And as far as were aware, theres been no investigation on that, and thats very concerning to us. Log in to join the discussion. The Oxford County District Attorneys Office said the issue was sent off to another agency and the case is still under review. "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. 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. "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. Henson also claimed that the school did not have a code of conduct in its student handbook. So there are a lot of valid things that staff are concerned about.". No other details about the incident are available. They said they are happy the school board is listening and will be holding an open forum to share more of their concerns. With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. Those records are also confidential, and the department did not wish to comment on the matter. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. THE AGREEMENT ALSO BARS THE DISTRICT AND HENSON FROM TALKING ABOUT THIS PUBLIC. Letter from Superintendent - August 27, 2021 WE HAD MULTIP ELEYEWITNESSES TO THE INCIDENT. "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. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. And there's some concern about how chain of command is being portrayed in how it should be used, and then how it is being used. Jordan said that there were a number of teachers, administrators, and students who witnessed this alleged interaction. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. 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. The teachers union also recently sent a vote of no confidence to the school board. Once youve said that we have to follow our grievance procedure. Months ago Oxford Superintendent Tim Throne announced his retirement that was due to happen in January. Jeni, I am going to have to stop you there, Andrews said. Copyright 2022 WABI. 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. by CBS 13 January 25, 2022. Oxford Hills Scholarship Foundation | MSAD 17 Henson was filling in for the principal for a day at the time of that incident, which resulted in investigations by the Oxford County Sheriffs Department and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, as well as an internal investigation by the school department. You will receive an email to complete the registration. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. "The biggest concern is that there's an accusation of physical contact and verbal intimidation of students," Jordan said. Staff | MSAD 17 Statement on the OHEA No Confidence Vote by sunjournal on Scribd. The Oxford Hills School Board voted on Monday evening to accept the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Monica Henson, officials say. To date, no letters have been received during either the first or second quarter.. The complaints were brought to the school board in a meeting Tuesday. 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. All rights reserved. I am beyond frustrated and so overwhelmed that they would even make that claim against her, said Grey teacher Rebekah Arntsen. On Monday, Jan. 31, interviews will be with John Bernia, Chief Academic Officer, Warren Consolidated Schools; and Ken Weaver, Deputy Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction, Oxford Community Schools. "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.". If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. Detroit firefighter charged with dealing drugs in several area cities 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 . 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WMTW-TV. 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. Use the form below to reset your password. We want our students and our staff safe. Example video title will go here for this video. Update: Maine DHHS, Oxford County Sheriff investigating MSAD 17 CT SHE HAD BEEN ON PAID LEAVE SINCE JANUARY OVER ALLEGATIONS THAT SHE PULLED AN ELEMENTARY STUDENT BY THE ARMS BACK IN SEPTEMBER. 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. Saatva Mattress Review: Our Pick for the Best Overall Bed of 2023, We Found 12 Cute Planters and Flower Pots That Cost Less Than $25, Here's Where to Watch and Stream Marvel's 'Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' Online. That review recently came to an end. All Rights Reserved. ?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. 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. "The biggest concern is that there's an accusation of physical contact and verbal intimidation of students," Jordan said. 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. 5, 2022 at 3:20 AM PDT. Andrews said the decision was reached after consulting with the districts attorney and Steve Bailey, head of the Maine School Board Association. 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. She now covers COVID-related issues and northern Oakland County. Oxford Hills Superintendent Monica Hensons resignation was unanimously accepted Monday night after School Administrative District 17s directors gave her a unanimous no confidence vote. 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. Oxford Hills school school to pay former superintendent $174K - WMTW Henson responded in writing to the concerns the following day. Andrews told Jordan that she would be allowed to finish her statement if she spoke in broad general strokes without specific references. 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. 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 . Please wait for the page to reload. If you are concerned about a child being neglected or abused, call Maines 24-hour hotline at 800-452-1999 or 711 to speak with a child protective specialist. OXFORD HILLS SUPERINTENDENT DR. MONICA HENSON IS ACCUSED OF CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR AND INTIMIDATN IO AMONG BOTH TEACHERS AND EVEN STUDENTS. I implore this board to take everything that you are hearing this evening from everyone here extremely seriously, Matolcsy said. Oxford Hills School District MSAD #17 | Paris ME - Facebook 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 . Last week on Jan. 11, the OHEA held its regular monthly meeting, Jordan told directors. "There's a lot of fear," Jordan said. 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. Superintendent Dr. Monica Henson has been accused of assaulting a student at Agnes Gray Elementary School. 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. Oxford Hills superintendent resigns amid allegations she assaulted a Login. It's 'Read Across America' week in Oxford Hills I am a mom and grandmother, Morgan said. I recommend that we make Cathy the permanent principal. Oxford Hills school board accepts superintendent's resignation - WABI-TV 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. West Bloomfield man sentenced to 65-year prison term in Indiana Parents who spoke to NEWS CENTER Maine say they are also concerned. Oxford Hills teachers cast vote of no confidence for superintendent - WCSH Trampled. AND THAT'S VERY CONCERNING TO US. On Monday, they unanimously appointed her acting superintendent. Matolcsy said her son, who has Down syndrome, lost a tooth during an incident in his classroom. Boyd listed a series of situations that cannot be addressed by an official 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. All rights reserved. Dr. Henson's full rebuttal statement can be found here. Oxford Hills Superintendent under fire at school board meeting Dr. Monica Henson forcefully denied all 27 complaints levied against her at a district board meeting. AND AS FAR AS WE'RE AWARE, THERE'S BEEN NO INVESTIGATION ON THAT. Id like to take a moment to clarify. Copyright 2022 TheAssociated Press. Maine DHHS confirms its investigation is also complete. That's what the union representing teachers in the Oxford Hills School District said about Superintendent Monica Henson when they put it to a vote. The full list of the OHEAs complaints can be foundhere. 