The Mansfield School Board appointed a former board member to a vacant seat for which there was not an election for the seat. There are questions about the appointment by the board when no one runs for a board seat. The Attorney General has stated that if no one runs for a seat then the member that held the seat before the election can continue to serve until the next election. In this case this did not happen. Mr. Mathis, the replaced board member, participated in the September 21, 2009 board meeting and his votes were counted. If his ability to serve was against the law then his votes should not have counted. Because Mr. Sadoski did not vote his non-vote would be counted as a no then a number of motions passed by the board did not pass including the motion to accept the budget for the 2009-2010 school year.
Also, the newly elected board member did not vote for the appointment of the new board member and his vote was not counted as a no. The state law requires that an abstaining vote is to be counted as a no vote. In fact the new board member, Mr. Sadoski, is recorded to not have voted at all during the September 21, 2009 board meeting. A welcome to the board for Mr. Sadoski was one of the first actions of this meeting and therefore he should have voted.
At this time the Mansfield district is listed as being under fiscal distress and has no more than two years to correct the problem.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
PCSSD Teacher Arrested
A teacher has been arrested and charged with four counts of sexual assault in the first degree. The teacher has been teaching in the district for eleven years. At this time the teacher is on leave from the district.
UPDATE:
Charges have been dropped against this teacher. The student in question was 18 at the time of the incident and as a result the charges would have been reduced to a lesser charge. Because of this the statute of limitations would have run out.
UPDATE:
Charges have been dropped against this teacher. The student in question was 18 at the time of the incident and as a result the charges would have been reduced to a lesser charge. Because of this the statute of limitations would have run out.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Retirement Alma Style
June 11, 2009 board meeting:
The Superintendent presented the Consent Agenda, which included letters of retirement from Ronnie Newton(Assistant Superintendent), Lou Scroggins(high school counselor) and David Woolly(Deputy Superintendent). The Consent Agenda was approved by the board.
August 13, 2009 board meeting:
Deputy Superintendent, David Woolly presented a stimulus funding report before the board.
Deputy Superintendent, David Woolly presented the budget for the 2009-2010 school year before the board.
The board voted to hire Ronnie Newton, Lou Scroggins and David Woolly.
Assistant Superintendent, Ronnie Newton gave a report about test results(2009 Benchmark, NRT and State tests).
As you can see Deputy Superintendent, David Woolly was at work before he was hired. Assistant Superintendent, Ronnie Newton would also have had to been working for the district in order for him to give the report on test results before the board.
Since their employment could not have begun until their hiring was approved by the board what were they doing? Why did the Superintendent allow this to happen? Again, who runs this school district? The administration or the school board.
The Superintendent presented the Consent Agenda, which included letters of retirement from Ronnie Newton(Assistant Superintendent), Lou Scroggins(high school counselor) and David Woolly(Deputy Superintendent). The Consent Agenda was approved by the board.
August 13, 2009 board meeting:
Deputy Superintendent, David Woolly presented a stimulus funding report before the board.
Deputy Superintendent, David Woolly presented the budget for the 2009-2010 school year before the board.
The board voted to hire Ronnie Newton, Lou Scroggins and David Woolly.
Assistant Superintendent, Ronnie Newton gave a report about test results(2009 Benchmark, NRT and State tests).
As you can see Deputy Superintendent, David Woolly was at work before he was hired. Assistant Superintendent, Ronnie Newton would also have had to been working for the district in order for him to give the report on test results before the board.
Since their employment could not have begun until their hiring was approved by the board what were they doing? Why did the Superintendent allow this to happen? Again, who runs this school district? The administration or the school board.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Retirement Jesseville Style
June 29, 2009 board meting:
"George Foshee(superintendent) brought up the issue that several staff members have not returned their contracts for the upcoming year, which, in effect, can result in their resignations. The staff members with this situation are: George Foshee, Terry Crumpler, Sherman Cutrer, Jewell Cutrer, and Joe Petito. As Mr. Foshee was present, the board accepted his verbal resignation..."
" A special meeting will be needed to discuss the situation."
Then Mr. Foshee went on to recommend summer programs.
July 15, 2009 board meeting:
During this meeting it was stated that during a special meeting on July 29th the superintendent vacancy would be discussed.
July 27, 2009 board meeting:
"The superintendent vacancy and options for advertising the position were discussed. More of this will be addressed at our next meeting"
The next meeting was scheduled for August 3rd.
