Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Teachers and parents urge Cartwright board to reconsider nonrenewals of Spitani principal and assistant principal
Loading...
Summary
Multiple teachers and parents addressed the Cartwright governing board during public comment to protest the district's decision not to renew Principal Janet Hecht and Assistant Principal Brandon West at Spitani, praising their leadership and asking the board for transparency and reconsideration.
At the Cartwright Elementary School District governing board meeting on April 8, multiple teachers and parents urged the board to reverse or explain the district's decision not to renew contracts for Principal Janet Hecht and Assistant Principal Brandon West at Spitani.
"Since learning that Spitani's administrators, Brandon West and Janet Hecht, will not be returning next year, I have felt both deep sadness and confusion," said Shelly Pierce, a kindergarten teacher at Spitani, who described both administrators as mentors who "genuinely care about our students" and credited them with building strong relationships with families and staff.
Sedona Parks, who said she has worked at Spitani for five years, told the board, "Janet pushed her staff hard, but it's clear that she wants to be the best, and I want nothing but the best for our students. I am a better teacher because of Janet Hecht." Don Nixon, a parent and foster parent, said his family has relied on the administrators and called their departures "heartbreaking." Sandra Goles and others echoed those remarks, saying the administrators helped create a culture where students and staff thrive.
Cecilia Moreno, a retired teacher and longtime district resident, voiced broader concerns about the district's direction while supporting Hecht and West. Moreno also raised an allegation reported in a local publication about a separate superintendent hiring matter and questioned cuts and consultant spending she said contributed to the district's staffing decisions.
Board President Lydia Hernandez and other members listened but did not reverse personnel actions during the meeting; members noted that public comment is not a forum for board response to personnel disputes and that matters not on the agenda cannot be debated in detail during the call to the public.
The meeting record shows community members pressed for greater transparency about the reasons behind the nonrenewals and for the board to consider the disruption to school leadership and students. The board did not take immediate action on the personnel decisions at the meeting.
