The Oyster River Cooperative School District is excited to welcome Susan Caswell as our new Business Administrator effective August 18, 2010. Susan comes to Oyster River with over 20 years of experience in school administration, including a solid background in budget development and
management, forecasting and planning, food service, contract negotiations and special education.
Susan comes to us from the Newmarket School District where she has been the Business Administrator since 1986. Susan also has professional affiliations as a member with the New Hampshire Association of School Business Officials, Southeast Region Executive Board. The Association of School Business Officials International, The New Hampshire School Administrators Association, The New Hampshire Government Finance Officers Association and is a member of the Primex Advisory Board.
On August 17th, 2010 the Oyster River Cooperative School Board voted to elect Ms. Caswell, as Business Administrator. Superintendent Howard Colter expressed his full support for Susan Caswell, and looks forward to having her join the District's administrative team this fall.
We are happy to welcome Susan to our school district community where our mission is Working Together to Engage Every Learner.
FYI--from the administration 8/25/10:
ReplyDeleteCredentials and salary for new business administrator:
List of Degrees:
Associates Degree in Computer Information System
Associates Degree in Accounting
Associates Degree in Applied Science
Salary:
$86,000 Annual Salary 7/1/10 – 6/30/11
You also forgot to mention that she is just a few courses away from a bachelor's in business administration .Upon doing my homework I found her to be very respected among the ba's in the state.
ReplyDeleteWhile some readers may think that what I am about to say is critical of the new administrator, it is only meant to question. By questioning and others responding it is how everyone on this blog can formulate ideas and do their own critical thinking. That being said: Given the size of our district's budget, the lack of accountability in how these funds are spent, and on going issues in the audits; was it a wise choice by the superintendent and the board to hire someone who doesn't have an advanced degree. Given the salary posted, that should not be for someone who is still working on a bachelor's degree.
ReplyDeleteWithout sounding equally critical, I have to admit I wondered the same thing.
ReplyDeleteAlso, didn't the advertisement require the candidate have at least a bachelor's degree? I understand she is close but she did not meet the requirement. Others with equal experience may not have applied because although they were close to acquiring their bachelors degree, they did not have one at this time. It seems to me that if you are going to make a requirement for a position, you need to adhere to the established guidelines. I have noted that Colter appears to surround himself with less than qualified people. I will everyone draw their own conclusions as to why.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to know why the District saw fit to hire someone who does not meet the minimum standards in the posted job description. It said a Bachelor's degree was required.
ReplyDeleteIt is ridiculous that given the job description and responsibility of managing such a large budget that they did not require an MBA!
ReplyDeleteYou people wonder why no one bothers with this blog? You are all so negative!Colter does not do the hiring! The school board does .Try to be a bit more positive.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that the superintendent pre-selects a slate of candidates for the Board to consider, making recommendations (pros/cons). Then, the Board makes the final selection (with the superintendent voting as well?). Correct me if I am wrong.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, I say, let's give Ms. Caswell a chance. I concede that a bachelors plus an advanced degree seems requisite in this role. However, I assume that Ms. Caswell's experience, recommendations, and track record were outstanding enough to overshadow any degree shortcomings. Moreover, Ms. Caswell may be a great communicator and implement open/clear budgetary and fiscal practices. I certainly hope this is the case.
Welcome Ms. Caswell! Please know that as an ORCSD parent I have great hopes and am eager to see how you can helps us achieve greater accountability, transparency, and communication.
Posting the credentials of a top level hire is transparency--not negativity.
ReplyDeleteThe Superintendent hires the Business Administrator and gets a rubber stamp vote from the SB through a non-public vote.
The SB met in non-public session on 8/17 to vote on the BA. By law those minutes are to be posted within 72 hours. To my knowledge, they are still not posted.
The BA job will be a massive challenge given the list of items to cover in the Corrective Action Plan, an unreadable $40M budget, as well as the myriad findings over the past 2 years regarding bidding issues.
I am hopeful that Ms. Caswell and her team are up for the task and that the Superintendent will provide her and the budget advisory committee with the resources to be successful. I look forward to meeting Ms. Caswell and will support her in any way I can to get our District back on track.
As Megan said, I look forward to greater accountability, communication and transparency.
--Jenna Roberts
Thanks for the clarifications, Jenna!
ReplyDeleteI agree that Ms. Caswell has a difficult job ahead of her. I think the role is a tough one in any district. Clearly, garnering community AND staff/faculty support will be vital towards success.
A friend of mine within the ORCSD told me that Ms. Caswell was actually a member of the interview committee for the BA position. I wonder if she was an original applicant or was late entrant after the initial round of interviews were concluded?
ReplyDeleteHow could she possibly be on the interview committee if she worked for the Newmarket School District?
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to see why Colter would want underqualified employees. They are easier to control.
ReplyDeleteLet's see, 24 years as a Business Administrator in Newmarket and she transfers to ORCSD for a salary of $86,000. I was under the impression the prior Business Administrator was making at or above $100,000. Something doesn't compute here: all that previous (direct) work experience and you are will to take a position of this importance for $86,000????
ReplyDeleteMs. Caswell,
ReplyDeleteDespite all the negativity, I say welcome to the OR community. Though you will find a small group of people who will throw backstabbing comments on a public blog, just remember that none of the posters are required to state their name (and very few do) because they ALL enjoy seeing people squirm and quiver under the belief that they hold an enormous amount of power (that they actually don't hold). The mere fact that they don't post their names means that all the posts on that blog are meaningless.
Nonetheless, welcome to Oyster River. I hope that you don't read this blog. Your life will forever be better.
I find your post critical of people who post anonymously amusing, especially in light of the fact that you posted your comment...ANONYMOUSLY!
ReplyDeleteThen again so did I, so welcome to the club.
Ms. Caswell,
ReplyDeleteThere are also 'troller bloggers' who have nothing to offer on this blog other than the 'same ole' complaining about this blog, which, exposes some of the 'uglies,' that go on behind the scene. It gives our community a window into how our school district operates. Some of the anonymous bloggers are teachers or concerned citizens that choose to post anonymously so that those in power do not retaliate. After what Howard Colter and Mark Townsend did to Henry Brackett, only a fool would post with a name attached.