Best of luck to you Q - you are appreciated at Alisal and will be missed. Just wish you were more appreciated in PUSD. Nothing but the best!

Unreal. Now we are losing talent to a neighboring district. I'm a local realtor and many families seek out the Sunset Elementary district because it's such a great school. Had she done something that forced her resignation or was terminated, she never would have gotten this job. It's just another principal leaving due to ahmadi's incompetence. Is anyone keeping track of how many principals have left the district since Ahmadi came to PUSD? Or it may actually be easier to count how many haven't left.

I can tell you with certainty that this will impact home values.

Either she was chased out of here by the union, or she left because of the union sock puppet Ahmadi. That good teachers and administrators might want to leave to escape the incessant carping by local righty book burners and administrator witch hunters has nothing to do with anything. Really. It's the union. Honest.

Another one "bit the dust"! More and more leaving PUSD. Get a clue, PUSD Board!!

"As people look at advancing their careers, they look for opportunities that may not exist in their own district or their workplace," said Ahmadi.

Note to Ahmadi. She made a lateral move, not a vertical one. She left an elementary principal job in Pleasanton to take an elementary principal job in Livermore. Maybe the opportunity Ahmadi referenced was to work outside of a district that is in complete disarray and managed by people who are in WAY over their head.

Or, Bill, maybe she left because she doesn't enjoy being surrounded by local hicks.

@bill......nailed it. Does it bother you as much as it bothers me that this person who is capable of such stupidity is in charge of our kids' education. Pretty scary if you ask me.

I'm SO thankful my kids have already gone through the school system in Pleasanton. They received a great education that is benefitting them now. I feel the changes that are going on under Ahmadi's leadership are going to be the downfall of PUSD. Good luck to those of you just starting!

I seem to remember prior to this resignation, out of 12 of the PUSD principals under Ahmadi, 6 have resigned, been removed, or retired. This one makes 7 out of 12. This has occurred over the past 2 years.

Doesn't that seem a little high?

Internet trolls are alive and well in the PW blog and it gets old. Too bad is only the same few people under different names. Really? KIM, a realtor (hardly) worried about housing prices dropping because of a principal change. Do you read the MLS? Housing in Pleasanton has continued to rise and is nearly back to pre-recession levels. It's because we have good schools, a good district, and a wonderful community. People don't let a few haters fool you.

I have had several interactions with this principal and I am happy to see her go... A principal can do a lot for a school-- Every school district will face a "clean up" of bad administation. This is just part of the process. I personally felt a little leap of joy in my heart when I read that she has moved on...

Are people just going to keep carping, or are they going to demand the PUSD sack the Superintendent -- and recall the Board if they they don't sack Superintendent. Time to quit howling and time to start purging.

If so many of the community feel that Ahmadi is not capable - ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS. Go to the union - go to school board meetings and ask them to do something.

Yes - if you have her leave, she will get a large compensation that is part of her contract, but maybe it is worth it since they seem to have a lot of money to redecorate, etc.

Start at the ground and go up.

Hope this gets resolved so that we can start talking about what can make our schools better like changing the calendar to be like other districts near us. Their students don't seem to need a week in October, etc to make it into a college and why is this at the elementary level.

I can remember when classes were large - summers were long - SAT scores were high - and we were a nation with some of the best scientists, engineers, etc.

With all that I have said - nothing seems to change unless a FEW personnel of the school board and union change it. Don't know what happen to democracy. Let's start having votes on these concerns.

Good Luck Terry! HOORAY! VIVA!

I grew up in ptown and now live in another community but still have relatives in town. I am devastated at what is happening in my hometown.

I don't know the procedure for school board recall of corrupt members. However, it would seem to take longer and be more expensive than just voting the two incumbents out in November since filing time is now. Those two members then have every right to restore law and order to PUSD working with remaining board members.

A school board is not set up to be given orders to follow the Superintendant's whim, as has mistakenly happened in PUSD. Rather, the school board is the Superintendant's boss and should function in that capacity.

The Superintendant in a neighboring community of mine was just fired for corrupt conduct. He did have to be paid what was left due him on his contract, but the school board got legal advice and did what was best. Ahmadi makes about $250,000, the same amount paid individually Twice to two teachers.

