Camilleri January 24 2019 BOE Statement

January 24, 2019
To the Cromwell Public School Community:
In December, the Cromwell Board of Education and a number of others received an anonymous letter
which included a video taken from the Cromwell Public Schools security camera footage. The letter
raised allegations about (1) bullying and other improper actions by Dr. Krista Karch, our Assistant
Superintendent of Schools, (2) an improper relationship between our Superintendent of Schools, Mr.
John Maloney, and his employee, Dr. Krista Karch, and (3) the alleged improper relationship leading Mr.
Maloney to not properly respond to the bullying and other concerns about Dr. Karch which were raised
to him. We understand and expect that our school administrators are leaders in our community and
role models for our students. It’s important that our leaders live the values of integrity, respect, trust,
honesty, accountability, and humility.
As we do with all concerns or allegations raised to us, we took these allegations very seriously and
engaged the law firm of Shipman & Goodwin to conduct an investigation. We acknowledge that the
process has led to much disruption and raised concerns among members of our school community.
However, we firmly believe that this investigation was the best way to review the allegations. We are
particularly grateful to all of those who participated in the investigation and shared their perspectives
and opinions with our investigation team. We know it is not always easy to participate in investigations
like this one, so we thank everyone who did so. It is also very important for us to affirm that we will not
tolerate any retaliation against those who reported wrong-doing in good faith or who participated in the
investigation. Mr. Maloney has also reaffirmed his commitment to this non-retaliation promise to us.
We asked the law firm to review the allegations included in the anonymous letter. Given the
importance of student privacy, among other concerns, we also asked the law firm to review whether any
policies or laws were violated by those who accessed, copied and distributed the video from our school
system’s security cameras. The law firm confirmed that it did appear that policies and, potentially, laws
were violated, so we also asked them to include a review of that issue as part of their investigation. We
will engage with the Cromwell Police Department and other law enforcement officials as appropriate.
The law firm conducted extensive interviews (including both current and former school district
employees), document and e-mail reviews and other forensic reviews. Based on the results of their
review, we share the following findings, observations, and actions:
1. We understand that no matter what decisions we make in this situation, many members of our
schools and wider Cromwell community will not be happy. But, throughout this entire process,
including our investigation, review and deliberations, we have been focused on doing what we
believe is right. We respect that not everyone will agree with the decisions we are making today.
2. Overall, we believe that Mr. Maloney is doing an effective and successful job of leading our
district through a period of important change, increased accountability, and renewed focus on
our students. However, we understand that leadership in such times of change, particularly after
some of the climate and culture issues which the district has faced, is not easy and will not
always be welcomed with open arms by all. However, all of us, including Mr. Maloney, need to
continue to grow, accept feedback, and improve our approach in dealing with difficult situations.
3. The investigation did not find evidence of an improper relationship between Mr. Maloney and
Dr. Karch or any allegations of sexual harassment. Mr. Maloney has acknowledged to us that he
made an error in judgment and, as included in his January 24, 2019 letter to the Board of
Education, he has apologized for his action. The Board acknowledges and accepts his apology.
4. In light of the issues raised by this investigation and other past issues around culture and climate,
including concerns about appropriate and available forums for reporting concerns, the Board of
Education and Mr. Maloney agree that it is in the best interest of the Cromwell Public Schools to
create a new administrator role of Human Resources Director. Under Connecticut State law, only
the Superintendent of Schools can report directly to the Board of Education, so the individual
who will serve in this new role will report to the Superintendent of Schools, but have a strong
“dotted line” reporting to the Board of Education, including regular reports at Board meetings,
and the ability to work directly with the Board on issues raised regarding senior administration
leadership where appropriate. The individual in this role will be an independent leader
responsible for driving a stronger culture, and providing leadership on all human resources and
ethics related issues. The Board of Education will work closely with Mr. Maloney and
representatives from our district’s unions to make sure the role will be filled by a person able to
tackle the challenges and opportunities faced by our district.
5. Based on the results of the investigation, including discussions with Mr. Maloney, we believe that
he can continue to serve as an effective leader in our district.
6. We have not yet concluded certain aspects of the investigation and additional actions may be
necessary based on those aspects. We expect to address Dr. Karch’s role in this investigation in
the coming days.
7. The Board has decided to issue a formal written reprimand to be included in Mr. Maloney’s
personnel file. Mr. Maloney is authorized to return to work on Tuesday, January 29, 2019. In
accordance with Mr. Maloney’s contract, the Board of Education will conduct a detailed
evaluation of Mr. Maloney prior to June 15th of this year.
8. Although the investigation did not confirm improper harassment or bullying, in light of these
issues as well as recent climate and culture issues, the Board of Education is also taking the
following actions:
A. By March 1, 2019, we will create an Ad Hoc Committee to review recent staff and faculty
departures to determine if any further follow-up actions are recommended. Also, effective immediately,
departing employees will receive an invitation to meet with Board member(s) for an exit interview.
B. By March 1, 2019, a new District-wide Climate Council will be created and will include faculty,
staff, administrators, Board of Education members, parents and students to have honest and open
discussions about the climate and to recommend, implement, and oversee enhancements, focused on
strengthening the climate in our schools and driving increased transparency, empowerment,
engagement, and accountability.
C. By June 30, 2019, the Board will work with unions and administration to enhance and clarify
reporting channels. We want to make sure that all members of our school community, including district
employees, students and parents, are aware of and have access to appropriate reporting mechanisms.
D. By June 30, 2019, the Board will lead a review or development of policies regarding a code of
ethics, respectful workplace, harassment, bullying, non-retaliation, conflicts of interest, and the
appropriate process for handling complaints.
We remain focused on continuing to improve the Cromwell Schools so we can make sure each and every
student served by our district receives the best educational experience possible. A key part of this goal
is making sure that we and the other district leaders provide the best culture we can for our district
employees. The actions detailed above will, hopefully, support these goals in a positive way. We know
the vast majority of our district’s employees are dedicated, passionate, smart and driven employees who
are focused on continuously improving and enhancing our district to benefit our students. We are
grateful for each of them.
We know it will not be easy for the district to move forward after the challenging events of the last
couple of months, but, together, we are confident that we can do so. Thank you for your support.
The Members of the Cromwell Board of Education

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Camilleri January 24 2019 BOE Statement

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January 24, 2019

To the Cromwell Public School Community:

The Members of the Cromwell Board of Education

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