August 3, 2009 board meeting:
" In Mr. Foshee's absence, Steve Wright, interim administrator, recommended that we re-hire: Joe Petito, Sherman Cutrer, Jewell Cutrer, Terry Crumpler."
(Did you notice that the minutes state "In Mr. Foshee's absence.." which I find odd considering he is no longer an employee of the district. The four staff members listed above were mentioned during the June 29th board meeting as the staff members who did not return their contracts nor did they offer any resignations. At no time did the board vote to approve their resignations.) According to Section 3.4 of Jesseville's own Certified Personnel Policies certified staff have 30 days to return a signed contract. If they do not return their contracts then they have resigned from the district and no further action is required.
The board then voted to rehire the above staff.
It was then announced that Mr. Foshee had applied for his former job as superintendent. The board then voted to rehire Mr. Foshee.
If you go back and look you will see that during this meeting the superintendent vacancy and the advertising for that vacancy were to be discussed. Did this happen? No, it did not.
It looks like the school board did not have a problem with allowing four staff members and the superintendent to resign and then get their jobs back without going through the proper procedures to be hired. Were these jobs advertised, were applications taken and interviews held? Why would a school board vote to rehire staff who did not even have the integrity to resign. By not offering formal resignations these staff put the district at a disadvantage to find replacements, was that their intention? Who runs this school district? The administration or the school board?
"George Foshee(superintendent) brought up the issue that several staff members have not returned their contracts for the upcoming year, which, in effect, can result in their resignations. The staff members with this situation are: George Foshee, Terry Crumpler, Sherman Cutrer, Jewell Cutrer, and Joe Petito. As Mr. Foshee was present, the board accepted his verbal resignation..."
" A special meeting will be needed to discuss the situation."
Then Mr. Foshee went on to recommend summer programs.
July 15, 2009 board meeting:
During this meeting it was stated that during a special meeting on July 29th the superintendent vacancy would be discussed.
July 27, 2009 board meeting:
"The superintendent vacancy and options for advertising the position were discussed. More of this will be addressed at our next meeting"
The next meeting was scheduled for August 3rd.
August 3, 2009 board meeting:
" In Mr. Foshee's absence, Steve Wright, interim administrator, recommended that we re-hire: Joe Petito, Sherman Cutrer, Jewell Cutrer, Terry Crumpler."
(Did you notice that the minutes state "In Mr. Foshee's absence.." which I find odd considering he is no longer an employee of the district. The four staff members listed above were mentioned during the June 29th board meeting as the staff members who did not return their contracts nor did they offer any resignations. At no time did the board vote to approve their resignations.) According to Section 3.4 of Jesseville's own Certified Personnel Policies certified staff have 30 days to return a signed contract. If they do not return their contracts then they have resigned from the district and no further action is required.
The board then voted to rehire the above staff.
It was then announced that Mr. Foshee had applied for his former job as superintendent. The board then voted to rehire Mr. Foshee.
If you go back and look you will see that during this meeting the superintendent vacancy and the advertising for that vacancy were to be discussed. Did this happen? No, it did not.
It looks like the school board did not have a problem with allowing four staff members and the superintendent to resign and then get their jobs back without going through the proper procedures to be hired. Were these jobs advertised, were applications taken and interviews held? Why would a school board vote to rehire staff who did not even have the integrity to resign. By not offering formal resignations these staff put the district at a disadvantage to find replacements, was that their intention? Who runs this school district? The administration or the school board?
Retirement Lincoln Style
December 15, 2008 6:00 pm:
Lincoln School Board votes to extend Dr. Frank Holmsn's (superintendent) contract for one year. The new contract will be from July 1, 2009 thru June 30, 2012.
July 7, 2009 4:00 pm.
Lincoln School Board votes to accept the resignation of Dr. Frank Holman as of June 30, 2009.
July 20, 2009 6:00 pm.
During this meeting there is no mention of a search for a replacement to fill the vacant superintendent position.
August 3, 2009 3:00 pm.
Lincoln School Board votes to hire Dr. Frank Holman as superintendent.
The above actions by the Lincoln School Board raises a number of questions.
(1). Why did the school board not conduct a search for a replacement.
(2). Why was the resignation by Dr. Holman not acted on until July and when was it offered?
(3). Was this resignation just a excuse to draw retirement benefits?
(4). Was this resignation and the rehiring of Dr. Holman even legal?
