Even after I wasnt the chairman any longer, I took the position after they made a move that was very pre-planned. "Dr. Johnston has been working with staff from the Southbridge Public Schools and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to carry out the district turnaround plan," Wulfson wrote. The school board is primarily tasked with protecting our students and our district. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. "Under his leadership, the team is preparing for a strong start to the 2017-2018 school year.". That motion failed by a 2-2 vote. Carvell sent an email to the public notifying them of the vacancy. Holyoke and Lawrence are the others. Support the Public Media you love! All rights reserved. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. I left because I wasnt going to be part of destroying a town. I voted with my conscience as I always do, and I felt that at the time of the vote, that I was protecting our district.. Why dont we just hire someone with experience who can go to work?. Thats her passion. According to a release, 99 percent of the union members answered no. State Sen. Ryan C. Fattman, R-Webster, said in a statement: While I am unaware about the circumstances causing the receivers resignation, despite inquiry, I appreciate many of the positive changes she helped to implement. Theyinclude working with his office and state Rep. Peter J. Durant, R-Spencer, and DESE to obtain $2 million in federal grant funding for educational opportunities for Southbridge. As is usual for a Milford board meeting, during public comments, if an item is not on the evenings agenda, questions pertaining to said issue may not be asked. At that time, their response was no comment.. Davis exit comes just days after assistant superintendent Christi Michaud took over as interim superintendent while Dr. Jessica Huizenga begins her departure. A program at White Mountains Community College and a continuing partnership between Goodwill Northern New England and Southern New Hampshire University are being touted as ways to address the ongoing teacher shortage in the Granite State. Copyright The Cabinet Press | https://www.cabinet.com | 167 Elm Street, Milford, NH 03055 | 603-673-3100, In Jessicas contract, since were trying to follow the contracts a little better, it says that she will be evaluated no later than Jan. 1 (2020),, That still hasnt happened. I was fairly upset coming into the meeting and very distracted as a result of how this has affected my health, time with family and ability to properly manage a new career at my stage in life.. Its mind boggling the amount of time that people are spending going after her., I am especially proud of the work I have led with my team in developing and implementing a forward-thinking Strategic Plan, the Districts first in 10 years,, She wants to stay in Milford and do her job,, Thats her passion. Facebook gives people the. I did not disrespect anyone.. I want to talk about the kids. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Partly cloudy skies this evening. Milford school superintendent Dr. Jessica Huizenga and school board chair Ron Carvell at a Milford school board meeting. And very quickly after that, the board decided to go ahead and make a permanent decision, without putting together a committee, without bringing in other candidates, without giving the choice to other community members and the union and different constituents and stakeholders to have a say in it. Cline, she said, never responded to her email, she said. I am proud to have served this community, and I value the connections we have made, she continued. Would you like to receive our daily news? Signup today! Cline did not return an email to Patch about the matter. Next week Ill be meeting with DESE for an update, and Im confident that Southbridge is in good hands with Russell Johnston, whos well qualified and has been on the ground since day one, the senator said. Scroll down MILFORD - On the heels of school superintendent Dr. Jessica Huizenga's resignation tendered on Dec. 2 (effective July 1, 2021), school board chairman Mike Hannon resigned on Dec. 7, citing his need to focus on health, family and a new job. SOUTHBRIDGE Underscrutiny for years because of rampant turnover at the top, the school district is againin search of aleader after the resignation of state-appointed receiverJessica L. Huizenga. Asked Monday, a Department of Elementary and Secondary Education spokeswoman did not disclose a reason for Huizenga's resignation or leave of absence. While Siegrist was not a school employee, in the state of New Hampshire, boards and councils often use the personnel waiver to discuss matters related to the conduct of public officials in non-public session. Siegrist's resignation comes at a tumultuous time for the district and board as it faces questions about the hiring of Huizenga, resignations in the district, and contentious meetings during the past few months. Shes engaged and shes committed. During her tenure in Concord, she was named in a civil lawsuit after a high school student was sexually assaulted on a school bus in 2017. That still hasnt happened. To replace Dr. Proulx, interim Superintendent Jessica Huizenga has tapped Freetown Lakeville Middle School Principal David Patota to fill in until a permanent replacement can be found. According to Erdody, Schedin, Walker and Haggett, the proposed changes will not improve