Stead staff say reapply-for-job plan damaged morale after district announces new building

Teachers, counselors, parents and community volunteers from Stead Elementary told the board the district’s requirement that staff reapply for positions at the district’s new Stead facility cost the school a large portion of its staff and hurt students.

Multiple staff members said the December announcement that every employee would need to reapply upended preparations for the new Stead building and eroded trust between the school and central office. By the May 13 board meeting teachers, parents and volunteers described at least 11 certified teachers who had left the site and characterized the decision as demoralizing and disruptive to student supports.

Why it matters: Staff at high-needs, Title I schools said continuity and trusted adult relationships are irreplaceable for many students. Public commenters at the board meeting described students who rely on school adults for basic needs, stability and social-emotional support and said disruptions will affect classroom safety and learning.

What speakers said - Teachers who presented their accounts described long service in the district and deep community ties. Rachel Pipkin, Katie Pitts, Carrie Hart, Jerilyn Harshberger and others described families who had asked whether their child’s teacher would be at the new building and said they had lost long-term colleagues and volunteer program support. - School counselors and special-education staff (for example, Lindsey Ramirez and Karen Valaitis) emphasized case management burdens and said they feared service gaps will grow as staff depart. - Parents and volunteers described Stead as the only stable adult environment for some students and said the staff change creates uncertainty for families.

Context and district explanation District staff had said the new facility would be a replacement building but that, in this implementation, central office planned a competitive hiring process for the new site. After the December announcement, Stead staff said some teachers received offers or outreach from other schools before Stead’s internal processes were completed; staff reported that the combination of the hiring approach and communication practices led many to seek positions elsewhere.

District officials told trustees they had not intended to cause disruption and that hiring processes for new or modernized schools vary by project and timing. The board and superintendent acknowledged the strong emotional response from staff and families and said some elements of the practice could be revisited; trustees urged improved communication.

Board action and public response - Hundreds of public comment minutes at the May 13 meeting were devoted to Stead; dozens of staff, parents and volunteers spoke. Several Stead staff members identified themselves as long-time district employees and said they felt undervalued by the requirement to reapply. - Trustees heard the testimony and said they would consider the public input as the district finalizes steps related to the Facilities Modernization Plan. Some trustees urged better coordination and earlier engagement with affected staff and families.

Clarifying details - Stead is a Title I site of roughly 660–740 students (speakers cited numbers during public comment). Staff said at least 11 certified teachers had accepted positions elsewhere after the December notice; multiple other staff indicated they were still deciding. - Public commenters asked for clearer, written guarantees for currently employed staff when a school is rebuilt or replaced; trustees asked staff to review administrative guidance and the relevant board policy.

Ending Stead community members asked trustees to prioritize continuity of staff and to ensure future school modernizations preserve existing staff-student relationships where feasible. Trustees committed to continued discussion and to return with more concrete administrative options where possible.