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NEW CUMBERLAND -- The Hancock County Board of Education, Monday, heard from two county residents after the board's decision to appeal a decision concerning an ongoing employee grievance case.
At the same time, officials with the Hancock County Education Association announced a vote of no confidence against Superintendent Dawn Petrovich and four of the five members of the school board, also as a result of the grievance case.
During their March 14 meeting, members of the school board voted 4-1 to appeal the decision of an administrative law judge concerning the grievance of Mick v. Hancock County Board of Education. The grievance was filed by current Oak Glen Middle Principal Alyssa Mick concerning the selection of former Weir Middle principal, Sarah Parsons, to serve as the district's director of personnel. Parsons was named to the position by the board during its June 28, 2021 meeting.
According to information provided by Melanie Donofe, co-president of the Hancock County Education Association, a vote taken Friday showed 93.4 percent of responding school personnel had no confidence in Petrovich as superintendent. In addition, the information showed 92 percent of respondents had no confidence in board members Danny Kaser, Chris Gillette, Toni Hinerman and Larry Shaw.
The four board members cast the votes to appeal the administrative law judge's decision. An exact breakdown of the votes was not provided.
"The overwhelming support for a vote of no confidence in Superintendent Petrovich and the Board of Education sends a powerful message to the Hancock community and the entire state that the employees of Hancock County do not support the practices, policies, or illegal decisions being made by Dawn Petrovich and the Board of Education," Donofe stated.
The statement further pushes for change in school district leadership.
Not included in the HCEA vote was board member Michelle Chappell, the lone dissenting vote in the appeal decision.
Board members currently are offering no comment on the case.
Jonathan Pratt, who identified himself as the parent of a high school sophomore, addressed the board Monday, alleging numerous inconsistencies in the hiring process used for the post, and also asked why the school board was using outside counsel to represent it when legal representation can be available through the county.
Pratt said he was filing a Freedom of Information Act request on the issue, also claiming the state Board of Education may be asked to investigate.
"The residents of Hancock County are fed up," Pratt said, telling the board if their meetings were held at a later time, they would see more residents in attendance expressing their dissatisfaction.
Alyson Cowden, also a parent of a county student, said the board has set a poor example for the county's youth.
"It's not what you know, it's who you know," she said. "That's the example this board has set for our children."
Cowden asked the board to reconsider its decision.
(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com, and followed via Twitter @CHowellWDT)