school services and were unilaterally decided upon by the superintendent without input from the education community. The state took over management of Southbridge schools, a district of about 2,200 students, in January 2016, after the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education deemed it a Level 5 chronically underperforming district. After some back and forth about Siegrist's statement and other issues, including whether Carvell, as chairman of the board, was responsive enough to the request for an investigation about confidentiality issues, Ciardelli-Tlapa said she would like to make a motion to have Siegrist's removed from the board, but knowing that it would fail, chose to move forward with proceedings for removal. I did not disrespect anyone., as long as we disagree with a manner of reasoning. Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig considers run for NH governor, Two UNH studies to explore nutrition and food insecurity in Latino communities. Huizenga announced her resignation July 20, according to a memo from Wulfson to the board. In a statement, Tlapa told The Telegraph, The Milford School Board welcomes Mr. Steve Martin, and Mr. Kevin St. Onge as interim Board members who will be with us until the next election in March of 2021; when one 3-year Board member will be elected, and one 1-year member will be elected.. Sarah Gibson joined NHPR's newsroom in 2018. Jessica Huizenga began a leave of absence. Nashua officials say schools will hold classes as scheduled Monday, after the school district was hit by whats being called a sophisticated cyber attack., HAMPTON A group of middle schoolers got a first-hand look at life in the utility industry and some may have even found inspiration for a future career during a recent visit to Unitil as part of a unique University of New Hampshire program that helps put many of the states first-generation. By, March 2023 Fund Drive Rules and Regulations, Persons with disabilities who need assistance accessing NHPR's FCC public files, please contact us at publicfile@nhpr.org. Im proud of what weve accomplished in the Southbridge Public Schools particularly a renewed focus on outstanding teaching and learning, and new opportunities and pathways for students in partnership with educators, families, and the community, Ms. Huizenga said. A few weeks later, Morgan said she emailed School Superintendent Dr. Jessica Huizenga asking for information on how to file a formal grievance. Huizenga, who has master and doctoral degrees from the UMass Lowell, has been a middle and high school teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of curriculum, assistant superintendent and superintendent in her 20-year educational career. Jenni Siegrist resigned Sunday, according to Ron Carvell, the chairman of the Milford School Board. In a letter, Davis said, I leave with a grateful heart. In our Got a news tip? Its very scary because you dont know the feedback that youre going to get. We have tasked her with some significant changes for our community, and we can appreciate that there are concerns about that, but we believe these changes will help improve our educational system and we believe those changes have been developed with significant public input, said Carvell. Others criticized the unions for their efforts to unseat Huizenga. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. We will ensure there is a careful, deliberate search, and there will be an opportunity in the beginning stages for community members to say what qualities the district's next leader should possess. My hope is that as we continue to evolve, we will learn to work together more effectively to create cohesive and progressive futures., I know weve been trying to get a meeting together to get the evaluation process going,, Id like to think that next year were putting it on the calendar for a proper review., Its very scary because you dont know the feedback that youre going to get. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Huizenga's original Jan. 8, 2019 contract, . Jessica Huizenga is on Facebook. Huizenga is exceptionally qualified and the best fit for Milford schools, Milford School Board Chairman Ron Carvell said in a press release announcing the appointment. Its mind boggling the amount of time that people are spending going after her., In Huizengas letter of resignation, she stated that she was grateful to the community for their support and their shared desire to improve our schools.. We are focused on the future and will be creating a superintendent hiring committee to ensure progress forward. That person has no more authority than any other board member.. They were promised a process. Cabinet file photos Ultimately each border member must vote with their own conscience. After receiving no response from the district, Morgan took Fenton's recommendation and circled back to the NH DOE, emailing Commissioner Frank Edelblut, as well as Drew Cline, the chairman of the State Board of Education, in mid-June, making them aware of her accusation against Siegrist, sending them a PDF of text messages compiled by her cellphone company, and asking for help. Low 43F. Huizenga resigned from her post in early December 2020. 