Hopi Jr/Sr. High votes not to renew 12 administrator and teacher positions

POLACCA, Ariz. — The revolving door of administrators at Hopi Jr/Sr High School continues.

During a special school board meeting April 17, the school board voted to not offer contracts next school year to four administrators, four regular education teachers, three special education teachers and one classified staff member.

The meeting was held in the school board’s conference room.

Hopi Jr/Sr High School Governing Board President Ivan Sidney and Vice President Valerie Koyaquaptewa were both absent from the special board meeting, so all of the decisions were made by board members Laurel Poleyestewa, Sandra Dennis and Anita Bahnimptewa.

There were about 15 teachers and staff members in the audience, but for a special meeting there is no call to the public, so they did not have a chance to voice their opinions. The three members of the board went into executive session before coming out to vote on their decisions.

One of the Hopi Jr/Sr High School staff, who was offered a contract, called the 12 non-contract renewals the “Tuesday night massacre.”

The board held its regularly scheduled board meeting the previous week and had the teacher contracts on the agenda, but voted to table it.

A community meeting was held later that week where community members voiced concerns about lack of discipline and problems with the special education department.

The administrators not receiving contract offers were Hopi High Principal Claudia Edgewater-Russell, Hopi Junior High Principal Lucille Sidney, Hopi High Dean of Students Charlene Youvella and Hopi High Special Education Director Laurie Secakuyva.

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