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. Oxford Hills also agreed to pay $5,500 for her lawyer fees. OXFORD HILLS SUPERINTENDENT DR. MONICA HENSON IS ACCUSED OF CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR AND INTIMIDATN IO AMONG BOTH TEACHERS AND EVEN STUDENTS. Superintendent Dr. Monica Henson has been accused of assaulting a student at Agnes Gray Elementary School. Henson had been on paid leave since January over allegations she pulled an elementary student by their arms in September. My blood is boiling. 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. 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. Andrews told Jordan that she would be allowed to finish her statement if she spoke in broad general strokes without specific references. Contributed. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate. We had multiple eyewitnesses to the incident, and again, to our knowledge, none of them have been asked or questioned about about that. 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. If you are concerned about a child being . The Oxford Hills School Board voted on Monday evening to accept the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Monica Henson, officials say. Morgan got her local legislator and the Maine Department of education involved, and her granddaughter was allowed back in school the following week with a facemask after a note from her doctor. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. I HAVE A COPY OF THE RESIGNATION AGREEMENT RIGHT HERE.. 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. Parents are still concerned. On Jan. 19, directors instructed district Chief Child Services Officer Jan Neureuther to report the incident to DHHS. Crime and Public Safety | She said the union overwhelmingly passed a vote no confidence for Superintendent Monica Henson on Jan. 11. 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 student fell while she pulled him into an office, and the superintended fell on top of the student and used a restraint technique. Nicole Carter. For themselves, for their jobs and for retaliation against students in the schools. She has instituted a number of options I will be glad to share with the board in private session.. Copyright 2022 WMTW. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. She was. The full list of the OHEAs complaints can be foundhere. Oxford Hills School District will be a bully-free zone, effective immediately. So there are a lot of valid things that staff are concerned about.. On Monday, they unanimously appointed her acting superintendent. 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. The second incident was witnessed by Agnes Gray educator Karin Puiia who was on the public comment list for the evening. The Foundation has awarded over $2,000,000 in scholarships since 1999. Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration. 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. They will also pay her $5,500 in legal fees. Oxford Hills Education Association Concerns by sunjournal on Scribd. I am raising my granddaughter, who has an IEP, or Individualized Education Plan. ?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. Monica Henson had been on leave for months before she resigned from Oxford Hills early last week. 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. I am a mom and grandmother, Morgan said. 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. "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. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. 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. 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. I told the board that they should be ashamed of themselves that they had this reported by three different people, and they pushed it under the rug until the media got involved.. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. The agreement was presented to Henson and she resigned on Monday. 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. The school board launched an investigation into the matter and put Henson on paid administrative leave. That forum has not yet been scheduled. The complaints were brought to the school board in a meeting Tuesday. The teachers union also recently sent a vote of no confidence to the school board. The same limitations were applied to parents. Matolcsy said her son, who has Down syndrome, lost a tooth during an incident in his classroom. Included on Tuesdays agenda was a request for the board to approve Hensons selection of Cathy Bickford as permanent principal of Agnes Gray. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Heres why. Tentatively board action to hire the new superintendent will happen March 14, with March 28 tentatively set for the first day of work. 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. Already registered? Jewish Michigan lawmaker says threats are constant The copy of the resignation agreement says they will pay Henson in return for her resignation . With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. Jeni Jordan, president of the Oxford Hills Teachers Association, speaks Tuesday night to School Administrative District 17 directors meeting in Paris. On Tuesday, Feb. 1, interviews are set with Jill Lemond, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Oxford Community Schools; and David Pass, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Oxford Community Schools. We had multiple eyewitnesses to the incident, and again, to our knowledge, none of them have been asked or questioned about about that. 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. On Wednesday, Feb. 2, an interview is set for Todd Bidlack, Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services, Bloomfield Hills School. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), RFK Jr. apologizes after condemnation for Anne Frank comment, Costco could be building its 1st store in Maine, 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. The agreement was presented to Henson and she resigned on Monday. "And as far as we're aware, there's been no investigation on that, and that's very concerning to us. School board chair Natalie Andrews said Monica Henson's resignation was . (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })(); The list also included that employees are concerned with the superintendents use of professional time, of statements she has made to local and national media, and of inappropriate tone and intimidating language expressed in emails to employees. Oxford Hills School Board Temporarily Blocks Gender Schools Details: WebThe policy fight in the Oxford Hills School System is playing out in every Maine school district, as activists both on the Maine Department of Education payroll and at non-profit partner organizations oxford hills superintendent office Verified 6 days ago The 22-member board represents the towns of Harrison, Hebron, Norway, Otisfield, Oxford, Paris, Waterford and West Paris. 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. 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 . Oxford Hills School District directors listen Monday night to Eric Bennett about his. For more information, visit maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/cw/reporting_abuse. "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. Andrews said the decision was reached after consulting with the districts attorney and Steve Bailey, head of the Maine School Board Association. The students parents learned the full details of the incident after the Jan. 18 school board meeting and filed a complaint against Henson with the Sheriffs Office on Jan. 21. There are concerns that staff just feel like when they try to express something, it just gets dismissed. "It's a . Enter your email and password to access comments. You can share 5 more gift articles this month. 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. 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. Dozens of people fill the Oxford Hills School District board room Tuesday night in Paris where some expressed serious concerns about Superintendent Monica Hensons leadership in her first six months on the job. ? Jordan said that there were a number of teachers, administrators, and students who witnessed this alleged interaction. 