Vernon school board tables Special Education contract

VERNON — The Vernon School Board tabled a contract for Sage Educational Enterprises for Special Education services at a recent workshop after a member of the public revealed the company had set up an office in Glen Meadow Middle School with no contract being presented to the school board.

The company will be paid on a per diem basis until the situation is reviewed

That question was raised on Feb. 12 work session as parent Brad Sparta asked the Board of Education how Sage Educational Enterprises could have set up an office in Glen Meadow Middle School two weeks ago and was working with students, when there is no record of a contract being presented to the school board.

The board, to one member’s admitted embarrassment, had no answer.

By the Feb. 18 work session, however, a contract for the Sage’s services was seen on the agenda, which raised even more questions from both the public and the board.

Sparta commented that the Sage contract wasn't even on the agenda until last week, when he brought it up.

“We will be paying $11,200 a week and they won't be treating a particular student,” he said.

Using the $100,000 estimate given for new staff members at the last meeting, the district would still be saving $10,000 by hiring someone, he continued. Sparta also asked the contract be tabled until more investigation can be done.

“I was truly embarrassed as to my ignorance to this matter. We as a board were not informed of this,” school board member John McGowan said.

School Business Administrator Stephen Kepnes asked if the board was sure that tabling was the way to go given that it could mean denying students services they need right now.

Board member Ed DeYoung said that he felt the service could be continued on a per diem basis until the contract is decided on.

Kepnes said depriving the student of the service would be doing them an injustice. According to information cited by one board member, the board was informed that seven students need counseling services immediately and two of them could need out-district placement.

McGowan said no one was denying that the students needed service, but that the school board should be have been apprised of the situation sooner.

“I'm sure their needs were apparent before our Jan. 15 meeting, but they weren't brought to our attention,” he said. “The board of education is responsible for all matters fiscal and personnel. If this isn't fiscal, then I don't know what is. We are an oversight committee that should be apprised of all matters."

School board member William Higgins asked if Sage had had a verbal authorization to start work at Glen Meadow, and Kepnes said yes. When McGowan asked how that could happen, he replied that the service was desperately needed but that timing of the service was bad. Once he realized he didn't have a contract, he contacted Sage and they got him one quickly.

McGowan said that he wasn't judging the need for the service, but the provision of the services and how the decision was made.

“It's troubling what has happened here," DeYoung said. "The need for counseling services is clear. Since last week, we have received a lot of information on this. There are lots of students in need. So why I would I vote no to this? They have been dealing with this behavior since September. These problems didn't show up last week.”

The administrative staff did not bring the issue to the Board of Education's attention.

Higgins said afterwards that he was curious as to how the Sage situation would have been handled two years ago and that the district should be thinking of the best way to get services to the students, no matter whether it is in-house or outsourced.

During the public session, resident Robert Oliver said that in his job, he would never be allowed to approve contracts after the fact.

“I know that the principals need leeway, but it should be brought to the board as soon as possible, and I don't see that happening here,” he said.