I think it was a mistake not to offer the position to Kimberly Smith. Even if Zrike the job, how long will he stay?

For everyone upset he has yet to accept, I ask this: If you are offered a job (or have multiple offers), do you necessarily just jump on it? I would hope not. You review the offer, talk it over with family (especially considering the required move) and you potentially negotiate.

I would imagine Dr. Smith would do the same thing if she were offered the position. I would actually think less of her if she did not. That's what you do, evaluate, counter and ultimately make a decision for what's right.

Wakefield is clearly offering less for the position than other area districts, so maybe it's the town with the issue and not the candidates? We all need to remember that we get what we pay for.

Take a step back and let him make a decision. If he were to jump right away, I would have been more concerned he won't be here for the long haul, but the fact that he is talking it over with his family and taking the time to make an educated decision makes me also think his next move will be for years to come and that it's good he's not jumping into it.

The name caller and personal reputation attacker is at it again . Don't you think those famy discussions would have already occurred before his application was filed ? He knew he would be coming to Massachusetts. If he got either position. So when you are notified of your selection and rejection wouldn't you respond to the Town that accepted you to see what their offer is? Unless there a more irons in his fire.

The Pope was chosen and accepted faster than One, Two, Three Zrike's he's out. We are anxiously waiting for any color smoke to signal his acceptance!

Easy, from your comments in the first go around in the Patch,(tyrant, manipulative, and her bs).Yes, but i would have responded to begin the procedure.At least let the committee know yes or no.
,

I meant conversations with the committee, not about.... I'm sure he's had them about :)

e would have talked this over with his family for months now. How much time do you want to give him John Declan 2 months? Then we can hire a firm to do another search for "good matches" like 36 year old Dr. Zrike who is an educational transient. What makes you think he stays here? If you would think less of Kim Smith if she did not take the same time then you are a fool.

She has been here 20 plus years she does not not need to evaluate anything. She wants the job. She does not want to be "mentored" by someone who has less experience than her and not to mention Dr. Smith is old enough to be his mother. If you have read the articles from New Bedford you would realize that Dr. Zrike was grilled about all of his "professional changes on his resume" and that his dream is to job is an Urban community. So what makes you think he sticks around here? Oh yeah he speaks Spanish that will come in handy in all of our Spanish speaking areas of town. Dr. Smith does not have "professional changes" on her resume because she has been here for 27 years. Give her the job and lets move on. When SC voting comes around lets get rid of some of these SC members who are out of touch with what the town wants. Maybe if they speak Spanish you will vote for them John? Your foolish comments continue you said "The town quickly forgets her actions when she ran the music department, kicking out a student who got pregnant while promoting the boyfriend of said student to drum major the following year. Should I go on?" Yes go on because thats not what happened. Were you in school then? Do you know the exact story? No you don't and posting a comment about a teenage girl getting pregnant and then saying Dr. Smith promoted the boyfriend on this forum is irresponsible and sad theres a lot more to this story that has no right being posted here. Adios!

Actually, I was in school then and knew the situation personally, so before you go flapping, be careful what you say. And I know for a fact that you Eric, were not.

And sorry, but what's up with your foolish Spanish rant?

The event I was referring to happened in 93 - 94. Being that you are 39, you would have been out of high school before that even happened.

So you know me then? I must be famous! You must if you know I'm 39. What year did you graduate? Do you still live in town? Have any kids in the system? In 93 I was still here in town my girlfriend was in high school, I had family members in high school and was still active in helping out the football and basketball teams, but since I was out of high school I must have no idea whats going on? Maybe you are right cause the SC members are not in high school anymore and 4 of them have no clue whats going on. It's all that was talked about then. Your Dr. Zrike is in Chicago do you think he has any idea what is going on here? Maybe if he was here in 93 he could have mentored Kim Smith and that girl may not have gotten pregnant. The only problem was Zrike was 16 and couldn't even drive. He is to young for this job thats my opinion and wants different things. Which is fine. So I knew what was going on, but since you "knew the situation personally" is probably why you hate Kim Smith. You hate her for your own reasons. I always know whats going on. I make a point to. The "spanish rant" has to do with his New Bedford interviews which you probably didn't read which he makes a point to let there SC know that he is looking to be in a place where he can use his bilingual skills. That is not here. If he comes here he will be gone sooner rather than later. You have issues with Kim Smith I got no issues with Zrike or Smith. I believe Kim Smith is better for the job.

I will do all the flapping I want John you want to bring up a pregnancy from 20 tears ago and call Kim Smith names thats your right its a free country, but do not tell me to "be careful what I say" are you kidding? Don't push it.

Eric,

You're entitled to your opinion,as am I mine, but to go and tell me I'm name calling? That's just making you seem stupid and invalidating your points.

First, no, thankfully, I do not know you, as you seem like a real piece of work. Being that you seemingly have a computer store and therefore must understand computers, you should know how easy it is to google one's name and if one has information online that is not private, it's easy for others to find it. You happen to have an entry on my life showing your age, as well as information on Angie's list with you as the main contact for the computer store.

I have lived in Wakefield all my life, went through the school system and have children in the same system. In all, I think it would be good for a change. I don't disagree that the school committee needs changing and I never brought that up. That was one of the many points you brought up in your rants that had nothing to do with my comments or the topic at hand.

