Judson ISD Board of Trustees voted to close Judson Middle School next school year in an effort to balance the district’s $37 million budget shortfall.
The unanimous vote to close Judson Middle School leaving employees sad to see their students’ faces.
“I’m glad I’m not subbing at Judson Middle School tomorrow because I know they’re going to be heartbroken,” LaKisha Owens said.
Board members sparing Kitty Hawk Middle School from getting the ax as part of its downsizing plan to make up for its $37 million shortfall. Last week the board announced it would also close three elementary schools to meet its budget.
A meeting to discuss which elementary schools should close will be held on Saturday with trustees slated to vote on the exact closures next Tuesday.
Tonight’s meeting then turned to the hiring of a new superintendent for the district, which also recently voted to fire its current one. The meeting got heated between Judson Board president Monica Ryan and District 1 Trustee Suzanne Kenoyer about discussions of interviewing a new interim superintendent.
During the meeting Judson ISD Board President Monica Ryan told the security guard to escort Trustee Kenoyer out of the meeting after she continued to question the legality of interviewing a new interim superintendent.
Kenoyer voluntarily left the meeting after the verbal altercation.
“So, Mrs. Ryan is clearly without board authority, or there is a clear violation of the Open Meetings Act. She placed on the agenda interviews of a new interim superintendent.”
Kenoyer said she had no knowledge of a new interim superintendent being interviewed
After board went into closed session for over three hours they named Robert Jaklich as the district’s new interim superintendent.