The Steamboat Pilot & Today

fartpark (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 4:02 a.m.
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Another good man down the drain. What a shame!!! We'll miss you Mike.

handyman (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 5:38 a.m.
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OK, now that they've made their decision, what next? Who's going to replace him? How can they find someone in this short of a time? Or, do they already have someone lined up?

weallnutz (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 6:57 a.m.
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what a shame, Mike go into private business, there the politics and back stabbing at least have economic reprecussions. Only in Social government run programs, like public education can this type of anonymous behind the scenes backstabbing get you fired. Good Luck Mike, this wasn't right!

townie (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 7:16 a.m.
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The survey the high school staff completed showed over 90% supported Mike. The results were shared in open session last night. Connelly, Crosson, and Anderson had their minds made up long before the meeting. Connelly even told people prior to Mike getting his evaluation that there would be changes made at the high school and that a previous employee who was not rehired could get her job back. This is the kind of ethics of the people running our school district. Mike showed complete professional throughout this process while these board members have shown that they don't care how well an administrator is doing or how much 90% of his staff respects him. Not renewing Mikes contract was a huge mistake!!!

hmmmm (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 7:33 a.m.
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Mike, you did a great job but had no chance with a board with its own agenda. Mike spent over two hours sharing how he had accomplished each point Smyser asked him to improve. There was nothing more he could have done to please this board or Smyser. Five complaining staff members out of 70 some staff members (yes 5 the survey was clear) were able to whine enough to get Mike's contract nonrenewed. This was a witch hunt. Mike, the people who work with you day in and day out know how much of a difference you have made in this district. Take care.

SSPerson (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 7:47 a.m.
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If Mike's main focus would have been the state of the education at the high school instead of being morIf e concerned about winning a popularity contest with the staff, maybe he'd still have a job. Thank you to Robin, Laura and Denise for making a sound and brave decision. The three of you can honestly say that you have made a positive impact on the school district. P.S. Carmen, I haven't been to church lately, but isn't there something in the scripture along the lines of “Judge not, lest ye be judged”? Maybe personally attacking someone in a public forum isn't very “Christian”. But who am I to say?

bikegirl (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 8:23 a.m.
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The BOE has now affected the future of the entire incoming senior class at sshs.Guess they forgot about the kids in all this.Thanks to the 2 board members who did vote to retain Mike. Mike's leadership gave the high school an enthusiasm and vitality that was lacking previously.My third child will graduate next year,Mike is the first principal we have had that really cared about families and students and made the time to form relationships.big mistake!!!!!!!!!

KatieKnezevich (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 9:06 a.m.
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Mike devoted the last ten years of years of his life to the kids at Steamboat Springs High School. Other than Mike and me, I don’t know that anyone knows how much he cared for the kids and wanted the best for each and everyone of them. He gave up numerous evenings and weekends to support the kids in this community. Making sure every student in the high school received a great education was extremely important to Mike. When given his first unsatisfactory evaluation in more than 20 years of education, Mike went above and beyond to prove himself. No one at the board meeting could have been anything less than impressed as he shared for over an hour the changes he made during the short 8 weeks he was given. He did all of this while continuing to run the high school and prepare for prom, senior assembly, and graduation. Denise, Robin, and Laura had already made up their minds and there was nothing Mike could have done nor anything anyone else could have said to change their minds. The few people who disagreed with Mike’s decisions now have their way and it is time to stop sharing your negative views. When Mike and I first moved here, a person on the interviewing team said to me, “You are going to love living here.” We have loved living here and the majority of the people living here are an amazing group of people. Thank you for all of the support you have given Mike during this difficult time. Katie Knezevich

30yearsSBS (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 9:13 a.m.
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Good riddance. My personal experience with Mr. Knezevich led me to the conclusion that he is nothing more than an overgrown school yard bully, kicking a kid when he was down. His intimidating behavior ultimately resulted in my son dropping out of school. One less “problem” to deal with.

Now it's time for the BOE to wrap up this long-running soap opera. Cleaning out the previous Superintendent and this Principal is an excellent start. I'd like to see the rest of the melodrama and petty squabbles all put to bed as well. Then everyone (board, admin & staff, parents, newspaper, anonymous commentators, etc.) can focus on running the school district in a professional manner for the benefit of the kids.

armchairqb (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 10:13 a.m.
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Once again we loose!!!!!! Mike K is a great man & I applaud each & everything he did. Mike was tough when kids needed it. However its the same old. same old saying: the inmates run the asylum!!!!!! My kids did very well while he was in charge. Sure they made mistakes, but Mike was right there to guide them. I will miss Mike & Katie. What a shame. Don't worry Mike, I am sure that there are plenty of towns who will welcome you with open arms. And when you do, I'll be proud to be YOUR neighbor. I've had it with this town!!!!!!!

