Total rehash of old news. Tell us something we don't know already...and we're all praying that Thompson doesn't stick around....BUT HE'S STILL HERE...HE will NOT GO AWAY. Neither will his wife who also teaches here! Maybe she'll be the next super. They're like noseeums, they suck all the blood out of CCPS while nobody sees them, or bothers to look at what they're doing.
Anyone have a can of OFF?

Beetlejuice I hope this makes you happy. I've changed my nick to bugges. It stinks though that I had to take so much flack from you over my nick. But you win.
Thompson loves his job! Well why wouldn't he? He's making $240,000 dollars to run a district 1/2 the size of Lee County and has very little experience as a superintendent, yet he is making more than 30 of the Florida Superintendents.
Seriously Thompson, don't you make enough money without having your wife work in Collier County too? That is just plain wrong.

He "loves his job." What is this guy? A masochist? I think he loves his contract and when he gets fired (which I believe is his real goal), he will float off into the distance in his golden parachute of a retirement package (better than Baker's, don't ya know?) Good riddance. What an awful plague has descended upon Collier County. What did we do to deserve this?

LOL McLady, i think the best quote was "stupid is as stupid does". CCPS will just say... Next?

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Thompson, quoted above:

“It takes a lot of time and communication”.

Well in the time he's been here Thompson has bullyed everyone in the administration and turned them into fightened yes-people.

In the same period he has terrified the teachers who are not allowed to speak on any issue without the permission of their principals who to protect their own jobs must fall into that fabled goose-march lock step.

There goes that great idea of communication!

I would thing that as a goal for accredidation that there should be installed a rock solid, leak proof "Whistleblower's Security Promise" made between the Board and all of the District's employees.

I would just love to see the hive empty of worker bees wanting to spill their guts and dcument their horror stories.

Donovan would explode, threaten to end a meeting out of turn and out of procedure as he has done numerous times, causing him to get a double bed rate with Calabrese...ah snuggle time!

And imagine Carroll with that shocked look on her face as reality punctures her misplaced allegeance to Thompson.

Sorry, carried away must be dreaming...

"Those challenges have included a $26 million deficit, the change to the high school schedule and the decision to outsource 250 custodial jobs."

Thompson's decision to outsource the custodial operation hardly qualifies as a "challenge" anywhere except in the deformed word-twisting that passes for writing in the NDN.

The custodians loved their jobs too!

Rumor on the street,.......... Noone wanted to be the bad guy and make all the cuts, so they hired Thompson to come in, make a tone of money for a very short period of time due ot his poor qaulity of life and fear of being run over in a Publix parking lot so he can vacate after he makes all the mean horrible rotten dreams of the board come true.... may be old news, but he is nothing more than a henchman, like a swarm of locust, here for 3 years to devour and destroy us then move on.... GOOD STUFF

A Tale of Two Counties.........revisited 2008.

CAVE people....."Citizens Against Vitually Everything" LOL...

That does explain the difference in the counties.

Browder is a people person with high standards. Thompson is a money manager in a county where people care more about money than the kids.

Look at the numbers.

It should be C-C-Cave People, as Collier County Citizens Against Virtually Everything would want to eliminate programs for kids with speaking disabilities.

why wouldnt he love his job, I bet he used a magnifying glass on frogs and and ants as a child. then progressed to larger animals, people and then school boards. whats next....

I've got news for all of you...

As much as everyone complains about Thompson and his compensation package, the next superintendent for Collier County Public Schools is going to make even more than he does.

Why? If you really have to ask that question, you haven't been paying attention for the last several years.

Unless some serious changes are made in this School District - changes in the attitude and the operation of the School Board, changes in the "entitlement" attitudes of the faculty and staff, and SERIOUS changes in the "entitlement" attitudes of some of the parents - it's going to take more money than Thompson is making to bring in a quality superintendent, let alone keep one here.

Granted, Thompson could be a little more "user friendly", but the vast number of difficulties in the School District that he is dealing with are problems that he interited, not problems that he created.

The budget crunch is real, not imagined, and is something that started before Thompson got here. It is something that the School District would need to be addressing regardless of who the superintendent is.

The accreditation issue is real and is something that started before Thompson got here. It is something that the School District would need to be addressing regardless of who the superintendent is.