Regardless of it being one incident a long time ago (you accurately showing Kim Smith is older), it shows her lack of integrity. And you inaccurately showed me blaming her for the pregnancy. Clearly I did not. I place the blame on her for treating the boy differently from the girl, only because he was more musically talented than her. And yes, I was good friends with both involved parties and even said boyfriend couldn't believe why he was treated differently, but why would he argue?

Further points:

1) As you nicely show in your lack of grammatical poise, many students in the Wakefield school system are lacking the skills necessarily to compete with high standards of the college and business world. I'll let you continue your posting just to show everyone how much we need to overhaul the school system in Wakefield.

Highlights:
"I got no issues with Zrike" (I have no issues)
"right its a free country" (It's a free country)
"I was still here in town my girlfriend was in high school" (town, my)
"He is to young for this job thats my opinion " (Two here: He is too young, That's my)

I'd be happy to continue the grammar lesson, but you hopefully see the point.

2) How many children does Kim Smith have? You say she's more qualified because she's been in the system longer, but Zrike, having kids on his own, is not qualified in the least? Don't mistake young for inexperienced. Some of the greatest contributors to our current society are under 40.

At first I thought I wouldn't respond to Mr. Declan's continued rantings about Dr. Smith but specific accusations that I know to be false don't fly with me. I am also a townie with family who attended WHS at the time of this incident. Although it is true that a girl in the marching band became pregnant by another member of the band, she was not kicked out. As a matter of fact, she even went on the band trip to Disney that spring at 8 months pregnant with the rest of the band. As for the boy, he was a freshman at the time and was not promoted to Drum Major the following year. He was not even a section leader. Check your facts Mr. Declan. I find it incredibly insensitive to the people who were involved and inappropriate that you would bring this episode up so publicly and so inaccurately. To what end did you bring all of this up? To make a point? To make yourself look like you know what you're talking about? I have no idea. The baby who resulted from this pregnancy also graduated WHS under the leadership of......Dr. Smith. I guess the mother was so upset with her mistreatment in high school under Dr. Smith that she sent her child to attend high school under the same "tyrant." That should tell you something.

I hope moving forward that we can leave people's personal lives (particularly innocent, uninvolved people) out of this conversation and stick to the professional qualifications of the candidates, the manner in which the School Committee has handled this process, and where we go from here as opposed to gossip and the lies that Mr. "Declan" has chosen to spread in his postings here on the Patch.
Additionally, Mr. Declan, I would like to point out that it's interesting that you seem to have chosen not to use your last name, or at least not a last name that anyone who has lived here for years and is in your general age group can remember or Google search ourselves. I guess we have another masked Wakefield Patch poster. Interesting that you would search another poster's information and include it here but not even use your own last name
By the way, you asked why you're being accused of name calling. I believe it's from your comments in the first thread on this topic when you called Dr. Smith a "tyrant" and called Heidi Rossicone "ignorant." I just have a Wakefield Public Schools education, but that would be my guess.
Lastly Mr. Declan, how's my grammar?

Gossip and lies? No, I was simply stating facts, without making it too obvious who and what, that Ms. Smith has no integrity and that IS a professional (or lack of) quality. I know your family Kim and none were even remotely close to the situation.

As for google search and not remembering my name, it's not my fault that your memory is fading and in my line of work, I make it a point to not have my personal information all over the internet. Sorry if that upsets you.

Definition of Ignorant: "Lacking knowledge, information, or awareness about something in particular: "

That would be a label, not a name....

So I guess I give you points for grammar, but not for ability to understand definitions of name versus label. Still, a step up from Mr. Bertrand, so I'll give you that.

So what year did you graduate? I asked you, you did not answer. You seem to be posting plenty of private information about me on here and attacking me personally. Do you think thats right? Your right I am a piece of work. Sorry about my grammar I am not as smart as you. I am self not taught and have been in business for some time. So I must have learned something somewhere along the line. Instead of this banter and back and forth why don't you come to my place of business. You know where I am. I promise it will be civil. Maybe you will understand what I'm saying in person. How about it?

1996. As for your private information, I have posted nothing private on anyone. All I posted was what a quick Google search provided based on publicly available information on the Internet.

So Zrike is on his way and now we will see what happens.

I understand that Mr. Declan, but if I wanted that to be known I would have posted it myself. If someone wants to look into that's fine, but it's still something that does not have to do with what we are talking about. If I found your address, occupation, or age I would not have posted it. This is not the place for it. Thats your private life. We are talking about SC voting not my age and what I do for a living. I have a right to my opinion on this matter. I have things posted on the net about me, but that does not mean I want them posted here.

You are again quick to attack me for my grammar "The great job the Wakefield School system did with me" You make yourself sound better than myself. Also, I'd like to speak to you in person to discuss this. Zrike has the job I wish him the best all I wanted what was best for the the students of this town. I thought that would be Kim Smith. I still do. She did not get the job. However, I will of course support Dr. Zrike because I hope he wants the same as I do. I hope he stays here, but I worry that he may leave to soon. If he stays and does a great job then we all win. We shall see only the future will tell, but thankfully we can end this banter.