Following an unsolved felony theft that occurred at Patterson Mill Middle/High School over a nine month period ending September 2010, parent volunteers yesterday discovered a stack of twenty dollar bills in an unlocked cash box left inside the school’s indoor concession stand.
Patterson Mill Athletic Boosters Vice-President Colin Mitchell said the concession stand was locked before he and Booster President Rob Keesling entered by key and found the cash, but that in addition to the athletic boosters the room was used by the custodial staff and physical education department, all of whom have keys. Mitchell said the cash box was labeled with a post-it note marked “PE” and that gym uniforms were being stored in the concession stand for sale by the school.
Mitchell told The Dagger that he and Keesling went into the concession stand on Wednesday to get some supplies when they found the cash box with the key in the lock, sitting on a desk near the door. Also on the desk were a check that appeared to be made out to the school and a form marked “School Funds Deposit Form”. Mitchell said he opened the box and found the cash inside.
[Note: The Dagger has obscured a visible name and address on a check in one of the photographs]
In light of the earlier felony theft at the school, Mitchell said when he saw the money he thought, “nothing’s changed.”
“Any faith that I could possibly have in the administration of the school is just gone. There is no accountability for money at that school. All I’m asking is just to lock the money up,” Mitchell said, adding “there needs to be a major change in the administration of the school.” Asked who he was referring to in the administration, Mitchell said he was speaking about the school principal, Wayne Thibeault.
Case Closed on Felony Theft
A six-month investigation into the theft of more than $10,000 in cash from Patterson Mill Middle/High School in Bel Air was closed in July with no charges filed or prosecution of any suspects planned.
The Harford County State’s Attorney’s office declined to prosecute due to “too many questions surrounding employee accessibility [to the money] and a lack of accountability in the handling of the money,” Harford County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Monica Worrell said at the time.
The missing money came from the cash box for money taken at various sports games, and from a deposit for other school activities. HCPS officials re-keyed the school vault in response to the theft and gave the only new key to Principal Thibeault.
Patterson Mill Athletic Booster President Rob Keesling, who discovered the cash box yesterday along with Mitchell, sent a letter in June to Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Tomback asking for details of the incident and who had been held accountable for the loss of the money, but has yet to receive a response.
Following news in July that the case had been closed, The Dagger posed several questions to school officials about the oversight of school funds, most of which remain unanswered. Teri Kranefeld, manager of communications for HCPS acknowledged that procedures had been breached, but has thus far not responded to a request for a copy of those procedures. Below is Kranefeld’s response at the time on behalf of HCPS:
“As you are aware, with any situation involving personnel, I am limited by law with respect to releasing detailed information regarding an incident. However, our investigation of the missing money at Patterson Mill Middle-High School is complete and our findings are consistent with that of the criminal investigation conducted by the Harford County Sheriff’s Department. The results of the investigation did not identify any one person as responsible for the theft of the money. Our policies and procedures regarding the management of school activity funds were breached and we are working with those individuals involved to identify areas for tighter controls. In addition, we have taken appropriate corrective action with regard to individuals who may have been involved in breaching those policies and procedures.”
You got to be kidding me? Talk about a learning curve with a serious headwind.
I think part of the problem is that there are two schools and one principal. Patterson Middle needs its own principal. Running two schools is obviously too much for one person.
You are probably right. Unfortunately, adding another principal doesn’t change the fact that the current one needs to go!
LOL. Really…you think that’s the problem. So the fact that a PE teacher did not follow protocol on handling cash…that’s because there is one principal for both schools? Yea..that makes sense.
Incredible that it happened again, but thank goodness the 2 gentlemen who discovered it are honest. And so glad they contacted The Dagger to make us all aware. There must be repercussions this time on the principal.
Someone needs to be accountable. It is not the hardest process in the world. You collect cash, count cash, secure cash and deposit cash. You have separation of duties and simple checks. The principal should know who is assigned to do what and if it doesn’t happen, do discipline. If he is the problem then he should be disciplined and, frankly, should pay the account back.
Okay, the school system needs to answer the following questions: (1) who is accountable for this process? (2) Are they still employed? (3) If they are still employed, why?
The school system generally, the specific school and the principal have learned absolutely nothing from the past debacle. Why? Because there were no consequences.
Unfortunately Alex HCPS does not ever feel the need to answer questions!
It would really be a shame if the principal didn’t get in trouble but for some reason, he isn’t responsible for any money and/or problems, but wants to take credit when students and/or teachers do something admirable. He iss trying to go to China with the superintendent because he got a bunch of kids to take AP who probably shouldn’t be in the first place!!
I am sure someone in the PE department will be the “Fall Guy” because apparently HCPS doesn’t like to deal with administrators who are incompetent except for the ones whose schools have lower test scores.
Anyone who knows how the HCPS works knows that the principal is the “be all and end all” at the local school level. Well, that includes accountability for what happens there.
I am not at all opposed to any of them going to China. As long as it is a one way trip.
If the school system and the BOE doesn’t do a thorough housecleaning over this then they are all complicit.
At least one school in the county has established an internal policy that no teacher may keep cash overnight, no matter what the reason or how small the amount. Even $5 must be turned in to the office personnel responsible for cash handling and accounted for. It was explained that this was in direct response to the fiasco at Patterson Mill. How is this so hard for the PM folks to figure out?
The principal told the staff that they had a strict policy and that it was to be inforced. All he can do is tell the staff what they should do, but let’s be real: teachers who are in charge of coaching/activities and clubs that deal with money are responsible for getting it to the office. If a teacher holds onto it overnight, how is he to know? Teachers are to do their job and follow protocol. This is happening at other schools but no one speaks of it. This was caught by parents who turned around and posted it to the Dagger. If parents at other schools start looking, they will find similar situations. I am not saying it is right, but it is not just at PM.
Teacher do you know what the protocols are? Apparently there has been an effort made to find out what they are but it is up to the school system to make that available to all the staff. Of course someone made a mistake but who is looking to make sure all the cash boxes are turned in? Maybe the person who left the money didn’t even realize there was access by other individuals Was that the job of 1 of 2 of the Vice Principals who were transferred or what do they do at other schools? Isn’t the principal or another administrator ultimately responsible to make sure all money is turned in? if it isn’t or there isn’t a way to do so then the school system needs to fix it.
So, Mr Thibeault still has his job, but Mr Szerensits gets demoted? Way to teach our children about accountability and justice! Homeschooling looks better and better……
Then what’s stopping you?
