The Plea
“ We are urging you, as our elected representatives, to please do your due diligence before making a decision to renew the Superintendent’s contract.”
That was the strongly worded plea from four mothers, parents of nine children in the Atlantic Highlands and Henry Hudson Regional school district outlining a number of concerns they have with Dr. Tara Beams, superintendent of the three schools in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands. Hired two years ago by all three schools in a shared services agreement, the superintendent is apparently requesting that her contract be renewed, this time for five years rather than the current three years.
The Terms
Under terms of her present contract, and in agreement with state law, the board of education MUST give the superintendent a full year’s notice if they do not plan to renew her contract. That means that prior to June 30 of this year, the three boards of education must decide whether they will give another contract to Dr. Beams beginning July 1, 2025.
The Response
However, in spite of the letter from these concerned parents being sent via e-mail to each of the 26 members of the three boards of education, Highlands included, not one single elected board member has even acknowledged receipt of the letter, let alone given any response to the parents.
The Meeting
These parents, and many others, plan on attending the March 21 meeting of the Atlantic Highlands board and most like the March 22 meeting of the Henry Hudson Regional board to express their concerns in person.
The Question
Their main question to board members? “What has happened to our school?”
Parents also presented a list of complaints and concerns to VeniVidiScripto today after their letter of Feb. 22 remains unrecognized or acknowledged. By any board member.
While the letter focused on the Atlantic Highlands elementary school, issues were raised about the 7-12 Henry Hudson school as well.
The Letter
In a two page detailed letter, four parents who signed the letter, mothers of children in the Atlantic Highlands school district, some attending Henry Hudson Regional School too, stated their credentials as concerned citizens. In addition to being parents, they said their nine children have had the experience of 50 different grades in the K-6 school, not including the preschool. All are members of the PTO, one is a former president, one an Education Foundation member, many are class parents “multiple times over.” They did not need to add, but their credentials showed they are active school volunteers.
However, they pointed out, first and foremost, they are “huge fans of this wonderful little elementary school and the teachers and students that inhabit its halls every September through June.”
And what has happened and is continuing to happen in their schools? That is absolutely terrifying them.
Not Alone
Nor are they alone. The four parents point out there are many other parents who feel as they do, some fearful of retaliation if they speak out, some for other reasons.
All seem to be in agreement the problems began when Dr. Tara Beams took office as administrator of the Henry Hudson tri-district.
The unanswered letter highlights a number of serious educational concerns, morale failure, and social and emotional problems which have developed in the past two years and which all parents strongly feel are not related to school changes because of Covid.
Rather, they said, “over the past two years we have watched educational programs, specialty teaching and staff disappear one by one.”
Regionalization
All the attention given to the regionalization of the schools that “already work together and share services” has taken the focus off “the only things that really matter, the kids and their education.”
Certainly Covid had an impact on the emotional and academic needs of the children, they explain. But the focus since than has not been on helping them recoup what they have lost.
School academics haven’t helped any youngsters, they explain….neither the one who needs extra help nor the “one who wants to be pushed further.”
A Story
The letter tell the sad story of a fourth grader, one of eight in the group who also had weekly tutoring sessions over the past few years. The youngster told her mom tutoring was her “favorite hour of the week” because it’s the only time she felt challenged academically.
Thirty-five hours a week in a classroom in the Atlantic Highlands Elementary School and the ONE hour of tutoring was the only hour that met her needs academically. That child no longer attends the tax supported public school, her parents put her into a private school where her academic challenges are met and she is learning.
That’s one of the questions asked in the unanswered letter “Why are we taking away programs that support our accelerated students? “
Obligation
Members of the school boards, in not acknowledging the letter of some very concerned residents, may argue they do not act individually, nor do they have the right to make promises to anyone. Everything is a board decision.
They are correct in all of those areas.
But school boards have an obligation to represent the concerns of the citizens, taxpayers and parents alike, and they are the ones who are right now considering whether to offer Dr. Beams another contract, be it for three or five years.
To do their jobs effectively they must listen to the parents whose children are being educated. They must listen to the teachers whose job it is to instruct these children. They must ask Dr. Beams herself some questions about why there is such a current uproar in what for many years has been a happy, peaceful union of upper management, teachers, parents and students.
And Board members must also realize that in addition to being elected to their positions, they are neighbors, friends, club members, church goers with the parents of the children they teach. They meet them in the grocery store or the local restaurant, perhaps share a cup of coffee with them some morning or a glass of wine with them at some social function. That will remain, whether they are on the board of not.
Common Courtesy
So wouldn’t it just be common courtesy to send back an e-mail to these very concerned parents and simply let them know you got their letter? Shouldn’t every board member be concerned enough about all the letters and comments they have received to call a special meeting to talk about it?
Shouldn’t the parents and all taxpayers feel secure their elected board members are really listening, really concerned, and not simply rubber stamping the administrator that comes to their meetings and submits her reports in a timely fashion? These are the people footing that $180,000-plus annual salary of a superintendent who is under so much discussion and seeking reappointment in a couple of months for a contract that does not end until July a year from now?
Maybe it’s time at least one member of any of the boards sends an e-mail to very frightened and concerned parents to at least let them know they got their letter, they will bring it up to the board, and will come back with some answers immediately after the meeting with the other elected officials.
Next: More concerns, more questions.
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