Parents press board over sudden kindergarten staffing change; board rescinds personnel line for further review

Parents and residents confronted the board over the removal of a kindergarten teacher whose assignment they said had been publicly listed through June.

Parent Nina Kundra told the board the issue was "not about Ms. Appleby" but about consistency: she said families were told in December that Ms. Ligotti would remain through the end of the school year and that the reversal, announced only weeks before year-end, left parents and children blindsided. "These are kindergarten children. Stability matters," Kundra said.

Another parent, Rich Koos, said his daughter had begun to thrive under Ms. Ligotti and described the change as abrupt and poorly handled. At the second public comment period Jesse Gonzowski said the board itself had listed Ms. Ligottithrough June 30 on a prior agenda and asked, "what changed, and why werent any of us given the respect of a real conversation before the decision was made?"

Board response and action: A board member (Darius) moved to rescind or pull the single line in the personnel package that affected Ms. Ligotti so the board could revisit the matter. The motion was seconded and carried by roll call. The president said the board would return to executive session to continue discussion of personnel matters and that no further public actions or resolutions would be taken that night.

Why it matters: Parents and teachers argued the change risks destabilizing kindergarten students in the final weeks of the year; the boardtook the procedural step of rescinding the line to allow further consideration consistent with board rules and legal counsel guidance.

Next steps: The board moved to executive session to discuss personnel issues and said it could not promise an outcome that night. Members indicated they would seek legal advice and return with further information at a future meeting.