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27 complaints were levied against Dr. Monica Henson, including an allegation that she aggressively touched a distressed elementary school student in September, while filling in as principal, after an incident involving that student. Create one. The Oxford Hills School District has agreed to pay their former superintendent Monica Henson $174,500. Calls may be made anonymously. Crime and Public Safety | 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. While her granddaughter is back in the classroom, she and other parents are frustrated. HARTFORD - Waterbury schools Superintendent Verna Ruffin defended having school resource officers in city schools before state legislators . 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. If someone breaks the law, you dont file a grievance.. 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. "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 agreement also bars the district and Henson from talking about the situation publicly. The reaction of the childs parents contrasts with Dr. Hensons statement last week defending herself against the list of complaints given to the board against her. They said they are happy the school board is listening and will be holding an open forum to share more of their concerns. Parents of Oxford Hills Middle School students on the basketball team also addressed the board about their coachs dismissal last year over an incident involving players from a visiting team. The copy of the resignation agreement says they will pay Henson in return for her resignation . PARIS, Maine No confidence. Parents and staff are concerned about Superintendent Monica Henson, who has been in the role since July 2021. There are concerns about COVID and how thats being handled. Crime and Public Safety | 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. Chairwoman Natalie Andrews of West Paris interrupted Jordan. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. According to the agreement WMTW obtained, Henson agrees she will cooperate and make herself available should any legal claim be filed against the district. 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. Since you said it was a vote of no confidence and listed her name, we need to follow grievance procedure.. Oxford Hills School District directors listen Monday night to Eric Bennett about his. WE WANT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF SAFE. 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. Much of the anger was rooted in the resignation of Agnes Gray Elementary Schools longtime principal , Beth Clarke, late last year. On Jan. 19, directors instructed district Chief Child Services Officer Jan Neureuther to report the incident to DHHS. Create one. Use the form below to reset your password. "Being denied access to his classroom is against every recommendation of every advocacy organization and institution," Matolcsy added. Weekly news from Oxford County and the Norway region, delivered every Thursday at 5 a.m. Already registered? Henson was placed on paid . You can share 5 more gift articles this month. THEY WILL ALSO PAY HER 5,500 DOLLARS IN HER LEGAL FEES. Monica Henson had been on leave. The last speaker was Eric Bennett of Oxford, the father of the student at the center of the controversy. "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. All rights reserved. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. 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. Published: Apr. 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. "The biggest concern is that there's an accusation of physical contact and verbal intimidation of students," Jordan said. 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 22-member board represents the towns of Harrison, Hebron, Norway, Otisfield, Oxford, Paris, Waterford and West Paris. 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. That includes the resignation agreement where the district said it would pay Henson $174,500. The superintendent of Oxford Hills schools has resigned amid allegations that she assaulted a student last year. I recommend that we make Cathy the permanent principal. Bickford had stepped into the role temporarily when Clarke took a medical leave during the fall. All rights reserved. Jordan said that there were a number of teachers, administrators, and students who witnessed this alleged interaction. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. "There's a lot of fear," Jordan said. Best States is an interactive platform developed by U.S. News for ranking the 50 U.S. states, alongside news analysis and daily reporting. 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. 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 . Already have a commenting profile? . With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. CT SHE HAD BEEN ON PAID LEAVE SINCE JANUARY OVER ALLEGATIONS THAT SHE PULLED AN ELEMENTARY STUDENT BY THE ARMS BACK IN SEPTEMBER. 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. Monica Henson is accused of grabbing a student at Agnes Gray Elementary School last September. There are concerns that staff just feel like when they try to express something, it just gets dismissed. AND AGN,O TAI OUR TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN ASKED OR QUESTIONED" "I'M UNAWARE OF ANY OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE STATE WHE ERA TEACHERS' UNION IS ASKED TO PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY IN THE EVALUATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. 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.27 complaints were levied against Dr. Monica Henson, including an allegation that she aggressively touched a distressed elementary school student in September, while filling in as principal, after an incident involving that student. Monica Henson, the former Oxford Hills School District superintendent, was filling in as principal at Agnes Gray Elementary and is accused of grabbing a student by the arm and pulling him into an . Oxford Hills Superintendent Monica Hensons resignation was unanimously accepted Monday night after School Administrative District 17s directors gave her a unanimous no confidence vote. (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. Educators at the school say the Oxford County Sheriffs Office was there Tuesday conducting interviews about the incident. Copyright 2022 WABI. 