Lee's Summit R-7 School District

Roosevelt Mitchell III: New Missouri Law Is “School to Prison Pipeline” On Steroids - The Disability Scholar

Letter To The Editor: New Superintendent - Lee's Summit Tribune - Lee's Summit News Just a reminder to the good people of Lee’s Summit: Your school board is in the process of naming a new Superintendent. Median income of school superintendents in the USA, as found on salary.com $150,629 per year.   Lee’s Summit Schools current interim Superintendent is being paid $225,000 for a 10 month contract.   Deputy Superintendent Operations:  $197,988 Associate Superintendent Human Resources: $178,914 Associate Superintendent Leadership:  $176,067 Associate Superintendent Business Services:  $170,831 Associate Superintendent Secondary: $168,831 Associate Superintendent Elementary:  $161,857 Associate Superintendent Special Services:  $159,857 Executive Director Technology: $150,928 Previous Superintendent: $276,266 Plus $80,500 supplemental= $356,766 8 additional employees making over $100,000 per year in Central Office.  

Some say superintendent contracts are too binding | Education | Cass County Democrat Missourian Superintendents in Missouri aren’t breaking the law, but their practice of renegotiating three-year contracts on an annual basis hamstrings districts, according to multiple school board members in the area. “It adheres to the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law,” said Ryan Wescoat, a Board of Education member in the Raymore-Peculiar School District. At the Pleasant Hill School District, at Ray-Pec, Lee’s Summit and around the state, superintendents sign three-yea r contracts, but they engage in renegotiation talks after just the first year, meaning many superintendents always have at least two years remaining on their contracts. “I don’t understand the point of offering a three-year contract if it’s renegotiated every year,” Wescoat said. He cited the resignation of Lee’s Summit’s former superintendent David McGehee, amid discord. According to a Lee’s Summit School District re

I have written many times about what the school district stole from my son.  They stole his future, his mental well being, and his self esteem.  He has recovered from two of those.  The first one will follow him the rest of his life.  I have never written what they stole from my daughters.  They stole time with their mother.  They stole their mother's attention.  They stole the faith that they had in adults.  They stole part of their youth.  The part of their youth where they believe in the goodness of human beings.  The part of their youth where they can trust adults.  The part of their youth where they can feel safe.  I have spent ten years fighting with the school district.  Ten years of trying to get the school district to give services to children with autism.  Ten years of appearing on television, in newspapers, at DESE, at legislators offices, on the telephone with OSEP, meeting monthly with the Superintendent, Chairing the Monitoring Committee at DESE Special Education

Superintendent raises soared above those of teachers in last decade | Education | Cass County Democrat Missourian Earlier this year, Lee’s Summit Superintendent David McGehee resigned from his position as the highest paid superintendent in Missouri. His total compensation was  nearly $400,000 . When McGehee was hired by the district, before the 2006–2007 school year, his salary was $170,000. He also received a $15,000 deferral into a tax-sheltered annuity in 2017, $6,000 to defray costs for a vehicle, $5,000 to defray the cost of moving and, according to his contract, the board “encourages him to take twenty-five days in annual vacation time, excluding holidays.” From 2006 to 2015, the superintendent salary in the district increased by 46.3 percent, adjusting for inflation. In that same period, Lee’s Summit teachers saw raises totaling 1.2 percent, adjusting for inflation, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Eight Missouri Schools Named Blue Ribbon Schools | Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Eight public schools in Missouri have been honored as 2016 Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. The national award honors schools  that perform at high academic levels or that perform at high levels while serving a significant proportion of disadvantaged students. These are Missouri's Blue Ribbon Schools: Adrian Elementary , Adrian R-III School District Chapel Hill Elementary , North Kansas City 74 School District Fairway Elementary , Rockwood R-VI School District Harry S Truman Elementary , Webb City R-VII School District James E. Freer Elementary , Windsor C-1 School District Lucy Franklin Elementary , Blue Springs R-IV School District Richland High School , Richland R-I School District William Yates Elementary , Blue Springs R-IV School District