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 is accused of grabbing a student by the arm and pulling him into an office while she was filling in as principal at Agnes Gray Elementary in September. "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 same limitations were applied to parents. Enter your email and password to access comments. Oxford school superintendent interviews this week open to public "We take those accusations very seriously," Jordan added. 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. Use the form below to reset your password. WE WANT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF SAFE. "We take those accusations very seriously," Jordan added. Oxford Hills school board names Heather Manchester as acting 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. It seems the superintendent doesnt understand what the grievance procedure is used for, which (is limited to) contractual disputes.. Parents and staff are concerned about Superintendent Monica Henson, who has been in the role since July 2021. Learn more. Heather was the person that came to everyones mind for that, as well as having the credentials. Paula Pasche has worked in a variety of positions, including 32 years as a sports writer, since she joined The Oakland Press. Oxford Hills also agreed to pay $5,500 for her lawyer fees. 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. She gave no reason for removing him from his coaching job. She was placed on leave Jan. 26. The crowd included employees and others who had to stand in the hallway. 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. 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. Waterbury superintendent defends use of school resource officer 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. Heres why. The student fell while she pulled him into an office, and the superintended fell on top of the student and used a restraint technique. If you are concerned about a child being . Only a dozen people spoke during the public comment session, but the meeting room at the districts headquarters on Main Street was packed with at least 50 employees and community members stuck in the hallway outside. The Oxford Hills Teachers Union held its regular meeting on January 11 where a record number of people attended to participate in the vote. Tensions erupt at SAD 17 board meeting over no-confidence vote of "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. So there are a lot of valid things that staff are concerned about. There have been zero grievances lodged against me with the Board for any contract violations. You dont file a grievance if someone is a bad leader, he said. The chief curriculum officer is the unanimous choice to lead while Monica Henson is on paid administrative leave. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. Crime and Public Safety | "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. 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. Henson said at the time she used a limited restraint technique for a disruptive student. Oxford Hills superintendent on paid leave following student assault 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. The superintendent of the Oxford Hills School Department is being investigated by state and county officials after allegations were made that she inappropriately physically restrained a child. SHE WENT ON TO FORCEFULLY DENY EVERY ONE OF THE 27 COMPLAINTS GIVEN LT AS NIGHT. 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. Oxford Hills School District MSAD #17 | Paris ME Henson was placed on paid . 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. We had multiple eyewitnesses to the incident, and again, to our knowledge, none of them have been asked or questioned about about that. Oxford Hills Superintendent under fire at school board meeting - WABI-TV When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. Police: Alleged iPhone thief admits to similar crimes from people advertising on Facebook Marketplace ACCORDING TO THE RESIGNATION AGREEMENT WE OBTAINED.. HENSON AGREES THAT SHE WILL COOPERATE AND MAKE HERSELF AVAILABLE SHOULD ANY LEGAL CLAIM BE FILED AGAINST THE DISTRI. 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 If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. We had multiple eyewitnesses to the incident, and again, to our knowledge, none of them have been asked or questioned about about that. 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. "There's a lot of fear," Jordan said. The biggest concern is that theres an accusation of physical contact and verbal intimidation of students, Jordan said. 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. 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. 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. 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. While the districts investigation remains confidential, not all records are shielded under Maine law. 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. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Oxford Hills School District 232 Main Street South Paris, ME 04281 Phone: 207-743-8972 Fax: (207) 743-2878 "Every time he smiles, and I see the hole in his face, I'm reminded that the oversight in this district isn't where it needs to be," said Aranka Matolcsy of her 10-year-old son. On Jan. 19, directors instructed district Chief Child Services Officer Jan Neureuther to report the incident to DHHS. There are concerns that staff just feel like when they try to express something, it just gets dismissed. Please wait for the page to reload. Crime and Public Safety | Oxford Hills School District agrees to pay $174K to resigning 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. Here we are four months later and her rights are still being trampled on.. On Wednesday, Feb. 2, an interview is set for Todd Bidlack, Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services, Bloomfield Hills School. 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.. 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.. The Oxford Hills School District. "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. "Being denied access to his classroom is against every recommendation of every advocacy organization and institution," Matolcsy added. (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. "And as far as we're aware, there's been no investigation on that, and that's very concerning to us. HARTFORD - Waterbury schools Superintendent Verna Ruffin defended having school resource officers in city schools before state legislators . 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. They don't represent the majority of the community," Henson said. 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. AS YOU SAID.. Included on Tuesdays agenda was a request for the board to approve Hensons selection of Cathy Bickford as permanent principal of Agnes Gray. Success. 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