are just the little people who, by the way, happened to say the same things that the report did, but nobody listened. Oh, that’s right, they’re still not listening!! I guess you can add paid consultants to the list of baffled masses.
Great “letter to the editor” in the Aegis last night. Again, respected retired or ex teachers and administrators will speak out against or challange the “home office” while present employees fear retaliation for any dissension or constructive criticism. Really just reinforces the fact that the BOE and Administration are hell bent on doing what they want, as the author of the letter says CSSRP was going forward –“come hell or high water”
The following is the text of a letter I am sending to the Board and Superintendent on May 12.
Bill Ekey
Almost a year ago, I began sharing with you my concerns and recommendations about the Comprehensive Secondary School Reform Plan. I would like to review the two themes from my previous comments.
1. CSSRP was not a valid reform effort on its face. It was not difficult to predict that many of its attendant components, including the schedule, itself, the fourth mathematics credit requirement, and the career pathway requirement were likely to fail unless significant attention and resources were devoted to them. Given the failure of leadership reflected in the report from Leadership Capacity, Inc., it is not surprising that CSSRP received such a dismal analysis.
2. There is a wealth of objective data available in the student database for the Harford County Public Schools. While I have suggested at least twice previously information that is currently available and for which we can see trends over several years (including several years prior to the implementation of CSSRP), I believe that the recommendations made by Councilman Richard Slutzky provide the most comprehensive listing of the kind of data that should be reviewed. While Leadership Capacity, Inc., claims that it reviewed school system data, in truth almost all of their information came from a state website; almost nothing came from the HCPS student database.
For about six months, I have remained quiet about CSSRP. In November 2007, in the same week, I met with the Superintendent and the board president separately and at their requests. Their messages were both polite and similar: My public comments were not helpful. There were likely to be other ways in which I could assist with at least the evaluation of CSSRP. I have not heard from either the Superintendent nor the Board president since November, and I have watched silently and with interest as Leadership Capacity’s evaluation was delivered to the Board and to the public.
One of the local newspapers reported that “After being called to a meeting with Superintendent Jacqueline Haas the day after the report’s release, principals from almost all county high schools expressed support for the plan.” While the reason for that support might be because the high school principals sincerely agree with CSSRP, I would suggest that there is a different reason for the principals’ expression of support: They fear consequences if they disagree with the Superintendent and her staff.
The example in the past year of a high school administrator being moved to a teaching position (for reasons that have never been clarified) sends a message to all school administrators about the expectations for adhering to the party line and the potential penalties for not doing that. We have, in fact, a kind of “imperial superintendency” also evidenced by the lack of response to citizens and elected officials about their concerns for CSSRP. Please understand that secondary administrators are reluctant to say anything that differs from what they believe the Superintendent and her staff want to hear. That situation will not change until the people in leadership positions change.
Your efforts at secondary school reform are causing far more dissatisfaction than is justified by any program. Unlike Leadership Capacity, Inc., I do not believe there would be any value in “conducting an extensive staff and public engagement process” related to CSSRP. That has not been done in the past two years and it is almost certainly not going to be done now. The Board would be wise to assume that the current reform effort cannot be repaired and it should start over. Perhaps a small group of teachers, school administrators, and interested citizens can develop a realistic and workable reform plan for implementation in 2009.
Mr Eckey:
I applaud your time and appreciate your effort but doubt anything will change. There is a “us against the world” mentality that we are dealing with. I think they have also thrown to the curb Councilman’s Slutsky’s presentation, as well. The letter to the editor was right on the mark.
Mr. Ekey:
Thank you for continued efforts to expand public awareness of how this process evolved. I have been reading The Examiner the past several weeks about the education system and the problems in Baltimore City. The only difference between what is happening in Harford County and there is that we do not have the discipline and social problems that they do in the city school system. What the teachers said was that they were blamed for the problem(s) with violence and that when they complained to the principal and administration, they were reprimanded. I see many similarities between their attitude and the attitude towards teachers here. Many teachers and other school system employees have been saying all along that they are not happy with the schedule and many elements of CSSRP. They were ignored … I see a strong relationship between the decline of the school system and the administration overseeing it over the past several years. Harford County kindergarteners come in very prepared and gradually decline in their rank over a period of years. What does that say about what they are doing in school?
Maybe the school superintendent needs to pay closer attention to what is going on here in Harford County and forgot about serving on committees for the state. There are many issues with schools being built in this county and this whole CSSRP disaster that need tending to, and now the school system can’t find money to give the teachers’ raises that were budgeted for them by the county executive. The school system doesn’t have a communication problem, they have a trust problem and they need to start acknowledging all of the mistakes they have made and doing something to rectify them.
Regarding Mary’s comment on the superintendent needing to pay closer attention to harford county, the following needs to be considered, unfortunately.
It is being said that our superintendent has clear designs on the state superintendent job. While this may or may not be true, it appears that her powerful abilities to charm those around her and sell herself are being applied at every opportunity towards that end.
And if her overwhelming success at controlling and manipulating our current board of education (even while she embarrasses them) is any indicator, she will have the state job soon.
What a shame.
Who would have thought that this endless cycle wherein the director of secondary education (and other staffers/administrators) continuously embarrass the superintendent, and the superintendent continually embarrasses the board would go on this long and show no signs of abating.
They have backed themselves into a corner, and no one seems to have the guts, the will, or the brains to break the cycle. And our students and taxpayers continue to pay the price. Very sad.
