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Steamboat Springs — Mark MacHale thinks of the Steamboat Springs School District as a family. As such, the Strawberry Park Elementary School principal said Monday's disagreement between the School Board and district administrators and instructional support specialists was just an example of how family members don't always see eye-to-eye.

"Sometimes we have spats," MacHale said. "Part of the reason we have conflicts is because we are so passionate. Sometimes those passions boil over."

That certainly was the case Monday, when district administrators and instructional support specialists squared off with the School Board about access to perception surveys filled out by teachers and staff. Superintendent Donna Howell promised staff and administrators that the anonymous survey results would remain confidential; School Board members demanded that Howell turn over the results.

District administrators and instructional support specialists read two statements at Monday's School Board meeting requesting that board members give up their demand of access to the surveys and that board members discuss the issue in public.

But after meeting in secret session, the School Board directed Howell to hand over the survey results. Board member Pat Gleason refused to take part in the secret session discussion.

Those on both sides say they wish the dispute hadn't carried out the way it did, but they also stand firm on their positions.

"I didn't want it to blow up like this," said School Board member John DeVincentis. "All I want is to see them."

The surveys say :

The anonymous surveys, completed in November, asked teachers and support staff to comment on the performance of their supervisors. Surveys also were completed about the performance of School Board members, and students completed surveys about their teachers.

Howell said she made the confidentiality promise so respondents would be candid when filling out the surveys. She said the results were going to be shared only with the person whom the survey was about. Howell also said this wasn't the first time she has promised confidentiality on surveys - it's just the first time the School Board has asked for the results.

But Richard Lyons, the School Board's attorney, said it wasn't a promise Howell could make. Lyons says board members legally have access to all school district documents.

Alex Halpern disagrees. Halpern is an attorney for the Colorado Association of School Executives who says school boards don't have access to all school documents. Specifically, Halpern said that because the board didn't initiate the survey, they don't have a right to the results. Board members counter that they initiated the survey, not Howell.

"When you look at statutes and pull them together, it is a matter of interpretation," Howell said. "It's not cut and dry. Quite often, when you implement legislation there is ambiguity, which, I think, is why there are as many lawsuits as we have."

School Board members such as DeVincentis said the survey results will help board members understand how administrators are performing. That information could be useful when the board acts on renewing their contracts annually, he said.

"We are trying to support confidentiality, as vague as that has been and how people took that, with our oath as School Board members to get information and do what's best for the district," School Board President and former teacher Denise Connelly said.

Howell gave DeVincentis copies of the surveys Tuesday morning.

MacHale said administrators aren't bothered that board members will see the results. Rather, they're disappointed that the dispute has eroded trust that had been increasing recently.

"It's a point that we were promised something by the leader of the district," MacHale said. "Anytime trust is broken you have to give a period of time to rebuild it. The future will give us time to rebuild it, but we also have to be very committed to rebuilding that trust. Right now, that's the No. 1 problem in our district - a lack of trust across the board."

But there was agreement that the dispute can be overcome.

DeVincentis, Connelly, Howell, MacHale, Soda Creek Principal Judy Harris and Steamboat Springs Middle School Principal Tim Bishop each said last week that they are confident everyone can continue to work together for one reason.

"We have to," Howell said, "because our major obligation is to the education of our children."

Board surveys

There is one group of surveys that is not confidential - the anonymous surveys district employees filled out to evaluate School Board members.

The consensus opinion based on the results from respondents was that teachers and support staff feel well represented by the School Board, which many staff members indicated is willing to question the superintendent and seek information directly from teachers.

Additionally, teachers and support staff think the School Board still could be more visible in the schools, should fight for increased pay and benefits for district employees and needs to set aside personal agendas to look at the bigger picture.

Although some teachers feel comfortable going straight to board members with questions and concerns, other teachers are worried the board will be quick to interpret complaints made by a few people as perceptions shared by all.

Connelly and DeVincentis spent this past week meeting with district employees in each school to try to calm emotions and answer questions.

"I just want to know what the climate is like and work with everybody to get past this," Connelly said.

A rough week

Howell, usually a vocal participant in School Board meetings, spent most of Monday's meeting sitting in silence.

Last week was a difficult one for the experienced superintendent. By handing over the survey results, she had to go back on her word to her employees, something that disappoints her tremendously.

"The issue for me is (the administrators and instructional support specialists) were told they were going to be confidential, and that is the issue for me more than anything else," Howell said.

Harris said she has heard from teachers and staff sympathetic to Howell's dilemma.

"I had a teacher ask me about the issue and basically said it's ironic it's happening right now because Donna has made such an effort to build trust with the staff," Harris said. "I feel Donna has listened to my concerns and acted appropriately to my concerns for my school. That's important to me. (But) it's not important that Donna and I are of one mind on all issues."

It also is important that the School Board and Howell aren't always of one mind. In fact, this board asks more questions and wants more information than previous boards Howell has worked with, Connelly said.

Before DeVincentis retired as principal at Strawberry Park several years ago, he said there was a perception that the School Board asked few questions and was comfortable with the information the superintendent provided, whoever the superintendent was.

He said he will continue to ask questions and demand answers.

"We are in the midst of a change in culture in the district," Connelly said. "I think it speaks to an internal change moving toward more internal discussion and sharing of information and debate at all levels. That kind of change is very difficult. I really think that's the overarching theme of this whole issue."

Lessons learned

There certainly were lessons learned this past week.

"I will make sure everything is clear, and we will have everything clearly documented," Howell said. "If the board feels strongly it has access to all information, then anything we are doing there has to be clarity on that. The lesson learned is that we are very clear and we document it and we communicate to folks on how things are going to be used."

MacHale said the district needs to work on rebuilding trust. Connelly said she believes the district needs to improve its communication on all levels.

MacHale views the School Board as vital in the proper running of a school district. School Board members are volunteers who spend hours researching issues and days attending conferences without pay.

Connelly said administrators are essential in ensuring the success of education.

Monday's disagreement wasn't the first and it almost certainly won't be the last in a district that consistently ranks as one of the best in the state.

"This gives us an opportunity to get back to center and refocus, and I'm confident the board members are on the board for the right reason, and my colleagues are in the profession for the right reason," MacHale said. "We are like a family."

- To reach Melinda Mawdsley, call 871-4208 or e-mail mmawdsley@steamboatpilot.com