The interview process for hiring a new Special Ed Director in Huntley District 158 included parents. They got to interview the final three candidates. This was after administrators conducted initial interviews, checked out candidates’ credentials and recommended three final candidates.
Lauren Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer, emailed parents who were in on the interviewing, the document at the bottom of this article.
Candidate # 1's background and certifications, according to District 158. Click to enlarge or go to the bottom of the page and read the entire report.
Candidate # 2. The entire report is at the bottom.
Candidate # 3. The entire report is at the bottom.
As you can see to the left, the District represented to parents that Cheryl Kalkirtz already had her endorsement for Special Education Director.
This was the administration’s document and the district’s representation.
There was no footnote of “pending,” “applied for” or “based on applicant’s application.” (See bottom of this article for the all the information supplied parents.)
Administrators were telling parents before hiring Kalkirtz that Kalkirtz had the Director endorsement.
Karen Aylward apparently also made such a representation to parents for herself at the August Parent Advisory Committee meeting.
What is more interesting is how the job description that was used to hire for the position omitted any requirement for an endorsement for Special Ed Director.
Reprinted below is the job description that was used last year.
You have to wonder
- Why parents were told in writing that Kalkirtz had her endorsement
- Administrators apparently omitted the requirement from the Director job description.
- Why Supt. Burkey and top administrators thought it was acceptable to show parents that Aylward had a Director’s endorsement when it turns out she doesn’t.
Meanwhile knowing this, Burkey is quoted in the Daily Herald today,
“The director of special education does have to have the director endorsement,” Burkey said. “We would only hire someone if we believed they had those qualifications.”
Really?
Shouldn’t the law be quoted correctly in a newspaper?
You can go to the applicable state law
ISBE 23 ILLINOIS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE 25.300 SUBTITLE A SUBCHAPTER b SUBPART E: REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY STAFF
and read
g) Nothing in this Section is intended to preclude the issuance of a provisional certificate under Section 21-10 of the School Code.
(Source: Amended at 34 Ill. Reg. 1582, effective January 12, 2010.)
The District 158 job description for Special Education Director last year is reproduced here in four sections. Click on any section to enlarge it.
So when the Daily Herald quotes in a February 18th article,
“”The district cannot lawfully employ someone in this position who does not have this certificate,” state board spokeswoman Mary Fergus said.”
Fergus apparently forgets about provisional certificates.
The newspaper could have been fairer to Kalkirtz and its readers by pointing this out.
The allowance of a provisional certificate could hardly be more plain.
When she was selected last year, administrators and parents thought Kalkirtz was the best overall candidate and the board gave her a one year contract. They hired her.
Mere mortals cannot put themselves into Supt. Burkey’s mind, of course.
We do know that District 158 told parents that Kalkirtz had the endorsement in question and we know that there is an exception under the law for a “provisional certificate.”
And we know that the requirement for the “endorsement,” now being trotted out as the reason Kalkirtz is no longer with the district, was not important enough to include in the job description when she was hired.
We do not, however, know the motivations for Kalkirtz’ leaving the district.
Neither do we know the motivations for Burkey’s current behavior.
Maybe she was getting too close to the parents’ negative point of view of the Huntley School District’s Special Education services.
I had heard that she submitted a resignation letter which Burkey refused to accept. That was two weeks before she left. Maybe she was fed up with the lack of support from the administration.
By the way, Assistant Directors also have to have their Director’s endorsement under the same law:
“Section 25.365 Director of Special Education. This endorsement shall be required for directors and assistant directors of special education beginning July 1, 2005.”
This is at least the second year that Assistant Director Aylward doesn’t have this endorsement as an Assistant Director.
For some reason, the Daily Herald reporter did not mention the exception in the law or the other documents in this article.
It would have been nice if the article had included
- a more complete picture of the applicable law,
- how Huntley made an exception for Kalkirtz and is
- is now making an exception for Aylward, not to mention
- what went on when Kalkirtz was hired.
Burkey appears to be treating former Special Ed Director Kalkirtz and eventually-to-be Interim Special Ed Director Aylward very differently when it comes to not having a Director’s endorsement.
One can only wonder.
= = = = =
Qualifications of three candidates for Special Ed Director emailed to parents before last year’s selection of Cheryl Kalkirtz:
Candidate #1
Positions Held
- Social Worker
- Assistant Principal
- Principal
- Experiences in both K-12 Districts and Special Education Organization
Certifications
- General Administrative
- Director of Special Education
- School Service Personnel – Social Work
- Non-violent Crisis Intervention
Candidate was responsible for the introduction and implementation of informal reading and spelling assessments for baseline instructional planning and progress monitoring of students. Other strengths/achievements include the introduction of scope and sequence documentation for grades K-12, integration of PBIS, worked on curriculum committees, participation on Transdisciplinary [SIC] Special Education/Regular Education initiative team, and the recruitment of related service personnel (speech pathologist, social workers, psychologist, and physical/occupational therapist), and on-going professional development.
Basic experience includes social work, compliance, staff evaluation, professional development and budget responsibilities.
17 years experience in the field of education, more specifically in relation to special education. Highly-qualified, candidate has earned an M.S.W. degree from University of Illinois at Chicago and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin. Administrative degree from Northeastern Illinois University.
Languages – French (Polite)
Candidate #2
Positions Held
- Teacher
- Principal
- Coordinator of Special Services
- Special Education Director
Certifications
- Teaching 09/10
- General Administrative
- Director of Special Education
Strengths include implementing district run special education programs addressing all levels of disabilities. Other strengths/achievements include the development curriculum, implemented regular education teams for pre-referrals, the recruitment of related service personnel (speech pathologist, social workers, psychologist, and physical/occupational therapist), and on-going professional development. Developed an active parent advisory organization.
Basic experience includes design of service delivery and curriculum, grant writing and maintenance, compliance, staff evaluation, special education identification process (from pre-identification to IEP) and budget responsibilities.
Over 20 years experience in the field of education, more specifically in relation to special education. Highly-qualified, candidate has earned an M.S.E.D. degree from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree from the Drake University.
Candidate #3
Positions Held
- Teacher
- Parent Advocate (official position assisting families during IEP conferences)
- Special Education Consultant
- Principal
- Coordinator of Special Services
- Special Education Director
Certifications
- Teaching 09/10
- General Administrative
- Director of Special Education
Strengths include educational leader for school wide curriculum. Candidate has had responsibility for the management of education and operations of educational facility and the implementation of IEP and Medicare software and management. Other strengths/achievements include the development, team, and development of RtI in multiple schools, development curriculum, providing parent support through the experience of parent advocate and special ed consultant, the recruitment of related service personnel (speech pathologist, social workers, psychologist, and physical/occupational therapist), and on-going professional development.
Basic experience includes service delivery and coordination of Special education, ESL, Gifted, TPI, and ESY. Grant writing and maintenance for IDEIA, extracurricular and community based programs, compliance, professional development, parent and community partnerships, staff evaluation, special education identification process (from pre-identification to IEP) and budget responsibilities.
Over 15 years experience in the field of education, more specifically in relation to special education. Highly-qualified, candidate has earned masters degree from DePaul University and a bachelor’s degree from the Northeastern University.
Literate in Spanish
NCLB Highly Qualified in 23 subject areas
