By KATY SAVAGE
[email protected]
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — Several parents and residents have launched an anonymous petition calling on the school board to ask the schools superintendent to resign after the Union Street School principal’s contract was not renewed last month.
The petition, on the website, Care2, was signed by 56 people as of Tuesday evening.
The document states Springfield School District Superintendent Zach McLaughlin’s “decisions are not in the best interest of the staff, students, families of students or the community. He does not respond to parental/guardian calls or emails, and does not address important issues, not in a timely matter.”
Union Street Principal Nancy Wiese declined to discuss her contract renewal.
Wiese, 52, resigned March 26. Her last day will be June 30. She was principal of the school for two years and worked in the school district 20 years.
Wiese said she is sad to be leaving Springfield.
“I’m exploring other options,” she said.
Wiese is aware of the petition.
“I believe very firmly in the freedom of speech and I’m very honored that the parents of Springfield like me,” she said in a telephone interview. “I’ve been honored to work with their children … and I’m going miss them.”
McLaughlin also declined to discuss Wiese’s contract. He said it’s not the first petition against him.
“In this role you often have to make decisions,” he said, adding, “people need a place to direct anger.”
McLaughlin said it was “sad” to split with someone who had been with the district for so long.
Parents brought concerns to a recent school board meeting.
School board chair Ed Caron said he wasn’t surprised Wiese resigned, but he declined to say more.
School board member Jeanice Garfield said she’s known Wiese her entire life.
“I’m pleased there’s a petition going around,” said Garfield.
Garfield said parents have praised Wiese’s work.
“I heard she was very easy to talk with,” Garfield said. “(Parents) had connected with her, their children had connected with her.”
McLaughlin started advertising for a new principal on Friday and hopes to hire somebody within a month. Meanwhile, Wiese said she spent Tuesday in St. Johnsbury interviewing for another job in education.
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