School board’s role in hiring sparks debate

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By Christina Scanlon

For the second time in as many meetings, Granville Board of Education members butted heads Monday over their role in the school district.

A lengthy discussion ensued when board president Audrey Hicks suggested a procedure to deliver to the board more information about potential new hires prior to the board signing off on the hirings.

The idea arose after an event in June when, during open session, it was suggested the board enter executive session behind closed doors to discuss the candidates named for appointments. Those to be appointed were in the room and the executive session did not take place.

To avoid a similar uncomfortable situation and allow board members to review information about the candidates, high school principal Camille Harrelson suggested a form be submitted to the board with facts about the candidate, according to vice president Suzanne McEachron.

Board member John McDermott said he had concerns over the proposal.

“I’m concerned about the negative implications,” he said. “You say it’s not second-guessing or micromanaging our administrators but I’m not sure if the information is going to lead you or us to make different decisions.”

McDermott suggested a compromise that he said could be a win-win for the board and new hires.

“Right now, we have very little fanfare when we welcome new teachers,” he said. “It’s anti-climactic. It’s a line item.”

By asking administration to introduce them, the new hires could provide the information Hicks is seeking, he said, by way of a celebratory welcome.

“This could be a good beginning of a new relationship with the new teachers,” he said. “I don’t want to undermine administration and new hires. The fact sheet might do both.”

By the time the candidates’ names reach the board for appointment, they’ve gone through a lengthy hiring process.

After submitting applications to a state program online, superintendent Mark Bessen explained, a screening committee made up of the principal and a group of teachers goes through the candidates, sometimes more than 200 for a single position.

The pool of candidates is pared down and list of top candidates, usually at least eight, is selected.

Those candidates are passed on to the interview committee, made up of the principal and another group of teachers.

Candidates normally go through at least two and often three interviews, then the committee and principal rank the candidates in order of preference for hiring.

The final candidates are then interviewed by Bessen.

Once a final selection has been made, it is passed on to the board for approval.

In a phone interview Tuesday, McDermott said: “In Audrey’s defense, her intention, I believe, is right, but what message is that sending the administration? She wants to know who we are appointing, but we already have a vehicle in place for that.”

Board members have the right to see the applications of candidates.

Though it was stated it was an administrator’s idea for the form, he worried there may not have been a choice.

“What really are they going to say? If they disagree with the notion and the exercise, they aren’t in a position really to voice that,” he said.

Other concerns were what could follow if the information provided led to the board disagreeing with an administrator’s choice.

“You’re better informed, but what are you doing with that information,” McDermott asked, begging the question of what the board’s role is in the hiring process.

Bessen said the process is part of checks and balances, assuring the process was not swayed by nepotism or favoritism and he suggested the board recall their governance training.

Governance is the responsibility of the board and involves setting goals, direction, limitations and accountability frameworks.

Management is the allocation of resources and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organization and that’s the responsibility of administrators.

Hicks said the information would not affect the appointment. “In my mind it doesn’t have to do with supporting it or not supporting it, it’s knowing who we are appointing,” she said. “Not just a name, not just a salary, but what is this person’s background.”

Board member Eric Scribner said those answers touch on a personnel issue, which is not the board’s duty and should not be public information.

McEachron disagreed.

“How can we as a board get a little more information on who we’re rubber-stamping, not that we’re questioning who we are hiring, but we want to know a little more about them and understand why they’re suggesting them.”

McEachron said she’s been asked by people about a new hire and couldn’t give an answer. McDermott suggested she direct such questions to the principal, who is part of the hiring process.

Hicks suggested a template could be created for Bessen to fill out and pass along to the board.

“Information that you want to give us, after you think you’ve gone through the whole process anyway, you can just send it to us,” she said.

Bessen questioned whether the information would be used “for gossip on the street.”

“Gossip on the street would never be a reason a board member would want information,” said Hicks.

Having spoken with board members in support of the proposal, Hicks said, “I feel it is my responsibility if I’m going to vote yes, on hiring a person that I know at least more than the person’s name and their salary. I’m not questioning the process. I’m trying to be a responsible board member.”

McDermott questioned the possible discussion of such a fact sheet by board members outside of the meeting, comparing the exercise to the previous month’s meeting when Hicks brought to the meeting a potential twice-monthly meeting calendar, that took Connie Resetar an entire day to compile.

Without board consensus, he said, human resources should not be spent on projects promoted by a minority of the board.

Finally, the board agreed to go along with McDermott’s suggestion for the new hires to be introduced to the board by administrators.

Hicks said she would pass the suggestion on to administration, saying perhaps Bessen should take the lead, to which he agreed.

“It’s sort of my job,” he said.