The Facts About the Hiring of Superintendent Dr. Gail Pletnick

The information you are about to read is easily verified and effortlessly obtained. Quotes, dates, times and other information is taken directly from Governing Board meeting minutes, recordings and public records. The tax-paying public, stakeholders, parents and teachers should understand that the Governing Board has exhibited a consistent pattern of poor leadership decisions, questionable ethics and blatant disregard for the community and they should be held accountable for their actions.

When the Dysart Governing Board set out to hire a new superintendent in 2007, they published a superintendent profile, which outlined the minimum qualifications a superintendent should poses when applying for the job. One of those requirements was a minimum of seven (7) years classroom teaching experience. After the Governing Board was explicitly told by the Arizona School Board Association (ASBA) (January 18, 2007) that should they have an internal candidate, they Governing Board should be open and honest about their intentions. The Governing Board pushed forward and spent $20,000 tax-payer dollars to conduct a “national search”. The Governing Board then organized two committees of about 10 people each, consisting of Dysart Staff, teachers, parents, city officials and community members. The third committee consisted of Dysart Governing Board members.

On Wednesday, April 18 and Thursday, April 19, 2007, each of the two committees interviewed 4 candidates for the position of superintendent. Each of the twenty (20) committee members filled out one (1) page of input for each candidates plus a final summary input sheet. That totals five (5) pages of input from each committee member for a total of almost one hundred (100) pages of input. That input was to be given to the Governing Board, which was to read and review the input in helping them select a superintendent finalist. According to the official Governing Board meeting minutes, the Governing Board concluded their final interview at 7:29 p.m. on April 19. At 7:45 p.m., the Governing Board adjourned from executive session and also at 7:45 p.m., the Governing Board voted 4-1 to enter into contract negotiations with finalist Dr. Gail Pletnick. Minutes show that the meeting officially ended at 7:45 p.m. How could the Governing Board reach an irrefutable decision in just 16 minutes with almost 100 pages of input to read?

When asked publicly to justify how the Governing Board managed to read almost one hundred (100) pages of input in just 16 minutes, they couldn’t. The Governing Board has taken a stance, and continue to repeat, that they did read all of the input. Governing Board President Charles Otterman publicly stated (May 9, 2007), “We do have all the comments from all the committees and I have reviewed all of them and taken those comments into consideration. We have looked at all the information when we were making our decision.” Board Member Christine Pritchard publicly responded by saying, “I reviewed all the community input that I had. There was a lot of support for Dr. Pletnick. We are fortunate to have her interested in being the superintendent of this district. She was chosen as the finalist as she was the best fit, she interviewed the best and her qualifications were extraordinary. It insults my integrity.” Charles Otterman followed up his remarks by commenting that of all the community input he received, he discarded input if he believed it was bias, had an agenda or after he saw the name of the person providing that input. Is this how the Governing Board President truly feels about community input? Does Charles Otterman only care about thoughts, opinions and input that concur with his own agenda and thoughts? Even Dysart officials have acknowledged that the community input sheets were not given to the Governing Board members until Friday, April 20 as part of their Board meeting packet. That’s a full day after the board voted on a finalist. While members of the Governing will continue to state that they did indeed read all the community input, you will never hear them say that they read all the input before voting on a finalist. The actions of the Governing Board were so questionable that two Board Members resigned citing a dubious hiring process (one Board member would later rescind their resignation at the request of the Maricopa County Superintendent). Dysart will not release the community input sheets as public record. Ask why.

According to the official Dysart Certified Salary Schedule “no prior teaching experience is awarded for teaching experience in charter schools or private (non-publicly funded) schools.” Furthermore, Dysart officials acknowledged that certified teachers are not given consideration or years of experience for any years of substitute teaching. All the teachers who’ve come to Dysart after years of teaching and have lost tenure know first hand how this can affect their salary. Yet, Dr. Pletnick was given consideration for all of her time spent teaching in private schools and substitute teaching. After all, the superintendent profile asked for a minimum of 7 years teaching experience and Governing Board member Christine Pritchard said she was the most qualified.

From 1977 - 1981, Dr. Pletnick spent time as both a short-term and long-term substitute teacher. From 1981 - 1982 she was a day care teacher and from 1982 - 1987 as a teacher in a private catholic school. After spending twelve (12) years as principal of various elementary schools and only three (3) years as assistant superintendent, Dr. Pletnick was handed the reigns of one of the fastest growing school districts in Arizona. Based on the resume of Dr. Pletnick, she has not spent one day teaching in or in charge of, a high school. Dr. Pletnick is now in charge of 3 high schools. Had Dr. Pletnick been a teacher applying for a job in Dysart, where would she fit in on the pay scale?

