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March 3 2022 Public Comments

Mar 1, 2022 | public comments

SUBMISSION 1

Select One
Agenda Item
Name
Richard McLaughlin
Date
02/28/2022
Subject
Intent to Offer FY 2023 Employment Contract to Kelly Creasy, Principal of ASB & ASD-Tucson Campus; Pursuant to A.R.S. 38-431.03(A)(1), the Board may vote to go into Executive Session for the purposes of discussion and consideration of employment matters
Comments
I have major concerns about the Tucson Campus Administration. Arizona School for the Deaf don’t have principal that very fluently sign language that can communication with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students for pretty long times and I would like to see Principal who know American Sign Language is very important that Students can feel free to communication with Principal than have to get Sign Language interpreter to translation with Mrs. Creasy and ASD Students. Please reconsider to have job position open for Principal for Arizona School for the Deaf.

I am strongly NOT recommendation Kelly Creasy to continue as principal at Arizona School for the Deaf but I recommendation Kelly Creasy to continue principal at Arizona School for the Blind. Thank you for consideration.

SUBMISSION 2

Select One
Non-Agenda Item
Name
Richard McLaughlin
Date
02/28/2022
Subject
Arizona School for the Deaf NEED new principal
Comments
Hello ASDB Board members, Superintendent Annette Reichman, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kristen Rex, Assistant Superintendent Shaina Cooper and ASDB Community, My name is Richard Allen McLaughlin Jr, I am PDSD alumnus.

I want to bring this address and had few conversations from Deaf community in Tucson that have concerned about ASD prinicpal Kelly Creasy have no knowledge in American Sign Language and have no direct experienced work with Deaf students or not have knowledge in Deaf Education settings. I think its right time to discuss about Arizona School for the Deaf need to have Principal that have know ASL or have experience work with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and/or had knowledge in Deaf Education settings. There is facts that Arizona School for the Deaf don’t have Principal that know ASL or Deaf Principal for pretty long time since Annette Reichman was become superintendent. I think it need time to hire new principal for Arizona School for the Deaf. It is very important that Students and Staff can have communication with Principal that know ASL instead have get ASL interpreter to translate every time have meeting or in principal’s office. I am strongly recommend Board and Superintendent Annette Reichman and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kristen Rex to have townhall or open forum about Principal at Arizona School for the Deaf and to reconsideration to have open Principal position for Arizona School for the Deaf. It is very important to listen from ASDB Community, Students, Faculty what they want to see what best interest for Arizona School for the Deaf. Thank you for your consideration.

SUBMISSION 3

Select One
Agenda Item
Name
LaDonna Gabrielson
Date
02/28/2022
Subject
6.11 Consent Agenda Item: Intent to Offer FY 2023 Employment Contract to Kelly Creasy, Principal of ASB & ASD-Tucson Campus
Comments
Members of the Board, President Nigro & Superintendent Reichman,
As a stakeholder in the community, I must speak against the intent to offer another employment contract to Kelly Creasy as Principal of ASB & ASD-Tucson campus for the FY2023. Kelly Creasy’s administrative leadership is in Special Education but does not include the specific subgroup (visually impaired, deaf/hard of hearing/deaf-blind) which makes up the population of students at the ASB & ASD-Tucson campus. Ms. Creasy lacks crucial, fundamental knowledge, specialized training, and foundational expertise needed to effectively lead the students, teachers, and staff of the ASB & ASD-Tucson campus. Enrollment numbers at the School for the Blind have declined under Kelly Creasy’s leadership. Look at her track record, the statistics raise several questions. Students and teachers of the visually impaired (TVI) have left for better educational placements and job opportunities. Remaining individuals on campus cannot speak up due to fear of losing their job or possible retaliation. There is no safe space on the Tucson campus if you are a member of the marginalized sub-group to speak out. It is time for others outside of the community to speak up. This must stop. Ms. Creasy does not know sign language; she is unable to communicate directly with the deaf staff and teachers from the School for the Deaf-Tucson campus. This has not changed in over 6 years! She does not understand or value Deaf Culture. This has resulted in an oppressive and marginalized environment on the ASB & ASD-Tucson campus. Do you realize that the School for the Deaf-Tucson campus graduating senior class of 2022 has never had a Principal who communicates directly with them using sign language throughout their entire high school experience? Nothing in the past 4 years. But not just the seniors, the juniors, sophomores and freshman have NEVER experienced being able to communicate directly with their Principal without an interpreter. Why is this allowed at a specialized campus which emphasizes direct instruction from teachers using sign language? What message are you sending to our students and their families? How do you explain to prospective families who visit ASD-Tucson campus the Principal does not know the language of instruction used in the classroom? PDSD has a Principal who can directly communicate with students, staff, teachers and prospective families. ASD-Tucson deserves the same. As a board member, you can make a change. Do not continue to support oppression. Do not continue to support ableism (vidism & audism). Do not offer an employment contract to Kelly Creasy. I urge all Board Members and Board President Nigro to request this consent agenda item be removed for discussion and debate at today’s Board meeting.

