Disgruntled Parents Speak Out Against School Board, Superintendent

A group of discontented  parents are on edge about a recent unilateral decision by Superintendent Cheryl Rogers to appoint one principal and one assistant principal to and Kenwood elementary schools.

Several parents showed up for Monday night's school board meeting and at least a dozen went up to the podium and addressed the board during public forum. More then 60 people packed the board room at the for what was perhaps the most heated board meeting of the school year.

Rogers sent a letter to parents last week announcing the appointment of Schalm Principal Patricia Pell to both Schalm and Kenwood elementary schools and the hiring of Suzanne Kropfreiter as the assistant principal of both schools. The current Kenwood principal, , is retiring this year after 14 years of working in the district.

While Rogers said she believed this decision was in the best interest of the kids, parents say the leadership change was unethical because they didn't have any input and there was no job posting for the assistant principal position. 

Rogers said it's been about 40 years since the school district appointed one principal to two schools.

“We know that you have every right to appoint Mrs. Pell as the leader of both schools," Kenwood PTA president Kimmi Carlesimo said, addressing the school board. "But to create a new position without posting it, interviewing for it or in some way involving the families and staff of either elementary school, Kenwood or Schalm, was sneaky and disappointing to say the least.”

Rogers said she hopes to create consistencies in curriculum and other school components by having the same principals running both schools. However, the district has not yet figured out how the schools will transition into this new leadership change.  

Toward the end of the meeting, Rogers pleaded for parents to give the new idea a chance.

"This decision is one that I thought I had to make," Rogers said. "I don't think it's something that people would normally vote for. Sometimes you have to take the plunge with some faith and trust that what's really at the heart is what's good for our kids."

But many disgruntled parents say their frustrations are not with the appointment of Pell and Kropfreiter, but the lack of transparency in the process.

"These vacancies should have been announced," said parent Caroline Dylewski. “To many of us, this appears to be a back-door deal."

Several parents say school board member Tony Urbanik told them at the Kenwood PTA meeting in May that there would be a parent committee to aid the selection process of a new principal. Carlesimo said Urbanik advised parents to email Rogers if they wanted to have input.

However, Urbanik said he never made any promises and the selection process was out of his control. 

"I apologize if there was a misunderstanding," Urbanik said after the meeting.

Past issues arise

Parents and teachers also used public forum to address other concerns with the leadership decisions in the Clawson school district, including investigations of Schalm teacher Scott Just, who was suspended for three unpaid days in June 2010 for having a digital picture frame in his classroom with nude photos of women. The district also investigated Just for a 2009 allegation of sexual harassment against a former Schalm teacher who now works at Kenwood. 

School board President Kevin Turner said the sexual harassment charge was investigated by the district and found to be unsubstantiated. Rogers said Pell did an internal investigation of the incident and resolved the issue between Just and the other teacher, Carrie Burnard. The two teachers taught a fourth-grade class together in 2009. 

But Burnard addressed the board on Monday and said Just did sexually harass her, leaving an emotional impact on her and her family.

"You should be ashamed," Burnard said to the school board. "I'm actually embarrassed that I worked there."

Rogers said after hearing Burnard's remarks at the meeting, the district plans to reopen the investigation.

Police and school investigations concluded that the photos on the digital picture frame were "unintentional," Turner said. Just was given the three-day suspension under the Michigan tenure law for "poor professional judgment," he said.

"He has a legal right to the job," Turner said.

Just is currently working at Schalm to help with grants for the school and will return to teaching in the classroom this fall, Rogers said. Parents say they are not happy Just is still in the district. 

“So now my daughter has to suffer and our values have to suffer," said Kenwood parent Alan Wiechert during public forum.

Moving forth with leadership

A few attendees at the meeting discussed the bright side of this controversial issue. Schalm secretary Sue Slenker said during public forum that Pell is the perfect fit for the job of running both schools.

“She is the most amazing person I’ve ever met in my life," Slenker said. “She always puts what's best for the children first."

Former Schalm and Kenwood teacher agreed.

"If anyone can run both schools, it would be Patti Pell," Sutherland said.

Rogers said Kropfreiter is an experienced educator and former principal of Romeo and Rochester school districts.

Parents will have a chance to meet and speak with Pell and Kropfreiter at Meet & Greet events at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Kenwood Media Center and 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Schalm Media Center.