Shakeup underway at second failing OKC district school
In a scenario similar to one playing out at North Highland Elementary, Oklahoma City Public Schools is replacing the principal of a second failing school with multiple teaching vacancies.
Thelma Parks Elementary Principal Rejeana Payne will not return for the 2017-18 school year, which begins in less than two weeks. Payne will be replaced by Pam Hibbs, the district’s early childhood director, The Oklahoman has learned.
A district official would not confirm the changes, citing “personnel issues.”
“As of today, Ms. Payne is still the principal at Thelma Parks Elementary,” said Beth Harrison, the district’s communications chief. “I cannot comment on any other personnel matters at this time.”
District teachers are scheduled to report July 26. Students return to school Aug. 1.
As of Tuesday, Parks had eight classroom teaching vacancies. Harrison said the district is considering stipends to attract certified teachers to the school, 1501 NE 30, which received an F grade on the latest state report card.
“We have had a teacher ask if a stipend might be possible and we are investigating the possibility,” she said. “However, nothing has officially been agreed upon or offered on behalf of the district.”
Last month, Superintendent Aurora Lora recommended the temporary closure of North Highland Elementary because she couldn’t find a qualified principal or fill several teaching positions.
She changed her mind before the school board could consider the proposal, announcing an agreement with two unions that would pay a $3,000 bonus to certified teachers who fill openings at North Highland and a 10 percent stipend to the base salary of a certified principal who takes the job.
As of Monday, Harrison said the district has “made offers for all core teaching positions” at North Highland.
“We are waiting for candidates to sign and return those contracts,” she said, adding that 93 percent of the district’s 2,500 teaching positions are filled.
As for North Highland’s new principal, Harrison said the district is waiting for her out-of-state certification to be “processed.”
“We cannot make any formal announcement/ comment until she has a signed contract,” she said.
Ed Allen, president of the union representing teachers, said he has not been contacted by the district about the possibility of offering bonuses to fill vacancies at Parks.
“We’re open to it,” Allen said. “The district is going to have to realize that we have a good number of hard-to-staff schools.
“When do we start looking at other schools, and what’s our criteria for hard-to-staff schools?”
Allen said the North Highland bonus applies to existing teachers and not just new ones.
Parent Carmon Williams said she heard about the pending changes at Parks and applied to rejoin the staff at the school, where she was Payne’s administrative assistant two years ago.
A former PTA president at Parks, Williams said she is interested in filling an opening for parent liaison.
“With new leadership you’re going to need someone who knows the community and has a rela- tionship with the parents and is vested and that’s me,” she said. “I’m excited for a change, and eagerly anticipating growth at that school.”