By Diane Smith
Record-Courier staff writer
About 50 parents attended a meeting of the Southeast Board of Education to support the principal of the primary school, who will have to wait until March 31 to learn her fate.
The board will wait until that meeting to consider a recommendation by Superintendent Tom Harrison to not renew the contract of Christine Miller, principal of Southeast Primary School.
Meanwhile, the board accepted the resignation of Sharon Parrish, principal of Southeast Intermediate School, who tendered her letter of resignation on Tuesday. It is effective July 31, when her contract expires.
Several people who attended Wednesday's special meeting spoke in support of Miller, and referred to her evaluations, which were obtained by a parent and distributed publicly.
The latest evaluation, dated March 12, points to "decisions that are not student centered" and that her "vision does not comply with the vision that the current school board and superintendent have for this district."
"Because of this, it is my conclusion that Mrs. Miller should seek employment at a district with educational needs that are congruent with her skills," the evaluation states. "Consequently, Mrs. Miller's contract will not be recommended for renewal."
Kara Buell of Diamond said Miller instituted several positive behavior programs, including the "Pirate Way," and knows her children by name. She reminded board members that they are elected to "represent the community."
"Trust is earned, not given away blindly," she said. "There is an outpouring from the parents of our trust and satisfaction of Mrs. Miller ... Southeast schools have just begun to heal from the discord of the past four years. We are in a precarious position. I fear that if you refuse to renew this contract, you with have destroyed our fragile trust and place us once again in a state of discord."
Dan Miller, the principal's husband, said his wife often talks about how much she loves her job and the teachers who work for her. He pointed to "inconsistencies" between an evaluation given to her in 2006 by Dewey Chapman, former interim superintendent, and the ones given this year by Harrison.
He said programs his wife instituted have resulted in a 50 percent reduction in behavioral problems in the school, with some students achieving goals because they "want to say the pledge of allegiance with Mrs. Miller."
"Christine loves her job, she loves your kids, and why I have to defend her I'll never, never know," he said. "You need to renew her contract because it's the right thing to do."
Several parents were angry when the board limited the public discussion period to 20 minutes, saying they would remember it the next time the board asks for a levy.
Daniel Connell, Miller's attorney, asked the board to have its discussion in public, saying his client is entitled to a public hearing. After the board held an executive session instead, Connell tried to deliver his client's resignation.
Instead, board president David Kemble announced that a decision on Miller's status will be tabled until the March 31 meeting, when the board can have its legal counsel present.
A brief statement from Harrison stated that he is "not permitted to discuss issues regarding personnel" and directed all questions to Roetzel & Andress, the Akron law firm representing the district.
After the meeting, Miller said she did not want to resign but would do so to avoid non-renewal of her contract.
"I don't want to resign," she said. "I love my job."