Another thing that frustrates me is–why aren’t more PMMHS parents, teachers and students outraged over this? I guess I can understand that someone teachers wouldn’t want to get involved due to repercussions, but there are 6 people posting on this blog and I, for one, don’t even have kids who currently go to Ha Co public schools and I think it’s a disgrace. Why aren’t people clamoring for somebody’s head? If Thibeault’s money for his trip to China came up missing, I’ll bet he’d raise a ruckus then. Absolutely shameful.
I wish more parents would get active about this issue. They can on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Concerned-Parents-of-Patterson-Mill-MiddleHigh-School/188189891245240
This is not about one incident, it is just a sign of real problem with the principal.
A problem with the principal? Really….how so? And what great booster reps. They run right to…the daggerpress? Oh brother….
That’s the way to get the word out there, Really. What would you suggest be done? Call the principal? The police? State’s Attorney? All the people who chose to overlook the fact that $10,000 in cash is still missing?
How about reporting it the school police officer…or another HCPS official. OH…well…then they couldn’t get all their hate out on PM if they did that. And the DaggerMess couldn’t get their typical story out of it. And they would have miss a chance to slam certain individuals who have done so much to build up PM. Don’t bother replying….I just answered my own question.
COULD IT BE THAT SOMEONE FELT THE PAINS OF GUILT AND BROUGHT SOME OF THE MONEY BACK????
I doubt that they brought any of the money back but I can imagine that the are now saying to themselves “Sheesh! I might as well do it again. They haven’t learned anything.”
Seems to be there is a total lack of accountability not only at PM but HCPS in general. If the Principal is the one ultimately responsible for what happens at the school then why has a change not been made. This school has been in the Media even before it opened because of incompetent decisions yet its leader is still there. Seems to me rather than worrying about how they do things in China we need to fix the obvious things right in front of our eyes. A change is needed but will HCPS act or is this just going to slide by like other incidents?
Felony theft!! And now this. What the heck is going on?!
Here is HCPS’ answer from the article: “Our policies and procedures regarding the management of school activity funds were breached and we are working with those individuals involved to identify areas for tighter controls”.
Perhaps the school board should look into:
– What exactly are those “policies and procedures regarding school activity funds”? (if HCPS says they were breached, then they must exist, unless HCPS is misrepresenting something)
– Where are they published?
– Which policies and procedures were “breached”?
– How were they breached?
– By whom were they breached?
– What punitive actions were taken? (and I’m not asking what was done to any scapegoats)
– What corrective actions were taken to prevent a re-occurrence of these “breaches”, both at Patterson Mill, and system-wide? (its been 18 months since the thefts started, and at least a year since they were discovered!!!! Saying “we are working with those individuals involved” is shameful spin-speak…… but, unfortunately spin-speak is the norm now at HCPS- its a disgrace.
This is insane.
In the real world, at a real company, this would be treated as some combination of managerial incompetence, stupidity, apathy, or insanity. And it would be quickly determined which parties at central office and at the school were guilty of which, if any, of the 4 conditions. And the CEO (superintendent), and the line manager (principal), would be held accountable. Meanwhile, back at HCPS ……….
What time did they discover this money?
I only ask because PE uniforms cost $20. If the discovery was at a time and the PE teacher(s) responsible for this money had yet to leave they may have not deposited the money. COuld this be that days take for phys ed uniforms?
The cash box was discovered right around 8 PM.
At our back to school meetings, we were told EXPLICITLY not to keep any money overnight and to make sure we turned it in by the end of the day. In fact, we were told to interrupt the person who collects money even if she was eating lunch so that no money would be left out.
I am not saying Mr. Thibeault is perfect, but it obviously was a teacher who did not follow the directions given very clearly.
Additionally, I think the Dagger and the author of this article need to disclose their relationships with each other. The author is very good friends with the family of the president of the Boosters. This comes across as an investigative piece, but I find it kind of creepy that they would photograph the box (I’m sure they will say it is to protect themselves and maybe it is, but posting it?). I am fed up with The Dagger trying to act like it is impartial when there is obviously a bit of a witch hunt going on here.
Again, I have plenty of complaints about how things are run in HCPS, but in this case, I think the article is way off and certain people are being overly malicious. If this is the biggest issue you have to worry about, you probably should count your blessings considering what other people have to go through.
Problem at this school is that so much has happened and nothing ever gets done that maybe people do jump to faulty conclusions. If this was an honest mistake, the person who did it should be dealt with and move on. This probably wouldn’t have been a story if the $10,000 that mostly came from the athletic department wasnt stolen over a period of time. It’s very difficult to get parents to volunteer and help raise money when there is such apathy coming from the top of HCPS and filtering down. I am starting to think that the school system does its best to pit parents and teachers against each other.
Teacher: Take your blinders off. Somebody here did something very unwise and you’re defending it? As for the relationship of Cindy to the boosters–since she is and has been involved in county schools in so many ways and for so long, obviously she is going to know a lot of people. Would you rather The Dagger NOT have made us aware that there is a serious problem at PMMHS? And photos always bring an article to life. Why don’t you stick to teaching your students instead of dreaming up conspiracy theories?
Mommie Dearest–
First of all, I never defended the person who left the money. In fact, if you read what I wrote, I said they failed to follow a very clearly stated direction.
Yes, Cindy, is very involved in schools and has written many articles I whole-heartedly agree with. I am not attacking her; I am simply saying when she writes about PMMHS there is a conflict of interest that any real journalistic organization (which I know the Dagger does not claim to be but, yet, presents themselves as such) would not tolerate.
And, lastly, where do you get off Mommie Dearest being so rude. I stated my opinion; you can state yours. It’s called civil discussion–or it was until you got nasty.
Frustrated Parent-I totally agree with you. I truly believe 95% of parents and teachers want the same thing for the kids–a rigorous education focused on the basics. I totally agree that the administration (at the county level) often prevents teachers from teaching that way which leads to conflicts with parents. Sometimes we have our hands tied.
You could not have said it better PMHS teacher!!
For the record, I am one of the sources for this story. I took the photographs, not sure how it is creepy? They were taken as a way to document the incident. I have no doubt that this was an honest mistake and that no one involved had the intent to steal. Unfortunately, many people seem to be content with sweeping the past theft under the table. In light of $10,000.00 being stolen and past money procedures being so lax that no one could be prosecuted, finding an unattended, unlocked box of cash approximately 5 hours after school was dismissed on the 2nd day of school is infuriating as a parent and newsworthy for a community. The person at fault here is Mr. Thibeault, it is my understanding that he has the only key to the safe, shouldn’t he account for all funds that go out during the day? Of course I could be wrong about this as so many policies seem to have to be a secret!
