On Oct. 25, the Mingus Union High School District Governing Board placed Superintendent Penny Hargrove on administrative leave for 10 days, pending an investigation by the law firm Gust Rosenfeld into the technical issues during AZ Merit testing last spring, which led to the school’s letter grade from the Arizona Board of Education falling from a B to a D, and the actions of school administration in reaction to them.
At a board meeting on Thursday, Nov. 8, the MUHSD board extended that 10-day suspension to an indefinite one, pending the full results of the investigation.
“Two weeks ago tonight, when you put Dr. Hargrove on leave, you said it would be for two weeks,” said Susan Segal, the attorney for the district, at Thusrday’s meeting. “As the investigation unfolded, many other issues came up.”
The board will meet at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10, to address the full results of the investigation in executive session with Segal, and to decide on Hargrove’s fate. Executive session is not open to the public.
“You should not assume anything as to what that means until we get that done,” Segal said. “We’re working very expeditiously in order to bring this to a fair resolution.”
In Hargrove’s absence, the MUHSD board unanimously approved MUHS Principal Genie Gee as acting superintendent indefinitely.
“I’ll do anything for this school and district,” Gee said when the board inquired whether she would accept that role. “I’m happy to serve.”
“Genie’s a person that will do anything for the school and now we’re asking her for more,” MUHSD Governing Board President Anita Glazar said. “We appreciate that very much. I hope everyone does support her during this time.”
“I think there is a phenomenal amount of trust that the staff has for Ms. Gee,” said Mingus math teacher and Mingus Union Education Association co-president Stephen Renard on Gee’s appointment. “She has bled Mingus red for years. We respect and appreciate everything she’s done and the culture she has been instrumental in creating.”
Jon Hecht can be reached at 634-8551, or email jhecht@larsonnewspapers.com