State law requires that all school board meetings that deal with personnel are to be held after 5:00 pm. As you can see the acceptance of Dr. Holman resignation was acted on during a meeting that began at 4:00 pm. The meeting that resulted in his hiring was held at 3:00 pm. Therefore, his resignation and rehiring were acted on during illegal school board meetings. Is it possible that Dr. Holman never legally retired and is still subject to the contract that was approved during the December 15, 2008 board meeting?
Lincoln School Board votes to extend Dr. Frank Holmsn's (superintendent) contract for one year. The new contract will be from July 1, 2009 thru June 30, 2012.
July 7, 2009 4:00 pm.
Lincoln School Board votes to accept the resignation of Dr. Frank Holman as of June 30, 2009.
July 20, 2009 6:00 pm.
During this meeting there is no mention of a search for a replacement to fill the vacant superintendent position.
August 3, 2009 3:00 pm.
Lincoln School Board votes to hire Dr. Frank Holman as superintendent.
The above actions by the Lincoln School Board raises a number of questions.
(1). Why did the school board not conduct a search for a replacement.
(2). Why was the resignation by Dr. Holman not acted on until July and when was it offered?
(3). Was this resignation just a excuse to draw retirement benefits?
(4). Was this resignation and the rehiring of Dr. Holman even legal?
State law requires that all school board meetings that deal with personnel are to be held after 5:00 pm. As you can see the acceptance of Dr. Holman resignation was acted on during a meeting that began at 4:00 pm. The meeting that resulted in his hiring was held at 3:00 pm. Therefore, his resignation and rehiring were acted on during illegal school board meetings. Is it possible that Dr. Holman never legally retired and is still subject to the contract that was approved during the December 15, 2008 board meeting?
Friday, September 4, 2009
PCSSD Fails Building Inspection
The Jacksonville Elementary School failed a recent inspection. The areas failing inspection ranged from broken floor tiles, exposed electrical wiring, protruding objects sticking out of the floors to shower curtains being used as room dividers. According to reports this school is in better shape than other in Jacksonville. Some of these problems are the results of long term neglect. Maybe the school board should be held liable for this disgrace. They have found money to fund other projects as well as cell phones, blackberries and computers for themselves.
If the board would concentrate on what is best for the children instead of playing internal political games maybe the district would stop the outflow of students from the district.
If the board would concentrate on what is best for the children instead of playing internal political games maybe the district would stop the outflow of students from the district.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Teacher Arrested in Beebe
A former teacher was arrested for having sex with a minor. She had just turned in her resignation this month. The superintendent says her resignation was her own decision. The district was informed by law enforcement officials about the investigation into this matter in June but the teacher remained under contract and resigned on her own.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Double-Dipping Pine Bluf Style
The superintendent of the Pine Bluff School District was rehired one day too early by the school board. The result is the superintendent's retirement has been rule invalid by the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System. The superintendent will have to pay back the retirement benefits he has received.
My question is why would the Pine Bluff School Board go along with this ruse? I am sure the board extended his contract at the beginning of the year until June 30, 2012. If they did this why would they accept his resignation and then rehire him after he backed out of his contract. More would be known about this matter if the district would update the board minutes on their website according to state law. The last minutes posted by the Pine Bluff School District are the October 2008 minutes.
My question is why would the Pine Bluff School Board go along with this ruse? I am sure the board extended his contract at the beginning of the year until June 30, 2012. If they did this why would they accept his resignation and then rehire him after he backed out of his contract. More would be known about this matter if the district would update the board minutes on their website according to state law. The last minutes posted by the Pine Bluff School District are the October 2008 minutes.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Doubl -Dippers
The question has come up about school superintendents retiring for thirty days and then returning to their previous jobs so they can collect their retirement pay as well as their regular pay. The Arkansas Teacher Retirement System says it is out to recover money from these superintendents. The system estimates it is owed more than $5 million in retirement payments.
One of the superintendent double-dippers retired this year after accepting a contract extension. The status of the other is unknown. More would be known about the situation if the Board minutes were posted on their district websites. as required by state law.
The Pine Bluff School District last board minutes are for October 2008.
The Lincoln School District last board minutes are for February 2009.
One of the superintendent double-dippers retired this year after accepting a contract extension. The status of the other is unknown. More would be known about the situation if the Board minutes were posted on their district websites. as required by state law.
The Pine Bluff School District last board minutes are for October 2008.
The Lincoln School District last board minutes are for February 2009.
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