Utica HS principal could get 2 years paid leave

UTICA – The North Fork Board of Education is expected to meet Monday to vote on a nearly two-year paid administrative leave for Utica High School Principal Mark Bowman.

The district's agenda for the school board meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday includes an item to place Bowman on paid administrative leave for the balance of his contract. That contract runs for two more years.

The cost of the two years of leave, if approved by the board, would be more than $175,000. Bowman's salary for the 2014-2015 school year is $88,596, according to the district.

A public discussion period is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday before the meeting at Newton Elementary School.

Superintendent Scott Hartley confirmed the agenda item is related to Bowman having provided a job recommendation for former North Fork employee Jeffrey Poulton.

Poulton was let go by the North Fork Local School District less than 24 hours after the board of education approved his contract in August 2013 because discipline he received while working as an educator with Columbus City Schools came to light.

Bowman had written a recommendation for Poulton in September 2013 for a school district in Tennessee, saying he was a great employee and he would absolutely rehire him, despite Poulton working less than a month and during a period when school was not formally in session.

Poulton was eventually hired and worked in the Tennessee district until February, when he was suspended pending an investigation into an alleged inappropriate conversation with a student. He resigned a day later from his position as a history and criminal justice teacher.

Hartley said Bowman received a letter of reprimand in March 2015 after a district investigation. Bowman was also placed on "performance goals," meaning professional goals will be weighed more heavily in his performance evaluations going forward.

The Advocate requested a copy of Bowman's personnel file Friday; however, the district said the file would not be available for review until next week.

Hartley said the board is planning to see if steps already taken were sufficient to discipline Bowman and will vote yes or no on the paid administrative leave.

Hartley said he does not know how the board will end up voting.

"He's already received his discipline," he said. "The cost of this would be enormous."

Board President Lori Stradley said the board is not currently leaning toward one outcome in particular.

"We do have different options and (administrative leave) is one of them," she said. "We're going to have that discussion during the board meeting."

Stradley said the board is trying to get this incident behind them.

"Hopefully we can ... move forward in the best direction for our students," she said.

She said the board is scheduled to go into executive session at the meeting, but not to discuss Bowman or the resolution regarding his administrative leave.

Bowman was hired by the board in June 2007 as the Utica High School assistant principal and was hired as principal in June 2011.

If you go

What: North Fork Board of Education meeting

When: 6:30 p.m. for public discussion, regular meeting at 7 p.m. April 20

Where: Newton Elementary School, 6645 Mount Vernon Road, Newark