10 election. RICHMOND, Va. The Virginia NAACP has called for the resignation of the state's chief diversity officer after remarks he made during a speech at the Virginia Military Institute. In accepting Ms. Huizengas resignation, the acting commissioner thanked Ms. Huizenga for her efforts in the district. Were worse off now than when the state took us over. The unions, however, argue that in less than a year with the district, Huizenga has proposed and is implementing drastic changes to programs at all of the schools, special education services and Title I. Jessica Huizenga, in an email to the SAU 40 district, said she had let the school board know she would be resigning at the end of the current school year "to . Paramedics, EMTs, and Advanced-EMTs with the Manchester Fire Department are now able to serve as substitute school nurses in city schools, under a new agreement between the fire and school officials. In a very short amount of time, she gracefully tackled some significant and important items that have long needed attention, positioning MHS to move forward into the future.. Create a password that only you will remember. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Siegrist later resigned. MILFORD - On Monday night Dr. Jessica Huizenga offered a formal entry plan for her first 100 days as Milford interim superintendent of schools, and her first school board meeting showed no sign of the controversy that marked her hiring. I want to talk about the kids. I did not cry foul. We do not take such a vote lightly.. The Milford school board announced on Thursday that it will not fulfill a request by the local teachers' union to fire and replace the district's superintendent, Jessica Huizenga. We believe this is all happening due to the superintendents actions in her short tenure, said the release. Education Secretary James Peyser was appointed by Gov. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced Ms. Huizenga's resignation Thursday. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. A question was raised by Milford resident and educator Brenda Walker regarding the evaluation of Milford superintendent Dr. Jessica Huizenga. Here are some things to know. ASU+GSV Summit: Has education tech really changed anything? And thats the way the board should function. After failing to reach a compromise during mediation and after several delays, a judge approved an extension and the trial has been set for January 2022. Dr. Charles D.Baker Jr., as were board chairman Paul Sagan and member Michael Moriarty. Russell Johnston, a senior associate commissioner at DESE, has been serving as the interim receiver since Ms. Huizenga was placed on leave in May. Jacqueline Reis, the department's media relations coordinator, said the department staff is searching for a new receiver and "will ensure there is a careful, deliberate search, and there will be an opportunity in the beginning stages for community members to say what qualities the district's next leader should possess. They also blame her for low staff morale and the resignation of 48 staff. In a statement from Huizenga on Tuesday that was sent to staff and families, she wrote, in part: Im writing to let you know that Ms. Chali Davis has informed me of her decision to resign from her position as Principal of Milford High School effective, June 30, 2021. But if you do trust them and want to improve your opportunity, because no one gets an A+ on a review, theres always room for improvement., Kevin has been a solid board member in any role hes played in our educational system.. People think I was thrusted upon them. I was really unhappy with the way the board was operating, he said. Already subscribe? There has been a buzz about the oval, since a question was largely raised about a petition warrant article that was submitted to the school board but did not make the ballot for the Mar. AMHERST LaBelle Winery will host a wedding-planning workshop on Feb. 18, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at LYNDEBOROUGH Saturday, Feb. 4, is National Take Your Child to the Library Day. Would you like to receive our daily news? In Sept. 2019, speaking to the Milford Cabinet, a newspaper in The Telegraph Publishing Group, Huizenga attempted to clarify the continuous debates that lingered on social media and were ongoing during school board meetings. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. GRANDVILLE Protesters gathered outside the Grandville office of U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, Sunday to call for his resignation after Huizenga supported a controversial legal . It wasnt in the best interest of the town.. You have permission to edit this article. Huizenga was the Southbridge School District's receiver for one year until she went on paid administrative leave in June of 2017. MILFORD, NH The Milford School District will begin looking for a new superintendent after its current leader offered her resignation Wednesday. They were promised a process. Johnston is the third receiver in Southbridge. Huizenga, who had most recently been an assistant superintendent in Cambridge, was named Southbridge receiver on March 22, 2016, and began working in the role on May 2, 2016. Sagan is suggesting a 10 percent raise to $184,827.50, effective June 27 until Wulfson concludes his service in the role. They do not know how to build, and they do not know how to turn this district around, he said of the state's intervention. We won't share it with anyone else. A-Z Site Index | Policies | Contact Webmaster. Because I dont look as the chair as being the boss of the district. School Committee member Scott S. Lazo, in noting that Ms. Huizenga hadnt held a permanent superintendent job before coming to Southbridge, asserted that Ms. Huizenga, was set up to fail the day she landed;its called inexperience., Town Manager Ronald San Angelo said of the announcement: At least it takes us out of this limbo situation, which is a little frustrating for everyone., Mr. San Angelo added that Southbridge would like the state to find somebody that is going to stay for a long period of time.. After she was hired this summer people on social . Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. The chairman just writes the paperwork and gets authority to sign things and facilitates meetings. The way I was appointed is a big problem. But here's the thing that the Turtlegram is electing NOT to report - she was driven out of Cambridge in a plagiarism scandal. And thats the way the board should function. And she is not looking to sweep things under the rug. Team Time rotates every so often - we could do an 8-10 . Regardless of the makeup at that point, its imperative that we do have a comprehensive understanding of and an agreement with clearly written goals of the superintendent in order to facilitate an effective evaluation process. In May, Morgan met with the Diana Fenton, an attorney with the New Hampshire Department of Education, who works in the department's the bureau of governance, to discuss the confidentiality issues. Weve spent more time not about education, and education has always been my goal. Also announced at the meeting, was the departure of board vice chair Kevin Drew, who is retiring from his role on the board after nine years. More than 150 union members were recently asked if they are confident in the ability of Dr. Jessica Huizenga, superintendent for SAU 40, to provide effective leadership for Milford schools. They were promised certain things. While Carvell couldnt disclose details of Huizengas leaving, he did call her the best superintendent., She wants to stay in Milford and do her job, Carvell noted. The board held a nonpublic school board meeting on Aug. 15, "RSA 91-A:3II (a) Personnel," which allows for officials to discuss "the dismissal, promotion, or compensation of any public employee or the disciplining of such employee, or the investigation of any charges against him or her, unless the employee affected (1) has a right to a meeting and (2) requests that the meeting be open, in which case the request shall be granted.". The new contract, executed on Jan. 22, 2020 and signed by Huizenga and Carvell, the superintendent shall receive severance of a maximum of twenty (20) months or the remainder of her salary left under the term of the contract. Considering her yearly salary is $145,690, that is no paltry sum. That petition requested the resignation of superintendent Huizenga and board chair Carvell. At that meeting, she shared her investigatory materials with Fenton, but the attorney informed her that the department did not have any direct oversight of school board members. "I have attempted to talk to (school board members) and Jessica Huizenga the Milford School Superintendent," she wrote. At the beginning of the 2019 school year, meetings were often heated, due in some part, to the hiring of Dr. Huizenga who many teachers felt should have never been permanently hired as school superintendent and wanted her to resign then. She began serving on May 2, 2016, and was placed on paid administrative leave, without explanation, on May 31 of this year. Tlapa added that in hindsight, the board should reexamine its initial vote of preventing the warrant article from appearing on next months ballot. Id like to think that next year were putting it on the calendar for a proper review.. "I wish her well. Ms. Huizengagave a written statement to the newspaper. Cabinet file photos Patrick Queenan of Sheehan Phinney, a trial lawyer who has worked on white collar criminal matters as well as civil litigation, was hired to investigate the issue. BOSTON - The status of the Southbridge public schools afterits state-appointed receiver resigned last month is on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meeting, along with the search for a new state education commissioner. Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter. Her A-Team, all her directors are gone. DESE spokeswoman Jacqueline Reis said the state is beginning a search for a Southbridge receiver. Non-committee members are encouraged to ask questions, contribute their ideas, and provide feedback throughout the process., Working together we will create a better tomorrow and the brightest possible future for every member of our school district and community, always focusing on what is in the best interest of our students.. 10 election. