Witt chosen as Eugene Ware principal

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

The USD 234 Board of Education approved a new principal for Eugene Ware School following a closed session at its regular monthly meeting Monday night.

After spending about 40 minutes in executive session to discuss personnel matters for non-elected personnel, the board approved the transfer of Stephanie Witt, currently an instructional coach at Fort Scott Middle School, to the position of Eugene Ware principal for the 2017-18 school year. The approval was among several other employment items the board approved after returning to open session.

Board members approved Gary Billionis’ motion to approve the hiring recommendations of Superintendent Bob Beckham. Board members Michelle Parker and Michelle Hudiburg were absent. Board President Jordan Witt, who is Stephanie Witt’s brother-in-law, abstained from the vote.

Stephanie Witt will replace longtime Eugene Ware Principal Dave Elliott, who has been a school administrator in USD 234 since 1993. Elliott’s contract ends in June and Witt will take over in late July, Beckham said.

Beckham said Tuesday three candidates for the Eugene Ware position were interviewed prior to spring break in March.

“There were a total of nine applicants for that job,” he said. “A short time before that, we interviewed six candidates for the Winfield Scott principal position. There were a total of 14 applicants for that job. Two of the candidates we interviewed for the Winfield Scott job applied for the Eugene Ware job, so we did not re-interview them for the Eugene Ware job.”

Beckham said a committee that included teachers, classified staff members, a couple of board members and Beckham interviewed those candidates. Candidates for the Eugene Ware positions included Stephanie Witt and two people from outside the district.

“Shortly after spring break, it was confirmed and we offered her (Witt) the job and she accepted,” Beckham said. “I took the recommendation to the board and they acted on it.”

Beckham said all certified positions within the district are advertised internally through the district’s email system and posted on www.kansasteachingjobs.com. Witt is a licensed teacher, although other credentials were not available at press time.

Beckham said rumors circulating in the community that Witt’s hiring was previously planned or decided, or that nepotism was in play, are not true. The Tribune has also received some phone calls and emails calling into question Witt’s hiring.

“It’s absolutely false,” he said. “It was my decision and my decision alone to not recommend him (Elliott) for re-hire … and I was told to hire the best person for the job. I was never given any direction from the board or in making this (Witt’s) recommendation.”

The district has a policy on nepotism, which Beckham said essentially states that “no one could be in a position to supervise or evaluate an employee they’re related to.” Beckham said he will be Witt’s direct supervisor.

“So a husband could not evaluate or supervise his wife directly, or his sister,” etc., Beckham said.

“The board has not directed me to do anything,” he said.

Beckham said Witt’s starting salary will be “a total package of $67,000,” which Beckham said will be less than Elliott’s current salary. That figure “mirrors exactly” the salary of Joy McGhee, who the board has hired to replace Marianna Daugherty as principal at Winfield Scott after Daugherty retires at the end of this school year.

“So we’ll have two first-year principals next year at the same salary,” he said.

The board Monday only approved Witt’s employment but an official contract has not yet been approved.

“None of the administrators have an official contract,” Beckham said. “This was just approving employment and she will start in late July. She will complete her current instructional coach contract and start a new contract in July.”

At a special March 10 board meeting, the school board stuck by its February decision to not renew Elliott’s contract for the 2017-18 school year. A resolution the board approved at that meeting states the district should also inform Elliott “that he may file a request for a meeting with the board, to be held in executive session, by filing a written request with the board clerk within 10 days after his receipt of the notice of the board’s intention of non-renewal.”

Beckham said Monday Elliott “did not appeal” the board’s decision.

Beckham has said Elliott was “not recommended for re-hire” next school year.

School officials have declined comment on the reasons for their decision to not renew Elliott’s contract as it is a personnel matter. Board president Jordan Witt said after the special meeting the board supported a recommendation from Beckham. Witt declined comment on rumors in the community surrounding the reason for Elliott’s non-renewal such as school finances and recent lower test scores at Eugene Ware School.