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/database-missouri-map-scores-by-district/html_23d18047-7505-585a-b116-7610c4b2f17b.html?appSession=37579835799051255415723266426087297697256671748939115397135219583534083713867447902367043241021773327412606928749692671859953377 District Subject Num. test-takers Pct. Prof.Adv. LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII SOCIAL STUDIES 1393 82.1 LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII ENG. LANGUAGE ARTS 9274 75.9 LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII SCIENCE 4130 66 LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII MATHEMATICS 9234 60.3

Tweets with replies by David McGehee (@DrDavidMcGehee) | Twitter It didn't take him long to block me again. You are blocked from following @DrDavidMcGehee and viewing @DrDavidMcGehee's Tweets. Learn more

Board looking for interim superintendent | Education | Lee's Summit Journal

Cases.pdf Please read pages 1-8

Lee’s Summit School District Payroll Salary and Benefit Listings for Stansberry Leadership Center Staff - Lee's Summit Tribune - Lee's Summit News Taxpayers wake up! The Central Office of LSR7 salaries are listed below at over $6,000,000. 18 people in Central Office making over $100K. This doesn't include any benefits or their perks (cell phones, car allowance, annuities, association memberships). All of these employees/salaries are hired and approved by the Board of Education (BOE). Superintendent's Top 9 (the ones that have big pictures on the school website): Blevins: $197,988 J. Miller: $178,914 Daniel: $176,067 Hendrick: $170,831 Collier: $161,857 Andrews: $168,831 Phelan: $126,117 Gates: $150,928 E. Miller: $159,857 Ask the BOE how & why this happened when Teachers are ranked #39 in the state and #49 if they have a Master's degree! Ask them how & why this happened when multiple programs for the kids were CUT the past 6 years! Ask them to start being

Missouri public school students to get dyslexia screenings | The Charlotte Observer JEFFERSON CITY, MO.  Gov. Jay Nixon has signed a bill that requires every student in Missouri public schools to be screened for dyslexia. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/292f23q ) reports that Nixon signed the bill last week. Screenings for the learning disorder, which is characterized by difficulty reading, are to start in the 2018-19 school year. The screenings are meant to be informal and brief. The bill also says teachers must receive two hours of training on methods to address dyslexia. A 20-member task force will recommend how classroom accommodations should be delivered. Kim Stuckey, a dyslexia specialist for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, says that school officials are going to create better awareness about dyslexia. In Missouri, parents in the advocacy group Decoding Dyslexia have pushed the Legislature for change to raise the status of dyslexia as

Holster your pitchforks, McGehee is gone | Opinion | Lee's Summit Journal It is time that the voters start researching the candidates that run for school board.  I ran twice.  I was bullied by one candidate.  It happened right after a debate and everyone in the audience saw it.  One person even stopped me on the way out and questioned me about why he attacked me.   I was called crazy and was treated as a stupid housewife that did not have the ability to handle the business of a school district.  I was told that I belonged at the podium and not on the board.  I was told this in public.  In front of the few voters that showed up to the debate.  We have finally gotten the voters to see what really goes on in this district.  They have only seen the tip of the iceberg.  Teachers have been fired for trying to help students.  Teachers have bullied students.  Three children with autism had to be removed from PE in one middle school.  Yes, the Superintendent knew it because I told him

Missouri's highest paid superintendent stepping down - + KSHB.com

Lee's Summit patrons frustrated by slow pace of superintendent case | Local News - KMBC Home

Kansas City-area superintendent, Missouri's highest paid, stepping down from post | CJOnline.com

Please don't forget the actions of these two individuals in April, 2017.  They are up for reelection.  Let's vote them out.  Don't allow them to waste any more of your hard earned money or to be a part of any more bad deals and cover ups.  Enough is enough.  It is time for Terri Harmon and Chris Storms to go.

