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45 After almost two decades in the Eanes school district, athletic official Lisa Schlimgen has resigned as the district’s athletic events and facilities coordinator.
Schlimgen worked in the district’s athletic department for the past 12 years and had served as an Eanes employee since 1991. She offered her resignation Monday after a meeting with athletic director Darren Allman and human resources administrators.
“She [Schlimgen] has been a dedicated member of the Westlake athletic staff for many years and will certainly be missed,” Allman said.
According to Allman, the district “hopes to begin the process in search of a replacement this week.”
Schlimgen said she will miss the friendships and memories accrued over almost two decades. Most of all, she will miss her relationships with the Westlake students.
“It’s the kids I cherished the most,” she said. “Some of them I knew since kinder, and I literally saw them grow up. Those memories cannot be taken away from me.”
Lisa — you are such a delight. You have done an incredible job, and we’ll miss you terribly. I wish you all the best.
Lisa was a warm and personable face of the Westlake athletic department for years. She could teach customer service to many government employees!
I am so sad that we are losing her–many of us who’ve had season tickets for years could always call her when there was a question or a problem, and she was always on the job, working long hours to make sure things worked.
You may hire a new employee, but a replacement will not be found.
This is really a sad day for Westlake athletics.
Lisa – The Chaps faithful cannot thank you enough for all you did for WHS student-athletes through your many years of service. You’ve given WHS student-athletes, parents, and fans many happy memories that we cherish too. I hope you’ll come back to Woerner Field again soon to sing our national anthem and to cheer on our boys. You were the BEST supporter WHS student-athletes could ever have. Thank you, Lisa!
What are we going to do without Lisa?!
On the Friday preceding Memorial Day, Lisa received her job evaluation. She was told that she hadn’t been “loyal” to Coach Allman. She was given this choice: resign or be fired the following Tuesday when she returned from the Memorial Day holiday. She resigned fearing the implications that being fired would have on her future job prospects.
Lisa was a hardworking, enthusiastic, effective and warm employee of EISD for 23 years. I don’t know if she was loyal or not to Coach Allman, but since when did Lisa’s personal loyalty to him determine whether her employment with EISD would continue? For 23 years, Lisa worked for and was paid by EISD, not Coach Allman. Before Coach Allman, no one had ever questioned her loyalty. Was personal loyalty to Coach Allman on her official job description? Lisa has to work. Nola (to whom Allman reports) couldn’t find her another job within EISD? EISD forced out a long term, model employee because the head football coach didn’t like her.
This situation is just another example of the growing lack of integrity in the administration and leadership of this school district.
I was afraid of something like that. If he thinks she’s the one who revealed his business deal with Perkins, he’s very wrong. That source has nothing to do with Westlake athletics. By the same token, probably the only way Lisa would have known if he was working on it on school time or used school resources for his private venture–not appropriate.
We are all one Westlake–Lisa’s loyalty to our school is unquestionable. It’s a sad day when we condone this kind of “loyalty cleansing”. Does that mean that all the old coaches are gone also? I’ve heard that at least one long-time, beloved middle school coach has been given his walking papers. It’s one thing to bring in the nucleus of your staff for high school, but usually middle school coaches are not affected by changes in high school staffs.
Wrong is wrong. Lisa Schlimgen has been treated shamefully. Demanding loyalty is not the same as earning it. Generations of WHS athletes have known and understood that loyalty must be earned.
Lisa put in decades supporting WHS student-athletes and earning their gratitude, loyalty, and friendship. Coaches past and present and in every sport will attest that Lisa was always and completely loyal to WHS student-athletes and athletics. No coach or administrator has a higher call on Lisa’s loyalty than the young men and women playing for the Chaps.
This is the worst example an athletic director or coach could set. In forcing Lisa out in this shameful way, Coach Allman placed loyalty to himself over Lisa’s 20+ years of demonstrated loyalty to WHS student-athletes and athletics. What happened to “TEAM over me”?
Lisa, I’m sorry. You earned and deserved much better.
Lisa isn’t the only one hurt by this district. Many children have been similarly forced out.
