The resignations seem to be related to a survey

The Harney County School District No. 3 board of directors has found itself in the unenviable position of having to replace three administrators by the next school year.

At the school board’s regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 12, the board accepted the resignations of Hines Middle School Principal Jerry Mayes, Burns High School (BHS) Principal Brandon Yant, and Superintendent Dr. Marilyn McBride. Board member Ralph Dickenson also announced his resignation from the board.

The unexpected resignations were seemingly related to a survey that had been circulated in the community. Board Chairperson Lori Cheek said a letter, that included a survey, was delivered to her home, as well as to the other board members. Cheek said it was upsetting, making allegations against staff of the district, mostly teachers, and she hopes “to never, ever receive anything like that again.

“I can’t imagine maligning people like that,” Cheek said. “You do a survey like that, or a questionnaire, and you have no idea if the same person entered into that, and did that 50 times, or if it’s somebody that just has an axe to grind. To me, the way that felt, felt exactly the way I felt when that assembly went up to that house up behind Safeway, and then went out and took over the refuge. It’s the same spirit of hate and dissension, and guys, do you think we better do something about that?

“I’m angry because we’re better than this. Now we have to replace almost the whole administration, and for various reasons. Good luck with this. We better pull it together. I’m sure going to try to do it. I hope not everybody steps off the board because God help us if we do that, and we’ll be letting the staff of this district down.”

Kathie Wassom, a teacher at BHS, told the board, “I just want to say, regarding the survey, I understand how you feel. There’s a whole bunch of us that pulled the survey, wanted it destroyed, and I’m sorry that it went beyond that.

“It should have been destroyed and not gone in because it was awful and it was not the intent. I am livid that it didn’t get stopped.”

Dickenson stated the document was a “cowardly way to present things.

“I’m fine with an open discussion, and I’m fine with whatever you have to say about me or anybody else, but I’d like to hear it from you. I don’t want it written down to make it look like it was a legitimate document, which it may or may not have been, who knows?

“When this thing first started, as a community movement, I myself, thought it was a good thing, but I didn’t know it was going to end up… you know this is a… I’m just too old for this crap. I definitely don’t want to have to deal with these things off of Facebook. This isn’t the way things used to be. This isn’t the Harney County that I grew up in, I’ll tell you that. That would have never happened here.

“But I get what you’re saying. I thought it was a poor piece of work.”

Cheek encouraged opening up “good communication, but not battle.”

The resignations are effective at the end of this school year.

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BHS teacher Jimmy Zamora and Eric Nichols with the Harney Education Service District reported Harney County schools had received a Career and Technical Education (CTE) grant in the amount of $368, 382.

Zamora said a portion of the  grant would be used to improve the metal shop and expand the greenhouses at BHS.

Nichols stated the grant will help bring math and science into the real world as students learn skills associated with the metal shop and the greenhouses.

BHS will receive about $290,000, and Crane Union High School will receive about $60,000.

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The board approved hiring Kyle Ruggles as part-time band and chorus teacher at BHS, pending licensure, and Connie Stinson as special education teacher at BHS. Stinson currently has a Nevada license and just needs to apply for an Oregon license.

The board also accepted a resignation from Kelly Martin from her position as life skills special education teacher at Hines Middle School.