ACPS Superintendent Resigns

[Anonymous]

How do these people get PTAC board positions? Is there some type of nomination/election process? I never even heard of PTAC until a year ago and my kids have been in ACPS for a while now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do these people get PTAC board positions? Is there some type of nomination/election process? I never even heard of PTAC until a year ago and my kids have been in ACPS for a while now.

I know someone who was running for a school PTA position, PTAC did not like the person (never met or spoke to the person), but PTAC devotees sent emails to the school admin saying pretty terrible about the person just because the person was not going to be a PTAC groupie. The women are NUTS!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do these people get PTAC board positions? Is there some type of nomination/election process? I never even heard of PTAC until a year ago and my kids have been in ACPS for a while now.

I know someone who was running for a school PTA position, PTAC did not like the person (never met or spoke to the person), but PTAC devotees sent emails to the school admin saying pretty terrible about the person just because the person was not going to be a PTAC groupie. The women are NUTS!

The PTAC is like the governing body of all ACPS PTAs (because why not have one big massive PTA, I don't get it). It is so toxic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do these people get PTAC board positions? Is there some type of nomination/election process? I never even heard of PTAC until a year ago and my kids have been in ACPS for a while now.

I know someone who was running for a school PTA position, PTAC did not like the person (never met or spoke to the person), but PTAC devotees sent emails to the school admin saying pretty terrible about the person just because the person was not going to be a PTAC groupie. The women are NUTS!

Yeah. I've heard other stories like this. Their need to protect ACPS and Hutchings (no matter what they are trying to spin now that he is out, they are all very enthusiastic supporters) is cult like. Their deep need to destroy parents who even question the district is disturbing.

During the school shut downs, opportunities were presented to the PTAC board to truly advocate for parents and kids. There were PTAs that wanted to ask ACPS for better communication, find solutions, advocate for the special needs students. PTAC board flatly refused. Instead they praised everything ACPS was doing and ignored the pleas of parents. The then PTAC President - Bill Pfister - was seen on open house zooms for private schools. Shades of Hutchings.

For elections, they should be following whatever process is laid out in the PTAC bylaws.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every comment on the ACPS Facebook & parent pages is positive. Is that because they're censoring?

Yes.

Obviously, ACPS is moderated by the district so that isn't completely unexpected. And given the terms of ACPS/Hutchings separation agreement that is making the rounds, maybe ACPS would argue that to leave the comments up is defaming him? It's not a good argument but in their mind it's a solid excuse. I think it's more likely that they just are continuing to squash dissent.

The parent pages are, for the most part, run by people (PTA types) who are wildly supportive of ACPS and won't allow any criticism. Even of Hutchings (although it is funny to watch parents who never said a word about Hutchings & loved to socialize with him get awfully brave on social media now that he's gone). It's the same people who for years have viciously attacked people if they criticized him or the district.

Tell me more about the separation agreement.

ACPS/Hutchings narrative and timing simply don't make sense but if you read the separation agreement and then look at his contract from last year...it's pretty clear he was fired.

[Anonymous]

Wow. So planning to move to another district after this year isn't such a bad idea huh

[Anonymous]

Let's get back to Hutchings. I think he was fired. Why else would he be receiving severance?

[Anonymous]

Good! Too bad they had to buy him out of his contract for nearly $200K so he would leave quietly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to Hutchings. I think he was fired. Why else would he be receiving severance?

You can see the contact on FB he was indeed fired and that is why they have to pay nearly $200K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to Hutchings. I think he was fired. Why else would he be receiving severance?

Can someone post the link to the separation agreement - I am bad at goggling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to Hutchings. I think he was fired. Why else would he be receiving severance?

Can someone post the link to the separation agreement - I am bad at goggling.

It's under the Board Meeting for June 10, 2022
https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/attachments/c7742bf2-144d-454c-b9f3-07467530ddde.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to Hutchings. I think he was fired. Why else would he be receiving severance?

Can someone post the link to the separation agreement - I am bad at goggling.

It's under the Board Meeting for June 10, 2022
https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/attachments/c7742bf2-144d-454c-b9f3-07467530ddde.pdf

I do not think the terms of the agreement on their face provide a basis to conclude the School Board fired Hutchings. I would guess the School Board agreed to the severance in exchange for the some of obligations put on Hutchings in the agreement such as the cooperation clause as to questions after he leaves his job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to Hutchings. I think he was fired. Why else would he be receiving severance?

Can someone post the link to the separation agreement - I am bad at goggling.

It's under the Board Meeting for June 10, 2022
https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/attachments/c7742bf2-144d-454c-b9f3-07467530ddde.pdf

I do not think the terms of the agreement on their face provide a basis to conclude the School Board fired Hutchings. I would guess the School Board agreed to the severance in exchange for the some of obligations put on Hutchings in the agreement such as the cooperation clause as to questions after he leaves his job.

Also, if he was fired why was Meagan Alderton praising him so? She was practically gushing. And if the School Board fired him, why allow him to stay on for two-plus months? That doesn't make sense.

Here's the renewed contract from June 2021:
https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/attachments/87af16a5-06c6-4451-8a17-eb00b284e8aa.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to Hutchings. I think he was fired. Why else would he be receiving severance?

Can someone post the link to the separation agreement - I am bad at goggling.

It's under the Board Meeting for June 10, 2022
https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/attachments/c7742bf2-144d-454c-b9f3-07467530ddde.pdf

I do not think the terms of the agreement on their face provide a basis to conclude the School Board fired Hutchings. I would guess the School Board agreed to the severance in exchange for the some of obligations put on Hutchings in the agreement such as the cooperation clause as to questions after he leaves his job.

Also, if he was fired why was Meagan Alderton praising him so? She was practically gushing. And if the School Board fired him, why allow him to stay on for two-plus months? That doesn't make sense.

Here's the renewed contract from June 2021:
https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/attachments/87af16a5-06c6-4451-8a17-eb00b284e8aa.pdf

"If the Division Superintendent resigns for any reason other than retirement, or is discharged by the Board for cause as described in Article IX, then no payments for unused sick leave or vacation leave, will be made."

Hmmm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get back to Hutchings. I think he was fired. Why else would he be receiving severance?

Can someone post the link to the separation agreement - I am bad at goggling.

It's under the Board Meeting for June 10, 2022
https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/attachments/c7742bf2-144d-454c-b9f3-07467530ddde.pdf

I do not think the terms of the agreement on their face provide a basis to conclude the School Board fired Hutchings. I would guess the School Board agreed to the severance in exchange for the some of obligations put on Hutchings in the agreement such as the cooperation clause as to questions after he leaves his job.

Also, if he was fired why was Meagan Alderton praising him so? She was practically gushing. And if the School Board fired him, why allow him to stay on for two-plus months? That doesn't make sense.

Here's the renewed contract from June 2021:
https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/attachments/87af16a5-06c6-4451-8a17-eb00b284e8aa.pdf

"If the Division Superintendent resigns for any reason other than retirement, or is discharged by the Board for cause as described in Article IX, then no payments for unused sick leave or vacation leave, will be made."

Hmmm.

But there is a seperate paragraph the June 2021 agreement that provides for mural termination of the agreement (IX(b)) upon terms agreed upon by the parties. That is what happened here (although the severance agreement does not cite that provision, I think the recitals are referencing it).