She probably got sick of dealing with the adminstrators and "smart" Board.

On the other hand, perhaps the allure of greater responsibilities in a larger district which can afford to give her a 25% raise had something to do with it.

On the other foot, perhaps they got sick of her and pushed her out and she found better job else where. They should just role woodside elementary into the las gatos school district and she can run everything. Now that's consolidation at it's best.

I guess I don't why the trolls seem to be out in force. I have multiple kids in the district and have found her to be an entirely competent administrator. She successfully navigated the school through a trying period of unstable school funding while balancing many competing interests.

If you are from the Family Farm/Hidden Valley part of Woodside you are in the PV district, so I find it inappropriate to cast aspersions without first hand knowledge.

It's message board, relax. Name calling and accusing others of slander is the same. Some people have different opinions, only the subject person knows the facts. It's probably alot more complicated and everyone is happy for her career move. A little diversity in her job can only be good.

Top talent comes when the compensation is very competitive and the environment (people and place) is desirable. That said, anyone would "really really want" to be with that org too.


"The future remains very bright. I think we are an incredibly attractive district and we'll find someone who "really wants" to be with us," Pike said.

Diana, I am told was fine at somethings but not at others. Budgeting may have been her strong suit and brown nosing the board, but her interaction with the staff was lacking. She would ask for input from the staff and then do things the way she wanted to anyway. I say good riddance to her, the District will find somebody who doesn't always butter up to parents because Johnny's got too much homework. Remember it's school it's not supposed to be easy. It wasn't when I went and it shouldn't be today either. Learning is a process and it takes patience and perseverance. If you don't succeed try again. Bye Diana I hope Los Gatos loves you, on to greener pastures.

Woeful:

as a business owner I can tell you I solicit input from employees all the time. That doesn't mean I TAKE IT. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Sometimes it is valuable insight other times it is ridiculous because of a lack of access to the "big picture."

I can guarantee you many bosses get input from employees and don't necessarily take it. There's usually a reason the boss is the boss.

This is a k-8 1-dimensional school for rich white kids, and she got sick of dealing with the so called liberal smarty pants on the board and rich parents flashing their wealth to get what they want.

School administrators job responsibilities is to kiss up to everyone. You have to justify your existence and open your own doors. If you're in education and not teaching, you kiss up and cry for a bigger budget. It's not about the kids, come on folks.

Maybe they can takie this vacancy opportunity to share a superintendent with one of the small "districts" like they did in the past to save money.

Too many superintendents across CA in all these tiny districts. Eventually, the taxpayers will speak loudly.

They used to share 1/2 the superintendent cost with Portola Valley. When Ms. Abatti became principal, they consolidated the two jobs into a single post, at even greater total savings.

Health, the direction you are suggesting going would actually cost money.

Fwiw, the state budget outline does specifically discuss consolidation of districts as a means of savings, but districts with over 100 students are actually considered moderate size. The state's budget focus is on consolidating those districts with less than 100 students.

So it costs more money to reduce head count...okay I can see why CA publics public schools are so broken.

Go get informed on how many kids are in the Palo Alto school districts relative to Woodside, PV, Las Lomitas combined. Put the data in a spreadsheet.

What the heck are you talking about? What headcount are you going to reduce?

There is ONE person who fills the role of both superintendent and principal in Woodside.

I think huh's comment was: "Health, the direction you are suggesting going would actually cost money." I believe Health was referring to the savings that would come from consolidating districts.

huh appears to be accepting the school board's assertion that consolidation would shift a district from "basic aid" status (districts with a high property tax base and relatively few students) to "revenue limit" status (poorer tax base with a lot of students). If true, then the per student funding could be less.

I would caution you to be skeptical of this unfounded claim. Combining two basic aid districts will almost always result in a basic aid district. You should depend on a financial analysis - which is VERY easy to perform - not on scare tactics promulgated by a school board defending their turf.

Who said anything about consolidating districts? Health suggested that Woodside should share a superintendent with another district. I pointed out that Woodside used to share a superintendent with Portola Valley (splitting the cost 1/2 - 1/2) but decided that as a single school district that one position for both principal and superintendent was sufficient.

Can't get much more efficient then that one person unless you don't want to have an on-site principal.

Don't know what anything about being a basic aid district has to do with it.

Have they thought about shipping some of the white kids from woodside to say E. Palo Alto? That might make more sense than to get diversity by shipping a few minorities into a purely white school district.

Huh, go back and read your posts. You can answer your own questions reading your own posts. [Portion deleted.]

Kids in Woodside don't see much future in growing up to be educated and be like their parents who have lost control of bicycle lanes, and an overabundance of mountain lions.

They would probably riot, except there is nothing around to gripe about unless it is a house to save.

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