“Eanes Mom” is right. Lisa is not the source. For the record, I discovered the business relationship between Darren Allman and David Perkins via a May 14, 2010 Internet search of Mr. Perkin’s Linked In page showing his new business (Coach Concepts, LLC) and a subsequent search of the Secretary of State website that showed Darren Allman as the registered agent of the business. I then revealed the information at this link: http://www.keepeanesinformed.com/coach_concepts,_llc.htm
We all need to ask … why Superintendent Nola Wellman (wants more and better athletic facilities) and School Board President Jim Strickland (sports promotion and sales) oppose “written” conflict of interest forms when such business relationships are formed … especially between the Head Football Coach/Athletic Director and the Bond Chair and Chap Club Board Member … and especially during a bond election.
The board should require written conflict of interest disclosure when the Head Football Coach/Athletic Director opens a private business with a Chap Club booster club board member/Chair Bond Committee (or when any employee in a supervisory role or board member is involved in a business venture with booster club board members or agents of the district).
And frankly, I think the board should know before I do.
While I know many have had less than favorable encounters with EISD on a variety of topics, these posts are about how the athletic director and administration have dealt with Lisa Schlimgen, a loyal, long-time employee.
Lisa was shamefully forced out by Coach Allman in a highly subjective and vindictive manner that was not merited by her long and loyal service to WHS student-athletes and athletics.
Coach, treating Lisa like that will be long remembered. Krma has a funny way about righting wrongs. There is no “I” in team.
There you guys go again, bashing EISD. I mean what possible relationship could there be between a long time employee resigning with no job and with no intention to retire and the fact that the coach was recently called to account for being in business with the guy who volunteered, at his own expense, to vet the new athletic facility with the voting public? Only black-helicopter types would think the two things are related….right?
You negative Nelly types just want to believe the worst about EISD, and only rely on facts to support your twisted view.
Why don’t you just ignore the facts like the rest of us? It works for me! I’m much happier not paying attention as EISD continues to erode.
When I see AP classrooms with 32 kids, I think to myself EISD is seeking efficiency and besides, their director of curriculum and instruction says there is no correlation between performance and class size. That defining study in Tennessee only works in Tennessee, right?
And I applaud how EISD has lowered Special Education expense. Our director of Special Education has found lots and lots of kids who were miss-identified by their doctors, therapists, and outside experts and no longer needs Special Education, right? And those kids are happy in their new schools, anyway, while EISD gets to sell their seats to typically performing transfer students. I say “Win-Win”!!!
So when I hear that a long time employee just up and quits it must be because she is disgruntled, because why would anyone leave such a wonderful place?
Or maybe I’m just not paying attention……..
Venting may be good for the soul, but there is a lot of hiding behind fake names going on here. Lisa was wronged, but in my karma view of the world, there is something better waiting to be blessed by her gifts and talents. OR the Eanes Board will beg her back. Either way, Lisa deserves better, and will receive it.
And for the record, as a character judge of David Perkins, I know he cannot be bought. As to the Coaching school, he loves to start companies. Should have been disclosed, let it go. Or come out and state your name to accuse.
David Perkins not only failed to disclose his business partnership with Darren Allman, he’s also refusing to disclose the entire survey results. That makes it difficult to just ‘let it go’ as Caren Upshaw suggests. A review of David’s linked in webpage makes it clear that he has a history of start up companies. Many of us are left questioning what he is trying to sell the taxpayers in Eanes.
The EISD Board should beg Lisa to come back and resolve some issues in the process, including:
1. What sort of “personal loyalty” obligation does/did Lisa owe Coach Allman?
2. Was the “personal loyalty” obligation clearly set forth in Lisa’s job description?
3. Whose job was it to evaluate Lisa’s “personal loyalty” to Coach Allman?
4. What objective measure(s) of “personal loyalty” to Coach Allman was involved in a Lisa’s regular evaluation process?
5. Can any EISD employee be required to be “personally loyal” to another EISD employee as a condition of continued employment?
Aren’t the answers to these questions self-evident?
