Park Parapros, Belotti Back in at D135 (Live Blog Transcript)

Update

Three Park School paraprofessionals who were fired after they were accused of not reporting misconduct in a classroom got their jobs back, as well as back pay for the time lost.

The Orland School District 135 Board of Education voted in favor of reinstating and settling with the paraprofessionals after about two-and-a-half hours in closed session. All present members voted in favor of the move. 

Tina Zekich did not attend Monday night's school board meeting.

"The Board of Education has found that the information obtained in the investigation conducted earlier this year does not support just cause for termination," D135 Board President Joe LaMargo read from a prepared statement after the vote. 

The board recently listened to six hours of recorded interviews in regard to the Park School special education class investigation, and found that statements in the recordings didn't match what was described in the "Facts and Findings" document released in April, LaMargo said. 

The board also approved Ellen Belotti's request to rescind her resignation as the district's Director of Special Education. 

All members present at the meeting voted in favor of accepting her request. 

Belotti did not specify why she wanted to remain in the position when asked, but said she was looking forward to the future.   

Original Post

The Orland School District 135 Board of Education will decide Monday night whether they will accept the return of the special education director.

Ellen Belotti, who has served as the district’s special education director since 2011, tendered her resignation to the district board in March, following allegations of misconduct in a Park School special education early childhood class. A classroom teacher also resigned, and paraprofessionals were later fired by the school board. 

Belotti has requested to take back her resignation, and the board will vote on the request during Monday night’s regular meeting, starting at 7 p.m.

Belotti was not available for comment Friday. 

"I'm happy she is rescinding," said D135 Board President Joe LaMargo. "She's an excellent employee. I was completely against that resignation in the first place. It was never the recommendation of any administrator for her to resign."

A decision is also expected Monday night in regard to whether the fired paraprofessionals can return to the district.

Orland Park Patch’s live blog through Cover It Live will provide minute-by-minute updates from the meeting on this page starting at 7 p.m. Look in the Cover It Live window above, and you’ll see an area where you can join in and offer your comments and questions. The same rules apply as on finished articles on the site.

Leading up to the meeting, let me know if there's anything you particularly want to know about in the comments.

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