Hampton Cove Elementary Principal Fired (Huntsville, Madison: home, middle schools, activities)

[zenjenn]

Huntsville school board votes to fire Hampton Cove Elementary principal amid nepotism, fraud allegations | al.com

Sadly, I can't say that I'm surprised by the allegations. Is this termination under the direction of the new superintendent's leadership? If so, it bodes well for the future of Huntsville City Schools.

[Reactionary]

From the article:

Wardynski told reporters that the allegations against McGhee were brought to his attention on his second day as superintendent of the district. As he "peeled back" the layers, the wrongdoing got worse and worse, he said.

Why was Principal McGhee fired?

Wardynski said that... McGhee enrolled her 2-year-old niece in the system's pre-K program, telling the program's administrators that the child was older. The program is limited to children ages 3 and 4.

McGhee falsified the girl's date of birth on documentation in an effort to show she was older, Wardynski said. She also allegedly had her niece evaluated for special education services she knew the girl did not qualify for.

Wardynski further stated that in December 2010, McGhee contacted Onin Staffing, the company that used to provide temporary employees for the system, to end the assignment of an Onin employee serving as an aide at Hampton Cove. She then told Onin officials she knew of a "young lady who is trained to work with special needs students" who had applied at Onin that day.

The person McGhee recommended to Onin was her sister, Wardynski said. The address and phone number the sister supplied on her Onin application was McGhee's.

The sister was then assigned to work in the same pre-K classroom at Hampton Cove as the underage niece, the superintendent said.

...The superintendent further alleged that McGhee, during the 2010-2011 school year, advertised an after-school tutoring program that charged parents. The checks were made payable to McGhee.

McGhee, who previously served as assistant principal of Hampton Cove, is also accused of submitting fraudulent professional learning plans for several of her teachers after failing to prepare the plans for the 2010-2011 school year. Wardynski said the plans were fraudulent for several reasons, including the forging of teachers' signatures on the documents.

McGhee also had teachers sign blank plans and completed the proposed actions, steps, activities, outcomes, time lines and goals without the teachers' input, Wardynski said.

Wardynski told reporters that the allegations against McGhee were brought to his attention on his second day as superintendent of the district. As he "peeled back" the layers, the wrongdoing got worse and worse, he said.

The superintendent said he spoke with teachers involved in the situation and had documented evidence against McGhee, including the niece's birth certificate.

What does McGhee say?

McGhee said the allegations against her are false. She said she was on full evaluation last year and worked closely with Dr. Ann Roy Moore, the system's former superintendent, and other central office staff.

IMO we will be hearing about this type of behavior (and worse) for the next year as Wardynski keeps uncovering wrongdoing.

[ckj2011]

I think the new superintendant is doing a phenomenal job so far, and I hope that he can withstand the backlash that will certainly come from some of the public concerning his decisions. His decisions concerning the coach and principal were right on the money, if said allegations agains the principal are true. It takes a strong leader to make the hard right choice, and I feel like he is showing his mettle.

[AJBarney]

She said she was on full evaluation last year and worked closely with Dr. Ann Roy Moore

All that needs to be said...its past time to drain the educational swamp in Huntsville. Good for the new supe - maybe "accountability" will be more than a word in the dictionary.

[bmrisko]

Looks like Dr. Wardynski is starting to break up the "sisterhood"...2 thumbs up!

[Maya Blue]

And just think that Dr. arm is sitting at home making $99K this year. If it is found that she was covering this up among other things, the school system better try to get that money back.

As for this principal, I'm waiting for the local ACLU leader to threaten the school system again on Monday. This should be fun.

[tammie2]

Dr McGhee currently has HCES wrapped up in IDEA hearings for denial of special ed services...probably what was brought to his attention on day 2.

The district was also forced to enter into a resolution agreement through Dept of Ed OCR(Office of Civil Rights) for discrimination as a result of Dr. McGhee's actions. There was no follow through on the resolution agreement signed by ARM...which will likely result in another suit against the school.

None of this surprises me and actually gives me hope that HCS has a bright future!

[TC2coolmom]

until they get rid of a lot of there teachers principles and staff , things with them will never change. Most of there schools are understaffed and is in bad shape and they do not teach on grade level for the most part. Highlands fifth grade is like most other cities third grades . They are so far behind. They need to give those teachers pink slips and give them test and do more background cheeks and get new fresh teachers with new ideas and tear down those falling down schools. Build a large enough school to combine three elem. and two big ones to combine at least three or four of the middle schools and new high schools and combine a few of them. If most cities in the country have found it too help and it has worked else ware , they need to try it in Huntsville, . That is why i have mine in Madison city. Bob Jones has 22000 student in three grades and it is a great school with most students passing above average for the state.

[ConfusedinMadison]

What's the status of the Drunk Football Coach at Grissham that was driving a school vehicle on school grounds over the weekend with a .12 BAC?

[CP79]

There will be racism charges over this, guaranteed

That one preacher in North Huntsville will be invovled