Superintendent Maidenberg set to retire

The Board of the Cucamonga School District is being presented with a golden opportunity as they face the task of deciding who will be at the helm of the district. I hope that the Board will take their time and use it to learn what the jobs are that each of the assistant superintendents do, look at their performance evaluations if any of them are being considered for the lead position. The County Superintendent's Office has offered to place an interim person to help while the Board makes their decision...there are many things to consider and experience to be looked at. What kind of leader does the district need? Claudia Maidenberg was a known quantity and yet even though she writes a lovely letter, she received two votes of no confidence from both district unions and two subsequent employee surveys show the majority of staff do not trust her. The last three years of her tenure consisted of her breaking many of the rules and laws that govern the District. Such things as illegal postings on meeting agendas, making decisions without a full board being involved, supporting the mishandling of her performance evaluation in order to receive a higher score (two board members were not allowed to participate in her evaluation).
When she received the votes of no confidence and the unions declared impasse and mediation immediately followed, Maidenberg intentionally withheld vital financial information from the Board causing the process to have to be redone. Maidenberg was foreced into changing her horrible tactics she used with the unions and it was through being given direction to do that she became more cooperative regarding negotiations. Jeanne Siriani is being very gracious in her comments because if it were not for the graciousness of herself and her union vice-president, the relationship would still be one of stress and dishonesty.
Claudia never embraced the collaboration needed to repair years of damage caused by her negative and controlling attitude. So, I am glad to hear that she has been nice and that she has worked hard...had it come of her own free-will I could join in the benevolent comment but I worked with Claudia for many years and I know how she felt that dealing with the unions was an evil necessity. The teachers of the district need to be acutely aware that both Jeanne Siriani and David Martin have fought for their rights and have done so with dignity and integrity. If not for them, it would have been business as ususal. Any leader who does not seriously care about the poor ratings she received on the surveys shows what their real intentions are and they have not been genuine but her performance has been good for appearances. She has been more interested in defending her actions rather than stepping up to the task of facing the fact that she need to improve her leadership skills.
Her retirement comes to many with a sigh of relief. Let us hope that the Board will act wisely and learn from the lesson of promoting from within. It is the road of least resistence but it comes with a lot of potential for problems. And, this is an opportunity for this Board to decide who they are as a Board, what their vision is for the district, and what direction it needs to go in. That will take someone stepping up to the role of real leadership and we should be concerned as that is not a strength this Board has.
I hope that Maidenberg enjoys her lifetime medical benefits that will come from student funds to the tune of at least $10,000 per year.She leaves just before she would have had to have a solid funding source in place to pay for her lifetime medical benefits and those of the other assistant superintendents. She also knows that the district will be in deficit spending and cannot afford to pay her lavish benefits. There is still time for her to refuse them, opt for a cheaper plan, or take what the employees receive. Medical benefits until they reach the age where they are eligible for Medicare. There is still time for her to realize that it is not ethical to take money earmarked for students. And especially not for someone who says she is so dedicated to children. And she leaves with the knowledge that many of the employees whom she says she enjoyed working with have no insurance at all. I hope she enjoys her retirement.