The worst part of this whole incident is the bad feelings and anger being directed in mine and the other gentleman’s direction. We are part of a small group of parents in that school that do so much and yet we are now the “bad guys”!
PMMHS TEACHER – I am available at anytime to any staff member of this school to sit down and discuss this issue. As of this time no one from the school has approached me and it is my understanding that others involved received a very cold reception at sports events.
“The worst part of this whole incident is the bad feelings and anger being directed in mine and the other gentleman’s direction. We are part of a small group of parents in that school that do so much and yet we are now the “bad guys”!”
Do you think that if you had talked to the school police officer about this first, or perhaps another HCPS official rather than taking this to some third rate “news website” that is looking to just sensationalize any HCPS issue for attention, you may be treated differently? As was previously stated, it looks like the staff at PM was specifically told on numerous occasions what the procedure was for cash. So why all the hostility directed to the principal? I think it was the comments made by Mitchell that may have turned some people off.
And the comments that the PMMHS Teacher should stick to teaching rather than dreaming up conspiracy theories…give me a break. Anyone who has been connected with PM since it opened, KNOWS that there are some busybody parents of this school that are just looking to criticize and tear down elements of the school…maybe resenting the fact that their kids couldn’t go to BA instead.
You are certainly welcome to your opinions of my motivations. I stand behind everything I have done and said. I even go so far as to use my real name here.
The only people who can send their kids to whatever school they want are employees of the school system. The rest of the student population has to attend wherever they live. Maybe some parents would like their high school kids at Bel Air or some other high scool but they have no choice. At least they have enough lockers for the kids who go to school there.
And the locker issue is the fault of the school? Wait…maybe the principal? LOL. You can’t be serious…
Colin-First, I do not know you personally at all but I definitely APPLAUD the work you and all the other boosters do to support the students at school. I know how it is the few that do much of the work so that student athletes can have all that they have at PMMHS. That is certainly not the issue here.
I think, based on my own observations, that there is a small group of vocal parents at the school who want to complain about EVERYthing, First they did not like Husky Period. Now that it is gone, they want to know how their student-athlete will make up tests or join clubs. It is as if there is no pleasing them. I have talked to many parents who choose not to join groups like PTSA because of the negative tone that has been set. They feel like they want to come to help while some of the people in charge (NOT all of them) are there to constantly find fault. I know many of the teachers chose not to join the PTSA last year for that very reason. With the added situation of no contracted step increases, they wondered why should they give up their money to a group that is led by people who criticize the place where they work? Many felt conflicted, though, because of the leaders in PTSA who are positive and want to help. I have never been to a booster meeting so I cannot comment on your organization’s meetings.
Again, I will stress that 98% of the parents (and, heck, kids for that matter) I work with at PMMHS are WONDERFUL!!!!! I could not be luckier to be here and would not want to be anywhere else. Unfortunately, it is sometimes the 2% that demand all the attention.
While I have my opinions about Mr. Thibeult, I have a few issues with your thoughts.
1) While he has the only key and is in charge. This money was clearly income. Not money issued by the school for some purpose. Most likely money collected for PE uniforms. He most likely assumed his staff would follow procedures and it would be turned into the book keeper and have been secured. Although that did not happen here he did not screw up the individual who collected this money did.
2) You ask the school to get in touch with you, all the while when discovering this you ran to the press and never once (and still have not) notified anyone at the school that you found this. You let HCPS and PMHS find out about the breakdown in procedures by reading it here on the Dagger. I suspect they are showing you the same curtousey you bothered to show them.
3)Point of fact since you did not report it to the proper authorites…..you have opened yourself to the possibility of being blamed for the money you found. What about this alternate theory….two angry parents, harboring a grudge for the administration and possessing a key to the concession stand. Bring a check and a stack of 20’s and plant it, take pictures and run to the press in order to embarass the school they claim to like. Not to far fetched. Was this story every colaborated from another sourse by the author. Otherwise it would be libel if my hypothetical story is true. Eitherway if I was the principal in a school You would no longer have access to any part of the building after hours since clearly you did not seem concerned enough to turn in the money or notify an administrator, you found you left it behind!!!
Point one – is most probably correct.
Point two – in light of the response by HCPS administration to the prior theft at PM I can certainly see why these individuals were reluctant to notify school authorities.
Point three – your supposition is certainly far-fetched and lacks credibility. We shouldn’t blame the messenger just because we don’t like the report. To deny access to the school in this case would be viewed as vindictive by the Principal and only further damage his standing in the community.
Since you appear willing to banish the messengers in this case I am curious to know what punishment you would suggest for those responsible for failing to properly secure this money in the first place?
To clarify further. While I can not speak for other comentters on here; I would have been very supportive of you two playing Woodard and Bernstein, if you two had let the school know first. But you went to Cindy and she seems to have posted it within an hour of your discovery.
To further clarify. even if I was the principal and they reported it to me, then went to the press without telling me they would. I could still support that. Here they simply left it and to this day have not told the school. Colin claims to have found the money at 8PM on the second day of school which was September 1. Cindy’s byline is September 1. The first comment…..was about 1 1/2 hours after discovery. Clearly a person who was more concerned with publicity then making sure the money got secured can not be trusted with easy access to the building.
As to the punishment I would dole out? Assuming I did not have to worry about a union contract and there was no other factors to consider…I would fire them!
Although here is a hypothetical that is not so far fetched. A PE teacher who collected the money also coaches a sports team. He left the money in the locked area until after practice and then intended to return and deposit it in a drop safe (not sure if PM has one). After practice was over and the kids in his custody had departed for home then returned only to be unable to access the area. In which case a letter in the file might be more appropriate!
To add to the scenario I presented consider this posting on the “Concerned Parents of Patterson Mill Middle/High School” Facebook Page Colin has linked.
“Concerned Parents of Patterson Mill Middle/High School
No letter yet, sorry. Life got in the way! Hope everyone made it through Irene ok. The letter to Dr. Tomback, from this group, will be delayed. Look to The Daggerpress in upcoming days for breaking news related to Patterson Mill.
Thursday at 11:19am”
Notice it was posted 11:19 AM on the same day as the discovery and article writing.
Coincidence?