There is no guarantee that some of the same decisions that have been made to this point would not still have been made under another superintendent.

Re: Post #9 - Actually, there is probably some truth to that rumor.

In the corporate world, they call someone in that position a "cleaner" - someone who is brought in by the board (of directors...or, in this case, the School Board) to make the tough decisions "no matter what" and "clean-up" a bad situation. Because this person is invariably unpopular with the rank and file, their tenure is short and their compensation is comensurate with all the grief that they will have to endure.

I've actually made this comment to several people previously, it's interesting to hear other people bringing it up, too.

Piano, agree with most of what you said....a big stumbling block is the user friendly issue. It wouldn't hurt or cost anything to be user friendly. Employees are gainst him I believe primarily due to unfriendly perception.

Let's hope old DT goes!
His old district was more than happy to see him go and we will be too!

Right on Piano! Someone has to be the fall guy. 5 Supers in 10 years with this track record any one who takes on this job is going to have a hard time. Everyone wanted change now ya got it! Be careful what you wish for!

Re:#12...Yes Pianoman, he may have inherited these problems, but the issue most of us have with Thompson is the way he handles the problems he inherited.

#17, This is true.

Re: Post #17 & #18 - So, you're saying that if Thompson would have been more "user friendly", you would have been okay with his changing the class schedule, reducing bus routes, reducing ESE and ESOL staff, privatizing custodial services, etc.?

I highly doubt it.

No matter who the superintendent is or could have been, no matter if they are amicable or confrontational, the person making the decisions that Thompson is making (and will have to continue to make, because we're not done yet) is going to be disliked by just about everyone.

Unpopular decisions don't become more bearable just because they're made by a "nice" person as opposed to an autocrat. They're still unpopular decisions.

Thompson isn't paid to be "likeable". He is paid to do a thankless job where every decision he makes will earn the ire of someone, regardless of whether the decision is "good" or "bad". Particularly right now, when every decision has a price tag attached that could potentially tip the budgetary scales too far the wrong way, it's probably better to have someone who isn't "likeable".

Thompson has been here for more than a year and still hasn't been given the freedom to do his job the way it needs to be done in these hard times. Whether most people realize it or not, whether most people will admit it or not, he has done more good than harm. This School District could certainly be much worse off than it is.

#12 and #14 are right in both instances, whether we like it or not, all the money issues are not Thompson's fault alone but then again his customer service skills are horrific and yes that is part of the job....if I'm gonna pay big bucks then I want the complete package of a high quality Super, not the Mario Bros version.

Pianoman, going to the dentist is often a painful experience, bedside manner has alot to do with the experience...does it not? Ever clip a dogs nails? Most times they get nervous and so you talk nice and calm them. I would feel better about taking hits if the person doing it had my trust. Trust, that it was the only way, trust, that it hurt him as much as me, trust in my leader, that he has compassion and understanding as well as the sword. To some, its just a business, to others its part of their life....no one expects him to be weak, there is greater strength in being a compassionate person....even if you have to use the sword. The only human I can somewhat call a roll model was Gen. Robert E Lee. CSA, forgetting the side he was on....read the masterful General he was, also read the human love and compassion he had for both friend and foe. He was feared by his enemies and loved by is men, he wept often after sending the youth off to die in battle . The combination of warrior and compassionate human was unforgetable....sorry i am so long winded, it is a passionate subject for me...for I to was a leader years ago, and I know how it works

pianoman there's NOTHING, NADA, THANKLESS involved in his salary. His job is not difficult...he doesn't do his job...so how can it be difficult.

Collier County deserves better than a super who takes advantage of his authority. Then his salary is not enough, so he hires his friends from IL to take local promotions and prinicipalships. THAT's NOT ENOUGH...then his wife is HIRED as a teacher here!!!!

THAT's STILL NOT ENOUGH......so he gives out a FEW CONTRACTS WORTH THOUSANDS TO MORE FRIENDS, and he's tapping in to more family to work in Coller, too.

At least THANKSGIVING is around the corner.

He's a cooked turkey this year....sliced up with some nasty taxpayer funded gravy he refers to as his teacher WIFE.

Served up to the citizen's of Collier County, to the tune of thousands of dollars.

Prinicpals, staff,and teachers are suffering through this, but people are leaving, and it should be Thompson going on his merry way, not the people who are actually working towards a common goal of educating children.

