Education District Cut Ties With Leader After Superintendent Complaints

March 29, 2015 Admin Education

The Multnomah Education Service District board separated with Superintendent Barbara Jorgensen after superintendents at the districts it serves shared concerns about her task efficiency.

Nels Johnson, MESD board vice chair, stated superintendents at those eight districts had constant issues, which became increasingly common by the end of last month. Johnson stated the board was amazed to hear that superintendents were miserable. He spoke extremely of Jorgensen, but stated she wasnt a good suitable for the districts requirements.

They seemed like there wasnt extremely goodgreat communication and simply some problems with the working relationship there, he stated. The superintendents grew progressively aggravated with the method things were going. Their recommendation to us was you must believe about making a change.

The district revealed at Tuesdays board meeting that it was parting wayswith Jorgensen, who had actually been working offsite. Chief Operating Officer and Innovation Director Jim Rose was designated interim superintendent. The district is instantly beginning an in state look for Jorgensens replacement.

MESD serves students in the Riverdale, Portland Public, Reynolds, David Douglas, Centennial, Gresham-Barlow, Parkroseand Corbett districts. MESD provides special education, technology, health and alternative education and other services, and had a personnel of roughly 425 last fall.

David Douglas Superintendent Don Grotting said the district overcomes MESD to pool resources and lower general expenses however that in many cases districts had opted to utilize MESD funds to spend for programs independently instead.

Theres been some issueinterested in the quality and shipping of services, he stated. I praise (the board) for taking feedback from their component school districts and the children that they serve.

Jim Schlachter, Gresham-Barlow superintendent, stated he also had concernsinterested in the quality of MESD programs. For instance the district decided to supply its own practical living course for students with significant unique needs instead of enrolling students in MESDs program, he stated.

Often you just require the energy that comes with a fresh starta new beginning, he stated. There was recognition that that would not be a bad thing if that were to occur.

Portland Public Schools Superintendent Carole Smith was not available however said through a district spokesperson that shes confident MESD will certainly deal with superintendents throughout the transition to a brand-new leader.

MESD board chair Bernie Giusto said the board worked well with Jorgensen but had to think about feedback from its customers. He stated Jorgensen will stay a district worker for about the next 90 days which a separation arrangement is still being negotiated.

Riverdale School District Superintendent Terry Brandon stated he hasn’t had problems with the little number of MESD services his district depends on. He doesn’t anticipate services to alter with the hiring of a brand-new superintendent.

The board wants to have a brand-new superintendent in location by July 1 and is dealing with establishing the search procedure.

Superintendents for other component districts did not return demands for remark or might not be reached. Messages left for Jorgensen were not right away returned.

— Laura Frazier

Education,

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