What was said at Sargent School Board meeting

SARGENT - In a March 15 article posted to sandhillsexpress.com, Grant Winterer of KCNI/ KBBN Radio, who attended the meeting, reported the outrage from the community stemmed not just from the unceremonious release of Grint but how it was done.

“The Sargent School Board allegedly made the decision to let Grint go without prior public discussion or due process entitled a principal, bringing to Sargent’s mind heavy scrutiny of the board integrity,” Winterer reported.

Excerpts from Winterer’s article include:

A student who voiced her frustration said, “In my 12 years of going here, I have seen Mr. Grint do a lot of jobs not in his job description. He’s a bus driver, a janitor, a substitute teacher, a guidance counselor, a proctor, a lunch lady, a volleyball line judge, a clock runner, and many more. Not only does he do all these things, but he does so with a smile and a positive attitude.”

A letter read on behalf of Sargent faculty member LuAnn Schauda stated, “As I’m sure you are aware, there’s a severe teacher shortage. It is difficult to attract new school employees to our community … Adding and trying to fill a Principal position, Curriculum Director, Instructional Coach, and Athletic Director to the list of needed positions in Sargent is going to be difficult this late in the year, and finding good applicants is nearly impossible.”

Sargent alum and parent Mickey Schneider said, “Is anybody on this board going to make it clear to the public here tonight what led up to the events of the February meeting? Not everyone here was in attendance, and not everyone knows. There’s a lot of stuff being said, and we don’t know the facts.”

Tami Phillips, Sargent’s 6th-grade teacher and 27-year teaching veteran, said, “You as a school board member are the face of this school. You vote on items, you discuss agendas. But what do you really know about what’s going on in this school in the trenches, everyday activities? To be honest, some of you are only here for meetings, or only when there’s a problem, so I’d like to know where you get your information when you vote on certain issues like contracts or personnel.”

Winterer reported the applause following her comments was “amplified by calls for the resignations of several school board members.” He added, “The board entered a 40-minute executive session just before its 10:07 p.m. adjournment, itched by whispers of a recall election.”