Create one. "We take those accusations very seriously," Jordan added. The agreement was presented to Henson and she resigned on Monday. OHEA would like to report that there was an overwhelming response to support a vote of no confidence for Dr. Henson. "There's a lot of fear," Jordan said. People are feeling afraid. 232 Main Street. Maine Superintendent Accused of Restraining Child Resigns. by CBS 13 January 25, 2022. SOUTH PARIS (WGME) - The controversial superintendent of Oxford Hills schools, Monica Henson, has been put on paid administrative leave while allegations of her assaulting a child are investigated. "We take those accusations very seriously," Jordan added. You dont file a grievance if someone is a bad leader, he said. While the districts investigation remains confidential, not all records are shielded under Maine law. 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. We had multiple eyewitnesses to the incident, and again, to our knowledge, none of them have been asked or questioned about about that. 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. Oxford Hills School District MSAD #17 | Paris ME face shields may be an alternative for those students with documented medical or behavioral challenges who are unable to wear masks. Notably, 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. 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 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. 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. Tentatively board action to hire the new superintendent will happen March 14, with March 28 tentatively set for the first day of work. "It's a . 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. 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, 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. To date, no letters have been received during either the first or second quarter.. Three parents addressed the board, two with children with disabilities who they said are not receiving proper support. 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 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. Learn more. We want our students and our staff safe. Henson said that Clarke had allowed outstanding bullying incidents to go unchecked, a claim also pushed back on by Arntsen. Teachers union lists complaints against Monica Henson, six months after she started the job. 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. 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. Firefighters used ladders to rescue at least five people from a burning Indianapolis apartment building where others reportedly jumped from third-floor windows to escape the smoke and flames, A mistrial was declared after a jury in southern Arizona was unable to reach a verdict on a murder charge against a man accused of killing a 6-year-old girl, A now-shuttered Wisconsin substance abuse center and its CEO owe the government more than $2 million in a Medicaid fraud case. Boyd listed a series of situations that cannot be addressed by an official grievance. There are concerns about COVID and how that's being handled. 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. Paula Pasche has worked in a variety of positions, including 32 years as a sports writer, since she joined The Oakland Press. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. Success. 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 . The Oxford Hills School District has agreed to pay their former superintendent Monica Henson $174,500. Maine school to pay former superintendent $174K, according to resignation agreement, CLARKE JOINS US LIVE IN STUDIO TO EXPLAIN THE CONDITIONS OF THAT AGREEMENT. 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. A Department of Education spokesperson said they have not decided about whether they will revoke Hensons license or take any disciplinary action. 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. All rights reserved. The full list of the OHEA's complaints can be found here. JORDAN SAYS SHE HOPES TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD TO MAKE SURE STAFF AND. Oxford Hills School District will be a bully-free zone, effective immediately. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Henson said at the time she used a limited restraint technique for a disruptive student. We had multiple eyewitnesses to the incident, and again, to our knowledge, none of them have been asked or questioned about about that. WE HAD MULTIP ELEYEWITNESSES TO THE INCIDENT. Crime and Public Safety | In her resignation letter, Henson wrote I am proud of the changes I was able to implement and the management changes I made., 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). Please wait for the page to reload. She was. 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.. The teachers union also recently sent a vote of no confidence to the school board. "And as far as we're aware, there's been no investigation on that, and that's very concerning to us. As for the allegation of inappropriately touching an elementary school student in September, Dr. Henson wrote that the parents of the student saw no issue with the way the situation was handled. On Monday, they unanimously appointed her acting superintendent. I recommend that we make Cathy the permanent principal. To clarify, a vote of no confidence means, a vote showing the majority does not support the policies or leader of the governing body.. The Oxford Hills Teachers Union held its regular meeting on January 11 where a record number of people attended to participate in the vote. She said the union overwhelmingly passed a vote no confidence for Superintendent Monica Henson on Jan. 11. There are concerns that staff just feel like when they try to express something, it just gets dismissed. Nicole Carter/Advertiser Democrat. IN RETURN FOR HER RESIATGNION AND PROMISE TO FILE NO CLAIMS AGAINST THE DISTRICT. It should not be allowed at all. THE AGREEMENT STATES THAT THE DISTRICT WILL PAY HENSON 1- HUNDRED - 74 THOUSAND AND 500 DOLLARSN I EXCHANGE FOR 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. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. 