Showing posts with label National School District. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National School District. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Dennis M. Doyle turns up as CEO of the secretive charity CoTA (Collaboration of Teachers and Artists) in San Diego

UPDATE: CoTA finally responded to me after I contacted the San Diego Foundation and a reporter. The 2011-2012 Form 990 is now on the Internet.

ORIGINAL POST: School watchers may be wondering what happened to Dennis Michael Doyle after he suddenly resigned as Superintendent of the National School District in the middle of the school year in 2009. Mr. Doyle spent most of his career at CVESD (Chula Vista Elementary School District), then went to National School District for a very short time.

We don't know why he resigned, and his new job is no less secretive.

I have sent two emails and left one phone message asking why the organization's Form 990s for the years 2011 and 2012 are not on the agency's website, but Julie Kendrig, Doyle's assistant, is ignoring me.

Here's the email I sent:

May 25, 2013
to: jkendig@cotaprogram.org
subject: When will CoTA be putting its Form 990s for 2011 and 2012 on its website?

Hi Julie,
I could only find 2010 and earlier on your website. Is CoTA planning to put the more recent 990s on the site?
Thanks,
Maura Larkins

Julie Kendig

Here's more about CoTA and its board president Lucille Neeley's interesting relationship with San Diego Unified School District and real estate developer RNLN.

Photo: Dennis Doyle with former Assembly insurance committee member Paul Vargas*

*Paul Vargas left his insurance oversight post in 2006 to become an insurance company executive. Then he stepped up to the US House of Representatives. As my father used to say, California has the best government money can buy.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

National City Elementary Teachers Cautiously Optimistic About Jan. 25 Return to Bargaining Table

National City Elementary Teachers Cautiously Optimistic About Jan. 25 Return to Bargaining Table
Jan 21, 2011
Strike Plans Proceed Until Fair Contract Achieved

“National City’s teachers welcome the opportunity to return to the bargaining table with the district on Tuesday, Jan. 25” said National City Elementary Teachers Association (NCETA) President Linda Cartwright. “We’re hopeful that the school board is willing to bargain a fair contract now, which will include restoration of the five student instruction days so important to our students’ learning. But NCETA’s strike plans proceed, pending the achievement of a fair contract.”

NCETA members will picket in support of a fair contract at their individual school sites Tuesday morning from 7:30 to 8:00 a.m., with California Teachers Association President David A. Sanchez and CTA Board of Directors member Jim Groth joining the teachers at two nearby schools, Rancho de la Nación, 1830 E. Division Street and El Toyon, 2000 E. Division Street in National City.

Contract talks that began in National City last February broke down in July after the district refused to follow suit with the teachers in accepting a neutral fact finder’s settlement recommendations. The school board then cut five student instruction days and enacted an additional six days of pay cuts for teachers pleading fiscal necessity as justification.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Dennis Doyle suddenly clears out as school superintendent at National School District

Dennis M. Doyle, former Assistant Superintendent at CVESD, has apparently not flourished as superintendent of National School District. Or perhaps he's had a better offer?

[Update: It turned out that Mr. Doyle did NOT have a better offer.  He eventually found a job at a much lower salary administering a small charity that promotes art in classrooms.  I found out years later that Mr. Doyle had been deeply--but secretly--involved in my own case at CVESD before he went to National School District.  He and I never met; he was apparently helping a pal with a personal agenda.  It appears from the article below that Mr. Doyle was involved deeply and secretly in some mysterious goings-on at National School District.  He is now a poster boy for Voice of San Diego online newspaper.  He's the guy with the friendly smile and head of white hair who pops up in the photo banners on the VOSD webpages.]  

Doyle suddenly clears out as school superintendent
No explanation from him, trustees
By Chris Moran
San Diego Union-Tribune Staff Writer
May 21, 2009

The superintendent of the National School District in National City abruptly resigned his post, moving out of his office five days before the school board formally accepted his resignation Wednesday.

Neither Dennis Doyle nor trustees explained Doyle's sudden departure. He had 13 months left on his contract.

In a prepared statement, the board and Doyle jointly declared: “Dr. Doyle's decision, although sudden, was his personal decision and not the result of any dispute between the board and the superintendent or any suspected wrongdoing on his part.”

Chris Oram, assistant superintendent of educational services, will be the district's chief executive until the board appoints an interim superintendent. That could happen as early as next week, board President James Grier said.

Doyle, 59, of University City, was hired as National's superintendent in July 2007 after spending 10 years as assistant superintendent in the neighboring Chula Vista Elementary School District. He has been an educator for more than 30 years, and was paid $154,000 annually.

“National is a fabulous district with a dynamic staff, motivated students and supportive parents,” Doyle wrote in an e-mail.

The district educates 5,800 students from kindergarten through sixth grade at 11 schools. It has a higher percentage of non-English-speaking students – 65.5 percent – than any other district in the county.

Doyle cited several achievements for the district during his 22-month tenure, including improvements in the district's state academic rating based on test scores and and improved language proficiency scores for its non-English-speaking students. He also mentioned teachers' widespread use of technology in the classroom.

“Nonetheless, it has become apparent to me that it is time to move on,” he wrote.

Grier said he was surprised by Doyle's announcement and did not find out until the day of the board meeting Wednesday.

“It's sudden to everyone,” Grier said. When asked why Doyle resigned, Grier said, “I wish I knew.”

When asked if she was pleased with his job performance, trustee Rosie Alvarado said, “He was all right, no big deal, he was doing OK.”

Trustees Anne Campbell and Barbara Avalos did not return phone calls Thursday. Trustee Alma Graham deferred to the prepared statement.