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. 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. I implore this board to take everything that you are hearing this evening from everyone here extremely seriously, Matolcsy said. Detroit firefighter charged with dealing drugs in several area cities The full list of the OHEA's complaints can be found here. It has come to our attention that there is perception that because no grievances have been filed there is no validity to complaints, Boyd said. The Oxford Hills School District, in partnership with parents and communities, engages and supports all students in diverse and challenging learning opportunities to prepare them to graduate as healthy, responsible and productive citizens, ready to succeed in our global societies. Login. One West Paris resident later told the Advertiser Democrat that Puiia fears for her job. She was placed on administrative leave in January after being accused of grabbing a student at Agnes Gray Elementary School. 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." Crime and Public Safety | She has a running knowledge of everything that is going on within the district right now.. "The biggest concern is that there's an accusation of physical contact and verbal intimidation of students," Jordan said. Maine news, sports, politics, election results, and obituaries. 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. Jewish Michigan lawmaker says threats are constant Dr. Henson's full rebuttal statement can be found here. 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. She was possibly referencing Clarkes letter of resignation Dec. 23, which the Advertiser Democrat has published online. "That is just a statement letting the school board know that the staff who voted don't feel that the leadership of Dr. Henson is effective for our school system," Jen Jordan, president of the Oxford Hills Teachers Union, said. The platform is designed to engage citizens and government leaders in a discussion about what needs improvement across the country. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. She said the union overwhelmingly passed a vote no confidence for Superintendent Monica Henson on Jan. 11. 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. 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 Oxford Hills school board names Heather Manchester as acting superintendent The chief curriculum officer is the unanimous choice to lead while Monica Henson is on paid administrative leave.. Hi, to comment on stories you must create a commenting profile. There are a number of reasons staff members chose to take a vote, including a situation where the superintendent allegedly used force against a student. Waterbury Superintendent Verna Ruffin. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. Three parents addressed the board, two with children with disabilities who they said are not receiving proper support. Henson said at the time she used a limited restraint technique for a disruptive student. However, when Puiia attempted to address the board she was told by Andrews that specific details could not be shared publicly at that time. The chief curriculum officer is the unanimous choice to lead while Monica Henson is on paid administrative leave. The Oxford Hills Teachers Union held its regular meeting on January 11 where a record number of people attended to participate in the vote. That is it. 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. 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. ?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. She has not been in our school.. They also claimed that the mandatory masking standards are not consistently followed and there is little concern about transmission rates of COVID-19, which have recently spiked. The OHEA was invited to submit a quarterly letter to the Board outlining how they perceive things are going with the new administration, with the express purpose that the letters would be used as part of my performance evaluation by the Board. The alleged incident happened Sept. 9 at Agnes Grey Elementary School, where Henson was filling in as principal for the day. South Paris ME, 04281. Henson responded in writing to the concerns the following day. 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. The same limitations were applied to parents. IN I. T. THE OXFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS THEY WILL PAY FORMER SUPERINTENDENT MONICA HENSON .. There are concerns that staff just feel like when they try to express something, it just gets dismissed. Dozens of people fill the Oxford Hills School District board room Tuesday night in Paris where some expressed serious concerns about Superintendent Monica Henson's leadership in her first six. The official Facebook Page of the fifth-largest school district in Maine. Dr. Monica Henson forcefully denied all 27 complaints levied against her at a district board meeting. 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. Jeni, I am going to have to stop you there, Andrews said. Paula Pasche has worked in a variety of positions, including 32 years as a sports writer, since she joined The Oakland Press. Success. Don't have a commenting profile? The student fell while she pulled him into an office, and the superintended fell on top of the student and used a restraint technique. We want our students and our staff safe. In cases of bullying, the Superintendent will monitor situations that are not being resolved at the school level and guide the process if necessary. Maine school to pay former superintendent $174K, according to resignation agreement, CLARKE JOINS US LIVE IN STUDIO TO EXPLAIN THE CONDITIONS OF THAT AGREEMENT. Other teachers and association representatives added their statements, but the chairman did not allow them to voice specific complaints. That they would say that shes the lowest ranking when her staff are behind her 100% and always has been.. 