Teachers’ suspensions near end

ZANESVILLE – Two local teachers are nearing the end of suspensions given to them by the Ohio Department of Education last year.

The ODE issued 90-day stayed suspensions to Katrina Vandegriff and Carrie Bunting after a fight broke out at Woodlawn Cemetery during an unplanned field trip under their supervision on April 22, 2014.

Vandegriff, Bunting and Jennifer Williams received a verbal warning from Zanesville City Schools after the incident, but no records of disciplinary action against Williams could be found on the ODE website.

ZCS Coordinator of Operations Kevin Appleman confirmed Vandegriff, Bunting and Williams are all still employed at Zanesville Community High School.

“They do a great job for us down there (at ZCHS),” Appleman said.

The suspensions issued to Vandegriff and Bunting are being served in two parts: one 45-day period last summer and another this summer. Their final suspension periods will end Aug. 15.

The Times Recorder just learned of the suspensions, as the consent agreements to the punishments were not finalized until the beginning of May.

The TR left messages for the teachers with the district as well as messages for ZCS Superintendent Terry Martin and Zanesville Community High School Superintendent Jeff Moore. The messages were not returned.

ODE spokesman John Carlton said the split suspensions and late signing of consent agreements are “not an uncommon thing.”

Carlton said the teachers were allowed to serve their suspensions during the summer because they posed “no risk to kids being in the classroom.” Carlton said the department would only remove a teacher from the classroom if the teacher posed any certain risk to students.

Under the suspension, teachers are “prohibited from performing any educational activities, coaching activities or other duties” in the state requiring a license from the ODE. Bunting is listed online as the head softball coach at Zanesville High School.

In addition to the suspension, Vandegriff and Bunting must report the punishment on any future ODE license applications and must complete a six-hour training course on classroom supervision. The school district must issue reports every three months for one year detailing the teachers’ conduct.

Carlton said any additional punishment for offenses occurring during the time of suspension would depend on the severity of the infraction.

bparks2@gannett.com

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Twitter: @Bradley_W_Parks