justice4all (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 10:23 a.m.
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School board members are elected based on popular vote and hopefully, qualifications.
Principals are HIRED based on their qualifications alone.
It is much easier to replace a board than a principal–-especially a great principal.
Possibly this board has a replacement in mind and that is the reason that they decided that he must go.
Good luck to the board in finding a replacement even half as good as what we had.
Best of all to you Mr. Knezevich and thanks for a job well done.
Your only deficiency is that you did not play politics with the board. Actually, that is not a deficiency, it is a wonderful attribute.

localroots (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 10:26 a.m.
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Coloradobu: Congratulations you know how to use a thesaurus! However I don't really think you are very witty at all, more like overly negative about the entire school district and BOE. Get a life or volunteer and run for BOE. Let's see what you can do mister CON artist.

smsc (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 12:38 p.m.
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I have thoroughly enjoyed working under and with Mike Knezevich this year. He is an incredible principal and clearly loves his job, his staff and most importantly every student that walks through his doors. Steamboat Springs High School is a lesser place now because of this loss. I hope you can find a new direction for you life Mike, one that gives back to you as much as you give to others.
As for you Laura, perhaps it’s high time that we call for your resignation and really get a chance to start fresh if that is what this district needs. It’s time for Smyser to get out of here and it’s time for you to move on as you have done nothing but cause turmoil and strife since your inception into your current position on this board. We need people that have the best interest of ALL students in mind and possibly some experience as educators rather than observers.

Shayna Sutherin

Taglet (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 2 p.m.
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Looking forward, it will be VERY difficult to attract high quality educators to Steamboat. The town is known for it's petty politics and Kangaroo Court management. The Town, School Board, Attorney and Superintendant need to engage in some much needed self analysis and take responsibility and ownership for the way in which they have handled themselves. This is not the first time and it would appear that if there aren't some major changes made, the pettiness and lack of professionalism will continue. Sadly, Steamboat's education issues and reputation are well known beyond the passes.

It's complete amateur hour here and an embarrassment - have any one these people worked in the real world where a certain level of professionalism is demanded? Wake up Steamboat!

blahblah (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 2:47 p.m.
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Last night was a charade. Mike could have hung the moon and those three board members would not have rehired him. Their minds were made up long ago. The greatest indicator of Mike's character is that he was surely aware that he stood no chance with those board members, yet for nine weeks he made changes to make his school a better place and himself a better person. He could have packed it in, but this is a man of integrity, the kind of person we want in a leadership role.

What kind of evaluation system allows the supervisor to make decisions without ever having made an onsite observation of the individual? All the evidence gathered was based on vicarious conversations and anonymous survey data. Through all the turmoil, Mike acted in a dignified fashion. He outlined very clearly the ways he met the goals of his action plan. The superintendent acknowledged the growth throughout the evening.

I applaud Mike for allowing this discussion to be held in a public forum. He put his soul in front of the public and I believe emerged as a man who should be proud of his accomplishments and the way he handled five months of extraordinary stress. The school board and the community are the losers, and the children will be as well when the half cent sales tax revenue is gone. The open forum exposed the agenda of several members of the board. If I were an administrator in the district, I'd be quite concerned. You may be next.

For Katie and Mike, I hope in the long run this opens doors for both of you. You can both be proud of the way you handled this mess.

sardi4 (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 2:50 p.m.
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Steamboat wake up Mike made his bed.

Kevin I know you will make a great Leader of Staff and Students

GINO

SilverSpoon (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 4:26 p.m.
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Face it, the BOE never has to act within:
reason
the law
public's best interest
the students best interest
the faculties best interest
Unfortunately there is little oversight of the BOE nor do they have any accountability. Personal agendas and minority interests(not racial, but individual events, suspension, detention) always guide their decisions, the squeaky wheel(disgruntled parent) always gets the grease.

Other school boards try real hard to get “intelligent design” taught along the side of biology. There are several other clueless BOE's in the country, steamboat springs is just another one.

MomFromSteamboat (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 5:27 p.m.
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Dear SilverSpoon -

Actually, the Board of Education does have to act within the law (of course!), and reason, and the public's best interest, and the students' best interest and the faculty's best interest … because they are elected officials, and they have to face the voters. That is how democracy works.

For those of us not involved on a day-to-day basis with the inner workings of the school district, it is easy to let emotions rule our judgement. MikeK was, and is, a thoughtful, generous, and dedicated educator. He always had the best interests of students at heart. That being said, over the years, his actions also angered many people. The fact that a majority of the Board members (that silly democratic system again!) voted not to renew Mike's contract speaks for itself.

I understand that there are insinuations being made that Laura Anderson had an “agenda” to remove Mike. The same claim could be made that John DeVincentis had an “agenda” to keep Mike on, regardless of any evidence suggesting that his removal might be better for the school. Both are ridiculous accusations — Laura and John both clearly had opinions in the matter, but both are also intelligent people, who take the time to consider carefully before they vote on issues that will affect many, many people.

