Parent asks board to order independent review of Newmark Elementary office conduct, cites staff fear and lack of responsiveness

Antoinette Hatch, a parent at Newmark Elementary, used public comment to request a board-level review into ‘‘ongoing concerns involving office conduct, communication practices, and a broader culture of fear among staff.’’

"I have experienced repeated unprofessional conduct from the school office, specifically involving the school secretary, Dina Carreras," Hatch told the board. She said she had been referred to, and told others had referred to her as, "the stupid hatch lady" and that her phone calls were left unanswered or placed on hold instead of being documented for callbacks.

Hatch said a restorative conversation had been proposed and scheduled but that the staff member later became unavailable and no timeline could be provided. She said multiple staff and teachers had anonymously expressed fear of retaliation for speaking up. "When both teachers and office staff feel they cannot safely voice concerns, that signals a systematic issue," she said, and asked the board to consider an independent review or investigation that would allow confidential interviews without fear of retaliation.

Board members acknowledged the comment and later included a follow-up request on the meeting summary asking district staff to review the public comment about Newmark Elementary and report back as appropriate.

Why it matters: Hatch’s request frames concerns about school administration and staff climate as a district-level governance issue. If the board authorizes an independent review, the investigation could include confidential staff interviews and policy or personnel recommendations.

The board did not take immediate formal action at the meeting beyond adding the item to the meeting summary for follow-up.