oxford hills superintendent

No other details about the incident are available. One child was recently injured while in school. She was possibly referencing Clarkes letter of resignation Dec. 23, which the Advertiser Democrat has published online. The Oxford County District Attorneys Office said the issue was sent off to another agency and the case is still under review. The Oxford Hills School District has agreed to pay their former superintendent Monica Henson $174,500.The copy of the resignation agreement says they will pay Henson in return for her resignation and promise to file no claims against the district. She's not the only one who said they're having trouble with the district and Henson. Trampled. In cases of bullying, the Superintendent will monitor situations that are not being resolved at the school level and guide the process if necessary. And theres some concern about how chain of command is being portrayed in how it should be used, and then how it is being used. There are concerns about COVID and how that's being handled. NORWAY, Maine The superintendent of the Oxford Hills school district was accused Tuesday night of creating a culture of fear and intimidation amongst students and teachers alike in her. Hebron Station School Principal Donald Thorne was chosen for the former and accountant Carrie Colley for the latter. The complaints were brought to the school board in a meeting Tuesday. "The parent did not object to my handling of the incident, communicated with me for the next couple of days, and has filed no complaints with the Board or expressed any further concern since the notification from me," Dr. Henson wrote. I am extremely angry, Rowe told WMTW News 8. "And as far as we're aware, there's been no investigation on that, and that's very concerning to us. There are concerns about COVID and how thats being handled. THE AGREEMENT WAS PRESENTED TO HENSON.. D AN SHE RESIGNED THIS PAST MONDAY. You dont file a grievance if someone is a bad leader, he said. Letter from Superintendent - August 27, 2021 School board chair Natalie Andrews said Monica Henson's resignation was . The position of assistant superintendent was eliminated when Patrick Hartnett left in October2021 to become an assistant professor at the University of Southern Maines School of Education and Human Development. That they would say that shes the lowest ranking when her staff are behind her 100% and always has been.. 5, 2022 at 3:20 AM PDT. Superintendent Henson told NEWS CENTER Maine she has received a lot of support from parents and staff during this process, and of the people who have reached out to her, only one has been negative. For more information, visit maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/cw/reporting_abuse. She said educators have expressed concern about the superintendent taking and posting pictures of students and staff on her personal social media accounts without their consent. There are concerns that staff just feel like when they try to express something, it just gets dismissed. She has not been in our school.. Maine school to pay former superintendent $174K, according to resignation agreement, CLARKE JOINS US LIVE IN STUDIO TO EXPLAIN THE CONDITIONS OF THAT AGREEMENT. PARIS, Maine (WMTW) - The Oxford Hills school board voted to accept the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Monica Henson. AS YOU SAID.. The Oxford Hills Scholarship Foundation was established in 1998 and has benefited from Three donations of $1,000,000 each from Robert and Sandra Bahre. "There are some vocal constituencies, but I don't think they represent the majority of the staff. by CBS 13 January 25, 2022. Sign up and stay in the know with weekday news updates in your inbox at 1 p.m. Oxford Hills school board names Heather Manchester as acting superintendent, Manage your Advertiser Democrat Subscription, Manage your Livermore Falls Advertiser Subscription, Manage your Franklin Journal Subscription, Manage your Rumford Falls Times Subscription, Manage Your Rangeley Highlander Subscription, Sun Media Groups Western Maine Weekly Subscriptions, is under investigation by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, The position was eliminated and the district split the duties, Small crowd gathers in South Paris to request MSAD 17 superintendent resign, MSAD 17 board of directors puts superintendent on administrative leave, SAD 17 superintendent responds to union complaints after no-confidence vote, Tensions erupt at SAD 17 board meeting over no-confidence vote of superintendent, Police ask the public to stay off the roads as storm makes driving conditions dangerous, Civilians flee embattled town as Ukrainian pullout looms, The environmental disaster lurking inside your chocolate bar, Sen. Collins