Re: Post #22 - Whether or not he does his job is a matter of opinion. You're certainly entitled to yours. However, there is ample evidence that he has done significantly more than "nothing" since he got here.

Thompson is not the first superintendent to have a "sweetheart" contract, as you and many others call it. I seem to remember that Ray Baker also negotiated himself a pretty good deal at taxpayer expense (a deal that we are still paying for, by the way).

And, Thompson would not be the first superintendent to take advantage of his position in the community, if in fact he does. I seem to remember Ray Baker being awfully chummy with the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, among others.

And, didn't the teachers and staff also suffer under Baker? Just before he got canned, I seem to remember him offering them a pittance of a raise, then turning right around and threatening the School Board with litigation if they didn't give him a bigger one.

How is what is happening with Thompson any different than what was happening with Baker and the others before him? Seems to me, it's not.

#21, Mr Bag, you make sense of it. Human relationships 101

Pianoman8869, For some reason, Dr. Thompson felt the high school schedule needed to go to an alternating day schedule rather than the 4 X 4 modified block it had been using for the past several years. The Board agreed to keep the block schedule and thought they were keeping it as it had been used in the past. Dr. Thompson saw a way to keep the block in a very loose concept but alter the way it was scheduled. Only LHS had used the pure alternating day schedule. No one was consulted. No one was asked their thoughts. This is an example of what has frustrated anyone associated with the school system (parents, students, staff) since Dr. Thompson has arrived. No rational reason to change 5 schools to fit the schedule of one high school. Look at the test scores of the schools on the modified block versus alternating day block. There is no comparison yet all schools were forced to change to fit just one school. He is a master at divide and conquer and that is about it.

I agree with everything you said Beetlejuice. He's sucking the life out of Collier County schools, taxpayers and students. And he'll dance a way with a ton of our money. He's hired way too many friends while firing awesome folk that worked hard and did a good job in Collier Schools. Glad Abbott is out. Donovan has to go. On the talk show, Thompson said Calebrese is coming back to the Board in Jan. Sorry he has been ill, I wish him no bad, but he doesn't need to be on the Board.

Pianomnan, looking at your comment seems to say that you agree Thompson has a sweetheart deal, takes advantage of the community and the teachers are suffering under his leadership. Baker was fired for grades issues, yet it was in the Rockford newspapers that Thompson allowed grade changes.

Re: Post #27 - Anyone who makes more than $100k per year in base salary has a "sweetheart" deal, I think we can all agree on that. Baker did it. Thompson is doing it. You won't be able to get a superintendent for this district for less than $200k per year without some serious changes, as I said before.

If you re-read what I wrote, I qualified what I said about Thompson taking advantage of the community, because I don't personally feel that he is. Read the whole statement, not just the parts that fit your particular point of view.

The teachers are choosing to suffer under Thompson. Their ills are as much perceived as they are actual. As I said, they weren't doing much better (or worse) under Baker. The only difference is that when Baker was superintendent the economy was still in relatively good shape.

What may or may not have happened in Rockford has absolutely no bearing on what is happening (or on what may or may not happen) in Collier County. Baker was fired for grade issues HERE. Thompson has had nothing to do with grade issues HERE. Apples and oranges.

Re: Post #25 - Once again everyone seems to be under the impression that Thompson is required to consult with or get opinions from the public or the school employees.

He isn't.

His job is to make operational decisions for the overall good of the School District, subject to approval by the School Board. Only the School Board is required by law to allow public input at public meetings.

I doubt it was a matter of making 5 schools fit 1 other school's schedule or vice versa. It was probably a decision to have all the schools on the same schedule for the sake of simplicity or uniformity. Heaven forbid that all the schools in the same district operate the same way. Why doesn't it make sense to have all the high schools on the same schedule? I don't see what everyone is objecting to (other than the fact that Thompson didn't ask your permission to make changes).

Immokalee High School is not on the same schedule as the other High Schools.

Apples to oranges? If a horse is a horse in Florida, and a horse is a horse in IL, then when isn't a horse a horse? It wasn't ok for Baker to have GPA problemns here then why would this Board hire someone with grade issues in IL and bring them to FL when grade issues was the main reason for firing Baker? They didn't trade up, they traded even.

Three years of Thompson is four years too long.