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. 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. 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. Matolcsy said her son, who has Down syndrome, lost a tooth during an incident in his classroom. She has instituted a number of options I will be glad to share with the board in private session.. She was placed on administrative leave in January after being accused of grabbing a student at Agnes Gray Elementary School. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. 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. 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. DHHs officials also confirm that they were at the school Tuesday conducting their own interview. 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. Related Articles Months ago Oxford Superintendent Tim Throne announced his retirement that was due to happen in January. 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. The agreement also bars the district and Henson from talking about the situation publicly. ? 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. 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. "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. Success. 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 SUPERINTENDENT DR. MONICA HENSON IS ACCUSED OF CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR AND INTIMIDATN IO AMONG BOTH TEACHERS AND EVEN STUDENTS. Oxford Hills also agreed to pay $5,500 for her lawyer fees. In her rebuttal statement, Henson acknowledged using restraint on one child, adding there had been no injury to them and that the parent of the student made no objection in subsequent communications with her. Learn more. We want our students and our staff safe. 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. Don't have a commenting profile? Oxford Hills School District 232 Main Street South Paris, ME 04281 Phone: 207-743-8972 Fax: (207) 743-2878 Here we are four months later and her rights are still being trampled on.. Plow truck drivers prepare for Maine's third snowstorm of the week, Maine Wardens searching for missing Greene man. Monica Henson had been on leave. 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. Hi, to comment on stories you must create a commenting profile. Heres why. She was possibly referencing Clarkes letter of resignation Dec. 23, which the Advertiser Democrat has published online. His motion was seconded and approved by the board. Jeni, I am going to have to stop you there, Andrews said. I HAVE A COPY OF THE RESIGNATION AGREEMENT RIGHT HERE.. At an earlier press conference, Agnes Gray employee Brenda Parent, who had been substitute teaching on the day and witnessed the incident, said she wrote a letter to the board detailing what had happened, but it was ignored. Dr. Henson's full rebuttal statement can be found here. Heres why. Heather Manchester, chief curriculum officer for the Oxford Hills School District in Paris, addresses the board of directors in July 2020. That they would say that shes the lowest ranking when her staff are behind her 100% and always has been.. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. PORTLAND A Maine superintendent who resigned amid multiple investigations into her conduct will get a serious payout from the Oxford Hills School District. Nicole Carter/Advertiser Democrat. 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. 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. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. They will also pay her $5,500 in legal fees. 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. WE WANT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF SAFE. 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. Much of the anger was rooted in the resignation of Agnes Gray Elementary Schools longtime principal , Beth Clarke, late last year. They will also pay her $5,500 in legal fees. "There's a lot of fear," Jordan said. Login. Oxford Hills superintendent accused of creating culture of fear and intimidation, FROM OXFORD HILLS HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE STORY. Superintendent Dr. Monica Henson has been accused of assaulting a student at Agnes Gray Elementary School. Henson also claimed that the school did not have a code of conduct in its student handbook. 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. In all of my years here I have never seen the culture of the district soured in just six months. Andrews said the decision was reached after consulting with the districts attorney and Steve Bailey, head of the Maine School Board Association. "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. Waterbury Superintendent Verna Ruffin. Published: Apr. On Wednesday, Feb. 2, an interview is set for Todd Bidlack, Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services, Bloomfield Hills School. Letter from Superintendent - August 27, 2021 On Monday . Oxford Hills School District directors listen Monday night to Eric Bennett about his. Andrews told Jordan that she would be allowed to finish her statement if she spoke in broad general strokes without specific references. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. 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. Oxford Hills Superintendent Monica Hensons resignation was unanimously accepted Monday night after School Administrative District 17s directors gave her a unanimous no confidence vote. Dr. Henson's full rebuttal statement can be found here. "And as far as we're aware, there's been no investigation on that, and that's very concerning to 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 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. OXFORD, Maine (AP) A school superintendent accused of improperly restraining a student at an elementary school last year has resigned. So there are a lot of valid things that staff are concerned about.". 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. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WMTW-TV. 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. 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.