The serene atmosphere of the FHSD Administration Office turned into anything but as the Thursday, March 5 Board meeting progressed.

7:20 p.m. The calm before the storm.

Board of Education President Mark Lafata walks into a room full of anxious students, parents, teachers, deans and principals. The rest of the Board follows shortly thereafter.

The Board meeting – originally scheduled for 7 p.m. – yielded approximately 40 people, many of whom were awaiting the Board’s decision in regards to the deans. In addition to the 63 position cuts the district had already chosen to make, Lafata made a motion at the Feb. 19 meeting to eliminate all six dean positions, two coming out of each high school. The Board voted and it came out to an even 3-3 tie, providing cause for last Thursday’s reevaluation.

After those in the room recite the Pledge of Allegiance, Lafata initiates a moment of silence for three deaths within the district. And the floor is now open to the public. Speakers from various organizations deliver prepared speeches, and FHN’s own Sue Herweck – who works with Special Education – takes the mic, touching on the important role deans play in allowing building administration to patrol the hallways and not be “paper pushers.”

“[The deans we have are] educators who want to take their teaching out of the classroom and to the next level,” she says.

A library paraprofessional from Daniel Boone then speaks about the extensive work required by the library and losing her job. She sits down as parents of FHN graduate Jay Palmer walk to the front of the room together to share a personal story. They speak about how vital of a role the deans played in their son’s graduation.

7:46 p.m.

The last of the speakers finish making their comments and Principal Darlene Jones attempts to speak on behalf of the Administrative Association. Because she is a member, but not an officer of the group, Lafata denies her the opportunity.

The Board quickly gets down to business: they approve a donation of two SmartBoards worth over $7,000 total and then an Early Retirement Incentive Plan. Lafata challenges some comments made by the public in regards to the deans. A man seated toward the back of the room speaks up and says he wasn’t given his chance to speak. He delivers a quick sermon on the effect deans have on the character of their students, and sits back down. It is then discovered that an officer from the Administrative Association had arrived, and after a little convincing, a clearly frustrated Lafata allows her to present her information. Once again, the reiterated message is stressed: the deans should stay.

8:07 p.m.

The fate of the deans – including first-year FHN deans Thomas Potteiger and Lisa Pirrung – is now in the Board’s hands.

The discussion begins.

A member proposes that one dean in each high school is kept as a dean, and that the other dean in each building should become an FTE (full-time employee). A second motion is thrown out by Board Treasurer Ken Schaller, and the sound of whispers in the room gradually grows.

The Board then discusses whether deans should be allowed to continue to work the 15 extra days they typically get paid for each year. Other concerns rise.

“No one exactly understands what their duties and responsibilities are,” Board Director Mike Hoehn says.

8:18 p.m.

Hoehn accidentally spills some of his drink.

Debate continues, and Vice President Terry Black makes a motion to keep all six dean positions. Lafata challenges him.

“You probably need to resign from this school board, Mr. Black.”

Despite the disgusted reaction of many of those in attendance, Lafata continues. By name, he snidely calls out Jones. He points out that he had received 31 complaint e-mails from FHN, but only three from FHC and two from FHH and tells her he knows where the fight is “coming from.” Murmurs throughout the room increase.

An older woman near the front turns to her neighbor and complains. “Did he seriously just call her out like that? I thought no one was supposed to call out people individually. Does it not apply to him too?”

Lafata further questions Black’s motion. Black defends himself, stating that the remarks made by the public tonight had no effect on his decision.

8:26 p.m.

Lafata calls a five-minute recess, and leads Black into another room. The rest of the Board soon follows.

Upon their return, Lafata and Black clarify that while in the other room they were on the phone with Superintendent Renee Schuster, who had not been able to make it that evening because she was out of town.

8:36 p.m.

Schuster is put on speakerphone with a microphone in the board room, allowing her to be heard by all those in attendance.

She explains her thoughts of the dean situation, and expresses what she feels was a necessity to turn some deans into FTEs who would be heavily involved with the PLC (Professional Learning Communities) process.

However, changing the dean positions to FTEs would require the district to allow the public to apply for the positions as well. So not only would job titles change, but those who occupy them could be changing as well.

Hoehn questions the purpose of simply “retitling” the deans.

The motion to keep all six deans is once again brought up, and Lafata asks Board Director Mike Sommer to withdraw the “second” he made on the motion. Sommer refuses.

“I don’t see any reason to create a new position because we simply don’t like the name dean,” Sommer says.

Lafata pushes for a vote to be held, and the motion loses 4-3. Board Director Marty Hodits proposes an amendment to the motion, requesting that a new job description for the “FTEs” be determined by administration in both the high schools and Administrative Office. Still on the phone, Schuster requests that teachers be added to the amendment, seeing as they should also be involved with the determination.

The Board and meeting attendees alike are entirely confused, and continually ask for clarification. Lafata pushes for vote after vote to be held, but some Board Members insist they need more information before they take part in any vote. A slur of confusing “votes” are held, and Schuster speaks up with a new, more specific motion.

“I move to approve,” she says, “six FTEs for the high schools to be used to support teachers and students in the PLC process and I direct the Administration to develop job descriptions and titles to be brought back to the Board.”

Some Board members expressed concern once again that the deans could potentially lose their jobs to individuals from the community, so Schuster added, “and the current six deans would occupy these positions.”

A vote is held on this proposal, and it passes with a 4-3 vote.

9:10 p.m.

The tension in the room simmers, and the quickly Board shuffles onto different business, extending their congratulations to accomplished students and teachers throughout the district. Board Members are allowed their final comments.

9:27 p.m.

The meeting adjourns.

“I was cautiously optimistic,” Potteiger said after the meeting. “[But] this is how the position has always been. We fit the needs of the students on a year to year basis. This job has always fluctuated based on duties and other things.”