Coach Allman, Lisa, and every other EISD employee are “public”employees and paid with public tax dollars. They serve the taxpayers and students of EISD. Their loyalty is owed to those taxpayers and students. One public employee demanding “personally loyalty” from another is wrong. The EISD board shouldn’t just let that go.
Coach Allman, Dr. Wellman, and the EISD board should apologize to Lisa for this ridiculous and shameful situation, ask Lisa’s forgiveness, restore Lisa to her job, and never ever let this happen again.
Wondering if the Eanes trustees will vote to accept Lisa Schlimgen’s resignation without asking any questions. We should all watch closely.
Have you noticed? Realtors are always the first in line to say … sshhh, let it go.
Unfortunately, Lisa probably was an at will employee and Dr. Wellman can accept her resignation. However, I do hope trustees ask Dr. Wellman and Coach Allman questions about this situation, because this is really unfair.
Lisa wouldn’t be gone unless Wellman agreed she should leave. If Wellman wants it, the majority of the trustees will give it to her. Welcome to Wellman ISD created by the Eanes ISD trustees.
What was Lisa’s salary last year? Ask her what her salary was going to be next year if she did not resign? Ask if they are asking other district employees to take the same pay cut.
Ask which assistant coaches are now no longer in teaching positions but proctor positions? Ask what the salary difference is between the two? or if there is one when it is a coach who is the proctor?
Probably a good idea not to have a coach teaching- BUT- they should not be making the same amount of money when our district is in a financial pinch and classroom teachers will be cut. Yes- teams are great for kids and for the district- HOWEVER- when we have financial issues- let the CHAPS club help fund those positions because EISD needs to fund classroom teachers who educate.
Just want to give a shout-out to Coach Bo Wilkes (pre-AP geometry teacher) and Coach Jenna Nelson (chemistry teacher) – two GREAT math/science teachers at WHS!
Why is coaching experience a prerequisite for core subject teachers? It must (in some way) benefit the athletes to have coaches as math and science teachers. Maybe they are more “flexible” (loyal?) when sports is the priority???
Math Teacher/Basketball & Football Coach (2010-11 SY) WHS
Chemistry Teacher/Girl’s Assistant Soccer Coach (2010-11 SY) WHS
Math Teacher/Cheer Sponsor (2010-11 SY) WRMS
Science Teacher/Girl’s Coach (2010-11 SY) HCMS
I don’t have a dog in this fight, and have had the pleasure of working with Lisa over the past several years. I appreciated her energy and devotion to the students and the coaches on the prior staffs. Having said that, if I was hired as the head of a division (or any other business term you want to use), and had a number of managers (coaches) working for me along with an administrative assistant, I would expect loyalty from the managers and the admin. Just because the admin was still upset that one of the other managers was not promoted did not give him/her the right to undermine my authority.
I am not privy to the details here, just as most who have posted here aren’t. However, like it or not, Allman as AD has the right to hire/fire anyone on his staff with the approval of the principal or superintendent as appropriate. Was Lisa wronged? Maybe. Was it Allman’s right? Absolutely.
You don’t know if it was Allman’s “right”; you admit that you are not privy to the details. You also do not know whether Lisa took action to “undermine” Allman’s authority.
By the way, Allman reports to the superintendent (Nola Wellman) not the WHS principal Linda Rawlings.
Anyone who cares about the integrity of this district and pays taxes to Eanes ISD has “a dog in this fight”.
It concerns me that so many academic teachers must have coaching credentials in order to even apply for the positions. How does this ensure that our children have the very best teachers in science, math, English, and social studies? This is not a put-down to anyone on the staff currently, but it is definitely disconcerting that the academic professional applicants’ fields should be narrowed from the beginning based on whether or not they are qualified to coach certain sports. The best teachers are not necessarily coaches.
Interested Observer – If Lisa was wronged, which you concede may be the case, then Allman had no basis or business forcing her resignation, and Allman shouldn’t have the power to do so. Lisa was EISD’s athletics event and facilities coordinator, not Allman’s privately paid personal assistant. Lisa has a long and successful history with EISD and was always a loyal supporter of EISD student-athletes. Forcing Lisa out for failing to exhibit sufficient personal loyalty to Allman is wrong on every level.
