Supporters Rally for Drum Point Principal

The bulk of Thursday night's five-hour-long Board of Education meeting was spent discussing a single school district employee: principal Allison McConnell.

Last month, the board denied tenure to McConnell, which means she would be demoted to her previous tenured position of assistant principal next school year.

About 150 of McConell's supporters came to the meeting bearing signs and frequently shouting words of support from the seats at the Brick Township High School auditorium.

After the board completed its regular business, the marathon public comment portion of the meeting began with McConnell's attorney, William Nossen of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, delivering a 45-minute-long address to board members.

Nossen openly questioned board members' ethics and repeatedly asked rhetorical questions while simultaneously defending his client's record, citing evaluations from superiors that showed "stellar" performance in the face of managing a 489 student school as its sole administrator.

"Allison McConnell is a dedicated educator who has spent all of her adult life knowing she wanted to educate our children," Nossen said.

Nossen read from a May 16 letter signed by district Business Administrator James Edwards that said McConnell "failed to demonstrate the standard of excellence required by the Board of Education to gain tenure in the position of principal" as reasoning for the board's decision not to offer her tenure.

In response, McConnell's supporters yelled, "Shame! Shame!" for about ten seconds while waving signs in the air.

Board of Education members are legally barred from disclosing their exact reasoning behind denying a teacher tenure, though Board President Sharon Kight said McConnell will be able to come before the board in a private, informal setting to answer questions of board members.

"It will be a very fair hearing," Kight said, explaining that the board as a whole had not yet heard from McConnell personally.

Several parents spoke of McConnell's record, painting a picture of a warm, caring principal who goes above and beyond the call of duty for her students.

"She has brought a much-needed ray of sunshine to Drum Point school," said Chris Alino, a parent.

"It's a whole different world the last two years," said Melinda Moich. "She is wonderful. You're making a big mistake demoting her, or even taking her out of Drum Point."

Kight thanked parents for coming out in support of McConnell, and said their opinions would carry weight in whether the tenure decision would be reconsidered by the board.

"Every comment that you've made here tonight has been heard, and will be taken very seriously," Kight said. "I do want you to know that I mean that sincerely."

If tenured, McConnell, who has nine years of teaching experience according to public records, will earn $121,847 during the 2012-13 school year.