The Francis Howell School District is under fire once more for the controversy surrounding the superintendent position and the hastened hiring and sudden departure of Dr. Mike Dominguez.
Leading into the present, our school is still dealing with the repercussions of these decisions, many members of the community are upset with the seemingly leaking treasury of the district. The overdrawn reconstruction of sister school Francis Howell North and this severance payout of nearly a year’s salary have led to much doubt regarding the fiscal responsibility of the board. Interim principal of Francis Howell Central, Dr. Robert Gaugh, feels that there isn’t much that can be done regarding these decisions.
“It’s just not something in my control. We have no impact on it, so why allow it to drive your work?” Gaugh said.
Control is a powerful thing, a thing that we as a community entrust the elected officials of the FHSD School Board to handle carefully. Time and time again, that trust is broken. The lack of transparency, especially regarding the superintendent situation we are currently facing, causes many, including French teacher and Francis Howell Education Associate Amy Roznos, to question their faith in the decisions of the board.
“I can see from the district’s perspective, you know, if they felt it was best that this happens. At the same time, though, it’s really difficult to trust the decision fully,” Roznos said.
Fiscally speaking, the neglect that Francis Howell Central has received over the years gives cause for the outrage that many members of the community have expressed. Exemplifying this “neglect” is the lack of technology that our school has in comparison to the sister schools, leading to many wondering whether or not some of these funds could’ve been used for our needs as well as the other schools’ needs.
Regarding this negativity that has shrouded the school the past few years, Spanish teacher Caitlin Crain wishes others could see past this and understand that there are many positives that come with being part of FHC.
“This is a great place to work and to come to teach… there’s so many passionate educators that care about kids and about the community” Crain said.
Despite the looming downsides, some positives come from the debacle. One such improvement is that the board will be much more likely to implement safeguards to prevent such a mistake. These safeguards may include a more extensive background check into candidates, a more in-depth search for candidates for the role, and a more standardized period of time to find candidates.
“I would assume that there will be safeguards and other things being put in place. Learn from your mistakes and grow as you move forward” Gaugh said.
Looking forward to the future of the position, these potential safeguards should be considered during the selection process as it is clear that change is desperately needed. As Gaugh put it, whether or not the board rises to the occasion lies ultimately in their hands.
