Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Entire PPC resigns

An en masse resignation occurred with the Prescott School District's Personnel Policy Committee.

A letter dated Tuesday, Sept. 28, from each member of the committee detailed the reason for the mass resignation.

The letter reads, in part: "We appreciate the confidence you entrusted in use by electing us to represent you on the PPC. However, we believe that our efforts are no longer effective with the current superintendent and school board. We hope that a newly elected committee will have a more positive influence on our administration and school board."

According to the letter, this is the first time in PPC history in the district the committee has not been able to reach an agreement on major policy issues with the policymakers.

Throughout the history of the PPC, the letter states, the committee has been able to maintain 12 sick days per year for all employees, not just those with 12-month contracts, three personal business days and a 35 percent retirement benefit package, along with other benefits.

But, the letter states, "All of that was changed at the regular February 2004, board meeting, without the 10 working days notice to the PPC as required by law. The board voted 5-0 upon (Superintendent) Mrs. (Hyacinth) Deon's recommendation to accept the School Board Association's policies and repeal the present policies for our district. We were only able to retain our bereavement policy, sick leave bank and a broadened definition of family members from the PPC recommended policy book."

The committee members were: Donna Smith, chair, Pearl Bailey, Reba House, Ruby Hart and Agnes Morrow.

Smith, the PPC chairman, said the committee felt the board and administration wasn't willing to work with it and there had been no negotiations. Decisions were made on what Deon and the Board wanted, with the exception of the bereavement policy.

"I feel the teachers were done a disservice," Smith said, "taking benefits, being asked to go above and beyond the call of duty. Asking people to do more and cutting their benefits isn't a good thing. I feel we were at a stalemate."

Members of the PPC agreed, she said, they could do no more and it was time for "new blood". The board, she added, may not feel it has to dig its heels in with a new committee.

"They need to look at what they've done," Smith said, "and listen to the teachers and community. The community is not happy either."

Deon said it was the committee's right to quit, but the district needs to get a PPC together. By law, this must be done within the first quarter of a new academic year.

Deon presented a written response to the PPC's letter. It states, in part: "On behalf of the classroom teachers, administration and the Board of Directors of the Prescott School District I want to thank the resigning members of the Personnel Policies Committee for their work on the committee during the time that they served.

"The classroom teachers of each campus will now be directed to hold an election to select two new members to represent them on the committee.

"Let me also say that I am thankful that Prescott School District has a highly qualified staff that is capable of helping all our children achieve the required standards of academic performance set forth by the state. I appreciate all that they do for our children."

Deon also wrote the federal No Child Left Behind Act, along with the Ominbus Act, Act 35 and other Acts of the last two legislative sessions have redirected all state schools to focus on, and be held accountable for high standards in these areas: student academic achievement, student-teacher interaction time promoting effective teaching and learning and financial practices and overall fiscal health of the district.

It's the administration's and Board's legal duty and primary responsibility, Deon wrote, to propose and adopt policies that will support these mandates.

In a phone interview, Deon said she was shocked to learn the entire PPC resigned simultaneously. "There's never a dull moment."

Until a new PPC is elected, the board and administration cannot act upon any policy issue. To do so would be in violation of state law.

Calls to Scott Smith, general counsel with the Arkansas Department of Education, were not returned.