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Board approves personnel actions including liquidated damages; resignation of district instructional leader draws public praise
Summary
The Liberty Elementary District board approved personnel actions by a 3–2 vote that included applying liquidated‑damage provisions tied to resignations. The meeting also recorded the resignation of district leader Natasha Camp and multiple public comments urging the board to retain campus leaders and investigating teacher‑turnover causes.
At the Dec. 12 board meeting the Liberty Elementary District governing board approved personnel action items, including the application of liquidated‑damage language for resignations, in a 3–2 vote. Vice President Chris Kenyon, Member Paul Cerencioni and President Brian Parks voted aye; Members Paul Bixler and Kelly Zimmerman voted no.
Superintendent Dr. Court Munroff had earlier noted the resignation of Natasha Camp and thanked her "for her professionalism and her dedication to the students, the teachers, the families in our district." Board members used the personnel discussion to publicly praise Camp’s leadership and contributions to the district’s recent gains in student performance.
Multiple speakers during public comment asked the board to retain campus leadership and raised concerns about teacher retention. Joshua Joyce, a fifth‑grade teacher at Estrella Mountain, asked the board to be supportive of the school’s leadership and to keep principal Lindsey Boros in place. Parent and volunteer speakers echoed that praise: Tiffany Painter said Boros is “an irreplaceable part of our Estrella Mountain family,” and Ashley Wright told the board she volunteers heavily at Estrella and asked the district to look at the causes of teacher departures.
Wright cited district turnover figures from this school year and alleged that 13 teachers have resigned so far and that a number of departing staff chose to pay liquidated damages — $2,500 as cited by the speaker — rather than continue teaching. Wright said policies such as liquidated‑damage clauses and limits on social‑media commentary are driving concern among staff. The board did not take additional formal action in response to those specific claims at the meeting, though members asked for follow‑up items (see below).
Member Bixler and Member Zimmerman explained their nay votes on the personnel item as opposition to applying liquidated damages for resignations; both praised Natasha Camp and said they did not want to apply punitive charges to departing employees. After the vote, President Parks announced the personnel motion passed 3–2.
The board did not hold an executive session on new related items that evening; members requested additional future agenda items to examine climate surveys, exit‑interview practices and trimester data to better understand turnover and support retention.