SUBMISSION 4

Select One
Non-Agenda Item
Name
Elizabeth Brauss
Date
03/02/2022
Subject
Pillar 3: Superb Organizational Culture
Comments
Dear President Nigro and members of the Board,

Over the past couple of years I’ve been listening to upper leadership make presentations and give reports to the board about current operations and changes happening within the agency. The narrative being told by upper leadership lacks representation of the concerns and questions that do not support that message. Not only are voices being left out of leadership’s narrative, they are being dismissed and silenced.

Comments from the November 2021 Board meeting have been characterized as complaints from one region and subsequently dismissed. I believe those comments were the words of brave professionals advocating for their profession as well as the students and families they serve.

During the February 2022 Board Work Study session, I heard leadership make comments that professionals in our community share the view of leadership about the positive impact of the recent changes made in the cooperatives, some of which I agree with. However, where were the comments from professionals who have raised concerns and questions? Those voices were silenced. Supervisors and leads, who were able to raise the questions and concerns of those they supervise, were invited to the Work Study session and then uninvited. Why?

I have yet to see upper leadership, in a transparent way, acknowledge concerns that have been raised by public comment or reported through the chain of command. Instead I have heard of and personally been sent the “Decision Making Model” as a means of justifying decisions and dismissing questions and concerns.

I keep hearing that change can be difficult and change can be messy. I believe change can be positively embraced when it’s centered in equity and is led with transparency and true collaboration.

I ask the board to consider the ways in which it receives information from all stakeholders. I ask that the board consider establishing committees of ASDB staff, parents, and students that have equal reporting and representation at board meetings to ensure that not only one narrative is being told.

Thank you,
Elizabeth Brauss
Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Region 2 formerly DVR

SUBMISSION 5

Select One
Non-Agenda Item
Name
Carol Eichorst, Au.D.
Date
03/02/2022
Subject
Blanket statement from Board Work Session 2/10/22 – audiologists not connecting families to community services
Comments
My name is Dr. Carol Eichorst and I have been a Region 2 educational audiologist since October of 2007. During the ASDB Board Working Session on 2/10/2022, a blanket statement was made that implied that the itinerant audiologists are “not connecting families to community audiologists and in some cases were not assisting families in that way and is in the long run becoming a problem for families.” This statement was a broad generalization. While I cannot speak for regions 1 or 3, I can tell you that Region 2 has consistently provided families information to connect to managing pediatric audiologists and community medical services such as AHCCCS, Children’s Rehabilitative Services, the Ear Foundation of Arizona, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and the St. Vincent DePaul Medical Clinic among others. We have been tracking the students referred to us for testing and where they have been referred post-testing since the 2013-2014 school year. These numbers do not include resources shared with families and staff of students that we already serve through the ASDB itinerant program. The numbers would have been higher had we tracked that as well. Region 2 audiologists also developed documents that have been provided to families and district staff to connect with community resources for medical treatment, audiologic testing, and hearing aids. The documents are titled “Medical Resources,” “Hearing Aid Resources,” “Otolaryngologists/Otologists/Audiologists,” and “Pediatric Audiologists.” These documents were developed between 2012 and 2015 and are updated annually. These documents are very comprehensive in helping families locate services in the Region 2 area.

