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Parents and colleagues criticize district leadership after second‑grade teacher Jennifer Covey resigns
Summary
Multiple community speakers recounted the resignation of second‑grade teacher Jennifer Covey, described procedural confusion and alleged uncorroborated accusations, and urged the Honeoye Central School District board to investigate leadership and communication failures.
Several community members used the board's public comment time to press the Honeoye Central School District for answers after second‑grade teacher Jennifer Covey resigned this week.
"I was told my contract would end on 01/07/2025," said Jen Covey, who introduced herself as a former HCS teacher and described being told tenure would be deferred pending a master’s degree requirement and later being offered an extension with three performance improvement areas. Covey said she never received documentation supporting the complaints and that she resigned "with a broken heart." (Speaker: Jen Covey)
Bonnie Sykes, a longtime former theater director at the district, described similar disruptions after an allegation led to a standstill in theater activities. "I praise Mrs. Covey for stepping down and knowing that in the end, the value of what we were trying to teach to students was much more important," Sykes said, adding that she and Covey had been cleared of wrongdoing according to allegations she described. (Speaker: Bonnie Sykes)
Bill Covey, who identified himself as a coach, volunteer and husband of Jen Covey, urged trustees to exercise their hiring and oversight responsibilities. "You have the essential priority statements concerning student outcomes... you have to approve or deny the recommendations of the superintendent," he said, calling on the board to "take that responsibility very seriously." (Speaker: Bill Covey)
Parents described the immediate impact on students. "My daughter was sobbing in my arms for her teacher that isn't coming back," said Tammy Jay, who said the district scheduled a meet‑and‑greet 22 days after students had already started class and called that a failure of administration. Another parent, Terry DeVey, recounted his son's reading progress in Covey's class and asked the board to reconsider the decision to remove her midyear. (Speakers: Tammy Jay; Terry DeVey)
Board members thanked speakers for coming and said the board would move on to business items. The public speakers asked for clearer communication about personnel decisions and stronger engagement with families when midyear teacher changes occur. The board took no immediate public action on personnel during the comment period; later in the agenda the board approved several routine personnel motions (see separate article on board actions).
