Disgruntled Midland Elementary parents vent at Poway Unified board meeting
Disgruntled parent volunteers at Midland Elementary School on Tuesday night asked the Poway Unified School District board to help resolve differences separating them from the school’s administration.
Several parent representatives told the board they felt their efforts to help out on campus were not appreciated and the school’s long-time atmosphere of cooperation between teachers, staff and parents had been damaged.
“Parents feel that our feet have been kicked out from beneath us,” said parent Jennifer Chevrie, a nine-year volunteer at the school.
Parental dissatisfaction was clearly directed toward Principal Tracy Liu, although only one parent, spokesman Rob McKay, mentioned her by name. Liu is in her first year as Midland principal, having been assigned to the campus after a short stint as an assistant principal at another district school.
McKay was critical of Supt. John Collins and district staff for what he said was a lack of leadership on the issue.
“Something has gone very wrong at our school,” McKay said. He said he met Monday with Liu and while there were indications that a “stakeholders” meeting would soon be held, no details were worked out.
“People are begging, we need your help,” McKay told Collins and the board.
An e-mail sent by McKay to the News Chieftain last week said that in the past year over one-third of the teachers at Midland Elementary have left, the Midland Educational Foundation Board of Directors resigned en masse, the PTA president has resigned, student test scores have declined and “our campus morale has fallen to heartbreaking levels.”
On Tuesday, a tearful Aubrey Paris, the former foundation board president, said she felt the “school leadership” was pushing parents and teachers into separate corners and urged the scheduling of a meeting involving all parties.
Several dozen audience members were from Midland school, including teachers and staff members who said they just wanted the crisis resolved so that the campus could focus on educating students.
Board members made no comments following the remarks by the parents.
In other matters, the school board:
• Approved the creation of the Educational Technology Advisory Committee, the first of four planned panels that will include community members. Members will be appointed for one-year terms, will meet at least four times and will prepare a report at the end of their term. Future committees are expected to focus on the school budget, curriculum and the district’s capital improvement bonds. The board’s intent to create the committees was praised by Mary Baker of Citizens for Quality Education and by former school board candidate John Riley, who called the move “incredibly symbolic, a change in direction toward transparency.”
• Heard Dr. Darlene Willis, co-founder of the Concerned Parent Alliance, express concern that none of the district school web sites mention Black History Month. She also asked that the district do more to promote College Bound San Diego, a program designed to help prepare minority students for college.
• Approved a new policy regarding how the board will select the district’s representative to the Personnel Commission.
