BARRE — Recently released emails confirm last week’s unflattering and public critique of the Barre Unified School Board was choreographed, didn’t go completely according to a script that was shared in advance with Chair Sonya Spaulding, and prompted at least one administrator to wonder whether it would do more harm than good.
It isn’t clear whether the existence of the emails, their content, or both, drove the board to call what was described in an agenda that was posted on the district’s website late Tuesday afternoon as an “emergency meeting” for Wednesday night. However, their release in response to Barre Town resident Josh Howard’s Freedom of Information Act request occurred within minutes of when the first notice of that meeting was posted online.
Howard, himself a frequent board critic, submitted his request in the wake of an Aug. 25 meeting during which a parade of administrators, teachers and residents expressed varying levels of concern with how the board has been functioning. Those prepared statements were followed by one crafted, shared in advance with Spaulding and others, and delivered by Superintendent Chris Hennessey.
Hennessey’s “performance” with respect to his employment contract was the subject of a lengthy closed-door meeting with the district’s lawyer Wednesday night. That executive session was preceded by some spirited public comment — most of it supportive of Hennessey, who was praised for both his “leadership” and “integrity,” as well as his decision to publicly challenge a divided board to do better. The board took no action following the executive session and Spaulding and School Director Alice Farrell met privately with Hennessey after it was over.
It was Farrell whose week-old inquiry about then-rumored emails prompted what were at best misleading responses from Hennessey, according to the emails he released.
Emails did exist, Hennessey wrote some of them and at least one board member — Spaulding — wasn’t surprised by the intervention-like opening to the Aug. 25 meeting.
Among the emails released include one — “Update: Tomorrow Night’s Board Meeting” — Hennessey sent to district administrators on Aug. 24.
The afternoon email opens with Hennessey expressing enthusiasm for the “kickoff” held earlier in the day.
“I really needed that! Wow,” he wrote, before reminding administrators attend the following night’s board meeting.
“A number of you have already committed to speaking about the impact these board meetings are having on your/our work during public comment,” he wrote, adding: “To be clear, I am not expecting everyone to speak, but I certainly welcome it. Most everyone, including me, will be using prepared remarks. My plan is to speak the truth and really lay it on the line tomorrow evening. It is time.”
It isn’t clear whether Spaulding was included in that email thread, but Hennessey indicated she was in the loop.
“I am connecting with Sonya (Spaulding) tonight to plan how the evening is going to be set up,” he wrote to administrators. “Once I have more details, I will share them with you.”
That email provoked brief, mostly logistical responses from administrators.
Facilities Director Jamie Evans indicated he might not be able to make the meeting, but would provide the statement he prepared. If Evans emailed that statement it was not included in response to Howard’s request.
Though neither spoke during the public comment section of the Aug. 25 meeting, Marlon Maylor, co-principal at Spaulding High School, wanted to know where the meeting was being held and Mari Miller, the high school’s assistant principal, asked where she could find the link to the meeting.
Pierre Laflamme, co-principal at Barre City Elementary and Middle School indicated he had a school-related conflict.
A second Aug. 24 email from Hennessey to all of the district’s staff — this one titled “First BUUSD Community Update of 2022-23” — morphed into an update on the earlier “update” following School Director Tim Boltin’s one-line response to an email that welcomed the school community back and featured a video introducing the district’s strategic plan.
“Maybe you can make one of those fun little videos about not bullying — you know something important,” Boltin wrote.
Though Hennessey was the lone recipient of Boltin’s email, he shared it with administrators and less than 12 hours before the Aug. 25 meeting.
“As an FYI, here is BUUSD board member Tim Boltin’s take on our effort to welcome the community back and introduce our strategic plan to them,” he wrote. “Seventeen words that put into perfect context why it is so important that we clearly lay it on the line this evening.”
Hennessey went on to note that he received more positive feedback from another board member.
“For the record, board member Chris Parker immediately reached out to me to praise the message and let me know that her superintendent shouted us out during the Montpelier kick off for our efforts to engage with the Barre community, and that she pledged to do the same,” he added. “It’s obviously not the whole board, but Tim (Boltin) isn’t the crazy outlier anymore.”
Hennessey went on to share a list of those who were expected to speak at the board meeting later that night, while noting Communications Director Josh Allen would lead off, he would clean up and declaring it “a damn good batting order.”
Most, but not all of the people listed in the email spoke. Among those who didn’t was Brenda Waterhouse, co-principal of Barre City Elementary and Middle School.
Hennessey indicated in the email any late additions would be welcome.
“We could use more one more principal (no pressure!) and one more teacher from S(paulding)H(igh)S(chool) and B(arre)C(ity Elementary and Middle School,” Hennessey wrote, noting he believed the teachers’ union was spreading the word that “help is needed.”
For whatever reason, no principal, no teacher from Spaulding, and only one teacher from Barre Town Middle and Elementary School spoke at the Aug. 25 meeting. At least three teachers from Barre City Elementary and Middle School did.
Hennessey indicated in his email there would be more opportunities to confront the board in what he hinted would be a sustained effort.
“It will be important to keep this momentum going in future meetings,” he wrote. “Everyone will have future chances to share their thoughts and experiences.”
Spaulding received a separate “FYI” from Hennessey as part of the thread, along with Boltin’s email.
“I have shared this with our Admin(istrative) team,” he wrote. “Apparently, welcoming our community back and introducing our strategic plan to the community is not important to Mr. Boltin.”
Spaulding’s response was included in the released emails.
“I really appreciated the video — I thought it was a great way to welcome everyone back and introduce the strategic plan. Well done,” she wrote. “Have you responded to this (Boltin’s) email yet?”
There is no indication Hennessey responded to Boltin’s email, though he did incorporate it into prepared remarks he shared with administrators in a separate email hours before reading it aloud at the Aug. 25 board meeting.
“Hi all, I will be reading this tonight following your remarks. I can get it done in 8 minutes,” he wrote, adding: “Sonya (Spaulding) is on board. Though she, an attorney, and my loved ones convinced me to tone down my original ‘take this job and shove it’ approach.”
The lone response to that email was from Spaulding Co-Principal Luke Aither, who indicated he was uncomfortable with the tone of the statement and unwilling to endorse it.
“I had fully intended to attend (the board meeting) in person, but this is not representative of my feelings, our how I would express them,” he wrote. “The tone and ‘demands’ (for lack of a better word) do not feel solution oriented or respectful of the board. I worry that this will further devide (sic) our community and respectfully ask that you acknowledge that this statement is not representative of all administrators.”
The Aug. 25 meeting started less than 10 minutes after Aither pressed send.
david.delcore @timesargus.com