Well stated!!!! I find it interesting that parents of students currently attending PMHS would trash the teachers and staff, find fault at every opportunity, and go so far as to “stage” these pictures. Talk about no morals. Again, the Dapper Press will do anything for a story. Readers: Look a little further ~ who is the author of this article and how are they connected with the school? Pathetic!!!
Agree with Mommie. Teachers need to be at the highest level of accountability here. Reporters are always going to use their contacts to get their jobs done. The fact that Cindy has had a student at PMMHS (and at other schools in the county as well) means that she has contacts within that school that will provide information. And that’s what the press is for – to inform the public. All HCPS employees are paid from our tax dollars and have a duty to protect not just the students but also the property where they work. If more attention was being paid to limiting physical access to those who need it things like this wouldn’t be happening. At PMMHS it is incredibly easy to get into the building, and any room in the building. Those controls need to be looked at as well as the cash controls.
Totally agree that teachers have to be held highly accountable. I was commenting on the fact everyone was blaming the principal for the action of a teacher who did not keep track of the money. That is like putting a parent in prison if their kid chooses to commit a crime. The parent set the expectation; the child did not follow it. Same thing here.
As far as access to PMMHS, it is one of the most used schools in the county for rec programs, meetings, etc. If you want less access, it means groups like the PTSA, Emmorton Rec, and the other various groups who use the building will not have access. It is the nature of the beast; for greater access you have to have deal with less security than if you want to frisk everyone coming in and out of the school. Maybe we can borrow some of those TSA scanners :)!
Additionally, parents and the community often through out the “I’m a taxpayer” comment (which I, for one, am SO sick of hearing) without remembering that teachers ALSO pay taxes. I have as much of a vested interest as you in making sure MY tax money (as well as yours) is not being wasted.
Would love to see HCPS get out of the athletics business – just give it all to David Craig for the Parks and Rec to administer. The parents could procure the busses, make the rules, collect and disburse all the booster $ however they please. Kids could stay in class all day and stop getting pulled out all the time for sporting events.
Like the parents of the Bel Air Terps U12. Great idea!
How about we end all the nastiness here? Pretty much every party, from Thibeault to Cindy to parents to teachers, has slammed and/or been slammed above. I’m sure everyone involved feels they have done the right thing, but here are a few things to think about:
1. No one has all the facts, so to proclaim the guilt or determine the fate of anyone related to this is ridiculous. Let the school system employees who have more information than we do figure this out. Even when it’s all over, be sure that you don’t know everything and probably never will. From beginning to end here, I’m seeing assumptions made by posters that from the little I know about this aren’t correct.
2. Before you accuse or point a finger toward a teacher, parent, principal, or author, realize that you’re messing with peoples’ livelihoods and reputations. Many of the teachers being blamed here work extremely hard and take on extra duties that I’m sure they aren’t compensated for. These people add much more to the school and help to develop the students into responsible adults than most parents know. They do many great things they do that they get little credit for, and they get crucified when something doesn’t go right for the child of parents who think their kid can do no wrong and is the best thing since sliced bread.
3. Unlike the systematic theft of a large sum of money over a period of time, this incident sounds to be a complete mistake not an indication of competence for the job or character. Have you ever made a mistake? How would you like to have a spotlight like this one glaring on you when you forgot to stop at the store and get milk on the way home from work? I’m not saying milk and a stack of 20’s are equivalent, just that really busy people can have things slip their mind. Yes, it’s obvious that there are still some procedural issues at PM, but do you honestly think there isn’t cash or other valuable assets not locked in a vault each night in just about any school in the county? At least this money was in a locked closet.
As far as the parent volunteer/school employee relationships go at PM, they have been bad since before the school opened and there is plenty of blame to be shared by all parties. Parents making this incident public doesn’t help. Regarding parents and staff members who don’t want to be involved because of negativity or becasue they don’t like someone, they probably wouldn’t be involved anyway. If you really care about doing what’s best for the kids, you don’t use that as an excuse.
PM Parent: You make very rational points; however, the fact is this “mistake” did occur. You would think that after the first “mistake” and all the publicity it garnered, that anyone and everyone involved would be overly cautious not to make this type of “mistake” again. Certainly we have all made them, but this one becomes more glaring coming so closely after the first incident. And regardless, even though the principal may not have been the one to leave the cash box out, he is the captain of his ship and therefore is responsible for anything and everything happening under his watch.
And how long before someone slams me for using all the quotation marks around “mistake”?
Your ulterior motives are so apparent that it really destroys any points you are trying to make. Very obvious….
I just re-read all of the comments on this unfortunate incident and the comments on the first incident as well. I have reached one conclusion. At PM there are still no consequences for mis-handling money. All of the shouting back and forth about who and why and when is just background noise to the one fact that there are no consequences for mis-handling money whether it is $10K or more or a few hundred.
From a taxpayer viewpoint (and I understand that teachers are taxpayers) that is wrong. It is wrong not just because of the money, but even more so because it puts the school system and all of those who work in the system in a group that says “Hey, we don’t care and you can’t make us care and we are not going to fix it so shut up and leave us alone!”
I get the message. Loud and clear. But if you are part of the school system then don’t be surprised when people react to you the way they are reacting. You are either part of the solution or you are part of the problem. You have chosen to be part of the problem.
I have realized that I made a mistake. The cashbox was found on the 31st.
LOL…yea…this guy is reliable.
Parents/Students/Teachers of Patterson Mill High School –
While I believe we have the right to our opinions, please consider the following:
1.I am not a very religious person but I do remember this verse – “Judge not, lest ye be judged”. Remember, the person or persons who were responsible for the taking of the $10,000 will have to answer to someone eventually.
2.“Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.” My solution to alleviate any further incidents like this one happening in the future is to have a secure night deposit box within the school that only school administration would have access to. When a club, sport, activity has an event after school hours, the coach, sponsor or person in charge will make a deposit slip and put their signature(s) on the deposit slip verifying the amount.
I teach at PMMHS and completely agree and know many would love a drop box! Sometimes teachers are working past when the office is closed and working on counting money or collecting money for whatever reason. This would help as the policy is that before the end of the day all monies have to be turned in. Teachers would be able to stay later and take care of deposits without worrying about the office closing before they are ready. Nice suggestion!
Shouldn’t there be an administrator on duty for any activity that involves the school and money for tickets being sold? If this was gym uniform money, shouldn’t that be taken care of during the school day while administrators are in the building?
This is not the second time this has happened at PMMHS, it is the THIRD. Money was stolen a few years back and a claim was filed with the insurance company to recover the loss. Thibeault will never be held accountable by Bill Lawrence or Rob Tomback. Their principals are always held harmless. All they do is make excuses about how hard it is to be a principal and how they (principals) can’t be accountable for everything that happens in the building. It’s time the Board cuts its losses and gets rid of all three of them – Tomback, Lawrence and Thibeault. Two more years of Tomback will only yield more problems and a greater lack of accountability.
OMG! You people that keep complaining and moaning about PMMHS (and I’m not just talking about the 10k or this petty mistake…I’m talking about the resentment that has existed since this school opened) are pathetic. Have you ever lived out of harford county? You don’t know how good you have it with this brand new school and a staff of teachers that really care for the kids and community. Do you know the real problems that many HS kids have to deal with in other parts of this country…let alone the world. You will never be happy and that is true. If you are sooo dissatisfied with the school, admins, and whatever, then move and send your kid somewhere else. And to the so called booster club reps….running to this website…just pathetic. My out of town friends just can’t believe you really did that.
Actually, I did live outside Harford County and the schools where we came from were orders of magnitude better than HCPS. Yes, my kids did attend the brand new Patterson Mill and my children now receive a better education in a building that is nearly 50 years old. We never thought we’d send our kids to private school until they started going to Patterson Mill. The tuition I pay is worth every penny!
Wow…pulled out of PM (one of the top…and according to some reports – the top school in Harford Cty) to pay 10k+ a year to attend a private school where most of those teachers came from public schools….and most likely, eventually attend college with other public school graduates. Genius.
Furthermore…where outside of Harford County did you find the schools “orders of magnitude” better than PM? I’d love to know….
What kind of report has PM as the “Best” high school? Who decides what constitutes a “Best” high school anyway? I am just trying to figure out where you get that info. from. Think it might depend on your student and what they want to do. From a purely academic standpoint, the bigger high schools in this county are going to probably be better because there is a lot more course selection and opportunities for students to have face time with many more teachers.
Read this article from your very own Dagger.
http://www.daggerpress.com/2011/06/21/patterson-mill-c-milton-wright-and-bel-air-high-schools-among-america%E2%80%99s-top-high-schools/
Also PM is one of the smaller schools in Harford County based on HS enrollment.
One measure of school performance is based on the number of students taking AP courses (the one Maryland and HCPS like to use) without concern for the number of students that actually take the end of course exam or receive a passing score.
There are several other measures of individual school and school wide system performance. Using these other formulas Maryland comes in at the middle of the pack as does HCPS – including PM.
What formulas? What source are you getting this from? Please list…
Justamom and getlost,
I have been a HCPS teacher for almost 20 years and all 3 of my children graduated from here and went on to get college degrees with their knowledge from this system. We have at least 2 high schools that have been rated extremely high nationally. Also, the state of Maryland was also rated number 1 in the nation. I am sorry you were not satisfied with HCPS and it is certainly your choice to send your child to a private school. However why would you spend $10,000 a year when your child could get a superior education with more course selections than any private school offers. We have Bio-Med and Teacher Academy Programs just to name a few. Our SAT’s are higher than many private schools Save the money for college!
This money situation at PMHS is an isolated incident and our schools do have accountability and reliable teachers and principals to back us up. HCPS have excellent schools!
Good, keep them there! Every one has an opinion. Let’s tone down the negativity.
Get Lost,
I guess you just don’t get it. My taxes pay for this circus that is going on at PM. I am not going to move and I am not going to send my kids anywhere else. And, most of all, I am not going to shut up until it gets fixed and stays fixed. If you don’t like that then you can move. Or you can help make sure it gets fixed. Otherwise, I guess you will have to deal with it.
Two things. First, the theft and then this on top of it are wrong. Big time wrong. But you know what is even more wrong? The school system acts like it no big deal. “Ho hum. Stuff happens. We are too bust doing other important stuff to get sidetracked with these piddly little matters.” Well it is a big deal and many of us are going to make sure it stays a big deal in the eye of the public until it does get fixed.
No one actually ever told HCPS that this incident happened so how do you know how they reacted? They implemented a procedure this year and it was not executed. Not sure how they will react because as has been discussed it never got brought to their attention.
Dear ???????,
Would ????? be your name or the state of your mind? Anyway, you say “no one actually told them it happened”? You are seriously suggesting that HCPS doesn’t actually know of his incident? Where are they? Mars? No, wait, I know. They are in China. No, wait, that would be the administration that is in China.
Newsbreak! The reason nothing has happened is because HCPS doesn’t really care much and, furthermore, they are not going to care much. If the public is up in arms about this – and they are – well, too bad. The school system could care less about what the public (who actually funds them) is up in arms about. Are they clueless or are they arrogant?
To answer your questions
???? is the pseudonym I choose to use!
I am not sure your question mark is placed appropriately yes I said that. Why, because at that point this SPECIFIC incident had not been brought to the attention of anyone in HCPS or the school administration’s attention. They found out when it was placed on the Dagger. I suspect the Patterson Mill Bosters club will have trouble getting support from the very coaches they are on here exposing.
Alex, I suspect you need to spend some time inside of a school living the life of a teacher. Perhaps you should do some substituting!
Hey Alex..the public is not “up in arms”..it’s a few busybody, nutcase parents who don’t have enough going on in their lives.
WOW…I read about bullying in schools every day and how we should be alert and aware to prevent incidents. Unfortunately, I didn’t think I would have to worry about the parents that are around my children at school events. But by reading these posts and previous posts from 7 or 8 parents, I’m beginning to feel alarmed.
WOW…I read about bullying in schools every day and how we should be alert and aware to prevent incidents. Unfortunately, I didn’t think I would have to worry about bullying from parents that are around my children at school events. But by reading these posts and previous posts from 7 or 8 parents, I’m beginning to feel alarmed.
There is no circus at Patterson Mill. All of this uproar — especially the calls for a new Principal — sound like a personal vendetta. Teachers have a million responsibilities– INCLUDING handling money. I promise you that the money left was by a teacher who is over worked and under paid and who made an honest mistake. They have all been trained and the leadership at PMill is strong. I am a teacher in a public school system and I can tell you that all of this publicity is just going to get some hard working dedicated PE teacher fired. Way to go. Hey parents — take a look around. We have an AMAZING school at PMill led by a dedicated Principal. PMill is performing in the top of HCPS. Ask some other parents at some other schools about their Principals because those are the type of people we are going to end up with if the current one is let go. Oh yes, we will get a micro-manager who never comes out of his office and no students know. Or we could get the “business” model with no people skills. Or we could get the “just trying to move up in the system” proto-type. Someone made a mistake. People do that. Before publishing articles like this, someone at the Dagger Press should find out about the “agenda” of the person providing the information.
Supportive Parent – My “agenda” was to draw attention to a continuing problem at the school. After the theft of $10,000.00 from the school, the investigation ended with no prosecution. No prosecution due to the large number of people who had access to the safe. Money handling was not done in a proper manner and on the “first” day of school money was left out. I realize the teacher made a mistake, the greater issue is the mistake of the principal to not take greater care to be sure that money is handled properly!
Being “overworked” and “underpaid”,your words, does not absolve anyone of responsibility! If the bank lost your money would you forgive it if the teller was “overworked” and “underpaid”?
People like Supportive Parent are the first ones to complain if the underpaid and overworked McDonald’s worker makes a “mistake” and forgets to Supersize her fries. You are not attacking the principal personally, you are pointing out that he is not performing one of his duties in the proper manner. It doesn’t matter what kind of people skills he has and if he is hand-on with the students–he is not paying enough attention to one of his responsibilities and that must be dealt with accordingly.
Ok,
I have got to ask. I keep reading your posts wondering whether to react. You have said numerous times that “you realize the teacher made the mistake” but think that Mr. Thibeault “makes a mistake in not properly handling money”, so to speak, regarding this situation.
What then, in this situation, did you exactly want to have happen? Those making these comments keep saying the issues they have, but never say what they want as the solution.
As a staff member, I would love to know your grand master plan for having the administration know where every dime is with every staff member at the end of each day. We, the teachers, know our responsibilities. Not all may follow exactly as they should, but everyone knows what they are to do.
PMMHS Staff —
You most likely will not get a response to that question. These people obviously have a vendetta against the principal. However if things were followed through to a logical conclusion and the principal were to act — then a teacher who made a simple mistake would get fired and PM would lose a overall anyway.
I hope that all of the people on here who are blasting people are the same ones who are going to be at the school volunteering their time and trying to raise money for the school whether it be PTA or any Booster Club. I am going to assume that the teacher who made this mistake (and I am sure it was an honest mistake at that) is a well liked person that people are on here defending. I am wondering if it was someone who people didn’t care for or who they would like to see get fired, would the comments be the same? I am not sure…
If HCPS really wanted to, they could use this opportunity to address all of the schools and the situations that occur in many schools with the handling of money and what procedures and protocols are in place. In this case no money was taken and it should be viewed as a lesson learned and public confidence restored that parents’ money is safe when they hand it over to the school system.
Colin
I have a simple question for you. Did you even think of approaching the pe chairperson they both are there every night watching film and making their game plan for that weeks game. I’m sure that you know who they are . or instead of raising a stink about addressing the issue at PMill about the athletes who are getting caught with vodka in water bottles at football games or even kids that are a party that have been busted for drinking and nothing being done to them. How about taking these stories to the dagger instead of money being left out on the first day of school.
Support Parent:
Well said! Out of the Principals in HCPS, Mr. Thibeault seems to be one of the few Principals that truly care about the students! As a rule, I tend not to like administrators because most of them come across as self-serving bureaucrats who only care about moving up to a cozy central office positions or becoming the next Superintendent. Or then there are the ones that hide out in their office all day and are oblivious to what goes on in the school they’re in charge of! It’s so refreshing to so a Principal who has a good relationship with the students, the students know him, and he knows the students. At some schools, the students don’t even know who the Principal is! He also jokes around with the students and seems to take invested interest in them. So for those of you that are calling for Mr. Thibeault’s resignation or dismissal, think before you act! If you think you’re upset with the man who is Principal now, wait until you get a self-serving bureaucrat or the aloof hideaway, you’ll be whining then.
Aberdeen High School had a principal who cared very deeply about his students. He did everything in his power (and some things not really in his power) that he could to get students to stay in school and graduate. He did it in the face of (and in most cases in spite of) increasing oversight from the county. He believed that test scores should not the be-all and end-all of how a student or a school should be judged. His caring attitude towards students got him fired.
You can say anything and everything you want about Mr. Thibault’s attitude towards his students and his school. If he doesn’t clean up his mess, the Superintendent will find someone else to do it for him.
Thank you!!!
And because I didn’t say so before, thank you PMMHS teachers and staff. The work you do with my children every day goes above and beyond anything I have ever seen at any other school. The only issues I have ever had at PMill have been with parents who have decided for a myriad of reasons (including glaring personality flaws) that they know better than the people who have actually dedicated their lives to education. Boosters (and my child is an athlete), please for the love of god, BOOST. Support, Care, Help. If you cannot do these things unconditionally, then you do not deserve the title “booster”. (It is like criticizing your family — keep it in the family.) By using your title and “press” connections to criticize the school, you have blackened our name in the county and I, for one, love my community and my school. If you don’t, please don’t be a booster and consider a move. I promise you the grass is not only NOT greener — it hardly exists in other places.
PMMHS Teacher is spot on with his/her comments.
The author of this article and the wife of the Booster’s President are best friends. Both would like nothing more them to see Mr. Thibeault replaced. I once attended a PSTA meeting, when in the middle of Principal Thibeault’s comments these two ladies got up and walked to the rear or the media center to carry on there own convesation.
I will continue to support the PSTA but will not be joining the Athletic Boosters this year. Instead I will give the money to individual team fundraisers.
And the funny thing is most everyone associated with PM knows this and knows this site is a joke…and now who knows how they will feel about the ‘booster’ club.
Most people associated with PMHS may know that, but I doubt most of the rest of the county knows it. It is something fairly important to know given how much coverage (and usually negative, though not always unwarranted) PMHS gets on The Dagger.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Mrs. Mumby does a very good job covering HCPS, but I have a feeling many of the same issues would be found at other schools if there were people poking around for them (probably not $10k+ missing in cash from ticket sales, of course.)
I also think that The Dagger overall does a good job of covering local events and news, though some of the comments frequently get a bit ridiculous (particularly on anything involving HCPS or the HCSO.)
Can’t wait for the Booster club president to move on. I certainly will not be supporting Booster Club. My comments remain, the “staged photos” in this article are pathetic. A parent actually took the time to “stage” this and snap a picture with his phone. I guess he also has a key to several areas at PMill. Interesting.
Just to set the record straight, teachers are neither overworked nor are they underpaid. Likewise for administrators. What a bunch of whiners. When they start working 50-60 hour weeks 52 weeks of the year then they can talk. If they don’t want to teach then they can always go to work somewhere else. Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate what they do. I wouldn’t do it. But they wouldn’t do what I do either.
