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More Disruption for a District Ready to Move On
As Thursday’s Board of Education meeting started, one sensed a community – teachers, staff, parents, and the politicians sitting on the board – ready to move on and start rebuilding after weeks of turmoil. Superintendent Pascal Mubenga and former Chief Financial Officer Paul LeSieur were gone after apparently bungling the reconfiguration of classified worker pay.…
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DPS Superintendent Resigns; Report Released
Superintendent Pascal Mubenga has resigned after seven years with Durham Public Schools, in the wake of turmoil spawned by confusion and frustration over classified worker pay. Bettina Umstead, chair of the Board of Education, announced Mubenga’s resignation after a closed-door special meeting. Deputy Superintendent Nicholas King is assuming the superintendent’s duties until an interim is…
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Meet the Candidate: Millicent Rogers
Millicent Rogers, currently the incumbent representative for Consolidated District B on the Durham Public Schools Board of Education, grew up in Durham and holds the philosophy that all families matter in this town where she grew up. Her grandmother, Reathie Mae Rogers, was president of the McDougald Terrace Residents Association and worked with the North…
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Seven Durham Schools Closing Monday Over DPS Pay Dispute
Durham Public Schools families in seven schools – a new set, no repeats from last week – are scrambling to deal with closures on Monday. “We anticipate staffing challenges tomorrow, Monday, Feb. 5, that will prevent us from conducting our school day,” said Crystal Kimpson Roberts, DPS director of strategic communications, in a statement Sunday…
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DPS School Board Tables Salary Decision to Next Week
After nearly five hours – a big chunk of that spent in closed session (again) – the Durham Public Schools Board of Education couldn’t reach consensus on any option to pay classified staff for February, let alone the rest of the school year. So, in the end, members voted on a motion to table the…
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Two Options on Table for Durham School Board
The Durham Public Schools administration is bringing two scenarios for the Board of Education to consider at a special meeting on Friday: Funding for both these options is available in the 2023-24 fiscal year budget. District administrators also considered adopting the experience steps as explored in the compensation study, but determined that the “options cannot…
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Multiple DPS Schools Closing on Wednesday
The Durham Association of Educators, dissatisfied with the rate of cooperation from the Durham Public Schools administration, is scheduling a protest Wednesday and currently expects 11 schools to be so short on teachers and staff. The district announced Tuesday night that all those affected schools will be closed Jan. 31. “Since the most immediate events…
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Durham School Board Plans Friday Special Meeting
The classified pay situation in Durham Public Schools might be the topic of a Board of Education special meeting planned for Friday at 3 p.m. It’s scheduled at the administration building on Cleveland Street in downtown Durham. In an email to district families Tuesday night ahead of planned staffing shortages that may lead to the…
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DPS Classified Staff Pay Holds Through January, But Future Uncertain
The good news: Classified staff at Durham Public Schools won’t have to return any money to the district for what some administration officials have termed an “overpayment.” The Board of Education on Thursday night voted to move $4.5 million from the local fund account to cover paychecks for classified staff – including bus mechanics, occupational…
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Durham School Board Plans Another Closed Session
The Durham Public Schools Board of Education already had a closed session toward the end of its agenda for tonight’s monthly meeting. But earlier this week, DPS officials added a new closed session ahead of the regular meeting, scheduled from 5 to 6:30 p.m. while the Durham Association of Educators and supporters of classified staff…
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Lottery Fund Projects, Facilities Condition Assessment Contract Up for DPS Consideration
The most dramatic topic of Thursday’s Durham Public Schools Board of Education meeting may be the recent classified pay situation, but the consent agenda also includes some items of interest for DPS families, including repairs and renovations proposed with North Carolina Education Lottery funds and a proposal to hire a company for a facilities condition…
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Durham Board of Education Meeting Monday on Pay Issue
The Durham Public Schools Board of Education is set to meet in closed session on Monday at 8 a.m. to review the compensation schedule calculation issue that has left classified district employees worried about retracted raises and possible clawbacks. The meeting is closed so the board can discuss personnel matters with their attorney, but a…
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