ERVING — School officials have confirmed that both Erving School Union 28 Superintendent Jennifer Culkeen and Erving Elementary School Principal Lisa Candito are on what they described as approved leave.

Union 28 Director of Student Support Services Corrina Wcislo, who shared the announcements in a series of messages to the Erving Elementary School community, officially announced Culkeen’s leave last Thursday and Candito’s on Friday. According to School Committee Chair Mackensey Bailey, Culkeen’s leave began on June 2, while Candito’s began in mid-May.

Bailey declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding either situation, explaining that such personnel matters cannot be made public. Repeated attempts to contact Wcislo and Curriculum Coordinator Lindsay Rodriguez — another staff member tasked with providing interim administrative coverage — were unsuccessful, and a voicemail left for Culkeen on Tuesday was not returned.

Culkeen began her leave the day after she abruptly walked out of a School Committee meeting on June 1 during a discussion about student discipline. When asked about what policies the school might have to address violent acts and how faculty might communicate about those acts, she explained there is no rigid school policy and that faculty “would share on a need-to-know basis out of respect for the confidentiality of all our students,” sharing details only with relevant colleagues.

“That would be someone who covers a lunch duty or a recess duty,” Culkeen explained. “But if it’s a teacher that’s not going to encounter that student ever, except maybe passing them in the hallways, I cannot share information.”

Parents and community members then advocated for more open communication from the administration, as well as a firm, written policy surrounding disciplinary action in response to violent acts. This was a conversation Culkeen objected to, reasoning that “we need to be careful about having conversations in a public forum.”

A parent’s attendance at the School Committee meeting to discuss his child being punched was the impetus for the discussion.

“You said you couldn’t answer some of the questions because of confidentiality, except he is the parent ... who has the ability to have that conversation in public if he so chooses,” Selectboard Chairman Jacob Smith directed toward Culkeen, referencing the parent.

The two debated Culkeen’s rationale until she said she is “not going to be badgered in a public meeting,” packed up her belongings and left.

“While you have a right to talk about your child in public, we don’t have a right to talk about your child in public, and we certainly don’t have a right to talk about another child in public,” Bailey said, summarizing Culkeen’s rationale after attempting to convince her to stay at the meeting.

Wcislo and Rodriguez will remain in their interim positions “for the near future,” Bailey said, adding that she is thankful for the staff “going above and beyond and banding together to make the school continue to run.”

“All responsibilities … will be addressed in a timely manner,” reads last week’s announcement from Wcislo. “We will keep the community updated.”

Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-930-4231 or jmendoza@recorder.com.

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