Dear LSR-7 Board Members: June 18, 2016 - Lee's Summit Tribune - Lee's Summit News Below is a list of cuts in the LSR-7 district over the last 6 years. The very years you have continued to increase the salary of our superintendent. READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

David McGehee to resign as Lee's Summit superintendent | Local News - KMBC Home McGehee, who had been suspended with pay while board members looked into issues surrounding his performance, salary and potential conflicts of interest, reached a deal with the board. McGehee will receive two payments totaling $450,000 under the terms of the deal. His most recent contract would have paid him more than $1.1 million over the next three years.

Former St. Joseph School Superintendent To Spend A Year In Federal Prison | KCUR This is part of the article. How much different is this than what is happening in Lee's Summit. Colgan will also have to repay $660,000 in a lump sum to the Missouri Public School Retirement System (PSRS). Colgan improperly padded the last three years of his salary using stipends, car allowances and other means. The school board knew about some of the payments but often they did not. Because all of that information was transmitted to PSRS via the web, it crossed state lines as it hit various servers. It became a federal crime as soon as the data left Missouri. The government said Colgan's scheme to inflate his salary and thus his pension started in 1997 and ended with his final contract in 2004

Lee’s Summit Board of Education Held Closed Session at 3:00 P.M. on Monday, June 6th with Legal and Employment Items on the Agenda - Lee's Summit Tribune - Lee's Summit News Read the whole article at the link.  This is part of that article.  There is some very interesting information in that article.  McGehee began working in the Sparta School District in southwest Missouri, near Springfield, as a high school principal and athletic director in 1995. He was promoted to the Superintendent of Schools in 1998. His salaries for the three years he worked as Superintendent of Schools in Sparta from 1998 through 2001 were $56,500, $60,000 and $70,000. Following three years as Superintendent in Sparta, McGehee worked for five years as Superintendent of Schools for the Raymore-Peculiar School District. His annual salaries between 2001 and 2006 were $90,000, $103,500, $118,400, $125,500 and $140,000. McGehee accepted his current position as the Superintendent of Schools for the LSR7 S

Status unchanged for R-7 superintendent | Education | Lee's Summit Journal The status of the future of Lee’s Summit R-7 School District Superintendent David McGehee remained unchanged after a closed school board meeting.

School Board to Hold Closed Session - Lee's Summit Tribune - Lee's Summit News

Emails detail dispute over money moved in Lee’s Summit superintendent’s lofty contract extension | fox4kc.com

Fox C-6 Watchdogs: While You're Waiting for Fox's State Audit To Be Released! Please read the whole story.  This is only part of it. While you're waiting for the Missouri State Auditor's office to release the results of the Fox C-6 audit, you may wish to read the state auditor's report of the Lee's Summit School District which was released in February 2014. The Lee's Summit state audit will give you an idea of what an audit report looks like. The last state audit of Fox C-6 was completed in 2002. I wrote about that audit back in 2013. The link to that audit on the Missouri State Auditor's website has been moved and is no longer valid. Why check out the Lee's Summit school district audit? Well, the Lee's Summit superintendent and school board president and several board members are currently under fire by the citizens of Lee's Summit. Citizens are upset after it was brought to their attention that the superintendent was dating one of the a

Lee's Summit superintendent placed on administrative leave | Local News - KMBC Home

Lee's Summit School District president resigns, superintendent on administrative leave - + KSHB.com

Lee’s Summit R-7 Board of Education president to step down - Lee's Summit Tribune - Lee's Summit News

PAC formed to oust Lee's Summit schools chief, board president | Local News - KMBC Home Some people in Lee's Summit have formed a political action committee to oust the school superintendent and school board president.