Bill Ekey – If I read today’s Examiner correctly, the board is reviewing the block schedule and other aspects of reform “behind the scenes”. While I agree that CSSRP was poorly conceived and executed, if some of the more detrimental features are rolled back, that would certainly be an improvement.
Perhaps if other retired principals, teachers or administrators would share their experience and would offer to be part of the group you suggested be assembled to rethink reform and report back to the board by November, we could salvage this thing.
I’ll add my thanks to the many who appreciate what you have done. It could not have been easy and you have nothing to gain by speaking out. I am struck by your motivatation to do what’s right for the kids in our school system, even after you have moved on in your professional life.
Cindy,
I, too, was struck by Mr. Fidler’s comment that “the board was working behind the scenes to change or re-examine the most controversial aspects of the program…” Why is it necessary to work “behind the scenes”, when it has been stated that a lack of communication was the main cause of the problems with the CSSRP. It is time to actually involve the teachers, students, and even parents in a two-way communication effort, not just in a survey, but sitting down in a room together, to discuss the pros and the cons of the CSSRP.
I am glad that efforts are being made, but please, let’s not make the same mistake of ignoring the voices of the true stakeholders.
Mr. Ekey, I can’t express enough how much I appreciate your speaking out. You are a hero to the parents and teachers whose comments have fallen on deaf ears.
My perspective, as a HCPS teacher, on the CSSRP debate:
1. LICW criticism is nothing new. After the class was piloted under a different name at AHS, it was recommended that the class be discontinued or made a half year (one semester course) The problem with either solution is, once HCPS adopted the block schedule with 8 classes to fill, there was nothing to give 9th graders for the 8th class so LICW is a “filler.”
2. Communication….meeting with teachers for ideas in future planning????Teachers met in “focus groups” to give recommendations and concerns before CSSRP and adoption of the block schedule. The result? Administration representatives accepted the ideas and then presented PRE-WRITTEN transparencies which contained only the ideas they were promoting.
3. Principals may fear criticizing the reform of their superiors. Not only that but schools are “geared up” for the block schedule and it would be painful to change all the recent, dramatic “changes.”
I am dissapointed that at this point in time, everything is quiet on these problems!! Parents should be outraged as to what this report is telling all of us and should demand action. For example, LICW, needs to be gotten rid of as a class as it goes ahead and wastes the time of the students as well as talented teachers. All involved parties agree it needs to be gotten rid of, yet as more time passes on and things get quiet, it allows them to not make changes especially those that were recommended from the non-aligned survey group. There are no changes to LICW planned next year, that is sad!! Where is action that the students DESERVE and we as tax payers deserve! This BOE needs to speak for us the citizens as it is their duty under law, not just be a rubber stamping body for Dr. Haas and the school system. That is what they have become and it is so sad as it just hurts the kids and inhibits change when mistakes and REAL change is needed.
90 minutes is simply too long for class periods, end of story. The report suggested looking into 60 minute classes. I can tell you that is the perfect length of a class. Will it EVER be looked into, NO! We are stuck in these 90 minute blocks untill we get a new Superintendent, REGARDLESS of what happens. We still haven’t seen the data supporting these long blocks.
They will manipulate the data to support these long blocks yet still refuse to ask, “What is truly best for kids.” Are referrals down, sure they are stuck in these long classes falling asleep and not able to keep their focus for 90 minutes so of course if you only have 4 changes of class, less problems in the hallway as well as the kids are more subdued because they are barely awake.
Are certain HSA test scores up, well it is because not as many kids are taking the test anymore. Some kids that are failing classes no longer take it that time through and they re-take the class next year and take the HSA that next year. That means more kids are passes the tests as your more successful students are taking the tests while the ones that would bring your scores down are not taking it. Result: Higher HSA scores and of course that will be DUE to the great block schedule.
Career Clusters: Who knew their major for college during their Junior Year or Senior Year in HS? So we are asking Freshman to focus in on an area of classes to take in a career pathway? What if they want to change half way in? Are they able to? Will this schedule allow for it? I have heard they may have to stick it through. Let these young kids take whatever classes they want, experience all types of classes. Don’t pigeonhole them, they are young!
How about not finding $3m dollars for teachers cost of living raises? Somewhere in there budget they have wasted this amount or some at the top are getting more than their fair share. Meanwhile, the teachers are on the frontline everyday giving of their time, patience, support and love to your kids. Teachers go above the cost of duty, because they care about kids. They are mentors, coaches, “friends”, support systems, etc. You can’t tell me the BOE can’t find the $3m they were promised for the troops on the frontline that really do the most for the kids in the whole school system.
I want people to get active, don’t fall by the wayside just because time has passed. That is what all organizations want to happen, as it allows them to basically snicker to themselves and say, “Good we can do what we want now, they have forgotten.” Hold the BOE accountable as they are legally bound to the people, not to the school system. They are the oversight of the school system and should not “be in bed with them”.
Please support the move to an elected or partially elected school board, that we can hold accountable because at this time, they are free to do what they want, without any recourse.
Renandstimpy:
Great points, I agree totally and the survey confirmed what you are saying. The BOE has put their backs against the wall and I assume there will be no changes until Haas says there will be changes. The BOE is asleep also. Just look at their agenda, they jam in about 50 awards at each meeting and then rush through the rest. Rubber stamping Haas’s agenda. It has always amazed me how Haas and administration have manipulated figures to get what it wants. They couldn’t get the county council to bend on the additonal money, because the CC knows the HCPS budget is sufficient. So what does Haas do, but delete the pay raise and deflate the the morale of our most important resource–“Our teachers”. Oh, I’ve forgotten, they want to communicate with us!