Two high-ranking employees hired by Monifa McKnight last fall as Montgomery County Public Schools was reeling from a scandal have departed this month, at the same time as the superintendent, the district confirmed Monday.
However, no details have been provided yet about the terms of McKnight’s exit...
October 16, 2023, Dr. LaVerne G. Kimball returned to MCPS to serve as acting chief in the Office of School Support and Well-Being (OSSWB). An email went out on behalf of acting Deputy Superintendent Betty Collins informing executive staff that Dr. Kimball has made the decision to return to her retirement status. Dr. Kimball served MCPS for 37 years and initially retired in 2018 as an associate superintendent of elementary schools...
https://mocoshow.com/2024/02/05/dr-laverne-kimball-and-nancy-navarro-no-longer-employed-by-mcps/
She had been hired on a short term basis to work in the superintendent’s office as senior advisor for external affairs.
“Ms. Nancy Navarro is no longer an employee,” confirmed Chris Cram, director of MCPS Office of Communications...
https://www.mymcmedia.org/navarros-contract-with-school-district-has-expired/
Department of Compliance and Investigations (DCI) coordinator Khalid Walker was publicly tagged as the author of a report last year that cleared Beidleman of misconduct allegations, leading to harassment and threats against Walker from members of the public, Walker said. Yet Walker told MoCo360 he was instructed to rewrite the report after Beidleman was promoted to be principal of Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville. Walker claimed that MCPS has not taken steps to publicly absolve him...
Montgomery County Public Schools has hired former Board of Education member Michael Durso to serve as the acting chief of staff after the departure of Brian Stockton...
...Cram declined to disclose Durso’s pay to MoCo360, writing that a Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) must be filed. Durso told MoCo360 that his pay will likely hover around a $230,000 yearly salary, although his pay has not yet been finalized and papers still need to be signed.
The chief of staff has one of the highest paid positions in MCPS. In February 2023, MoCo360 reported that as chief of staff for MCPS, Stockton made a yearly salary of $226,244...
...Janis Sartucci, a member of the Parents’ Coalition, a watchdog parent advocacy group, told MoCo360 that the group believes Durso is the wrong person to bring to the school system as it is in “recovery mode.”
Sartucci also stated that while Durso was a member and president of the school board, he had the opportunity to update the MCPS Code of Conduct in a way that could have prevented the long-term abuses of principal Joel Beidleman.
The watchdog group is left wondering: Why MCPS is “recycling” former school board members?
Based on the IRS definition of a part-time employee, Navarro could work up to 30 hours per week or 130 a month. At her current hourly rate, she could pocket up to $37,681 in three months...
...After Navarro was hired, school community members, county residents and advocates were eager to learn about her compensation and details surrounding the decision-making. At the time of the announcement, MCPS spokesperson Chris Cram did not answer questions about Navarro’s employment and the details of her employment were unknown until now.
Janis Sartucci, a member of the Montgomery County Parents Coalition, an advocacy and MCPS watchdog group, said at the time that the hiring was “shocking” and brought into question the priorities of the school system.
“We’ve seen other superintendents … that would bring in consultants, advisers, mentors and to be honest, we always have the same question: Why are those positions more important than classroom teachers? Is that what it means to fund an education system?” Sartucci said.
She echoed that sentiment of Friday, saying that teachers “beg” for school supplies in a Facebook group and believes that should be a spending priority that comes before hiring an senior adviser.
Sartucci also said that she and other advocates are left wondering if Navarro will have an expense account, credit card or a car, and whether Board of Education had involvement in the hiring process...
Navarro’s MCPS pay released: three months, $96.62 per hour | MoCo360
The budget was released Thursday.
Also Thursday, MCPS revealed the salary of former Councilmember Nancy Navarro, who was appointed recently as senior advisor for external affairs in McKnight’s office.
According to the Maryland Public Information Act filed by MCM, Navarro will be paid $96.62 an hour with no benefits for her work as a temporary, part-time position. The Dec. 21 response did not reveal how many hours she was hired for and whether there was a limit on those hours...
...Janis Sartucci a member of the Montgomery County Parents Coalition, an advocacy and MCPS watchdog group, said that the hiring was “shocking” and brings into question the priorities of the school system.
Members of the MCCPTA did not immediately respond to MoCo360’s request for comment.
“We’ve seen other superintendents … that would bring in consultants, advisers, mentors and to be honest, we always have the same question: Why are those positions more important than classroom teachers? Is that what it means to fund an education system?” Sartucci said.