Alex,
How dare you make a blanket statement that the educators of HCPS are whiners. I have been a teacher in one of the high schools and love my job. I did not become a teacher for the pay or working hours. You do not realize that teachers do work for 40-50 hours. Most teachers are dedicated and want to provide a great education for these students. We spend hours on lesson plans and there probably is not one teacher that does not work at home. We do not get paid for this but do this because we want to give our students the best we can. We sponsor dances, clubs, and coach and get paid but it is nominal pay. If we did not do this your child would not get all these opportunities. Please evaluate the facts before you give such a biased opinion!
Let me guess…coaches are overpaid as well.
I didn’t say anyone was over paid.
Go back and read what I said. Don’t read in to what I said what is not there. I’m sure you can read, write, speak and understand English. I said teachers and administrators are not overpaid. And that is exactly what I meant.
Actually you said they aren’t underpaid which implies that you think they’re overpaid, though I suppose you could’ve meant they get paid exactly right and aren’t overpaid either. There are easier ways to have that if what you indeed mean was that they are paid correctly for the job they do.
Left out a word…
Should’ve said:
“There are easier ways to have said that if what you indeed mean was that they are paid correctly for the job they do.
I believe they get a very fair salary and benefit package for what the do and the number of days they work per year. Very, very fair. And if we look at their wages and benefits after they retire they are significantly better than many similar professions. I simply don’t buy this boo hoo, poor teacher, we have to excuse anything that it is not right because they are some special class of underpaid, overworked, long suffering employees. They hold themselves out to be professionals and I expect them to act that way. Professionals do what it takes to get the job done. And many, many professionals, nearly all except in the education industry, work year round. Suck it up. We all work hard.
JUST SAYIN-You definitely called us whiners. When you become a teacher and walk in our shoes then you can comment about our jobs!! You do not have a clue so stop criticizing such dedicated educators in Harford County!!
Mr. Thibeault interviewd hundreds of applicants before selecting his faculty and staff. Those of us who were hired felt very fortunate to be given the opportunity to teach at PMMHS. At one of our first orientation meetings, he told us that he had looked for kindness as an important personality attribute in each interviewee. From kindness flows many other virtues; hopefully honesty and integrity are key among them. Having worked for Mr. Thibeault, I know from personal experience that he is a man of integrity and kindness. I once had a question regarding how a financial account was being handled in the middle school. I went directly to him with my concern. He checked into the problem and contacted people at the Board to check on the ethics of the situation. He handled the matter in an expeditious, honest and fair manner.
As far as his concern for students, he is not only interested in the high schoolers, but he also loves the middle schoolers. I was attending an after school ceremony at the Board to honor some of our middle school students. I was surprised to see Mr. Thibeault enter the room and take a seat beside me. When I thanked him for coming, he simply said, “It is my honor to be here.”
He starts his day early in the morning and he spends many off duty hours engaged with his students and their families. Those who know his work ethic know he is a good Christian and a respectable leader. I think that some of the commenters here do not know the true heart of Mr. Thibeault,
Mr. Thibault’s heart is not in question. His ability to hold his staff accountable for cash money is in question. Sorry if that distinction hasn’t been made before.
As stated before, the procedures for the handling of funds were communicated to teachers and staff. Hopefully the person(s) in custody of the lock box just forgot to turn it in and this was not a disregard for the cash procedures that were put in place.
Concerned Teacher, what actions in this case should the principal take against those responsible for failing to follow procedures? I do not know what disciplinary actions a principal is allowed to implicate against a sfaff menber in this situation. Could you please enlighten me?
If I were Mr. Thibault I would personally speak to those responsible empathizing the serious of this matter in light of the previous theft and send an e-mail to all teachers and staff again reminding them of the proper procedures for the handling of funds.
ALEX R NEEDS A HUG!!! Mommie Dearest…I’m sure you two hang out quite a bit. Next time you see Alex, could you give him a big hug from Patterson Mill. A good ole Husky Hug! Thanks!
Hugitout: I don’t know Alex R but I wish I did. He is the only one posting with any common sense. Everyone else is getting emotional and personal, dreaming up conspiracy theories, while he is merely stating that someone shirked their responsibility and it needs to be dealt with. End of story.
HUGITOUT,
I don’t really need a hug. But if MOMMIE DEAREST wants to give me one, why not?
Getting back the missing $10,000 or more, plus fixing what is clearly broken will be quite sufficient rather than the hug. School spirit doesn’t trump broken systems and lack of accountability.
Dear ????????
I have actually spent time in a school and have taught. I have been recognized as a very succesful teacher. So don’t tell me I don’t know what it is like. I know too well the vast breadth of attitudes and capabilities of teachers. And I know the impossibility of weeding out those whose capability and/or attitude make them unfit to teach your kids and mine. If you are happy with them as the teacher of your children, well, I really don’t know how to respond to that. In a sense, that is up to you. I expect more. And I am not going to sit by in silence when it is not being delivered. Right now we have a situation at PM where something needs to be fixed. If you agree with that then make a suggestion for how to fix it plus demand that it be fixed. If you don’t think there is anything that nees to be fixed then we will talk again when it happens again. And it will.
Alex–
What would be the proper course of action for the Principal to take in this situation? He has made a policy in response to the first theft. One teacher has made a mistake and left the cash box in the concession stand.
In your ideal world what should he do?
The principal created the policy? Do you know that for a fact? Wow! We already have a problem. Individual principals and individual schools should not have the leeway to create their own policy in an area like this. Nor should they have the leeway to modify it or waive it. I assume that the school system has such a policy, especially in light of the previous theft of a large amount of money.
Every good policy contains a statement as to what happens if the policy is not followed. Often, but not always, that is in the form of progressive disciplinary steps. The disciplinary steps would address both the individual involved in the infraction and the supervisor(s) of the individual. Anyway, the school system (1) should be willing to release their written policy. Then, (2) the school system should be willing to make a statement that (a) there is a policy; (b) the policy was not followed; (c) the disciplinary action demanded by the policy has been taken. No names need to be released since it is a disciplinary matter and the public would, or should, be satisfied. If the public is not satisfied that the policy itself is stringent enough, then they have an opportunity to demand changes to create a more stringent policy. I know the school system will mutter that the public has no business micro-managing to that extent. Too bad. They have shown themselves to need micro-managing.
Do you need any more information, Joe? This is not rocket science. Standard stuff, or it should be.