By comparison, of the three candidates not offered the job of superintendent, one candidate spent twelve (12) years teaching and has seventeen (17) years of superintendent experience, including 10 years in Arizona of a K-12 school district. This candidate was also honored as Arizona Superintendent of the Year, TWICE (2003 and 2005). Yet, some members of the Governing Board will tell this community that the most qualified candidate was hired. You decide.

Regardless of the finalist chosen, did Governing Board President Charles Otterman insult every school administrator when he said (January 18, 2007), “It bothers me that if someone spent even 10 years out of the classroom, they haven't taught, that your 7 years experience are gone.” Does Charles Otterman truly believe that administrators who have been out of the classroom for any length of time have no teaching experience? How do these comments affect the nature in which Dr. Pletnick was hired? According to Charles Otterman, Dr. Pletnick "hasn't taught", yet she is the most qualified.

Dr. Mark Maksimowicz was hired as Dysart Superintendent in 2004 having at least 15 years of superintendent experience in 3 different school districts. Dr. Mark was given a contract with a base salary of $140,000 and over $15,000 in other compensation his first year. In the final year of his contract, Dr. Mark’s base salary had climbed to $151,000. Based on formulas used in the education field to calculate the “daily rate of pay” for school administrators, the approximate total value of Dr. Maksimowicz’s contract came to about $200,000 in his final year in Dysart.

By comparison, Dr. Pletnick who has zero (0) years of prior superintendent experience was awarded a first year base salary of $155,000. In addition, should the teachers do their job and all schools achieve only the district portion of the 301 Pay for Performance Program, Dr. Pletnick will receive a $10,000 bonus. Assistant Principals, Principals and teachers will receive no bonus. In addition, this bonus is not paid with 301-tax money. This bonus is paid directly out of the district operating budget. Dr. Pletnick will be nicely rewarded for the hard work and dedication of the teachers. Dr. Pletnick will also receive $10,000 “in deferred compensation to be paid to the account of her choice”. Finally, she receives over $15,000 per year for disability, life and health insurance premiums, auto expenses and other benefits of her choice.

Dysart recently provided top district and school administrators full medical coverage not only for themselves, but for their entire families. That's tax-payer dollars going toward fringe benefits and taken directly out of the classroom. Therefore, why is the contract of Dr. Pletnick written so that she is paid for benefits a second time? Is this a type of slush fund to increase the benefits paid to Dr. Pletnick under a disguise? Also questionable is the fact that district tax-dollars (state money) is being used to pay Medicare payroll taxes (federal taxes). Dr. Pletnick will also be given 30 days of vacation, 12 days of sick time and 5 personal days. For days not used, she will be paid at a rate of between $650 and $850 per day.

As educational lawyers reviewed the contract of Dr. Gail Pletnick as used calculations common in the educational field (daily rate of pay), they estimated the total compensation value of the contract approaching $250,000 per year. All this for a superintendent with absolutely zero experience. The only Governing Board member to sign the contract was Charles Otterman. This year alone, the top three administrators in Dysart will earn in the neighborhood of $500,000. All this money comes straight from the district operating budget.

On a tip, a phone call was made to the Arizona School Board Association (ASBA) to request a list of all superintendent salaries in the state of Arizona. According to attorneys with the ASBA, they do not maintain such a list but rather survey districts around the state for informational purposes. Upon further questioning, the attorney provided a best guess estimate that based on the surveys returned, they would put top salaries for superintendents in Arizona in the range of $115,000 to $180,000 dollars. Would this make Dr. Pletnick one of the highest paid, if not the highest paid, superintendent in the state of Arizona?

Another interesting point was brought to light as to why the contract for Dr. Pletnick seemed excessively high. State employees are eligible for retirement when they achieve a certain number of points, which are awarded based on years of service and age. Dr. Pletnick will supposedly reach the required number of points at the conclusion of her three (3) year contract. The Arizona State Retirement System pays retirement based on a formula that takes the average of the highest three years of salary. Therefore, the retirement benefits Dr. Pletnick will be eligible for are based on how much money she will make in the next three years. Convenient?

Read the search for assistant superintendents.