Lee’s Summit group wants school superintendent and board president to resign | The Kansas City Star A group of Lee’s Summit residents, unhappy about the school board approving a new three-year contact for superintendent David McGehee, is calling for his resignation. The group Citizens for a Better LSR7 said it also wants board president Terri Harmon and board member Chris Storms to step down. Members of the citizens group argue that while McGehee, the highest paid superintendent in Missouri, has continued to receive substantial salary and compensation package boosts, teachers have received meager raises over the years. District data show the average pay increase for McGehee since 2008 is 8 percent while the average pay increase for district employees in the same time frame is 2.2 percent. The  new contract, supported by Harmon,  calls for McGehee to earn a base salary of $304,300 for the 2016-2017 school year, plus an additional $60,857 in deferred compensation for forgoing other emp

Commentary: A concerned tax payer has a few questions... - Lee's Summit Tribune - Lee's Summit News This is just part of the article.  Please read the whole thing at the link below. Isn’t that why we are paying an exorbitant amount to the superintendent?  To ensure proper oversight of our tax dollars?  To ensure our teachers and our children get the maximum benefit from our hard earned money?  Who really is getting the benefit from our tax dollars?  I dare any accountant to submit the type of budget the district uses to report its expenditures and money management.  The budgets I have seen are largely propaganda touting how wonderful the district is with generic line items on a few pages that pass for accountability.  Compare the district budget to the City of Lee’s Summit budget if you want to see what a budget of very similar size should look like. In addition, why did we spend millions of more dollars on CNG buses when clean diesel buses that use existing facilities an

Letter to the Editor: Timeline - Lee's Summit Tribune - Lee's Summit News Here is part of the article.  Please read that rest at the link below: The Board of Education and Superintendent want the citizens to believe he had just begun his affair with Shellie Guin in the summer of 2015, when he first came forward with the revelation? That’s funny. JANUARY 2015, concerns were expressed by members of the BOE regarding McGehee's proposed new salary contract and its negotiation and review by attorney, Shellie Guin. The BOE was already beginning to question the ethical and personal nature of the relationship between Guin and McGehee as rumors were circulating.

The following are comments from Bill Baird.  It seems that our school board president continues to work behind the scenes and is still trying to hide things from the public. Dear Citizens of the Lee's Summit School District, I cannot believe that I am once again forced to shed light on more atrocities at the school board level. Dr. McGehee signed a new contract indicating his intentions to stay with the school district. He also asked that the board discuss a transition for him meaning a transition in the very near future not three years from now. First, Dr. McGehee signed a new contract, but he does not appear to even be leading our school district right now. To be honest I do not know who is currently making decisions for our district. Secondly, the contract Dr. McGehee signed is not valid. Once again, we have an attorney and a board president taking liberties to act on behalf of the board without our approval. The board did not approve all of the numbers in the contract Dr.

Superintendent signs contract extension | Education | Lee's Summit Journal The highest paid superintendent in the state will receive a raise when the district’s new fiscal year begins July 1. Lee’s Summit’s David McGehee’s new three-year contract extension calls for him to make a base salary of $304,300 for the 2016-17 school year, plus an additional $60,857 in deferred compensation for forgoing other employment opportunities.

Former St. Joseph Superintendent To Pay Back $660,000 | KCUR The following comments are those of Bill Baird.  He is fighting an uphill battle for us and we must join him and support him. It is not going to change until the citizens demand it.  The time is now.  It is difficult to convey the incredible timing of this announcement as we face a pivotal moment in our LSR7 school district crisis. The attached article explains that yesterday in the largest settlement in the history of the Public Schools Retirement System (PSRS), the former superintendent of St Joseph will pay back $660,000 in retirement benefits he did not earn. Our LSR7 President Terri Harmon and past Vice President Chris Storms brought forth a similar ill-structured contract for board approval that would have increased Dr. McGehee’s retirement benefits far greater than what the superintendent of St. Joe had devised. The proposed contract would have reallocated funds to his base salary in an attempt to abuse the PSRS.

