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Benton Harbor board approves separations and shifts some intervention staff back into classrooms amid dispute
Summary
The board accepted multiple staff separations and approved reassigning certificated intervention staff into classrooms to address vacancies; some staff and trustees urged more transparency and individualized handling for employees who lost non‑classroom roles.
The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board on Oct. 14 accepted a list of separations and approved personnel actions that include transitioning certain certificated instructional facilitators and academic interventionists into full‑time classroom roles to cover vacancies.
Staff report H1 listed multiple resignations and separations; during the meeting administration and HR said the move was intended to place certificated employees in front of students to reduce the district’s reliance on uncertified substitutes. Administrators and HR stated the district identified roughly 18 classroom vacancies in core and elective subjects and proposed using available certified staff to fill those gaps.
Concerns from staff and trustees: public commenter Ashley Williams — listed on the separations report as an academic interventionist who resigned Sept. 17 — said she left under medical duress and urged the board to correct her personnel record and to consider her exit statement; she told the board she has been denied a recommendation for rehire by HR and said she wants her record corrected. Several trustees expressed sympathy, called for respectful treatment of staff and requested clearer documentation about how positions were evaluated and the committee decisions that led to reassignments.
Administration’s rationale: Dr. Simone Griffin and HR staff said the district conducted an HR committee review and concluded moving certificated staff back into classrooms would deliver more grade‑level instruction to students. The board majority said the action prioritizes students while noting the change causes adult disruption. Trustees asked HR to share the documents used by the committee and to provide exit‑interview records and other supporting data to the board.
Board action and follow-up: the board approved the separations list with one amendment — tabling the listing of one staff member (Jeffrey McCoy) pending confirmation of his official resignation date — and directed administration to circulate committee documents, vacancy lists and any exit‑interview materials. The administration said it would provide a clearer mapping of hires, vacancies and program purchases so trustees can see how decisions fit together.
