On the last day of school, teachers’ contracts at Independence Academy, formerly Shiloh Charter School, were up for renewal. For three of the middle-school teachers whose contracts were not renewed, the news came as a shock.
They weren’t the only ones surprised.
Parents, and present and former, students banded together to form a petition to get Donelle Casselman, Melanie Weitz and John Bull reinstated as teachers at the school.
“I was very shocked and heartbroken for our own children, families and students,” Casselman said. “I know in my heart we did absolutely nothing wrong.”
At the monthly board meeting Tuesday, June 9, petitioners spoke on behalf of the teachers. Because of their voices, the board decided to host a workshop at 4 p.m. July 13 at the school cafeteria.
“It’s going to give us a couple of weeks to find out some more information,” board member Charles Harris said. “There were a couple questions that were good that were brought up.”
Many of the parents and students who stood to speak wanted to know why the teachers’ contracts were not renewed for another year, especially because the teachers were some of the most involved at the school.
As co-teachers, Casselman and Weitz were teacher mentors, helping others with grade books and rolling over vacation hours, and organized National Junior Honor Society, eighth-grade graduation, yearbook and community service fundraising efforts for veterans, all while having a history of high test scores. They, along with Bull, also took the seventh- and eighth-graders on end-of-the-year field trips. This year, they went to DaySpring in Ellenton.
“Before my kids hit sixth grade, they did not like school,” parent Taylor Baker said. “Miss Casselman and Miss Weitz turned that around for them.
“We, as a community, deserve to know why they were let go,” Baker said. “And there’s no way you can replace them.”
The board does not make decisions on contract renewals. Neither does Charter School Associates, the management company for Independence Academy.
“We provide advice at the HR level,” Mike Strader, president of CSA, said.
The decision is up to the administration. Principal Shane Clark let the teachers know of the status of their contracts in after-school meetings Friday, June 5.
“When I make the decisions for school, I always make decisions for the students,” Clark said. “It’s a personnel decision. I am not at liberty to discuss the details.”
Casselman said she was the one who brought up contract renewals to Clark after other teachers were signing theirs.
“‘It’s just not working out’ — that’s what he told me over and over again,” Casselman said.
Four students praised the teachers for their work in the classroom at the meeting.
“Mrs. Weitz and Mrs. Casselman weren’t just my teachers; they were my role models,” one student said.
“Change is really hard,” parent Rebecca Finklea said. “As humans, we don’t like it. If we can just understand why this decision was made, that’s where a lot of our emotion is coming from.”
But not everyone disagreed with Clark’s decision.
“I can see why some people were let go,” Steve Cooper said. “Mr. Clark has turned the culture around at this school … I am happy with those decisions, and this is part of changing the culture of this school.”
Over the weekend, the petition had gathered 390 signatures as of the board meeting. The school reported that 62 of the signatures were from parents with children presently enrolled at the school: 36 elementary parents and 26 middle-school parents.
“It was important to listen and give everybody time to speak,” Harris said. “Everybody made really good points, had really great stories, and no matter what side everybody was on, they were respectful. Everybody’s trying to do the right thing and take care of the students.”
Casselman and Weitz feel the same about the students and school.
“I want the school to be successful. I want the teachers to pour their heart and soul into it,” Weitz said.
“There’s nothing that I wouldn’t have done for my students,” Casselman said.
WHAT’S NEXT
The board will host a workshop at 4 p.m. July 13 at the Independence Academy cafeteria.
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