Alex,
All of the board policies are public and available on the HCPS website.
You still haven’t answered the question of what YOU think the principal should have done / or be doing to discipline the teacher. In fact, your comments continue to indicate that you have a personal vendetta against the principal himself and believe that he should be disciplined/dismissed for the misbehavior of one of his employees (even after the entire staff apparently was told how money should be handled in light of the first incident).
The public can “demand” all they want, but board policy is dictated by the board of education, not angry parents. You can mutter all you want about the school system’s shortcomings, but it’s better than having policies dictated by the many irrational ignorant types that have been posting on this thread.
Is is possible that procedures are different at different schools depending on the setup etc.? Reason I am asking is that PMMHS is unique in that is 2 schools housed in 1 building with both schools using many shared resources. There are 2 different sets of administrators for each school with one person overseeing and many different groups that are handling money. Maybe just the idea of a drop box with night deposits would be appropriate
Secondly, it appears as though the set up of this whole area where the incident took place is faulty. Maybe this is an opportunity to rethink the idea of having teachers selling P.E. uniforms in the same area where boosters are storing concessions, and a janitor closet all in one area. Is it like that anywhere else? I would like to see one of the Board members (maybe someone like Bob Frisch or Nancy Reynolds or both because of his police and/or their administrative experiences) talk to parents and maybe help brainstorm or resolve some issues based on their collective knowledge of the school system and explain the stated policies to parents.
Can you please provide a link to those policies on the HCPS website? I wanted to look at them and must be looking in the wrong place. Thanks.
Joe, You asked me what I would propose for a policy. I answered. What part of the policy outline which I proposed at your request did you find to be irrational or ignorant? Specifics please.
As for Thibault, I don’t know him and I don’t need to know him. This has nothing to do with his personality or his education or whether he cares a great deal (or not at all) for his students and teachers. The question which has not been answered in all of these postings is this “What did he do as a result of his policy not being followed?” What disciplinary action was taken? I don’t need to know who the action was taken against but was disciplinary action taken and what was the nature of the action?
The answer to my question, so far, is “no action was taken.”
To know me is to love me. Everyone says that. Thanks, Mommie Dearest.
Hey, don’t bother to respond to this. I am joking. But the situation at PM is no joke.
PM is fine. The booster club and you are a joke.
Maybe all of the volunteers in the Booster Club should resign. That way there would be no fund raising for uniforms and many other needs of the athletic department.
HUGITOUT,
Not sure how the booster club got involved in this. Are they suspects for the felony theft? Did they somhow do something wrong in handling money? I wasn’t aware of it if they are somehow at fault. Get a grip. What’s the matter with the booster club? I guess if they feel like they should resign then they should go ahead and do it. Personally, I thought they were innocent bystanders. Am I worng about that? Are they not innocent?
Alex;
How Did the Booster Club Get Involved?
It was two officers of the Athletic Boosters that contacted the author of the story shortly after they discovered the box. Colin even admits to being one of the sources for the article and has made his feelings towards the principl known in no uncertain terms.
These are officers of the Athletic Boosters. They know most if not all of the team coaches, many I would guess are also PE teachers. Why not first go to a coach, the PE Department chair, or Athletic Director?
You cannot convince me otherwise that this was an attempt to discredit Mr. Thibeault.
This has been my point from the begining. In an attempt to discredit the principal they dislike, they have alienated the same coaches they are attempting to support. THis will lead to a bad relationship as the coaches of teams will not trust them.
Hate to say it but from the dealings we as team parents had most of he coaches already do not care for he booster officers
Hate to say it but most of the coaches don’t bother to attend the booster club meetings.
I wouldn’t try to convince you of anything. If the officers of the booster club reported it that doesn’t mean that the whole club is suspect. Why shouldn’t they report it publicly given how the handling of incident #1 was so screwed up?
On the other hand, I guess if the officers don’t represent the members then the members can elect new officers otherwise they do all get painted with the same brush.
My question remains. Were these two incidents the fault of the booster club? Or are you just wanting the second incident to be quietly handled so that no one knows that the root problem has not been fixed? Given the debacle of the first problem and how it was NOT handled I guess I would have no confidence that a second issue would be handled correctly. But you are right, if we could just sweep it under the rug and keep it out of the public eye we could all fell much better in our ignorant bliss.
I have no doubt that there will be more incidents but maybe next time they will do a better job of hiding them from us.
As for Thibault, it’s his school. He wants to be in charge. He gets paid for being in charge. Well that means the accountability is his. It happened. Twice. What will be next?
omg…this post is still dragging out. Wow…this has got to be a record for Dagger. Theres more action in here than the debates…lol
Although it might feel like it, Ron, this isn’t even close to a record.
Behold:
http://www.daggerpress.com/2008/09/06/two-years-after-the-attack-alleged-rape-suspect-arrested-in-forest-hill/
Agreed…that one takes the cake. Thanks Brian
I was disappointed that The Aegis declined to report on a recent incident at the Patterson Mill Middle/High School. Nevertheles, I commend the parents for taking the initiative to obtain photographic evidence of this incident. Devoid of this evidence, the school system most likely would deny that the incident occurred. Now all they can do is decline to acknowledge it under the old excuse that it may violate employee confidentially.
A six-month investigation by the Sheriff’s Department last semester failed to identify the perpetrator of a felony theft of more than $10,000 in cash from this same school. The case was closed by the Harford County State’s Attorney’s office without any charges being filed. No doubt there is some more employee confidentially involved.
Several years ago a state audit, by the Office of Legislative Audits, exposed deficiencies in the way the local school system manages numerous financial practices. In particular, the school system had consistently failed to take a physical inventory of its own equipment for over ten years. At that time the Chief Financial Officer for the school system informed the school board that it was not practical to implement a policy or procedure to ensure accountability of the school system’s own equipment inventory. And the school board bought into this nonsense.
Since there isn’t any direction or demand for accountability from the top of the school system, it‘s not probable that demand for accountability will evolve on its own from within. It is now time for the school board to change the modus operandi of how business is conducted by the school system from the top down!
Speaking of the Aegis, it was reported today that because of all the theft at PMHS (which was supposedly just cash boxes) the school itself has gone “above and beyond” what the protocols were in HCPS. WHAT?? Are there a number of incidences that are allowed to happen before you get in some kind of trouble or did the school system just implement a policy AFTER all of this occurred so therefore is trying to back track?
The Aegis seldom reports on anything that appears on the Dagger first.