was lone Republican to oppose confirmation of Texas judge wholl rule on abortion pill, Man accused of stealing pot, starting fight at Auburn cannabis store, Auburn plans to cut two dozen positions from proposed school budget. Oxford Hills superintendent accused of creating culture of fear and intimidation 27 complaints were levied against Dr. Monica Henson, including an allegation that she aggressively touched a. All Rights Reserved. Jordan also claimed that students fear the superintendent and are being treated unfairly. "THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT THERE'S AN ACCUSATI ON OF PHYSICAL CONTACT AND VERBAL INTIMIDATION TO STUDENTS. Oxford Hills superintendent accused of creating culture of fear and Oxford Hills School District 232 Main Street South Paris, ME 04281 Phone: 207-743-8972 Fax: (207) 743-2878 "The biggest concern is that there's an accusation of physical contact and verbal intimidation of students," Jordan said. Staff | MSAD 17 My blood is boiling. I recommend that we make Cathy the permanent principal. CT SHE HAD BEEN ON PAID LEAVE SINCE JANUARY OVER ALLEGATIONS THAT SHE PULLED AN ELEMENTARY STUDENT BY THE ARMS BACK IN SEPTEMBER. "We take those accusations very seriously," Jordan added. Oxford Hills Education Association president Jen Jordan told WMTW News 8 that the complaints stemmed from a private vote amongst the associations members where 95% of the members said they have no confidence in Dr. Hensons leadership. Investigations open into Oxford Hills superintendent accused of AND AS FAR AS WE'RE AWARE, THERE'S BEEN NO INVESTIGATION ON THAT. And documents obtained by the Maine Wire show how the firm has coached Maine school boards on how to limit parental input when dealing with these controversial topics. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday interviews will start at 6:30 p.m., at Oxford Middle School. We had multiple eyewitnesses to the incident, and again, to our knowledge, none of them have been asked or questioned about about that.Other accusations include sharing inappropriate images of alcohol and weapons to district employees, doling out inconsistent discipline to staff, and creating a fearful environment for students with a "bounty" system rewarding students with money for turning in other students for inappropriate social media posts. Superintendent of Schools (207) 743-8972 h.manchester@msad17.org Steve Ciembroniewicz Assistant Superintendent (207) 743-8972 s.ciembroniewicz@msad17.org Jan Neureuther Chief Student Services Officer (207) 743-8972 j.neureuther@msad17.org Brandy Moore Special Education Assistant Director 207-743-8972 b.moore@msad17.org Debra Hertell The Oxford Hills School District. Maine Superintendent Accused of Restraining Child Resigns - US News One parent told the Advertiser Democrat that Clarke resigned after taking concerns to the board about a day when Henson acted as the substitute principal at the school when she had a medical appointment. WE WANT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF SAFE. "As for the allegation of inappropriately touching an elementary school student in September, Dr. Henson wrote that the parent's of the student saw no issue with the way the situation was handled. She instead outlined the ways in which the school had been failing under Clarkes leadership, claiming that an assistant administrator had ranked Clarke as the worst principal in the district. He extended his stay following the Nov. 30 shooting at Oxford High School to give the Board more time to deal with the selection process after working to get Oxford High School reopened. PARIS, Maine (WMTW) - Oxford Hills Superintendent Dr. Monica Henson has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation by the district board of directors into a September. Oxford Hills School District -- Oxford Hills School District | Aude Henson provided a lengthy written statement early Wednesday to the Advertiser Democrat, noting that a no-confidence vote is a sign that an administrator is doing the work they were hired to do. Update: Maine DHHS, Oxford County Sheriff investigating MSAD 17 Success. Oxford Hills also agreed to pay $5,500 for her lawyer fees. That forum has not yet been scheduled. Here we are four months later and her rights are still being trampled on.. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. Director William Rolfe of West Paris said it was his preference and in the best interest of the West Paris community to table discussion of a permanent hire until the board has a chance to review the issues at the school in executive session. Henson did not address the September incident during Mondays meeting. Andrews told Jordan that she would be allowed to finish her statement if she spoke in broad general strokes without specific references. Copyright 2022 TheAssociated Press. Oxford Hills School Board accepts superintendent's resignation "There's a lot of fear," Jordan said. Clarke had noted in her letter that Henson forbid her from having contact with any of the students Henson had disciplined while at the school. Other teachers and association representatives added their statements, but the chairman did not allow them to voice specific complaints. The incident was made public Jan. 18 when the Oxford Hills Education Association presented the board with a list of 27 concerns about her leadership and announced members had taken a vote of no confidence in her. Copyright 2022 WMTW. Once youve said that we have to follow our grievance procedure. Nicole Carter/Advertiser Democrat. Empowered by their unions stance, Agnes Gray staff who witnessed the incident in September separately filed a report with DHHS on Jan. 20. NO CONFIDENCE | thats what the teachers union in MSAD 17 says about its superintendent #NEWSCENTERmaine pic.twitter.com/uzLRdRSuHS. Heather Manchester, chief curriculum officer for the Oxford Hills School District in Paris, addresses the board of directors in July 2020. AND THE OHEA HAS NEGLECTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY AND INSTEAD TRY TO HIJACK THE PUBLIC NARRATIVE WITH A COLLTIECON OF FALSEHOODS AND VAGUE EXPRESSIONS OF "CONCERN" THAT IS EASILY DISPROVABLE." While neither woman was allowed to refer to specific situations affecting their children during the meeting, Matolcsy had previously written on social media that she had been given two different reasons for her childs injury by different staff members and was denied a request for a third-party service provider to observe her child in his classroom environment, a practice that had been allowed in the past. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. As for the allegation of inappropriately touching an elementary school student in September, Dr. Henson wrote that the parent's of the student saw no issue with the way the situation was handled. She was placed on leave Jan. 26. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. During directors comments, Bob Jewell of Paris said a vote of no confidence against an administrator hired by the board, just six months after starting, was actually a no confidence vote against the board. School Resource police officers from the district were at the Tuesday Board of Directors meeting. Oxford Hills School District will be a bully-free zone, effective immediately. Staff have claimed that previously authorized time off has been revoked and that requests for leave are inconsistently approved, even when doctors notes are provided. "And the OHEA has neglected to take advantage of that opportunity and instead try to hijack the public narrative with a collection of falsehoods and vague expressions of 'concern' that is easily disprovable.". Dr. Monica Henson forcefully denied all 27 complaints levied against her at a district board meeting. Tensions erupt at SAD 17 board meeting over no-confidence vote of Theres a lot of fear of job termination, theres a lot of feeling like were being watched, that somebody is just waiting for us to mess up so we can be reprimanded. The copy of the resignation agreement says they will pay Henson in return for her resignation and promise to file no claims against the district. The agreement was presented to Henson and she resigned on Monday. Find Us . Pleasant's McGuirk Arena, Michigan State Police: Man dies by suicide after several-hour standoff with police, Residents object to proposed I-75 ramp removal, Rochester ekes out narrow win over Adams, Stoney Creek to claim first cheer title since 2017, Storm could bring 6-10 inches of heavy snow, Judge: Oxford school employees shielded from lawsuit alleging negligence ahead of deadly mass shooting, Not again. Henson had been on paid leave since January over allegations she pulled an elementary student by their arms in September. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. REGION Educators in Oxford Hills have pulled out all the stops to pack as many books as possible into this week's annual Read Across America event. Oxford Hills School District MSAD #17 | Paris ME This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login. Nicole Carter/Advertiser Democrat. Alexa Baumgardner and Tobi Worden spoke in defense of coach and Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School teacher Riley Chickering, both fighting back tears at times as they spoke of their sons pain at losing their mentor with no explanation. 