Brandon Twp.- About 40 gathered on Wednesday night at the township library to discuss a controversy between some school board members and a group of residents over the hiring process of the new Brandon Schools superintendent Tom Miller.
‘As a citizen I was appalled,? said Laura Frye, special services teacher at Belle Ann Elementary who helped organize the meeting.
‘I didn’t understand ‘the explanation from the board was weak, no substantial evidence that he (Miller) was the right candidate. The school board totally disregarded the work of the site committee. I need answers. I felt wronged by the process.?
Frye’s comments stem from the Feb. 22 meeting where by a 6-to-1 vote the board of education offered the superintendent position to Miller, current assistant superintendent of the Port Huron area school district. Board trustee Karyn Milligan voted no on the contract.
The row started when several members of the site visitation teams including Frye and other teachers, administrators, a Parent Teachers Association member, two high school students and community members overwhelmingly supported Nancy Campbell, assistant superintendent for the Berkley school district rather than Miller. About eight members, who participated in the site visits and interviews addressed the board at the Feb. 22 meeting with both their findings and recommendations.
At a cost of $17,500 the search for a new superintendent was conducted by Grand Rapids area based T.D. & Associates after current superintendent Bart Jenniches announced his exit after nine years last summer.
Many on the site teams visited the Berkley school district Feb. 10 and the Port Huron school district on Feb. 17. Each team member was provided a profile approved by the school board of what to look for in a superintendent as part of the search process.
The board’s decision to go against the ‘grain? of the site teams prompted Wednesday’s meeting.
School board president Beth Nuccio, board trustees Gina Muzzarelli and Nancy Strohschein attended the meeting and defended the decision’suggesting that the selection process was flawed.
‘Too much weight was given to the site committees,? said Nuccio. We as a board need to look at the bigger picture. Tom Miller was stronger in all areas. It’s over now. We’re not showing a good face’how is this helping our kids??
Connie Babb, PTA president at H.T. Burt elementary school questioned the board’s use of the information gathered by the site committee.
‘The process was terrible, I didn’t realize our committee work was not going to be considered at least by the board, maybe they didn’t realize it either.?
Judy Learst, a community member for the past 32 years addressed the forum.
‘We have had divisive issues in our community and our district in the past before,? said Learst. ‘It takes a long time to heal from that disunity and we’ll get mired in controversy that will be our focus, not our children’I don’t think we want to do this.?