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. "And as far as we're aware, there's been no investigation on that, and that's very concerning to us. Jeni Jordan, an Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School teacher and president of the Oxford Hills Education Association, presented the board with a list of 27 complaints compiled by educators over the Hensons conduct. She has instituted a number of options I will be glad to share with the board in private session.. The full list of the OHEAs complaints can be foundhere. The agreement was presented to Henson and she resigned on Monday. The situation occurred Sept. 7 and involved a food fight between students at lunch and an incident with a distressed student. All rights reserved. 27 complaints were levied against Dr. Monica Henson, including an allegation that she aggressively touched a distressed elementary school student in September, while filling in as principal, after an incident involving that student. School board chair Natalie Andrews said Monica Henson's resignation was . I HAVE A COPY OF THE RESIGNATION AGREEMENT RIGHT HERE.. Hebron Station School Principal Donald Thorne was chosen for the former and accountant Carrie Colley for the latter. Here we are four months later and her rights are still being trampled on.. Henson also claimed that the school did not have a code of conduct in its student handbook. "We take those accusations very seriously," Jordan added. Jordan read through the list of concerns, starting with allegations that the superintendent put her hands on a student while filling in at an elementary school, that staff have felt they are under investigation, that personal information has been shared by the superintendent and that discipline of staff has been inconsistent and often unfair. "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. Months ago Oxford Superintendent Tim Throne announced his retirement that was due to happen in January. 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. So there are a lot of valid things that staff are concerned about.". NO CONFIDENCE | thats what the teachers union in MSAD 17 says about its superintendent #NEWSCENTERmaine pic.twitter.com/uzLRdRSuHS. The best states in the U.S. come from coast to coast. 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. face shields may be an alternative for those students with documented medical or behavioral challenges who are unable to wear masks. We had multiple eyewitnesses to the incident, and again, to our knowledge, none of them have been asked or questioned about about that. She is alleged to have attempted to pull the student into her office after an incident in the school cafeteria. Maine Superintendent Accused of Restraining Child Resigns. That forum has not yet been scheduled. 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. "THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT THERE'S AN ACCUSATI ON OF PHYSICAL CONTACT AND VERBAL INTIMIDATION TO STUDENTS. 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. Enter your email and password to access comments. Crime and Public Safety | Nicole Carter. The Evergreen State takes the top spot again in the U.S. News Best States ranking on the strength of its tech sector and other industries. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate. 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. To date, no letters have been received during either the first or second quarter.. On Monday . OVER 90% OF TEACHERS UNION MEMBERS GAVE HER A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN A PRIVATE VOTE, THE RESULTS OF WHICH THEY BROUGHT TO THE DISTRICT'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS LAST NIGHT. by CBS 13 January 25, 2022. The teachers union also recently sent a vote of no confidence to the school board. She was. 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. 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. 776 talking about this. Heather was the person that came to everyones mind for that, as well as having the credentials. There have been zero grievances lodged against me with the Board for any contract violations. 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. She's not the only one who said they're having trouble with the district and Henson. Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration. Login. 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. You will receive an email to complete the registration. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Credit: CBS 13/WGME. It stated that Henson had put hands on two children while overseeing the school on Sept. 7. Those records are also confidential, and the department did not wish to comment on the matter. Use the form below to reset your password. In addition to teachers and ed techs . Andrews told Jordan that she would be allowed to finish her statement if she spoke in broad general strokes without specific references. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WMTW-TV. "We take those accusations very seriously," Jordan added. The principal of Agnes Grey Elementary at the time, Beth Clarke, resigned in December after having been placed on administrative leave in September, and wrote a public letter outlining grievances against Henson. 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. Id like to take a moment to clarify. She is a disabled child, and her rights have been trampled on. THE AGREEMENT STATES THAT THE DISTRICT WILL PAY HENSON 1- HUNDRED - 74 THOUSAND AND 500 DOLLARSN I EXCHANGE FOR THAT. 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. Nicole Carter/Advertiser Democrat file photo, We knew we had to put someone in front of the staff who was comfortable and had a running knowledge of our district, Chairwoman Natalie Andrews of West Paris said after the afternoon emergency board meeting. OXFORD HILLS SUPERINTENDENT DR. MONICA HENSON IS ACCUSED OF CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR AND INTIMIDATN IO AMONG BOTH TEACHERS AND EVEN STUDENTS.