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Vacation schedule eyed for principals

Here we go again, this new school district is spending more money -- this time on administrators. Will there be any left for teacher salaries?

Teachers work a lot of unpaid hours in July too, does this mean the Canyons is going to give them paid vacation days to use as well?

The superintendent said this new idea would "send a positive message to principals." Don't they get a paycheck? Isn't that positive enough? What about hard-working teachers?

I thought the Canyons had to adopt the Jordan District Policy for the first year. If so, why are they trying to change things right now? And why are they trying to change things to spend more money? Doty admits it will cost more. Just like Doty, always trying to "one up" the Jordan District.

The Canyons has this huge chip on their shoulder how everything of theirs has to be better than Jordan District. Their administrators are being paid way more than some larger districts in the state, and the Canyons is a starting wage, which means their pay will just go up. Now Doty admits in the last line of the story his little principal plan will cost more. Everything the Canyons does has to be better than the Jordan District. The Canyons board is going to nickel and dime the east side into a tax increase or a bond, this after promising us this split would save us money. Come on Doty and the Canyons, this is not an economy to be throwing money out the door! We have nothing to prove we got the split lets move on.

Given what Canyons is paying top-level administrators and its relatively small enrollment, there are some fun times ahead. This is another example of how stupid this split is. So anytime a principal wants to, a shcool is without an administrator. Hmmmm. And this is a good idea -- why? As a former newspaper reporter, it almost makes me wish I wasn't retired. This could be fun. Not.

Interesting how frugal people are with other peoples' money and how liberal they are with other peoples' time.

I'm sure all of the people complaining that Canyons is developing a more fair and reasonable way to contract with their principals, are all the kind of people who happily and willingly work through their vacations and wouldn't mind at all if there bosses expect it of them.

Administrators...once again suffering from issues of entitlement. Their salaries are through the roof, some five times more than starting teachers. Now they want more "special" rights a truly pitiful situation.

If education is looking to make cuts administrative positions should be the first to go. In times of downsizing big business does just that. Then those bullies are actually having to work for their enormous salary.

And how much are they paying their PR lady??

The rich (meaning the higher ups) just get richer, yes even in education. They have no desire to help teachers (aka the lower class)

Finally, Dr. Dave Doty admits that this particular proposal of Canyons School District will cost more money. When will he and the Canyons School Board admit that everything about their "new district" will cost more money? And when will he and his "new team" admit that Canyons School District and its expensive "new policies," "innovative structure(s)," and "novel ways of communicating with its patrons" will not change and certainly won't improve the experience my students have every day in class. Those admissions will be worthy of the front page!

Huh? One of the things I teach my students is that life is rarely fair and people are rarely reasonable. Rather, life is about choices and their consequences.

As a resident on the East side, I am already certain that we were sold a bill of goods. We were promised lower class sizes, renovated schools and lower taxes. It was supposed to be all about the kids and teachers. So far, all I have heard and seen revolves around inflated administrative salaries and new administrative positions never heard of before in education. Check out the Canyons organization chart on their web site and you will see what I mean. They have got to be the most top heavy administrative district in the state, and they haven't even started yet. I hope some of you call your new Board of Trustees???
and ask questions about what all of these people do. Why do we need all of these government and public relations positions?

Does any other district do vacation days for principals this way? Does Davis (where Dr. Doty came from) do this? Do they make arrangements for schools that only have one administrator, so if the principal is on vacation on a school day, there is no administrator?

to Watchdog, a partial answer to your question of hiring administrators and their salaries, Canyons District did not even have an HR director until 1/2/09. Therefore, hiring decisions were being made by people who knew nothing about HR issues. There's your answer, CSD didnt care whether they were doing things appropriately or not, and now have an excuse that "we didn't have an HR expert. Bassackwards, I think.

RE:Watch Dog | 6:09 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009

Excellent comments!! One of the main reasons teachers leave the classroom is due to poor administrators with large salaries, issues of entitlement and lack of support (Some thrive on harassing, bullying and intimidating). There simply is no accountability for their misdoings!!

When push comes to shove and teachers need support they simply are no where to be found.

The new superintendent of the Canyons SHOULD know something about appropriate hiring decisions -- afterall, he is an attorney.

So teachers are going to get paid vacation days too, right? How about paid maternity leave? Try doing a search for that, it doesn't exist.
Of course not.
We'll continue working for free as usual.