She continued that some teachers don’t have enough resources to buy classroom supplies.
“I think a lot of the public, the voters might think when they fund education, they’re funding classrooms and teachers and school buildings. Yet the reality we see is we’re funding administrators, consultants, mentors. And I think that’s where we need transparency.”
At this time, it is unclear how much Navarro will be paid in this new position. An MCPS spokesperson did not answer questions about Navarro’s compensation or her start date.
Sartucci added that another concern was that it appeared to her that McKnight hired Navarro without bringing the hire to the Board of Education. MoCo360 inquired about this concern with an MCPS spokesperson, but they did not immediately respond on Wednesday evening and Monday morning by email.
“We prefer to see as much transparency as possible so the public can be involved and make their own decisions on what is in the best interest of the school system and what the voters of Montgomery County want,” she added.
A blog post on the Parents’ Coalition’s website has also compiled a list of past issues the group has documented while Navarro was a school board member and County Council member. Some issues include not allowing a student to enroll at MCPS, violations of Open Meetings Act and closing special education programs.
MoCo360 was unable to reach members of the school board by phone and left a message with the board’s office secretary. When reached for comment, Navarro directed questions to MCPS spokesperson Chris Cram.
Cram did not answer questions about Navarro’s employment on Monday and on Wednesday evening...
Nancy Navarro hired as MCPS' senior advisor for external affairs | MoCo360
Should we go on?
Superintendent Monifa McKnight is making very clear statements in her hiring of Nancy Navarro.
First, McKnight is stating that teachers and school staff are not valued. Obviously, McKnight has money to burn if she can use education dollars to hire a personal assistant. Isn't that what the position is? Someone to do McKnight's job for her? No need to hire more teachers or school staff. Those are not priorities.
Second, the hiring of Navarro is a very clear statement of where McKnight wants to steer MCPS. McKnight has hired Navarro without Board of Education approval, and she is bringing in someone who doesn't believe in the Maryland Open Meetings Act or public procurement policies among other things.
Below are some of the citations to past actions of Nancy Navarro as a member and President of the Montgomery County Board of Education.
This is how McKnight wants to run MCPS?
Not allowing a student to enroll in MCPS:
Open Meetings Act violations:
Failure to follow Maryland procurement law and Board of Education procurement policies:
Closing Special Education programs and suing Special Education families:
Commercial use of public school land and giving away public schools for free:
Dining out on the MCPS Operating Budget:
Navarro previously served on the county Board of Education (BOE), where she had been both president and vice president. She served n county council for 13 years.
In her new position, Navarro is expected to advance the school district and BOE’s priorities by fostering positive relationships with external partners and engaging and collaborating in outreach to community stakeholders, MCPS noted in a news release...
In this case that means that the County Council released a list of the names of their "top" candidates to fill the vacant Montgomery County Planning Board seats without researching the candidates.
Just a few simple Internet searches would have yielded important information, such as tax liens.
Why do personal liens matter on candidates for Planning Board positions? It's always a concern to put someone in a position of power that might have some vulnerabilities related to their personal financial status.
Not only did they County Council forget to do their homework on their "top" candidates, but they are also blatantly violating Maryland law with regard to the appointment process for Planning Board vacancies.
This week the Montgomery County Council is hell bent on showing the next generation how to violate the law, eliminate transparency and ignore ethics. Is their goal to show future generations what not to do?
Is this the next @montgomeryplans Montgomery Co Planning Board? All the term limited Councilmembers will appoint themselves to Planning Bd? @Andrew_Friedson @EvanMGlass @tomhucker @willjawando @Marc_Elrich @MC_Council_Katz @nancy_navarro @RicePolitics @hansriemer @albornoz_gabe pic.twitter.com/RIs6zT6BhE
— Parents' Coalition (@PCMC1) October 13, 2022
Montgomery County Council Agenda Item for September 14, 2021, shows former MCPS Associate Superintendent of Operations Essie McGuire now works for the County Council and is the staff person preparing the presentation for the County Council's briefing on MCPS.
Ms. McGuire is now working for the County Council, overseeing the MCPS briefing, and preparing the documents that will be presented to the Council for their briefing.
Ms. McGuire is running a briefing where her former employer is appearing before her current employer.
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/Resources/Files/agenda/col/2021/20210914/20210914_2C.pdf
Montgomery County Board of Education June 29, 2021, Closed Session Minutes:
