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12/21/2021 01:41 PMThe newly established Board of Education Personnel Subcommittee held its first meeting on Dec. 13 and discussed the goals of the committee.
Following an Oct. 16 story published by the Connecticut Examiner that reported on allegations by former Clinton school teachers that the Clinton Public Schools had systematically harassed older teachers for several years, the BOE voted to establish a new subcommittee dedicated to personnel issues in November.
BOE Chair Erica Gelven explained at the Dec. 13 meeting that as far as membership is concerned, “This is a standing committee of the board; the membership includes any and all members.”
Gelven explained that the mission statement of the group includes reviewing and providing “input in the areas of staffing levels, selection and hiring and onboarding, personnel policies, staff supervision and evaluation, human resources processes and procedures, legal requirements, and...contract negotiations.”
When the public read the allegations in the Examiner article the reaction by and large was one of shock, anger, and disappointment. Subsequent BOE meetings were heavily attended with several attendees calling for greater transparency. The formation of the personnel committee was a move that was welcomed and commended by residents and members of the BOE alike.
Gelven told the Harbor News after the meeting that “Much of the discussion was focused on the charge of the subcommittee—what boards of education can do in terms of personnel—and how this subcommittee contributes to the operations of the district.”
“Conversation was also directed at the important work ahead of the board and the district, in the development of both the budget and the strategic plan. Both guiding elements closely involve our staff, and we are considering ways to incorporate staff voice with fidelity and respect into these processes,” she added.
Earlier in 2021 Gelven said that subcommittees usually meet once a month but they could meet more often depending on the volume of work to get through.