This year has presented roadblocks to connecting families with community resources. Audiologists have been told that “our role is not to contact the parents regarding needs after an evaluation has been completed” and that we cannot send copies of hearing evaluation results directly to parents even though the parent has signed a permission form allowing us to evaluate their student’s hearing. We have been told that the audiologic report needs to come directly from the school health office to the parent, even though school staff cannot explain what the audiogram is, what the results mean, answer questions parents have about the results, nor provide resources to the parent. If we discover a medical issue, that too is only to be relayed through the school health department. We have no way to confirm that the parent was ever informed by the school of the results in a timely matter as health aides are busy dealing with sick students that present in their office. Without our ability to directly communicate with parents some students will have a long delay in obtaining services.

Part of connecting families with community resources should include direct communications with parents so we can establish what needs their student has. Many of these parents are paralyzed when their child is newly identified with a hearing loss, and a school health aide does not have the professional training in how to help them.

Please contact me if you’d like to see the above numbers or documents.

SUBMISSION 6

Select One
Agenda Item
Name
Thomas Evans
Date
03/02/2022
Subject
Principal Kelly Creasy Renewal
Comments
Hello, President Nigro and esteemed Board Members:

I will be to the point. Please, do not renew Kelly Creasy’s contract as principal of ASDB Tucson Campus. The Tucson Campus is at its lowest point of morale in the entire time I have worked on the campus, which is over a decade.

Mrs. Creasy is underqualified and having been in the right place at the right time is the only reason she secured her current role. In the subsequent time, she has turned her back and the school against the Deaf and Blind Communities, alienated all staff with lack of support or school spirit and shows lack of empathy and concern for students, particularly the blind students.

To hide her inability to properly run a school, every detail is micromanaged. Teachers and staff cannot use their experience and expertise to help mold our students into thriving successful adults.

Our sports teams are wasting away. Our numbers are dwindling in graduations. The ASDB campus is not the thriving and shining epicenter of the communities it once was and it is due to Mrs. Creasy.

Compared to PDSD, which has tremendous school spirit, very active sports programs and educated and creative principals, ASDB pales in comparison on every level. The PDSD principals know sign language and use it as the primary language on campus. Mrs. Creasy does not know sign language. Someone in her position should be taking the time to learn the primary language of the community she is meant to serve.

Mrs. Creasy has no grasp on what to do for the communities because she refuses to become part of and embrace the Deaf and Blind Communities.

That is the key point – she should be serving the communities. Since her taking the position, can it truly be said she has made the campus any better? The answer is point blank – no.

With strong conviction, I request you deny renewing Kelly Creasy’s contract and begin the search for a stellar, capable, informed and involved individual to the position.

Thank you for the time and the consideration.

SUBMISSION 7

Select One
Agenda Item
Name
LaDonna Gabrielson
Date
03/02/2022
Subject
Consent Agenda item: 6.03 – Employment Contract to Paul Creasy, Executive Director of Information Technology
Comments
Members of the Board, President Nigro & Superintendent Reichman,
As a concerned stakeholder in the community, I’m addressing some of the glaring omissions from the intent to offer an employment contract to Paul Creasy, Executive Director of Information Technology for the FY2023. It is known that Paul Creasy has a personal conflict of interest with this position as Executive Director of Information Technology since his wife, Kelly Creasy, also works for the agency in another leadership role. Although Mr. Creasy does not directly supervise his wife, he does have access to agency information that should not be shared with his wife, Kelly Creasy.
I have two concerns. (1) Has Mr. Creasy disclosed his conflict of interest to the agency? If not, his failure to disclose has put the agency at risk for a lawsuit, violated ethical standards, and jeopardized employees. As a result, his employment contract should not be renewed or offered for FY2023. (2) However, if Mr. Creasy disclosed his conflict of interest, what steps are in place to ensure agency information is not shared with his wife? How is confidentiality enforced and what type of accountability is in place due to the nature of his position and access to agency information? At present, no steps or assurances are shared with your stakeholders to ensure that Mr. Creasy does not disclose unauthorized agency information with his wife, Kelly Creasy, which she may use for her benefit or gain. Currently, there are no safeguards in place nor is a signed non-disclosure agreement required.
Two of the agency’s operating principles are accountability and transparency. The agency’s strategic plan states “we believe accountability, collaboration and transparency are key to providing a full range of information and data on ALL resources.” The lack of transparency to your stakeholders regarding this employment contract is unsettling and troubling. Trust with your stakeholders has been stripped and now the Board needs to make amends. Therefore, I urge all Board Members and Board President Nigro to request this consent agenda item be removed for discussion and debate at today’s Board meeting.

