LITTLE ROCK — The Little Rock School Board’s June 14 approval of principal transfers among the system’s elementary schools left some parents and other community members unhappy with the changes.
In response, two parent groups petitioned the board to meet again about the changes. So the board has scheduled two special meetings - both Monday night - at 810 W. Markham St.
From 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. the School Board will listen to a presentation from WesternHills Elementary School parents and community members.
Superintendent Morris Holmes recommended - and the board approved - reassigning Western Hills’ longtime principal, Scott Morgan, to lead McDermott Elementary School in the 2012-13 school year. Teresa Richardson, who has been the McDermott principal, is assigned to Western Hills.
A second special School Board meeting at 7 p.m. will hear from families of students at Williams Traditional Academy Magnet School.
Williams Principal Sandra Register has been assigned to Terry Elementary and Terry Principal Lori Brown has been assigned to Williams in the transfer plan that affected 13 of 32 elementary-school campuses.
Jody Carreiro, the School Board’s president, said Friday that he does not anticipate the board doing anything more than listening on Monday.
“I’ve made it clear to the spokespeople for the groups that there are no action items on the agendas. This pair of meetings is for their presentations,” he said. “I hope it will be a learning session for all of us.”
Carreiro, who voted with the 5-2 majority in support of the superintendent’s plan, said Friday that he didn’t vote to place a principal anywhere, but voted for the superintendent’s recommendation.
“I know that sounds like semantics,” he said, adding: “If the superintendent hears all of this, and he wants to modify his earlier recommendation, I’ll certainly listen to that, and we will vote on that.”
Holmes, who has been the district’s superintendent for11/2 years, has the authority to transfer principals without board approval, but he has said he wanted board participation on such a significant matter.
He said the reassignment of some of the school leaders was a way to generate new energy in the district in a year in which no elementary principals resigned or retired. Holmes said that while some of the principals were receptive to the changes, some were reminded that they did not “own” their schools.
State law and school-district policy allow residents in a school district to call a special meeting of the school board by submitting that request in a petition signed by at least 50 registered voters from the district.
Arkansas, Pages 13 on 06/24/2012