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 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. So there are a lot of valid things that staff are concerned about. Find Us . His motion was seconded and approved by the board. Use the form below to reset your password. 232 Main Street. 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. That includes the resignation agreement where the district said it would pay Henson $174,500. She gave no reason for removing him from his coaching job. Detroit firefighter charged with dealing drugs in several area cities Please wait for the page to reload. Hazel Park man ordered to trial in boxcutter attack The superintendent of Oxford Hills schools has resigned amid allegations that she assaulted a student last year. Vicki Morgan, grandmother and guardian of the second child, had addressed the board at a meeting several months ago and spoke again Tuesday night to reiterate that her childs rights were being violated daily. Members asked if we would allow a number of concerns during the forum regarding the leadership of Dr. Monica Henson we had an unprecedented number of staff show up for that meeting. WEST PARIS, Maine An investigation into allegations against the Oxford Hills superintendent has been opened by the Oxford County Sheriffs Office and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, according to the Maine Education Association. 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. It should not be allowed at all. Hi, to comment on stories you must create a commenting profile. Use the form below to reset your password. 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. Learn more. On Thursday a meeting will be held to narrow the list of five to two or three finalists. 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 Superintendent Monica Henson's resignation was unanimously accepted Monday night after School Administrative District 17s directors gave her a unanimous no confidence vote. She was placed on leave Jan. 26. Henson did not address the September incident during Mondays meeting. Oxford Hills Superintendent Monica Henson instituted the bounty program, hoping to address what she called a "bullying culture" in the district, especially in the middle and high schools. THE AGREEMENT ALSO BARS THE DISTRICT AND HENSON FROM TALKING ABOUT THIS PUBLIC. The full list of the OHEA's complaints can be found here. I will not stand for it and I believe most of the people here will join me we will form what we need to in terms of public oversight to ensure that our children, our students and our teachers are safe, respected and given the oversight they deserve, especially those with special needs.. 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. PARIS Parents, educators and community members descended on Oxford Hills School District directors meeting Tuesday night to voice serious concerns with Superintendent Monica Hensons leadership in her first six months on the job. And for her to be making those accusations, she has stepped one day in our school one day. AND THAT'S VERY CONCERNING TO US. PARIS, Maine No confidence. IN I. T. THE OXFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS THEY WILL PAY FORMER SUPERINTENDENT MONICA HENSON .. That is it. 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. "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. Henson was placed on paid . School Resource police officers from the district were at the Tuesday Board of Directors meeting. Here we are four months later and her rights are still being trampled on.. According to the Maine Department of Education,face shields may be an alternative for those students with documented medical or behavioral challenges who are unable to wear masks. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. NO CONFIDENCE | thats what the teachers union in MSAD 17 says about its superintendent #NEWSCENTERmaine pic.twitter.com/uzLRdRSuHS. "Being denied access to his classroom is against every recommendation of every advocacy organization and institution," Matolcsy added. There are concerns that staff just feel like when they try to express something, it just gets dismissed. The position was eliminated and the district split the duties between a chief operating officer to oversee technology, facilities, athletics and transportation, and a chief financial officer to lead the business office. In addition to teachers and ed techs . Paula Pasche has worked in a variety of positions, including 32 years as a sports writer, since she joined The Oakland Press. All Rights Reserved. She has a running knowledge of everything that is going on within the district right now.. . She termed Boyds reference at the meeting to breaking the law as categorically false and went on to write that Clarke had falsely categorized an incident in the cafeteria. The police presence was allegedly requested by fearful staff and parents. She is a disabled child, and her rights have been trampled on. Login. SHE WENT ON TO FORCEFULLY DENY EVERY ONE OF THE 27 COMPLAINTS GIVEN LT AS NIGHT. "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. The Oxford County District Attorneys Office said the issue was sent off to another agency and the case is still under review. Bangor school system continues mentor program during challenging COVID-19 school year, 3 things to know from Maine's COVID briefing: omicron infections affecting schools, hospitals & testing, Lewiston requests state waive minimum requirement for school days due to COVID challenges. Oxford Hills school board accepts superintendent's resignation Superintendent Dr. Monica Henson was put on administrative leave in January after allegations that she forcibly restrained an. AND AS FAR AS WE'RE AWARE, THERE'S BEEN NO INVESTIGATION ON 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. Jeni, I am going to have to stop you there, Andrews said. Crime and Public Safety | 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. 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. Dr. Monica Henson forcefully denied all 27 complaints levied against her at a district board meeting. Log in to join the discussion. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. There are concerns about COVID and how that's being handled. Already have a commenting profile? 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. A phone number could not be located for Henson, and she didn't immediately respond to electronic messages. IN RETURN FOR HER RESIATGNION AND PROMISE TO FILE NO CLAIMS AGAINST THE DISTRICT. Her statements received pushback from current Grey faculty. "And as far as we're aware, there's been no investigation on that, and that's very concerning to us. OXFORD, Maine (AP) A school superintendent accused of improperly restraining a student at an elementary school last year has resigned. It seems the superintendent doesnt understand what the grievance procedure is used for, which (is limited to) contractual disputes.. Oxford Hills Superintendent under fire at school board meeting, Monica Henson is accused of forcefully grabbing an elementary school student by both arms in September, Two women missing from Topsham area found safe in East Hancock, Weekend snowfall means business at Hermon Mountain Ski Area, Authorities searching for missing Greene man, Last round of snow moves in for today, sunshine returns on Sunday. Create one. If someone breaks the law, you dont file a grievance.. Maine school to pay former superintendent $174K, according to resignation agreement, CLARKE JOINS US LIVE IN STUDIO TO EXPLAIN THE CONDITIONS OF THAT AGREEMENT. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. To date, no letters have been received during either the first or second quarter.. There are concerns about COVID and how thats being handled. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. The Oxford Hills School District has agreed to pay their former superintendent Monica Henson $174,500. 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. Copyright 2022 WABI. 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. 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. They will also pay her $5,500 in legal fees.
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