Willow Run school board cancels special meeting to name interim superintendent
A special Willow Run school board meeting called to discuss appointing an acting superintendent during Superintendent Doris Hope-Jackson’s absence was over before it began tonight.
School board President Sheri Washington told a small crowd of people gathered for the meeting that because of notice requirements, the meeting wouldn't stand up if challenged. She said it would be rescheduled as soon as possible.
At issue was the word emergency in the meeting notice. Washington said that requires a certain level of noticing that wasn't followed.
“I apologize on behalf of the board,” she said. “We want make sure this is 100 percent correct. We have decided to make sure we follow the policy to the letter of the law.”
The non-meeting did little to quell the questions about who is running Willow Run and who will be running the troubled eastern Washtenaw County district in the future.
David Houle, the district’s chief financial officer, is the second in command and has been running the district when Hope-Jackson isn't there.
School board Secretary Mark Wilde said Hope-Jackson has been gone from the district intermittently since the beginning of the school year. Washington said that is expected to continue indefinitely.
Neither Washington nor Wilde would disclose the reason for Hope-Jackson’s absence and would only say they expect it to continue in the near future. Houle and Hope-Jackson weren't at the meeting tonight.
On Monday, Houle accepted a job with the Ypsilanti school district as its chief financial officer. It was unclear Wednesday night when he will leave the district.
Also on the agenda for the canceled meeting was a resignation. No name was on the agenda attached to that item. Wilde and Washington said it was not Houle’s resignation. They would not comment on whether it was Hope-Jackson’s resignation.
At the end of the last school year, Hope-Jackson sent a letter of resignation to the board, but withdrew it a few days later.
She has been a controversial figure in the district since her arrival in 2007, due in large part to conflict with the teachers' union. Hope-Jackson transferred a number of teachers and counselors to different positions - moves she claimed were done to bring the district into compliance with federal law.
Last May, voters in the district ousted longtime board member Andy Blakita and voted in two new board members who had been critical of Hope-Jackson.
Washington has also been highly critical of Hope-Jackson and sparred with her both in public and in private e-mail exchanges in the past.
The district is operating under a state-mandated deficit elimination plan. It is projected to have a budget shortfall of more than $3 million at the end of the school year.
It also struggles academically, with standardized test scores consistently falling below the state average. In addition, Willow Run's graduation rate is just over 50 percent.
David Jesse covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2534.
Comments
YpsiReader
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 : 4:50 p.m.
I would much rather see this important meeting rescheduled and legal than be out of compliance with the law. It is very important for our board to be beyond reproach as they move toward a more whole and successful Willow Run.
Concerned Citizen
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 : 11:40 p.m.
Hasn't Hope-Jackson been variously away from her job in Willow Run on Mondays, taking "long weekends", if you will, since she began her employment at Willow Run? Has she also been "residing" in another state? Some of this was covered in Ann Arbor News articles last year, I believe.
dan obryan
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 : 10:21 p.m.
This is not helping the cause. calling a emergency meeting then canceling it.it makes this district look like it does not have a clue on what is going on..next week we as tax payers have to decide on a tax increase for the schools.in these hard times,every dollars counts.is Doris Jackson on the payroll or not.who ever hired her should be fired too. Tax payers have been paying the bill on all of Doris Jackson mistakes. Dont ask me for another dime if shes on the pay roll