200,000 lose power as snowstorm blankets Detroit region, Catholic priest Joseph 'Father Jack' Baker sentenced for child rape, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Learn more. Oxford Hills school board accepts superintendent's resignation - WABI-TV Jordan said that there were a number of teachers, administrators, and students who witnessed this alleged interaction. Oxford Hills school school to pay former superintendent $174K - WMTW DA won't prosecute Oxford Hills superintendent accused of restraining Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. "The parent did not object to my handling of the incident, communicated with me for the next couple of days, and has filed no complaints with the Board or expressed any further concern since the notification from me," Dr. Henson wrote.The full list of the OHEA's complaints can be found here. We want our students and our staff safe. Dr. Hensons full rebuttal statement can be foundhere. Jewish Michigan lawmaker says threats are constant Oxford Hills school board names Heather Manchester as acting "We take those accusations very seriously," Jordan added. To clarify, a vote of no confidence means, a vote showing the majority does not support the policies or leader of the governing body.. She was placed on administrative leave in January after being accused of grabbing a student at Agnes Gray Elementary School. The Oxford Hills Teachers Union held its regular meeting on January 11 where a record number of people attended to participate in the vote. Maine news, sports, politics, election results, and obituaries. Oxford Hills Education Association president Jen Jordan told WMTW News 8 that the complaints stemmed from a private vote amongst the association's members where 95% of the members said they have no confidence in Dr. Henson's leadership. Im unaware of any other school system in the state where a teachers union is asked to participate directly in the evaluation of the superintendent of schools, Dr. Henson wrote. Id like to take a moment to clarify. One West Paris resident later told the Advertiser Democrat that Puiia fears for her job. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Monica Henson had been on leave. Matolcsy said her son, who has Down syndrome, lost a tooth during an incident in his classroom. School district offering $100 reward to catch cyberbullies If you are concerned about a child being . Henson also claimed that the school did not have a code of conduct in its student handbook. "Im unaware of any other school system in the state where a teachers union is asked to participate directly in the evaluation of the superintendent of schools," Dr. Henson wrote. Plow truck drivers prepare for Maine's third snowstorm of the week, Maine Wardens searching for missing Greene man. She gave no reason for removing him from his coaching job. Theres a lot of fear, Jordan said. Tentatively board action to hire the new superintendent will happen March 14, with March 28 tentatively set for the first day of work. Oxford Hills School Board Meeting - Schoolslearning.info In the Damariscotta and Oxford Hills school systems, Drummond Woodsum has worked with left-wing school board members to write and defend the districts' gender identity policies. Some directors questioned why appointing Bickford permanently should stray from the normal process of posting the position and convening a panel to interview candidates before hiring others. Boyd said his groups goal regarding grievances is to resolve them well before it gets to an official process, and has successfully avoided it in the recent past. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. Police: Alleged iPhone thief admits to similar crimes from people advertising on Facebook Marketplace The agreement also bars the district and Henson from talking about the situation publicly. On Monday . She said the union overwhelmingly passed a vote no confidence for Superintendent Monica Henson on Jan. 11. NORWAY, Maine (WMTW) -The superintendent of the Oxford Hills school district was accused Tuesday night of creating a culture of fear and intimidation amongst students and teachers alike in her first year on the job. In a statement where she forcefully denied the accusations against her, Dr. Henson asked why the teachers had not gone to the board before Tuesday. Vicki Morgan said her 10-year-old granddaughter has an anxiety disorder and a learning disability, and her doctor advises she doesn't wear a face mask, and wear a face shield instead. