Thursday, May 29, 2014

Paul R. Sroka . . . a Pain in the Neck?? .. .


A Burt Hill (Stantec) architect presented plans for the proposed track at the May 19, 2014 Fort Cherry School Board Committee Meeting.  The proposed plan eliminated space for the portable restroom facilities that Ranger fans are all too familiar with.  This is not the first time that the Stantec architect seemed unaware of the district's current site plan and facilities.

Perhaps Burt Hill (Stantec) was not the best choice for FC?  Could it be that Fort Cherry's business manager, Paul Sroka, put his personal agenda (the pursuit of Burt Hill's Ms. Montgomery) before the needs of the district?

It may be telling that Butler County Community College has not been able to come to an “amicable agreement” on issues concerning a contract with Stantec.  According to the Trib, BCCC could not reach an amicable agreement with Stantec, and so contracted with another firm.
http://triblive.com/news/butler/6155135-74/board-stantec-firm#axzz32fwldBCW

Perhaps BCCC didn't reach an agreement due to its failure to extend personal invitations to dinner and a Pirates game to a Stantec employee?  (See last post.)  Perhaps the judgment of the BCCC business manager was not clouded by the pursuit of a Stantec employee, but was properly focused on the students and taxpayers?  Perhaps the BCCC business manager was not using the school's email to make a date, as was Fort Cherry's business manager, Paul R. Sroka (a violation of FC District Policy 815)?

The use of the telecommunications network for illegal, inappropriate or unethical purposes by students or employees is prohibited. For example, but not as a limitation, the following uses are prohibited:

1. Use of the network to facilitate illegal activity.

2. Use of the network for commercial or for profit purposes.

3. Use of the network for non-work or non-school-related work.
FC District Policy 815
Acceptable Use of Computer Networks/ Internet Agreement



The board is in the process of approving a budget put together by the current administration, an administration that seems to put their own needs before that of our children's education.

As for Paul Sroka, it seems he feels put upon by the budgeting process . . .



No idea whom he feels "screams" at him during budget time - Dinnen??? - it certainly is not the board.

That being said, here's one example of the FC administration putting their own needs before that of the students.  The district is in dire need of a music teacher in the elementary.  There is also a need for a third grade teacher.  The high school librarian and Drivers’ Ed program that were eliminated as part of the 2010 budget cuts have never been replaced. . . .

 . . . all would benefit our students . . .

Yet administration is asking for a full-time IT assistant for Jack Okorn (FC currently employs a part-time IT assistant).  For those of you who are unaware, Jack Okorn is the "Technology Coordinator" at FC.  He is self-taught.  Mr. Okorn and his fellow administrators feel it is a district priority to employ a full-time assistant for Mr. Okorn, the argument being that Mr. Okorn cannot keep up with the technology demands of the district.  Funny thing, up until the time a resident alerted board members, Mr. Okorn had plenty of time during FC school hours - on the taxpayers’ dime - to maintain the multiple "technology" blogs he established (a violation of District Policy 815).

·        http://www.jackokorn.com/
·        http://www.jtclearning.com/

Perhaps it would better serve the students for Jack Okorn to do what he was hired to do - maintain the equipment, thus eliminating the need for an IT assistant at all?  Or perhaps to better serve the students and taxpayers, FC should consider replacing the entire FC Technology Department with one qualified Technology Director who possesses a college degree in IT?

And as a final note to Paul Sroka . . . really, Paul? Discussing doctor's appointments?  Setting up a date? 
And, the Big Ten????!