SUBMISSION 8

Select One
Non-Agenda Item
Name
Janet Trujillo
Date
03/02/2022
Subject
Kelly Creasy Contract
Comments
Good afternoon Members of the Board,

Thank you for the time to acknowledge my request to not renew Kelly Creasy as the principal of ASDB.
Over the years, I have watched our campus become neglected, not just physically but spiritually. Compared to where we were 25 years ago, ASDB is unrecognizable. The school used to be the hub for Tucson where deaf people and blind people would come together throughout the year to celebrate how good it was to have a school just for us.
Now, it seems like Kelly Creasy has just wants to say she is a principal at a school without doing any of the hard work required to not only run a school, but a very specialized school with very specific needs. Some amazing people still work her but they are considering what all good people do who have to work for someone who doesn’t understand how to do any job or what is required in our communities to ready our students for the real world. We have lost a lot of good people already.
It can be said “due to Covid” things had to slow down so we must look at pre-Covid. There was no spirit in our school. The kids are not proud to say they go here. The staff are not proud to say they work here. All staff are overworked and Kelly keeps increasing our workloads. Installing locks on every building took no consideration on our blind students. She just made our campus much more difficult to navigate. It should be the opposite.
When I travel to Phoenix, it is clear the staff is supported by great principals. The kids love their principals. Courtney made every kid feel special and Amber knows every student by name. They both know and use ASL. Kelly knows basics like Good Morning. This is not the representative principal we should have on this once wonderful campus running and embracing the Deaf and Blind communities.
She is very unresponsive in email delays (at her convenience) and has extremely limited hours for when deaf staff can meet in the administration building as interpreters are not available. If she knew ASL, this would not be a barrier.

Please consider not rehiring Kelly Creasy as the principal of ASDB.

SUBMISSION 9

Select One
Agenda Item
Name
Shellie Shipley
Date
03/02/2022
Subject
Principle Creasy
Comments
Dear Members of the Board,
A group of us in the Elementary ASDB department have been watching the board meetings and we understand the importance of wanting people in leadership to be a representation of the Deaf community, but we also want to emphasize the importance of all leadership qualities in a principal and supervisor.
We would like to recap how we arrived with only one principal on our Tucson campus. In spring of 2017, Mrs. Creasy, the current ASB principal was asked by our administration to assist with covering the absence of the ASD principal, while searching for a replacement. Over the next year ASDB posted a Tucson campus principal position both externally and internally, with no success of hiring. Mrs. Creasy has continued to cover both positions since 2017.
Many of the ASDB teachers are in agreement that Mrs. Creasy has met and exceeded our expectations serving as our principal and supervisor over the past 4 years. In our combined experience and years as teachers, we have seen principals come and go due to varying skills and compassion in leadership roles. From the leadership of Mrs. Creasy, we have been given words of encouragement at all the right times, words of understanding when we needed it, and support and guidance to grow as teachers and support staff. Even when Mrs. Creasy has been up until 1am assisting with an emergency call from the campus dorms, she is still in her office the next morning ready to support her staff.
As for her ASL skills, again Mrs. Creasy did not ask to fill both roles, however, she began learning conversational ASL immediately upon serving both schools. She has filled two FTE positions and we can understand her not being able to take an official ASL class. Going forward we ask for her to be provided time to take formal ASL classes.
We, a group of Tucson ASDB elementary teachers, have had very wonderful interactions with Mrs. Creasy. She has continued to give us direct support, especially during this ongoing chronically stressful time of COVID. We trust that Mrs. Creasy will continue to participate in workshops and courses focusing on Deaf Culture, Deaf Education and continue to learn ASL. She has been an amazing leader on our Tucson campus. We are so lucky to have her as our principal and in a leadership role. We know under any circumstance she “has our backs!”. We hope this provides you with valuable information regarding Mrs. Creasy’s role as our Principal and supervisor on the Tucson campus.
We have discussed options for alleviating this situation: Advertise for a Principal / Vice Principal position to work directly with the Deaf staff and alongside Mrs. Creasy. This would provide time for Mrs. Creasy to take ASL, Deaf Education and Deaf Culture courses.