Yes , that amount is costly, but far more costly is the downward spiral PUSD's educational system /reputation is taking. Our fabulous teachers deserve better and our children are entitled to better

I am thankful that the modus operandi of the current Cabinet has been openly exposed by the Vranish case. I hope the new board considers that Cazares and Faraghan need reprimand as well

I am hopeful that the tide is slowly turning and PUSD will be restored to have a stellar reputation again someday in the future. However, it will be a long road to redemption

C'mon Board -- exercise your leadership. Demand that there is "climate" evaluations done at both teacher and parent levels at all the schools right now. Makes sure that there are retention strategies for the best and brightest teachers and administrators in the district. And most of all, make sure that when the Superintendent speaks about personnel matters, that it is properly vetted before hand. Her statement was not indicative of what actually happened: as previously posted -- it was a lateral move for the principal (her statement was inept and assumes a lack of intelligence on the part of the community). Clearly there are leadership challenges (and perhaps some PR problems as well) happening at the schools given the amount of turnover, and should be up to the board to get to the bottom of it. Let's see some action on the part of the Board - now.

Ahmadis's statement is inept and reflects lack of transparency and intelligence on the Superintendant's part

Hey, Gig is Up, do you care to elaborate, or are we just supposed to take the word of a lonesome poster who uses several names to post negative messages without substance?

I think that the number of Pleasanton principals who have left their posts in the past two years is a very valid cause for concern, whatever the reasons given for their departure. At this time last year, I assumed that the problem was the superintendent. However, having followed the events of this year, my views have changed a little.

It seems strange that, despite the extensive interviewing process, the Board would appoint someone completely unsuitable. Not impossible, but strange. I think the problem could be that the superintendent is educationally very competent, but politically naive, and possibly even incompetent. And the real destructive power lies behind the throne.

If this were the case, it could account for the multiple PR disasters and the poor handling of numerous major decisions. The crucial need might therefore be not necessarily to remove the superintendent, but to identify and remove the individual, or individuals, who hold the real power in the district office. i.e. Who is pulling the beleaguered superintendent's strings and how?

In my opinion, it needs to be done very soon. Before our formerly well-respected district travels any further along the road to destruction.

Hey Jtjh, you changed your name from Gig Is Up, but you didn't address my question. What criteria are you using to make the claims you're making? I think you're simply making this stuff up and packaging the same old thing time and again while posting here under different names. Then when someone calls upon you to elaborate, you're left standing like a deer in front of headlights -- until, that is, you change your name and post yet again the same unfounded remarks.

I agree that Ahmadi's statement about the principal seeking a 'promotion' to a paper-pushing district office position when the principal sought the same principal position in a school setting in another district (lateral move) makes no sense.

Admadi seems to have no ability to filter her comments in any personnel or student matter, does she?

For Carpy Sharpy,

You wrote:

"Hey Jtjh, you changed your name from Gig Is Up, but you didn't address my question. What criteria are you using to make the claims you're making?"

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to explain the criteria that YOU are using to make the claims you're making?

I am a registered user of this site and I have not changed my name. I have no idea who the other poster is.

Nor, of course, do I know who you are. Or whether you are posting under a variety of names. Or why you have chosen to claim so confidently that I have done so. Perhaps you're a mere troll. Perhaps you are posting aggressively in the hope of diverting attention from the actual points being made. Perhaps..... well, who knows? The possible reasons for such posts are numerous.

In the end, people will believe what they want to believe regardless of what others say - whether it relates to the identity of a poster, the management of a school district, or the existence of poltergeists.

Ahmadi's district office comments again are troubling and make no sense.

Can someone explain to me why Ahmadi lied to the public and indicated Jane Golden was retiring but on District personnel documents item 10.1 for the School Board meeting on June 17, 2014, she is still the Director of Curriculum and Special Projects?

Jane Golden
Director
Curriculum and Special Projects
7/1/14
Approve

It sounds like Ahmadi again is caught peddling yet another blatant falsehood.

It must be hard for the superintendent to keep track of all the lies.