Pianoman...Thompson is VERY, VERY EXTREMELY RIDICULOUS IN hiring his OWN WIFE to work in CCPS.

IN THiNKING that all is well with know nothings who are transplants from IL.

IN THINKING OR NOT THINKING THAT HIS BUDDY SYSTEM WILL WORK HERE!

GET WITH THE PROGRAM!

PEOPLE ARE LEAVING CCPS AND NEVER RETURNING TO TEACH IN CCPS CLASSROOOMS.
Thompson's IGNORANCE and blatant lack of understanding of this entire situation is OBVIOUS.

indigo says it beautifully: He's OVERSTAYED his welcome..HIS WIFE has OVERSTAYED HER WELCOME....and his chain-smoking antics need to stop somewhere....so why not say GOODBYE gracefully...but he's drwaing his ENTIRE FAMILY's income from taxpayers, so WHY BOTHER SAYING "SEE YA?"

THOMPSON's TERRIBLE LEADERSHIP NEEDS TO GO!

bugges U R still a wannabe...can't U come up with something that resembles your own original thought processes??????

Nevermind...U R hopeless!

PUFF!
PUFF!
PUFF!

We all know about hidden smoking areas on public school campuses here, so stop chain smoking with all your prinicpals, and start packing for Illinois.

We're through WITH U! AND YOUR WIFE TOO!

BTW...FL is a CLEAN AIR ACT STATE...which means your teacher's cigs in secret locations on Collier County School campuses are illegal.

Whatever...stick around and collect U and your WIFE's paychecks at the COST OF TAXPAYERS....and whoever else has to suffer through your antics.

I love it when beetle speaks... to the point ... puff puff give DT your screwing up the rotation... either way i will be on 75 when they leave holding a sign that says "GET OUT AND STAY OUT"

I don't think its a matter of DTs wife teaching - Mrs. Baker was one of the finest teachers at Barron - DTs wife is just one more symptom of the disease - just like the Nasty Nasty AP at Lely - that is the wife of the Barron principal - and then we have the "much more qualified" principals at Naples Park and the school in Immokalee - and what about Ditsy Chick #2's ongoing relationship with the AP at NHS? And don't forget that at anytime now, Sr. Hayes will be making an entrance -the bright side is - they will fall like dominoes when DT gets the boot - just like locusts, they swarm in, feed-destroy and move out - all together - and then we'll have the task of clean-up.

Charlie A is that you? Pianoman??? LOL

Bugges - don't let BJ get to you! he/she is just worried people will like you more!

#38 is that senor Hayes? Come on, you are joking right?

Post #28

"The teachers are choosing to suffer under Thompson. Their ills are as much perceived as they are actual."

Nobody "chooses" to suffer like this. And it's not perception, it is all very real. Also, the princi's are suffering.

For the same reason the accreditation is in danger is how the schools are being run now. Paranoid micro-managing is not the way to get maximum results from limited resources. Most of the teachers were brought in because of their enthusiastic abilities. I doubt very many are enthused to go to work in this environment.

Optipess: your comment about paranoid (or insecure) micro-managing hit home. My last superior had such a philosophy. She became so overbearing that she lost most of the core staff and many years of combined experience and skills. Anyone who could retire (even early, like me) did. We fled. Changes enacted by her in the agency I once knew as being quite effective were influenced by politics and with her insecure personality and weak managerial skills this autocrat single handedly drove the best of the best out. (I am not referring to me...but some others whom I held in great esteem.)

Autocratic micromanagers seem to be characterized by insecurity and cover this inadequacy by bullying. Yes women can be bullies also.

From some of the guarded posts made ostensibly by staff members and others close to the schools, it appears that our present Superintendent falls into this category. I doubt he has the insight to understand the destructive wake he can leave and it appears he does not care.

Re:#41...Yes, Many in the district are leaving. Some just don't want to work for overbearing principles, but some see no hope for change. I know of a former assistant principle that left his position due to the fact that he saw no hope of ever advancing in this district. He saw Thompson bringing in all his friends to fill positions that should have been filled by the quality people we currently have. This is just plain wrong. After giving many years of service to CCPS, only to be passed over in favor of friends from Rockford etc. I wonder how much the taxpayers had to pay in moving expenses to get Thompson's friends from Rockford to Naples. What a shame, or should I say Sham!

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