Allman may be a very fine football coach, but his lack of judgment in this matter makes me wonder if his own loyalty is misplaced. Another mis-step or two and it’ll be time to give Allman the same choice he gave Lisa.
The EISD board has a chance to make this right and should do so immediately. Then the EISD board should ensure that Dr. Wellman and Coach Allman never make the same mistake again.
Very often, the best employees don’t get their due and respect, especially when their boss(es) change. Their integrity doesn’t let them conform to the “new” rules or environment. Having been a part of Eanes and WHS for 25 years, Lisa doesn’t seem to be the first, and probably won’t be the last, in this situation. Being the good person she is, I expect her to survive and be better and stronger over time. Hopefully, but with strong concern, the same will be true for EISD, WHS, and the others concerned in this. Time and people’s actions will tell.
Lisa should have just gone along to get along. Isn’t that the Westlake way? “Cold-blooded” … right Allman?
The compensation for teacher/coach positions appears to have increased significantly since Wellman’s arrival. I wonder if the teachers who do not coach have enjoyed these same benefits. Here are some compensation comparisons illustrating increases between the 03-04 and 08-09 academic years.
BENNETT ALBERT 77,828.26
65,059.00
12,769.26 (+20%)
BONNECARRE DONALD 65,044.94
47,763.00
17,281.94 (+36%)
BROCKMAN ZACHERY 57,883.48
42,880.00
15,003.48 (+35%)
BRYANT LYNNE 66,441.78
52,040.00
14,401.78 (+28%)
COYLE ALEX 58,570.04
46,582.00
11,988.04 (+25%)
DARILEK JAMES 70,165.10
58,122.00
12,043.10 (+20%)
GRIGG LANE 57,765.10
45,992.00
11,773.10 (+25%)
HAWKINS BRADLEY 65,676.56
51,295.00
14,381.56 (+28%)
MONTGOMERY JEFF 59,041.58
45,998.00
13,043.58 (+28%)
CALLAN NOKES 55,306.02
42,847.00
12,459.02 (+29%)
NOWLAND CHARLES 69,316.41
55,798.00
13,518.41 (+24%)
ROSS SUL 63,601.66
50,821.00
12,780.00 (+25%)
STAFKO VICKI 67,676.56
52,349.00
15,333.56 (+29%)
Source documents (Eanes ISD public information) for the coach/teacher salaries/stipends here:
http://www.keepeanesinformed.com/salary,_stipend,_contract.htm
I have known Lisa since my daughter was in first grade… for over 19 years. She is the ultimate professional who is also a consistently positive advocate for the students and a friendly, gracious, service-oriented point of contact for students, parents and the general public. As a contrast to this kind of professionalism, I would like to describe to you my last encounter with an EISD administrator. This past spring, when I contacted an EISD administrator to talk about an education issue, she gave me a specific date and time for a meeting with her. Arriving 15 minutes early for the appointment, I was surprised when the administrator’s secretary informed me that the administrator had no meeting on her calender with me and that she had another
more important meeting scheduled. “Could I have just 5 minutes with her before her other meeting?” I asked. While that was granted, the administrator offered no apology for her error nor did she ask me if we could schedule another time convenient to me. Rather her opening comment to me was, “I really don’t know what I can do for you anyway.” Is there anything more that needs to be said?
I have been around the athletic department a great deal over the years. Coach Allman has brought a sense of professionalism to ours that has not been seen in a long time. He understood Lisa’s important role, but got very tired of her bad-mouthing him and other coaches to people in the community. I know for a FACT that he had several meetings with her to give her opportunities to correct this. This had nothing to do with any recent events. There were many things that lead to this, and every one of them were caused by Lisa. As an employee working within the athletic department, she knew who her supervisor was, but didn’t care. She felt like she could say anything she wanted. Any of you who are throwing stones at Coach Allman need to ask yourself if you would let one of your employees talk negatively about you for over a year. He wasn’t asking her to be loyal, he asked her to be professional, and although she’s done some good things in the past, she couldn’t get it done this time. Also, if any of you that are questioning the coaches’ salaries would like to try there job for a while, give it a shot. Then come back on here and tell us if you think they make too much money. We should be thankful for the fabulous staff we have and the many, many hours they spend with hundreds of kids while you guys are sitting in front of your computers finding something to complain about. Good thing YOU aren’t running the district.
