PRAIRIE GROVE -- Prairie Grove School Board's Jan. 17 meeting lasted less than an hour but a lot happened within that hour, most of it the result of controversial active shooter videos shown to teachers last semester.
The school safety videos were presented as a memorial to those who died in a fictional school shooting at a Prairie Grove school. The videos used actual photos of Prairie Grove teachers or their children as victims in the fake shooting.
Some teachers and parents have expressed concern and outrage that pictures of Prairie Grove children were used in the videos. Other teachers have said the videos did what they were supposed to do, made them more aware of following safety procedures.
In the wake of an outcry about the videos, two school administrators, Reba Holmes, superintendent of schools, and Shayne Taylor, middle school principal, have taken leaves of absence through the end of the school year. Holmes will retire June 30, 2023.
The board, seated in a room filled with teachers, parents and others, last week voted to use McPherson & Jacobson LLC to search for candidates for the superintendent's position for $17,800.
It voted to pay interim Superintendent Pete Joenks a $12,000 stipend for the remainder of the contract year for his additional duties in that role. Joenks was appointed interim superintendent after Holmes took her leave of absence.
In addition, a middle school teacher and a paraprofessional addressed school board members with their concerns about the memorial video and how the showing of the video continues to negatively affect teachers and children.
And finally, at the end of the meeting, the board unanimously denied a grievance appeal from middle school teachers Christy Henry, Ralanda Mongold, Maria Sharp, Tatum Berry, Aubrain Crain and Jennifer White. The teachers claimed that by creating the active shooter memorial video, school district administrators violated the state ethics code and the school district's code of conduct for licensed personnel.
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH
Ken James with McPherson & Jacobson LLC will serve as the lead consultant in the search for a new superintendent of schools for Prairie Grove School District.
In a Jan. 18 news release, James said Phase 1 has been completed and this included an overview of the search process and identifying criteria for a new superintendent.
According to the criteria, the successful candidate for the position will have characteristics, skills and experience that include: be a person of integrity and high moral character, have excellent people skills, proven to be an effective leader and communicator, conservative fiscal sense, open minded, transparent and understands budgeting, Arkansas school law and the Arkansas educational system.
The successful candidate also will be a student-centered instructional leader, have the ability to learn and support students and staff members, a visionary leader, one that is progressive and provides innovative options for learning to expand opportunities in career choices, technology and better educational outcomes for students.
Preferred qualifications are a candidate who has experience as a superintendent, associate or assistant superintendent or has worked as a public school district educational leader.
The position will be advertised through several sources by Feb. 1 with a March 28 deadline for applications to be submitted. The consultants will then review and evaluate the candidates and conduct extensive background checks.
James said he will meet with five groups of stakeholders on Feb. 2 to explain the process and ask them questions about the district, the community and what they want in a candidate. These stakeholder groups -- high school students, administrators, teachers, classified staff, community -- will then have an opportunity to sit down with the final candidates.
People who are not selected to be a part of a stakeholder group will be able to fill out an online survey to respond to the same questions and provide their opinions. A link to the survey will be available on the school website in the future, James said.
"This is a very transparent process and we want to make sure everyone has access to it," James said.
CONCERNS ABOUT MEMORIAL VIDEO
Middle school math teacher Maria Sharp and paraprofessional Heather Roberts addressed school board members talking about the aftermath and the ongoing effects "of what is now simply referred to among teachers as 'the video,'" Sharp said.
Sharp claimed the school shooter video was not a training video but was created with the intent to "scare us into compliance." She said many teachers are afraid to come forward to say they disagreed with the video because they fear repercussions.
"So, I am standing here before you because I need to do what I teach your children to do. I am standing up for those who are hurting, willing to do the right thing, no matter what it costs," Sharp said.
She did not give any names but gave specific examples of teachers still dealing with the memorial video that depicted their children as victims.
One example: "I am standing here for the mom who lost a child and was seated on the front row for the showing of this video. She has said that she was set back years in the grieving process."
One mom continues to have nightmares, Sharp said. Another is struggling with depression and another just started counseling.
Sharp said she was not asking the board for anything but wanted board members to know "that for the few who believe that we should move on, there are many many more who are living with the effects of this video on a daily basis and cannot move on."
Roberts said it was concerning to many teachers that someone in the district had the time and resources to create a video "to scare teachers into compliance," but no one had the time and resources to install nightlocks at the middle school until after the video.
According to Roberts, some safety needs in the district include nightshades on the windows, active shooter training for all employees, an SRO for every school building and making those accountable who are not following the safety protocols.
Roberts offered recommendations for moving forward to "fix the system," and these included holding the person accountable who made the video, along with an apology for the emotional damage caused by the video; requiring those involved in making the video to attend training on how not to use scare tactics; a new policy that anyone is terminated who tries to use scare tactics to force teachers into compliance; a written policy that any safety measures or training be approved by the entire safety team; an SRO for every campus; add teachers to the safety team.
Grievance Appeal Denied
The six middle school teachers who filed a Level Two grievance noted that licensed personnel whose actions are determined to be in violation of the state ethics code and the district's code of conduct for licensed personnel may be recommended for discipline, up to and including termination.
Their filed grievance: "By creating a video shown to teachers during a faculty meeting (which are mandatory to attend, not optional) teachers were subjected, without prior knowledge, to intimidating, cruel and traumatic images which have affected us all. Pictures were used without permission in this appalling propaganda video meant only to scare us into compliance with safety procedures."
To resolve the grievance, the teachers said all administrators and other persons who conceived the idea, created the video, harvested photos without consent and were the ones who gave the directive to show the video on Nov. 30 should be terminated. In addition, teachers who were traumatized should receive any and all other benefits and services to which they are entitled.
The grievance was first filed with interim middle school Principal Luke Humphreys. Humphreys denied the grievance and the teachers appealed to Joenks. Joenks also denied the grievance and Joenks' decision was appealed to the school board.
Board President William Dick opened the hearing on the grievance appeal and said the board would have to first make a decision on whether the matter of the grievance is a subject that may be grieved under district policy.
Board member Bart Orr made the motion that the subject was not a grieved offense under district policy. Board member Whitney Bryant seconded the motion.
After a unanimous vote in favor of the motion, Dick said, "The grievance is not a subject that may be grieved. The matter is considered closed and the hearing should be adjourned."
As far as other news from the board meeting, administrators and staff members gave monthly reports on facilities, curriculum and technology.
The board met in executive session for about 15 minutes and when it returned to public session, it approved the consent agenda. The board accepted the resignations of elementary teacher Kelsi Bartholomew and nurse Danielle Randolph and approved hiring Kale Eaton as a high school teacher and Stephanie Beeks and Ashley Wilson as elementary teachers. Nicole Miner will move from classroom teacher to ELL instructor.