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Show Board Responds to Queries on Personnel Changes An inability to say "no" resulting in administrative deficiencies and budget problems were identified as major areas ot concern in the ability of Dr. Jerald Hawley to continue as principal of Cedar High School, a group of concerned citizens were told at a special meeting of the Iron County School Board Friday evening. Klein Rollo, who served as spokesman for the Board further ' identified inadequate evaluation of faculty and staff as a major concern that led to the decision to change the administrative assignment of Dr. Hawley. i "We felt that the assignment at the North Elementary would be a more adequate setting to use the leadership abilities of Dr, Hawley," Rollo said in identifying the position of the board in administrative changes that were announced May 25. In that change Vernile Matheson, who has served as principal at Parowan High School was shifted to Cedar High School; Quentin Bowler, who served as principal at the North Elementary was shifted to Parowan High and Dr. Hawley from Cedar. High to the North Elementary. A delegation of citizens met with the board in its June meeting requesting information that contributed to the specific change of assignment of Dr. Hawley. At that time the board responded in general terms. "Under pressure," Dr. Gwen Clark, vice president of the board stated "it was agreed that another meeting would be held at which time more specific information would be given. With the receipt of a letter from Dr.. Hawley authorizing that the matter might be aired in public meeting, we have met tonight to respond to that request," Dr. Clark stated. As a representative of the Board, Rollo stated that evaluations were an essential part of an administrators responsibility and that Dr. Hawley had, under duress completed evaluation in 1978 and after the regular deadline. "This resulted in Dr. Hawley's salary being frozen early, this year. Then when evaluations came in--on' time for the current school-they ranked every teacher "strong" .then verbally related deficiencies to the board," Rollo stated. Other points indicated a lack of support of the Board, the failure to . follow the proper chain of command and always "assuming the good joe approach and pushing the decision making on critical areas to someone else," it was emphasized. "It has been infurred in the early . meeting with the board that Cedar High School was at rock bottom with no where to go but up when Dr. Hawley assumed his administrative responsibilities. Tha simply is not true. Programs, morale , and discipline were every bit as good or better under previous administrations," ad-ministrations," Rollo stated. Also discussed were programs that had been undertaken in the district to t help recognize excellence in academics such as the Sterling Scholar Award which was promoted through SEDC. Information produced by the committee relative to drop outs were also challenged with indications that the development of a strong Adult Education High School completion program had picked up the slack for those not attending. "There are 70 students enrolled in the adult program from the Cedar High School attendance area of which 43 are full time students," Rollo stated. |