Westlake resident – How is it that you know so much about Lisa’s job performance, including the “several meetings” Coach Allman had with her and the topics discussed? How do you know that Coach Allman asked Lisa for professionalism instead of loyalty? Who told you about the “many things” that led to Lisa’s forced resignation and that “every one one of them” were Lisa’s fault? Who told you that Lisa “felt she could say anything she wanted”? And what exactly did Lisa say that so offended Coach Allman’s sense of professionalism?
It’s time for you to come clean. It seems to me that Coach Allman or one of his “more professional” minions shared this slanderous information with you. That’s not the sort of professionalism to which WHS athletic department should aspire. That behavior ought to get the perpetrator fired immediately.
If Coach Allman thinks that spreading unsubstantiated rumors about Lisa will excuse his inexcusably poor judgment in forcing Lisa’s resignation, then EISD needs to find another athletic director. Lisa gave years of loyal and professional service to WHS student-athletes. Regardless of his football expertise, Coach Allman can’t match Lisa’s unblemished record of personable and professional service to EISD.
Coach Allman may know something about football, but his management skills, discretion, and personal judgment leave a great deal to be desired. This story gets more interesting all the time.
View public information regarding Lisa Schlimgen’s forced resignation here:
http://www.keepeanesinformed.com/black_cloud.htm
Thanks for the info, Ms. Pharr. In his own words, Coach Allman forced Lisa to resign in order to get “… a loyal person in this role that (sic.) is looking out for the best interests of the athletic director.” In other words, Coach Allman wants a replacement who will be personally loyal to him and place his own interests above all others. This is a written admission of Coach Allman’s intention/expectation to expend tax dollars to ensure that a public employee places Coach Allman’s private interests over EISD’s.
Who is minding the store? Why wouldn’t EISD’s HR department report Coach Allman’s egregious intention to the superintendent and stop the train?
EISD’s athletic department is not Coach Allman’s personal domain. It is a publicly financed operation for which Lisa worked successfully for many years. Lisa’s performance review confirms that her efforts on behalf of all WHS student athletes was “clearly outstanding.”
It’s time for the School Board and Nola to restore Lisa to her job and to correct Coach Allman’s misunderstanding of his responsiblities to EISD taxpayers.
I’ve been out of town for a while and return to find out that Allman forced Lisa to resign. Are you kidding? How in the world can Allman or anyone else in EISD administration think that forcing Lisa out for such an unbelievably obtuse reason is acceptable? Who supervises Allman? The principal, the superintendent, or the school board? Does anyone have any sense at EISD?
Take some advice from a 70 year old grandmother — straighten this mess out before you split the entire Westlake athletic community. When I’m sitting in the stands next season, I expect Lisa to be back at her post.
Oh my goodness. We all love Lisa and everyone agrees she did a wonderful job. No doubt about that and she was very compensated for her commitment. Thank you Lisa. When I was a child, my older brother and I frequented the pony rides. The very first visit iced our fate. My brother chose Snowball and I chose Cupcake. I never waivered. For some reason I had it in my mind that one day Cupcake would somehow pull off a victory and I exclaimed that every time we went. The fact is, our fate was set. I loved Cupcake, but Snowball won in every scenario, regardless of how painful it was for me. It’s OK to pick the wrong horse, but there is a time when you commit to commit to the winner or commit not to. I’m afraid Lisa sealed her own fate. All the best to you Lisa and thank you for all of your great works for our district.
By the way, I am a bit confused why most of the same people who are attacking Coach Allman and Dr. Wellman for prompting the change and cutting a salary are the same peiple that say too much is spent on athletics.
I can only giggle when you few attack those who serve for the benefit of your being heard.
I always told my Daddy that I was a much better listener when he whispered.
Minions…wow, a new low for the Westlake people. Thanks Eanes Parent.
