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Bitter CVCHS feud ends with Middendorf firing Scandal at CVCHS splits loyalties
JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
A simmering feud between two top Clayton Valley Charter High School leaders exploded in the waning weeks of the school year, resulting in the dismissal of a top administrator. Pat Middendorf, Director of Operations and Athletics, was terminated without cause by the charter school board at a stormy governing board meeting May 21. This followed a flurry of rumors, intrigue, politics, charges against Executive Director David Linzey, countercharges and complaints, all largely played out in a very public forum on local website Claycord.com. The bitter battle sharply divided the school and community at a time when the Eagles should be soaring. CVCHS was celebrated for having one of the largest state test score improvements — 62 API points — in California and receiving a maximum six-year certification from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. In March, Linzey and administrator Neil McChesney were invited to Washington, D.C. to speak to the U.S. House of Representatives Education and the Workforce Committee on the subject of “Raising the Bar: The Role of Charter Schools in K-12 Education.”
LILIANA HERNANDEZ
TEEN SPEAK
ture,” lack of trust and absence of “shared decision-making.” The antagonism between the two administrators boiled over when Middendorf and other Linzey critics claimed that the
The usual end-of-the year excitement at Clayton Valley Charter High School was eclipsed by another type of excitement, a scandal that played out over the local news website Claycord.com, fueling gossip that spread from the school hallways to the streets of Clayton; false information spread through the town like wildfire. In the end, an explosive board meeting resulted in riled students, staff and community members, teachers calling for the ouster of Executive Director David Linzey and the termination of Director of Operations Pat Middendorf.
See High School, page 8
See Teen Speak, page 8
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
JUST TWO YEARS AFTER A TEACHER-LED MOVEMENT CONVERTED CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH TO A CHARTER SCHOOL, strife between the executive director and the administrator who was on the board that hired him, erupted in a firestorm of controversy at the end of the school year. When the smoke cleared, Pat Middendorf, who led the movement to convert two years ago, was without a job.
DETERIORATING RELATIONSHIP
It was just two years ago that Middendorf was on the committee that chose Linzey as executive director to run the newly chartered high school.
‘Celebrating Clayton’s City calls for July 4 Parade entries Milestones’ Red, white, blue…and gold are the Fourth of July colors this year as Clayton celebrates America’s birthday and Clayton’s 50th year as a city. Gather the star spangled gear, add a dash of gold sparkle and prepare to march, drive, ride or stroll
See Parade, page 4
Middendorf enthusiastically championed the new director and immediately became part of his administrative staff as director of operations and athletics. But that partnership began to fray late last year over plans
to expand the school and Middendorf ’s claims of Linzey’s “aggressive and disrespectful management style.” The criticism snowballed with some teachers attacking Linzey’s leadership ability, “top-down struc-
CVCHS contract includes 6 percent raise JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Almost lost in all the turmoil surrounding the termination of administrator Pat Middendorf, the Clayton Valley Charter High
School Governing Board ratified a new collective bargaining agreement May 21 that effectively gives all employees — administrators, classified staff, security, as well as teachers — a 6 percent raise retroactive to July 1, 2013 and an improved
three-year benefits package through the 2015-16 school year. The approval culminated 18 months of negotiations with the teachers’ union. When Clayton Valley High School converted to charter status before the start of
the 2012-13 school year teachers and staff were paid off the existing Mt. Diablo Unified School District salary schedule. Teachers at CVCHS are represented by the California
See Contract, page 8
Clayton balances 2014-15 budget with small surplus Revenues - Total Budget*
Expenditures - Total Budget
General Fund Revenue Budget
2014-15
2014-15
2014-15 – $3,879,561
General Fund Expenditures by Department 2014-15 – $3,849,444
Landscape District 16.6%
Landscape District 16.3%
Misc. Funds** 6.0%
General Fund 63.5%
Gas Tax 5.2% Grants Fund 2.4% Grove Park 2.2% Street Lights 2.1% Stormwater 2.1%
Franchise Fees 13.5% Admin/Finance 20.7% Transfers In 9.1%
Misc. Funds** 5.2%
General Fund 62%
Gas Tax 5.1% Grants Fund 3% Grove Park 2.8% Street Lights 2.2% Stormwater 3.3%
Community Dev. 7.7%
User Fees/Permits 8.5% Taxes 63.9%
In-Lieu 4.0% Interest 1.0% Misc. Other 0.1%
Community Park 4.4% Public Works 4.4% Library 4.2% Gen. Gov. 3.2% Engineering 2.1% Legislative 1.7%
Police 49.2%
At the June 3 city council meeting, city staff proposed a $9.37million budget for 2014-2015 which includes $3.26 million in fiduciary funds. The General Fund budget balances with a small $30k surplus which assumes Misc. Employees’ salaries and benefits remain status quo. This surplus is supported by a healthy uptick in real property assessed values and further return of a portion of former Redevelopment Agency revenues to the General Fund. Capital projects planned for next year include a federal collector street rehab project targeting Keller Ridge Drive, a new SUV police car and replacement of a 23 year old Maintenance tractor. Last year’s budget suffered one-time spikes for audit delays/ finance dept. illness, overtime expenses for Clayton PD staffing shortages, and water overages caused by constant irrigation breakages at Community Park. Landscape District planned improvements include trail bridge renovations, a neighborhood median landscaping and refurbishing the downtown planters. Source: City Manager Gary Napper.
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Behind the Badge . . . . . . . . .6 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Community Calendar . . . . .16 Concord City Beat . . . . . . . . .5 Concord News . . . . . . . . . . .5 Design and Décor . . . . . . . .20 Directory of Advertisers . . . . .7 Fit With Levity . . . . . . . . . . .14 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Letter to the Editor . . . . . . . . .6 Mayor’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . .3 MDES Correspondent . . . . . .9 Northgate Correspondent . .9 Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Police Report . . . . . . . . . . .13
Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Senior Moments . . . . . . . . .13 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Teen Reads . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 The Pocket Parent . . . . . . .13 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . .13
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