Although Saucon Valley superintendent Dr. Monica McHale-Small’s current contract doesn’t end for nearly 9 more months, the Saucon Valley School Board is scheduled to vote on whether to extend it for another three years at their meeting Tuesday night.
The board’s agenda posted on the school district website includes under “Recommendations for Approval” the following item:
Elect District Superintendent – To elect in accordance with 24 P.S. 10-1071 and 10-1073 Dr. Monica McHale-Small for a term of three years beginning July 1, 2017 and ending June 30, 2020.
Some parents, however, are preparing to tell the board “not so fast.”
“Prior to making significant monetary and policy decisions, the Board should poll all stakeholders to insure that the direction it’s taking is in accordance with the views of the community,” the petition says. “Three years ago, the District conducted a similar survey to gather the opinions of all stakeholders. It is long overdue for the Board to conduct another public survey.”
In addition to the survey, the petitioners are asking the board to postpone their vote on the new contract “so that all stakeholder input can be gathered to determine whether this decision is aligned with the interests of the community.”
“A decision that will affect the School District, the Community and, most importantly, the education of our children, for the next three years should be undertaken with great deliberation and consideration for ALL stakeholder input,” it goes on to state. “It should NOT be rushed through the process of posting and voting during the course of one meeting. The Board has taken longer to vote on less significant issues than this. It is only fair that the Board gather all stakeholder input by public survey and take the necessary time to do so.”
As of Monday morning, 44 people had signed the petition, which is being circulated via social media posts.
“Our community needs to have a say in the overall satisfaction of our current Superintendent,” said signatory Amy Bedner in a comment posted on the petition. “It’s important for a survey to be done and our voice be heard before the Board makes a decision.”
And supporter Jena Brodhead wrote that there “is a great disconnect that is apparent to anyone attending meetings and functioning within the district. There is no harm in seeking the opinion of stakeholders.”
That disconnect was recently on display during the departure of high school principal Eric Kahler, whose resignation was accepted by the board last month.
Kahler was on an unexplained leave of absence from the start of the school year, although that information wasn’t shared by the district with students and parents until weeks into the school year; a decision that–along with other things–drew some parent criticism at the most recent school board meeting.
McHale-Small said what information could be shared was shared when it was available to be shared, and that the dissemination process was “appropriate.”
McHale-Small has been the superintendent of the Saucon Valley School District since July 2013, when she was hired to replace former superintendent Dr. Sandra Fellin, who retired.
The school board meeting will be held Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. in the high school Audion room.