I’d like to see our superintendent cut a few of the coaching positions. Such a move would result in greater economic benefit without compromising the integrity of the athletic programming in our district. Forcing a long time, highly valued (by both colleagues and taxpayers) employee out simply because the new AD doesn’t like her is a flagrant abuse of power, and a publicly humiliating peek into our administration’s increasing level of insanity. If I had a vote, I’d send a few high level administrators to the chopping block. That would generate more income than the proposed school bus advertisements without being nearly as offensive.
The phrase “those who serve for the benefit of your being heard” is appropriate to the United States Marines and Army troops who as we speak are fighting and dying in Afghanistan and Iraq, not to a school district superintendent and an athletics coach. I certainly hope we are teaching our children to maintain a proper perspective. I’m sure our neighbor Smithville, which has suffered terrible losses so that communities like ours don’t have to, is doing so.
Fortunately, school employees are people, not horses. And Lisa worked through many challenging situations with serving two equal bosses, having those she worked for have serious conflicts with each other, and working for an outplaced administrator, all of which she came through with flying colors.
I only know Lisa in her professional capacity, but I’ve never heard her bad mouth anyone–least of all her superiors. I’ve always seen her be friendly and accommodating to everyone–whether it was a bigwig or a Joe Blow. I don’t think most in our community perceive that there was supposed to be a them v. us mentality with the former coaching staff. Yes, Allman was chosen over Ramsey from the old coaching staff, and several coaches from the former staff were retained on the present staff. Ramsey is now an AP and not on the coaching staff. So how was Lisa disloyal? Still friendly to those former (and current) coaches? (Coach) AP Ramsey? Or did she dare to express sympathy when someone bemoaned the fact that Ramsey wasn’t chosen? Because we the public have never seen her be unfriendly or unkind to anyone or bad mouth anyone, it’s hard to fathom anything consistent with her character that could be perceived as disloyal. Further, government service at this level is civil service–the assistant to the athletic director isn’t supposed to be a political appointee.
In the long run, Allman has shot himself in the foot again (the partnership with a controversial booster at election time being the first). His next assistant should be someone with a lot of public relations sense and a good knowledge of this community. Someone who can advise him what community members to limit his association with and what kinds of actions might have repercussions that far exceed his anticipation (like firing Lisa). Indeed–that almost sounds like Lisa!
Since we didn’t get to say a proper good-bye, I think we should organize some “tip of the hat” to Lisa–like maybe wearing red caps or hats to the opening home game. A moment of silence would be more appropriate, but would not be allowed by the powers that be.
The “flagrant abuse of power” by the Eanes ISD superintendent and administrators extends to district children as well. Just as Lisa was forced to resign, district children are also forced out and the “treatment” is unimaginable. Nola Wellman is one of the most ruthless individuals I have ever met.
Here’s the thing. Allman didn’t act alone.
Lisa Schlimgen gave 20+ years of exemplary service to WHS student-athletes with outstanding performance reviews, and Allman forces her to resign because she is not sufficiently personally loyal to him.
Less than a year into his job, Allman has a series of embarrassing mis-steps and doesn’t even receive a reprimand from the EISD school board or superintendent.
What sort of evaluation standards does EISD apply for its employees? Did Allman apply a different and more subjective standard to Lisa than the school board and/or Wellman will apply to him? I’d sure like the school board to explain this publicly at its very next meeting.
I have watched this discussion unfold, and if this had happened a year ago (before the coaching change) I would agree with most. In the last year, however, there was a change in Lisa. She just did not respond well to her change in duties, the change in coaches, and the fact that her job was redefined. I saw the body language, the small “aside” comments. This happens in life…. new management comes in and you can either get on board and be supportive or not, your choice !! Many people that worked with her in the schools noticed this, too. I am very sad for Lisa, that she could not adjust, and I will personally miss all the wonderful qualities she exhibited through the years…….
Have to wonder if Coach Allman and the coaching staff he brought with him, extended the respect to Lisa that she deserved given her longevity, superior ratings and standing in the school and community. Respect is a two way street. Give to get.