Jane Golden's retirement isn't until the end of 2014, but they're moving someone in to take over her responsibilities because she is on medical leave. Although I agree with the many people who distrust Ahmadi and think she has to go, in this instance there's no intent to deceive.

It's not just the principals who are fleeing to neighboring communities. The teachers are, too. Amador lost 2 great teachers to Livermore at the end of this year. Why? More affordable housing. A school calendar that would match their kids'. A community that funds their schools with a parcel tax. Administration that values their teachers and has flexibility with pay in order to recruit (i.e. Giving them all their years of experience on the pay scale instead of just a few), medical benefits that are included in addition to their salary instead of being subtracted from salary. Pleasanton is no longer the most desirable place to work for teachers or administrators. We need to change that for our children and our property values!

Teacher, "medical benefits that are included in addition to their salary instead of being subtracted from salary." While I understand the concern and the desire to have benefits above the salary schedule, the PUSD teachers' union negotiated the rollover of benefits ONTO the salary schedule (some $10,000 at the time--late 1990s?) in order to boost retirement benefits. There have been salary increases (acknowledging the dry years too) where the $10,000 was included in the percentage (generous raises under Casey), so it was a gift that kept on giving. And many employees (half?) don't buy the benefits because a significant other provides the insurance. So while leaving for perceived greener pastures is understandable, the history is important as well.

@carpy sharpy. really "local hicks" Maybe you can explain what you mean by your comment I think its offensive. did you mean she didnt want to be around the n word or the chinese or the latinos. feel free to substitute any derogatory name you would like to. If you stand by your comment then let me be clear. I dont dislike you becouse of your race carpy sharp. I dislike you becouse your a jerk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The teachers in Pleasanton are paid quite well and previous surveys found that a large majority of the teachers lived in the Tri-Valley (not in the central valley like some people kept saying).

Don't think commuting to Pleasanton from Livermore or Dublin, or even San Ramon is an issue so the talk about affordable housing being a reason for a teacher to change jobs to Livermore is just ludicrous.

Kathleen is right that the union members wanted a higher salary that counts towards their pensions and negotiated that change of not having paid medical insurance and it has paid off real well for the teachers. A couple of years ago the district shared the number of employees that had a spouse that had medical insurance and it was REAL high. If our teachers had medical insurance, most of them would actually not need it since their spouse already had them covered. Now they get additional cash (and retirement benefits). Also, when somebody retires from the district, they can get FREE medical insurance from the district (another one of our liabilities that the district has never funded correctly).

Teachers are leaving because of the lack of leadership and support from the administration.

Dearest Pleasanton,

I used the term "hick" rather than terms for various ethnic or racial groups because "hick" best exemplifies the values and level of mentality of the majority who post here.

Oh, and I might mention the serious deficit when it comes to using the English language by so many in the community. To wit, our Dearest Pleasanton writes:

"I dislike you becouse your a jerk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Were I a teacher or administrator who routinely received this kind of message -- a grammatical inability to use a contraction, an odd spelling error, and a hick 4th grader's attempt to use an exclamation mark -- I'd take the first stage out of Dodge and wouldn't look back.

You people really think you know why Pleasanton is losing good teachers and administrators? File your ignorance under "Hickville."

The District reported that Jane Golden was retiring immediately and this was reflected in the Pleasanton Weekly article posted May 16, 2014 below where it states: Web Link

"Mindy Bolar, the principal of Lydiksen Elementary School, has been appointed the new director of curriculum in the Pleasanton school district.

She will succeed Jane Golden, who is retiring and leaving the position immediately, according to an announcement by the district."

Now it seems that information is false. In fact, the District's official meeting agenda less than four weeks later states Jane Golden has not left the position immediately and in fact is still in the position.

I suppose it is difficult for Ahmadi to indeed keep track of the falsehoods she states in official press releases.

So now we have no principal at Alisal or Lydiksen? School starts in 3 weeks- how are we going to recruit the best people for those positions?

[Removed because it was irrelevant to this thread]

Plenty of teachers and parents want the new Amador principal gone. He has lost the teachers confidence in his ability to be honest and have integrity

The leadership in this district is horrible