(Photos and video by Chase Steinman.)
The decision was made during a special meeting of the Clarion-Limestone school board on Wednesday night.
The board voted 8-1 in favor of passing the motion to eliminate the position, currently held by Erin Hockenberry.
The board pointed to Section 1124.2 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code of 1949, which states that any school board can eliminate employees at the recommendation of the school’s administration “as a result of substantial decline in class or course enrollments or to conform with standards of organization or educational activities required by law or recommended by the Department of Education.”
Interim Superintendent J.J. Johnson, who also served as the district’s superintendent from 2009-2015 and on an interim basis in 2017, said the district will hire a full-time behavioral specialist in conjunction with the elimination of the elementary guidance counselor position.
Johnson explained the process that led to the elimination of the position.
“It is always a task each year to look at the programs that we offer,” said Johnson. “Naturally, we look at utilizing the resources that we have to the best possible manner to meet the needs of our students.”
Johnson stepped in on a temporary basis in March after former superintendent Amy Glasl resigned as part of a mutual agreement with the board in which she received a $10,000.00 severance settlement. Glasl had been on a two-month leave of absence prior to her resignation in May.
“The administration was given a directive to look at various issues that were causing the discipline problems.”
“We believe at the current time after what began to emerge prior to COVID and the result of the post-COVID impact, that it was best for the district to look at various programs and the resources that we have to create situations and programs in both our elementary and secondary buildings that would be beneficial for the health, safety, and welfare of our students.”
Johnson also noted that the district will place a school resource officer at the elementary school.
“Because of the recent events and the nature of the violence that we see growing across our land, it is extremely important that we protect the children.”
“Another thing that we have worked earnestly at was another program that includes a behavioral specialist at the elementary level.”
“When I first came here to the school district a couple of months ago, I asked everyone if they could please explain to me the top three needs.”
“Over and over there was a common thread that dealt with discipline and the issues that we were experiencing on the elementary level and the secondary level.”
When that theme started to emerge, Johnson approached the school board.
Johnson said the administration and the board began looking at various ways to “attack” the problem.
“When I started talking to the school resource officer and telling him about the preliminary plans, it became apparent that we needed to maintain and also improve our programs.”
“At the same time, it became difficult because we were facing a huge deficit with our budget.”
“We were trying to strike a balance with still maintaining our programs and still being able to protect both our students and our staff, so we started looking at various proposals that would be available for us.”
Johnson said after reviewing the various proposals, placing a behavioral specialist at the elementary became a priority.
“One of the things that I personally struggled with was advancing the school district knowing that I’m not going to be here, and that is a very difficult task for me to do. My heart and my soul have always been for C-L. I love the students and the teachers in this district, and I always will. With that in mind, it was very struggling.”
“I can’t tell you how many times I met with the administration staff and how many times we have played different scenarios over in our heads.”
Prior to the vote, an emotional Erin Hockenberry pleaded her case to the board for about four minutes during the public comments period.
“I want it to be formally known that I was not a part of any of these discussions,” said Hockenberry.
Hockenberry said that it would be impossible to detail the duties of her job during the limited time given in the public comment period.
“What I can tell you is that to eliminate this position would not only be detrimental to the C-L elementary but to the district as a whole.”
“The C-L school board’s mission statement reads that it is to ensure all, ALL in capital letters, students are prepared for college and successful life, academically, socially, and emotionally, as well as to have the necessary tools to have options and make decisions about their long-term goals.”
“Do you know that the elementary school counselor does all of those things?”
“Do you know what I do every day?”
“Part of what I do is to conduct classroom lessons with every single student in the building – focusing on life skills, social and emotional skills, academic success, and career readiness.”
Hockenberry went on to note that she works one-on-one with students in various situations, including 43 crisis calls in which students were “unable to maintain themselves in a classroom setting.”
“That doesn’t include the double-digit number of students at the elementary level who shared self-harmful and suicidal ideation statements in which I responded to this year.”
“If you eliminate this position, who will be meeting those specific needs of the students?”
“A school counselor is specifically certified to do so, not a behavioral specialist.”
Hockenberry emphasized that she is trained to deal with behavior issues and has assisted with the development of behavior plans during her time at C-L.
“I can give you what you need, if you give me the time and support to do it.”
“If it is all about the kids, I ask that you please do not eliminate a position that is vital to their success?”
Hockenberry also provided board members with what she described as a “lengthy email” outlining her duties and data showing them what she does in her role as elementary guidance counselor.
The public comment period continued for 45 minutes as approximately 15 community members spoke out against eliminating the position.
Gary Sproul, the only board member to case a “no” vote, voiced his opinion prior to the vote.
“I am an advocate for guidance counselors,” said Sproul.
“What we’ve gone through these last two years under COVID and some of the increase in mental health (issues) with our children…There is a need for counseling and group settings.”
“I am against eliminating this position,” said Sproul. “I think we need a guidance counselor, and I think we need more than that.”
Board member Dave Eggleton followed Sproul’s comments by asserting that the board should support the administration.
“We have to trust information brought to the board,” said Eggleton. “When we met with the administration and we knew we had a behavioral problem and a counseling problem, our administration came to us as a board and said ‘We feel this is the best way to go.'”
“As a board member, I have to support the administration.”
The elimination of the position will be effective at the end of the 2021-2022 school term.
In other business, the board:
- Approved a motion to amend the 2022 Homestead and Farmstead Exclusion Resolution to change the Clarion County maximum Homestead/Farmstead real estate assessed value reduction from $3,910 to $3910.50. The $3,910 was approved by resolution at the June 23, 2022 school board meeting.
- Approved a motion to allow Lee Park, Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds, to submit bids at an auction to be held on July 9, 2022, for the purchase of a forklift and any other items pertinent to school district operations.