Two employees of the Mossyrock School District have been placed on “standard non-disciplinary paid administrative leave,” according to a Thursday, Oct. 15, post on the school district’s official Facebook page.
“Both were officially provided with the reasons for this paid leave and the conditions required. Administrative leave is a common tool used by school districts to provide the time and space needed to conduct an internal investigation,” the post stated. “The district has not made any determinations about whether any misconduct has occurred, and there are no concerns that anyone has been physically harmed. To preserve the integrity of the investigation, we will not discuss the substance of any allegation.”
Neither employee was named, but according to multiple emails received by The Chronicle, one of the employees is Mossyrock Elementary School Principal Angela Bacon.
According to the emails, both parents and other school district staff are planning to attend the upcoming Mossyrock School District Board of Directors meeting scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m., to show support for Bacon and “will be wearing school colors or ‘Everything is Better with Ms. Bacon’ shirts.”
According to the school district’s Facebook post, the board will only be accepting written public comment to begin their meeting on Monday.
“We will not be facilitating verbal comments regarding this matter but will accept written comments that are signed and dated. These comments will be distributed to board members,” the Mossyrock School District Facebook post stated. “Finally, should people wish to provide verbal comment upon the regularly scheduled agenda they will be given the opportunity to do so at the conclusion of the scheduled Board Executive Session.”
According to emails received by The Chronicle, rumors are circulating that Bacon and the other employee have been targeted by interim Mossyrock School District Superintendent Dr. Effie Dean, who was hired over the summer, as previously reported by The Chronicle. One email claimed “the school culture since Superintendent Dean arrived has declined significantly,” and aside from placing employees on administrative leave, the local Public Schools Employees of Washington union has filed a grievance against Dean for abruptly changing the school calendar and only giving nine days prior notice to school bus drivers and other school district staff.
“Concerns have been raised regarding communication, follow-through, staff treatment, and the overall working environment,” another email added.
The Monday, Oct. 19, Mossyrock School District Board of Directors meeting will be held inside the district’s office, located at 545 Williams St. in Mossyrock. For more information, visit the school district’s website at https://www.mossyrockschools.org/ or follow it on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mossyrockschools.
