RMS principal hiring process draws concerns from staff

To the editor:

The majority of staff at Rochester Middle School are concerned and seeking answers regarding the principal hiring process from both the school board and district leadership.

We would like to make our cause known to the public, who may have similar concerns and questions. An email requesting a meeting to discuss this was sent to the school board chair, vice chair, and acting superintendent. The email was signed by 50 members of the faculty, including more that 70 percent of the teaching staff, and more later showed interest by adding their name since.

We received a response from the school board denying the request to meet and answer our questions, and saying that the board chose their candidate as suggested by "the district". We received no response from the acting superintendent, but separately a staff member who is also a district parent was able to get a response, and has facilitated a meeting through RMS Principal Ryan Gilpatrick.

As the school board is denying participation in this discussion, we look forward to hearing what the acting superintendent can clarify about the process. There are policies regarding professional staff hiring, including staff input in decision making that were seemingly disregarded. The staff are also seeking clarification about the role of the "cabinet" in this process, a collection of new high-powered, high-paying positions that were created by Superintendent Annie Azarloza prior to her going on paid leave pending investigation. The next principal of Rochester Middle School will be the fourth in a 10-year span, a timeframe in which the school has also had 15 different assistant principals. This high turnover at an administrative level creates instability and difficulty for the loyal staff who remain at RMS year after year. The building staff numbers have dwindled significantly in recent years, leaving us with more responsibility and fewer resources. All of this affects the education that is available to our students, and they are our number one priority. We additionally speak up for our students who were told they had a voice in this process, and yet their consensus was also ignored.

Middle school matters, and the staff of Rochester Middle School are asking for their voices to be heard as we advocate for what we and the adolescents of this community not only need, but deserve. If you think that the middle school matters, we hope that you will join our movement and start asking questions too. Keep an eye out for upcoming committee and full school board meetings, where staff and residents have the opportunity to make public comments.

Al Spader

Alison White

Allyson Smith

Annah Kelley

Ashley Cierri

Brad Ott

Brianne St. Pierre

Caryn Costello

Cori Brown

Curt Lalonde

Danielle Cepetelli

Elizabeth Callahan

Elizabeth MacMillan

Elyse Cookson

Eric Diamond

Eric Maserati

Jackie Therrien

Jay Gallipo

Jen Duprat

Jennifer Verville

Jill Saia

Kate Brown

Katelyn Saia

Katie Grace

Katie Prieto

Kayla Wark

Kelleigh Killingsworth

Kelsey Lloyd

Kim Leake

Korianne Moore

Kristen Sturtevant

Larry Driscoll

Lea Marshall

Lex Buzzell

Marie Bahlert

Mark Sampson

Mary Mojica

Megann Woodman

Melissa Files

Melissa Gamirov

Michelle Shaw

Nicole Dale Hogan

Nicole Fontaine

Rachel Rouillard

Rob Fortier

Sam Fantasia

Sandi McPadden

Sara Keller

Sarah Carri

Scott Prieto

Shannon Baxter

Talyn McGarrity

Tracy Smith

Travis Burnham