Thank you for your time.

SUBMISSION 10

Select One
Non-Agenda Item
Name
Patricia Ross
Date
03/02/2022
Subject
Regional Redesign-
Comments
My name is Trish Ross. I have been teaching for 40 years-11 of those years at ASDB. Presently, I am a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing(TOD) at DVR. The culture that has been created is such that I feel extremely nervous about writing this letter. Ultimately, I decided to submit a letter because I see the Co-ops moving away from providing what is best for children. The redesign is moving quickly and it lacks transparency and participation by the stakeholders. Decisions are being made that have a negative impact on our services to children. There are changes as mundane as time consuming paperwork that takes our time away from planning and teaching. And changes as impactful as not utilizing our audiologists and interpreters to meet the needs of our students. Many changes have been made. I have not been asked to participate, I am not encouraged to question and I have no idea of why decisions were made. There are many decisions to illustrate this lack of transparency, but given my 500 word limit, I will focus on two that impact students most.
Audiologists- we have two amazing audiologists with doctorate degrees. In the past, students and families would come to our office to be tested in our booth. The reports generated by our audiologists helped the TOD better understand the students’ hearing loss and plan better for instruction. Our audiologists counseled families and connected them to community resources. Now these highly talented audiologists spend the majority of their time doing clerical work. They also have to ask the administration (who are not audiologists) for permission to test a student out at their school. If we truly want what is best for students, we should allow our audiologists to do their job, test students in the booth and provide the comprehensive services that they have in the past.
Interpreters- How is it not in the best interest of children to have their interpreter, the person who is with them for the majority of the school day, attend the IEP? The knowledge and insight of an interpreter cannot be replaced. Why do interpreters have to get permission from the administration (who are not interpreters) to attend an IEP meeting? At the last board meeting concerns were expressed about an interpreter saying the wrong thing at an IEP meeting. That seems to me to be a leadership problem. That specific problem should be addressed instead of an unnecessary systemic change.

DVR used to be a bustling place of professional learning, and collaboration. Now, it is an office with low morale, and highly stressed staff who feel unappreciated, disrespected, and have no voice in the future of the co-ops. This limited space is not adequate to express my concerns. I want all stakeholders to participate in making ASDB a great community to work, learn and belong to.
Thank You,
Trish Ross

SUBMISSION 11

Select One
Agenda Item
Name
Mary Mabry Rimron
Date
03/09/2022
Subject
Contract renewals
Comments
Superintendant Reichman and ASDB Board,
We are here again to discuss leadership at ASDB. Tonight you will decided to offer contracts to 12 individuals in leadership positions at ASDB. Before making your decision please take into consideration the culture and attitude by which these individuals lead. Are deaf and or blind employees valued by these individuals? Do these individuals show a desire to provide an inclusive culture and environment? Do these individuals aspire to hire deaf and or blind individuals for positions in their respective departments? Have these individuals shown a desire to learn sign language? Do these individuals respect a deaf or blind persons perspective?

Please listen to this short story:
A teacher who happens to be deaf has started class. The students are working on their assignments. The teacher is at their desk. An administrative assistant who does not know sign, enters the room, walks directly to one of the student, bends over and talks to the student in their ear, turns around and leaves the class. The teacher was not asked for permission to interrupt class or told what was said to the student.
If you were this teacher, how would you feel? ……..Does this behavior represent what you as a Board stand for?

Yes, all leaders have strengths and weaknesses. Yes, leaders are rarely liked by all. However, leaders at ASDB must take extra steps to ensure a culture and environment that is accessible, respects and is sensitive to a linguistic minority. Relying on interpreters does not show good faith intentions. Not having the time to learn sign language is not an excuse. Working at a school for the deaf should be motivation in and of itself!