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Ultimately each border member must vote with their own conscience. Ms. Davis has served the Milford School District tirelessly for the past two years. As is usual for a Milford board meeting, during public comments, if an item is not on the evening's agenda, questions pertaining to said issue may not be asked. Huizenga did not respond to a request for comment about the resignation or investigation. The committee will be discussed at our upcoming meeting on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, at the Milford High School lecture hall. MILFORD - Dr. Jessica Huizenga, an educator who most recently served as a state-appointed receiver for a failing Massachusetts school district has been picked to be Milford's interim superintendent. In a letter to the public, unions representing teachers, aides, and building-and-grounds staff announced a "no-confidence" vote in Huizenga - a rare move for the unions. Members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Former Milford school board chairman Ron Carvell, who was a board member this year, also recently resigned from the school board. That last few months have been difficult with the way theyre doing things and what goals are without thought. Johnston, the department's senior associate commissioner, stepped in to the Southbridge post on an interim basis when Jessica Huizenga began a leave of absence on May 31. When the commissioner's post is vacant, state law charges the board with recommending a candidate to the education secretary. Choose wisely! There are only three districts in Massachusetts under receivership. She resigned a month later. Hello! And not just with wild, personal attacks.. Shared by Jessica Huizenga Come network with friends & colleagues at the October 27th West Michigan Air & Waste Management Association's happy hour, hosted by the WM-AWMA YP Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Hannon discussed a 360 review, which is peer-driven, and is for the success of anybody in the work environment. It wasnt in the best interest of the town., Even after I wasnt the chairman any longer, I took the position after they made a move that was very pre-planned. I used to use them all the time, he said. The Milford school board announced on Thursday that it will not fulfill a request by the local teachers' union to fire and replace the district's superintendent, Jessica Huizenga. The superintendent is simply doing her job to help us with the policy changes that we have made after ample discussions at our public meetings.. ", A statement from the department announcing Huizenga's resignation said she "looks forward to pursuing other professional interests in education.". NHPR is nonprofit and independent. These past two years have been challenging for the MHS community and alongside with each other, we have sought to meet the many challenges with courage, grit, humor and determination., Davis shared that students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators came together in the midst of a crisis and have done the very best they could.. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. I want to talk about what programs we have., Carvell had just attended a board meeting on Sunday morning, Dec. 13, calling the situation with the board and Hannons resignation, a nightmare., I personally resigned because I was unhappy there, Carvell said of his member seat on the board. MILFORD On the heels of school superintendent Dr. Jessica Huizengas resignation tendered on Dec. 2 (effective July 1, 2021), school board chairman Mike Hannon resigned on Dec. 7, citing his need to focus on health, family and a new job. This board is not functioning like that., Carvell disagrees with those who feel that Huizenga wasnt a good fit for the district, calling her, the best superintendent around., We have a superintendent who cares about kids, he said. New Hampshire law allows the select board or the school board to create a warrant but also New Hampshire law also allows townspeople to put an article on the warrant as well if the board has chosen to not touch upon that topic. Union Leader Correspondent, New agreement between Manchester fire dept., schools addresses school nursing shortages, Programs, parnerships at NH colleges help address teacher shortage, Nashua schools to open Monday 'as scheduled' after 'sophisticated cyber attack', Regional high school drone competition in Manchester, NH teacher honored at White House celebration, Parents and school connections matter; self harm, hopelessness rise among girls, LGBQ+ students. Edelblut replied via email that he had forwarded her materials to Fenton, the attorney Morgan met with the previous month to discuss her initial allegations. More kerfuffles followed when Davis chose not to share the slideshow and according to an email, when she offered to sit down with a parent to discuss the presentation, she refused to comply with the request. I did not bark thunder. Milford school superintendent Dr. Jessica Huizenga and school board chair Ron Carvell at a Milford school board meeting. I know weve been trying to get a meeting together to get the evaluation process going, he said. By KIMBERLY HOUGHTON Former board chairman Ron Carvell, who recently resigned as well as a member of the school board, said his own decision to resign was for a couple of reasons. In doing so, I have sought and received significant input from staff and the community.". Give today. Thats still hasnt happened, Walker said at the time. Copyright The Cabinet Press | https://www.cabinet.com | 167 Elm Street, Milford, NH 03055 | 603-673-3100, I leave with a grateful heart. In a joint press release issued by Milford Teachers Association president Cheryl Erdody, MTA vice president Suzanne Schedin, Milford Education Support Staff Association president Brenda Walker and Milford Educational Personnel Association president Doug Haggett, it stated, This is one of the first times that the Milford education unions took a vote of no confidence in our educational leader.
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