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Other accusations include sharing inappropriate images of alcohol and weapons to district employees, doling out inconsistent discipline to staff, and creating a fearful environment for students with a bounty system rewarding students with money for turning in other students for inappropriate social media posts. ?27 COMPLAINTS WERE BROUGHT TO THEOA BRD LT AS NIGHT AT A MEETING, BUT THE MOST SERIOUS COMPLAINT INVOLVED AN INCIDENT AT AGNES GRAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER WHEN DR. HENSON ALLEGEDLY P UT HER HANDS ON A STUDENT AGGRESSIVELY, SOMETHING THE TEACHERS UNION PRESIDENT SAYS HAS BEEN LARGELY IGNORED TO THIS POINT. The Foundation has awarded over $2,000,000 in scholarships since 1999. Portland bus stop wins national competition after contested votes thrown out, Easter Egg Roll returns after 2-year COVID-induced hiatus, Residents in one western Maine town look to curb Poland Springs appetite for water, Theres no feeling like it: Last-second layup gives Brewer boys basketball its 1st state championship, Couples recreation business cultivates 'slice of heaven' in Maine highlands, Fine-dining restaurant in northern Maine adds bed and breakfast, 2 teenagers charged after a man in Calais was shot on a walking trail, Maine photographer snaps shots of bobcat thats blind in one eye, Nor'easter could dump a foot of snow on parts of Maine Saturday, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. If someone uses fear and intimidation, if someone leaves outside of the bargaining agreement during the school year because of fear and anxiety, you dont file a grievance. PARIS, Maine (WMTW) - First-year Oxford Hills Superintendent Monica Henson received criticism at a school board meeting Monday night for allegedly grabbing an elementary student by two arms in September, along with creating an atmosphere of intimidation and fear. The childs parents, Eric Bennett and Ashley Rowe, did not learn the full details of the incident until reading it in the press last week. Heres why. "There's a lot of fear of job termination, there's a lot of feeling like we're being watched, that somebody is just waiting for us to mess up so we can be reprimanded. Interviews with the five candidates for superintendent of the Oxford Community Schools will be held this week at three special Board of Education meetings that are open to the public. The best states in the U.S. come from coast to coast. School Administrative District 17 Superintendent Monica Henson, standing at left, and school board Chairwoman Natalie Andrews of West Paris, standing at right, listen Tuesday night to a district resident asking about rules for public comments during the board meeting in Paris. "THE PARENT DID NOT OBJECT TO MY HANDLING OF THE INCIDENT, COMMUNICATED WITH ME FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS,ND A HAS FILED NO COMPLAINTS WITH THE BOARD OR EXPRESSED ANY FURTH ER CONCERN SINCE THE NOTIFICATION FROM ME." Henson responded in writing to the concerns the following day. "And the OHEA has neglected to take advantage of that opportunity and instead try to hijack the public narrative with a collection of falsehoods and vague expressions of 'concern' that is easily disprovable. According to the agreement WMTW obtained, Henson agrees she will cooperate and make herself available should any legal claim be filed against the district.Henson had been on paid leave since January over allegations she pulled an elementary student by their arms in September. Teachers union lists complaints against Monica Henson, six months after she started the job. Don't have a commenting profile? While her granddaughter is back in the classroom, she and other parents are frustrated. Published: Apr. All this uproar from the Oxford Hills Education Association is puzzling, given that they have made no previous expression of concern to the School Board using the channels that are available to any staff, Henson wrote. South Paris ME, 04281. Baumgardner has led a group of Oxford Hills residents to have Chickering reinstated since he was fired as coach and implored board members and the administration to allow him to return for at least the last few games of the year. WMTW News 8 received pictures of the schools code of conduct, which teachers say was given to parents to sign during the first week of school as part of the student handbook. PARIS, Maine ( WMTW) First-year Oxford Hills Superintendent Monica Henson received criticism at a school board meeting Monday night for allegedly grabbing an elementary student by two arms in. THE AGREEMENT ALSO BARS THE DISTRICT AND HENSON FROM TALKING ABOUT THIS PUBLIC. So there are a lot of valid things that staff are concerned about.". The complaints were brought to the school board in a meeting Tuesday.Oxford Hills Education Association president Jen Jordan told WMTW News 8 that the complaints stemmed from a private vote amongst the association's members where 95% of the members said they have no confidence in Dr. Henson's leadership. All rights reserved. This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login. 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