The situation at the Tucson campus has now become win or loose. Those that support leadership versus those who do not. Such an environment is unhealthy for all. Decisions about offering contracts remain up to the Superintendant and the Board. However, ASDB employees deserve to have their concerns addressed openly and upfront. Would the Board and Superintendant consider cultural mediation as one way to move forward? The issues are deeper than the ability to sign. The culture itself needs to be addressed.

Thank you for you service to ASDB

SUBMISSION 12

Select One
Agenda Item
Name
Tina Feldman
Date
03/03/2022
Subject
Agenda Item: 6.11
Comments
Dear Superintendent Reichman and Assistant Superintendent Rex, and Members of the Board:

I am commenting upon Agenda Item 6.11, Intent to Offer Employment Contract to Kelly Creasy.

I am a stakeholder of ASDB. My family is literally an “ASDB Family.” My daughter has attended ASDB since preschool, and she is going to graduate in May and further her academic career at Rochester Institute of Technology. I am an ASDB employee of 20-some years. My wife Karen is also an employee of this agency for nearly 30 years, from the dorms, to teaching, to her current position now within the Cooperative. 

Introductions aside, I would like to address some items that have come up regarding Kelly Creasy’s leadership of our campus. Ms. Creasy has supported and encouraged our Deaf and Hard of Hearing staff, as well as actively recruiting highly qualified DHH staff to work on our campus. She has challenged us to be better, do better. Her door is always open. The morning periods and afternoon periods when there are interpreters available are for any walk-ins that may occur; if someone needs to see or meet with Kelly outside of those times, there are no barriers to doing so. 

Ms. Creasy has been actively attempting to grow and enhance our instruction of our DHH students in various avenues. One of those has been to begin the Bilingual Grammar Curriculum along with Bedrock Literacy to address our students’ ASL & English knowledge. We have classes in ASL for our students. I know that there are further plans in place, post-pandemic, to continue addressing the needs of our unique population, both Deaf and Blind.

I would ask that the Board consider my remarks in determining the offer of a contract to Ms. Creasy. I am looking forward to continuing to work for her and with her to build and grow our school and capabilities for our students and our community. As our motto has been this year, “If we build it, we will grow!”

Sincerely, Tina Feldman

SUBMISSION 13

Select One
Agenda Item
Name
William Baim
Date
03/03/2022
Subject
Offered contracts to 12 leadership positions
Comments
Please see below video
*TRANSCRIPT
Hello, my name is William Baim. Today I want to talk about common sense. This is important as it applies to ASDB’s communication issues you will understand later the book common sense was written by Thomas Paine and published January 10, 1776. Also we know that all men are created equal and have the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These are all famous pronouncements by early Americans. At the time they desired communication in one language. Early Americans came to the U.S. from a variety of countries speaking a variety of languages, so communication was confusing and often ineffective. So they decided to establish English as the standard language for communication and that worked out well. The same is true on ASDB’s campus but it should be American sign language so that all staff and students can communicate and understand each other. Non-signing staff are not an appropriate fit to work at ASDB. Do you know that it takes great common sense and it should be obvious that you would sign on the deaf community’s own campus among the staff and the students who are deaf. Others who don’t use sign makes no sense and there is no communication policy at ASDB. There are conflicting approaches to communication and there is no clear policy to follow once there is a policy then everyone can comply with it. I understand that one is being developed, and hopefully that will be in use soon when I first came to ASDB to visit i was absolutely floored that there were so many staff who could not communicate. I saw them not signing maybe fingerspelling a little maybe gesturing a little ten of these non-signing individuals are up for contract renewal. Those who do not sign are taking advantage of the opportunity to get a paycheck from ASDB. Those staff who cannot sign but are working with deaf students and deaf staff have no business running ASDB they do not deserve to have their contracts renewed. They are mooching off of our system so that they can get a paycheck. They need to work elsewhere in an environment where they’re able to communicate. If I were to work
in a non-signing environment, a campus that was hearing with hearing students and hearing staff who couldn’t sign, that would be very awkward for me and I would want to just close my eyes until my next payday open my eyes long enough to get my check and move on and that’s what I feel that these 10 staff members are doing those who do not sign. Do not treat our deaf students and staff like second-class citizens. They deserve better than that.