Personally, I'm sad to see Mike go, as I feel his positive traits outweigh his negative traits. However, I respect the majority decision of our Board of Education, a body which I feel is sincere in its desire to serve our community.

sidelines (anonymous)
June 10, 2008 at 8:37 p.m.
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Let’s put emotions aside for a moment. Good business practice (whether it is private or public sector) states decisions should be based on verifiable data. The school board has shown it manages decisions based on the personal agendas of individual members rather than objective data. The superintendant herself was not even able to back up her stance given her absence in the high school. No objective data has been shared that provides rationale for this decision. Expecting a leader to receive unwavering support from more than 80% of staff (let alone more than 90%) is expecting a leader who focuses on placating. That is not leadership. This decision shows the board for the amateur group it is. Mike’s response to this situation has demonstrated he has held himself to a higher professional standard than the school board. I think a legal process is warranted given the incapacity of the board and the superintendant to act in a professional, objective manner and understand the basic legal framework for this decision. You have demonstrated great leadership and a high standard of professional integrity Mike. Don’t let this decision tell you anything different.

StbtWatchmen (anonymous)
June 11, 2008 at 5:04 a.m.
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Well,
I guess that leaves Kevin Taulman to take over Knezovich's position! I wonder what the board will do here. A new outsider is needed in this position. It is my opinion Kevin needs to remain assistant principal. Public education has become more complex and increasing difficult of the years and many do not want to teach our kids because, it is far easier to work other professions that pay more money. Add the politics like the ones we have here in Steamboat Springs and the employment pool of able bodies starts to dwindle. What do we get then? Maybe nobody better than the last, just a different face and pawn to the game called RE-2! Public education is not what it used to be and never will be again! Too many personal agendas, too many politics, too many pressures to please everyone and not enough time to satisfy anyone! Who wants that? How much is enough salary to deal? In Steamboat…….. not enough!

surfnturf (anonymous)
June 11, 2008 at 9:03 a.m.
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After reading all the comments, I'm amazed at how many people think that Mike looked out for ALL the students. Our experience is that he looked out for certain students and ignored the rest. Where is the support for the the “not college bound”, the special needs kids, the non-jocks? What kind of a high school has a half time shop teacher? There should be 2 full-time teachers. I don't know who everyone thinks will build their decks, fix there Hummers, and keep the lights on. Mike has shown favorites consistently.
good job school board for considering ALL the kids!
And will someone tell Dr. D that threats have a way of coming back at you. I think Dr. D and Mike are two peas in the pod.

Fox (anonymous)
June 12, 2008 at 8:26 a.m.
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90% approval rating is an A+ as I see it. That's a wonderful record. His position requires that he settle disputes, conflicts and disagreements. That means that 50% of the time he has to decide against someone. One person is happy, the other is unhappy. Over time this can catch up with a Principal. He has to enforce school rules for students who don't want to follow rules and parents who think the rules don't apply to their child. So when he has to expel a student for good reasons he is creating enemies, who will want to get revenge. The same thing happens with teachers who don’t measure up. It is Knezevich’s job to motivate these sub par teachers and get them to change their methods or philosophy in dealing with children. They resent his intervention and he may have to non-renew their contracts, they perceive this as a “threat”. So the best way to remove this “threat” is to go after Kenezevich. These weak teachers go whining to a school board member, who has the stupidity to listen to them, instead of backing the Principal. That school board member should have told them to shape up and follow the directives of the Principal, then they would not longer be ‘threatened”. They would have to change their failing ways and the students would ultimately benefit. If the failing teachers don’t like the Principal then they should find employment at a school where they will be happy.There is no way any Principal is going to make 100% of the teachers, parents, or students happy and do the job he was hired to do. As long as the Principal has the best interests of the students as his primary concern he must be given 100% support by the school board. The school board must politely listen to complainers with the knowledge in the back of their mind that the Principal needs their support to function, if they need to investigate complaints they should do it by starting with asking the Principal first. He will tell them what dealings he has had with the complainer, why he had to discipline this teacher or that student, don’t forget that he has to deal with both mentally unstable students and parents. Board members should not listen to any anonymous complaints. If people don’t have the courage to name themselves, then their complaints have no credibility and are fantasy. It is just a way to get back at the Principal. The Principal is going to step on people’s toes, that is the nature of the job. Can you imagine what it will be like for the next Principal? Three board members have now empowered the very small minority of complainers. So if someone is unhappy with the next Principal, and they will be after he has been there for three years, because of the nature of the job, all they will have to do is complain to a board member and he’s gone.

saturnlander (anonymous)
June 29, 2008 at 4:27 p.m.
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I'm amazed that so many are caught up in thinking that Knezevich lost his job solely because of some murky “agenda” held by three board members. Ridiculous. Yes, he has many supporters, as is to be expected, but I know that he could also be unprofessional, disrespectful, closed-minded, and, frankly, a bit clueless. And Fox, it is a huge assumption to claim that all of Knezevich's critics are simply whiny parents and bad teachers. Perhaps some are, but it is far from the complete story.