How much does your superintendent make? This is from 2014.  Here is part of the article.   The highest paid superintendent in the state is Lee's Summit. He makes more than $282,000. There are a number of superintendents making less than $50,000.

Superintendent does not deserve salary | Opinion | Lee's Summit Journal I don’t believe a $397,000 annual salary is warranted if Lee’s Summit is only the 10th largest district in the state, yet the School Board believes Dr. McGehee should be compensated as the highest paid superintendent in the state. I have supervised employees for over 20 years and reviews were always based upon performance. Based upon my research on the Lee’s Summit R-7 school district’s performance during Dr. McGehee’s tenure I have found the following on the students MAP data: • LS R-7 was ranked in the top 4 or 5 out of 30 in 2007 (within districts of similar demographic make-up and size), the year after Dr. McGehee started with the school district. • LS R-7 was ranked in the top 1 or 2 out of 22 in 2007 within the Kansas City metro utilizing the same data metrics as above with respect to language arts and math MAP data. • Today, LS R-7 is ranked 9 or 11 out of 30 in 2014 (within districts of similar demogr

You must read this agreement that the Board has come up with. How much more do you want to let happen, Lee's Summit? Have you had enough yet? This is part of the agreement. Please go to the link to read it all. It shows a pattern. LEE’S SUMMIT R-7 BOARD/SUPERINTENDENT AGREEMENT BOARD OF EDUCATION/SUPERINTENDENT June 18, 2015 Board of Education Terri Harmon Chris Storms Phyllis Balagna Bob White Bill Baird Julie Doane Adam Rutherford Superintendent Dr. David McGehee Part I – Focus on Issues Related to Board/Superintendent Relationship PROMISES Board members and the Superintendent will not embarrass each other. Board members and the Superintendent will praise in public, criticize in private. The Superintendent will not pit one Board member against another. The Superintendent will not “browbeat” or lobby individual Board members. The Board, individual members, and the Superintendent will make every reasonable effort to protect the integrity and promote the positive image of the D

McGehee a strong leader | Opinion | Lee's Summit Journal This shows you exactly how bad the school board has been and for how long it has been bad.  These former board members are also standing behind Dr. McGehee and their decision to hire him.  Lee's Summit, do you still wonder how bad it is and whether this is something new?  Wonder no more.  It has been corrupt for a very long time. Sincerely, Ron Baker, former R7BOE president; Robert E. “Bud” Hertzog, former R-7 BOE vice president; Annette Braam, former R-7 BOE member; Jeff A. Tindle, former R-7 BOE president; Gene Brixey, former R-7 BOE president; Jack Wiley, former R-7 BOE president; Patti Buie, former R-7 BOE president; Manne Magady, former R-7 BOE vice president

Moreau Heights probe of student behavior kept behind closed doors | News Tribune Guin also advises school districts on employment matters such as personnel management, termination, wage and hour issues, discrimination claims, employee leave and contracts. It’s not clear when or how the Board of Education hired the Guin Mundorf law firm. On Friday, the News Tribune submitted questions asking when the board approved the contract with the firm and the scope of work described in the document. Board members and administrators have not addressed the questions.

I am so very grateful to all that came out to exercise your civic right to attend a public meeting & make comment. While many got out what they came to say, I am sorry that the voice of others was cut short. I was truly embarrassed by what the people in attendance observed last night, though I believe the board meeting proceedings validated my reasons for going to the public. All in attendance got a glimpse of what I have been experiencing for 8 months since I raised my conce rns over the conflict of interest our superintendent has with our primary legal firm, Guin Mundorf. I also believe it gave the public a glimpse into the way teachers and staff feel with regard to not having a voice and feeling oppressed. Julie Shuck Doane ,  Phyllis Balagna , and I lost 4-3 on votes to end the relationship with the Guin Mundorf firm, to open discussion to rescind the new contract offer to Dr. McGehee, and to end Terri Harmon’s term as president. However, one important goal was to bring mor