Eyebrows should be raised about why Rocky Hannah felt it necessary to pay an outside firm when Mr. Burgess was cleared in the initial investigation. There was insufficient evidence to conclude that Burgess violated any law, policy, rule, or directive regarding the use of AP project funds. This data is used to update the school profile, recognition at convocation and the honors senior page published in the Tallahassee Democrat. LCS Superintendent Rocky Hannah recommended a two-week suspension without pay, and Burgess tried to appeal. The district is expected to use that recommendation in its final order on the suspension. WCTV was told by one staff member that there were roughly 20 people who spoke with investigators at Chiles. If you're already a subscriber, thank you! Please follow the link below to complete the senior survey. Burgess, however,saidhe was not violating a clear policy, that the school board didn't prove they trained him on a clear policy and that he was unaware of violating a school board procedure thatsays it'sthe principal's responsibility to review records for accuracy and approve them. He was shocked to recentlylearn that he was under investigation for allegedly misdirecting Advanced Placement (AP) funds, but he was satisfied the investigation was closed when proof was provided that the payments were proper. Misuse of Funds Allegations at Chiles High School Results in District-Wide Audit. Please follow the link below to complete the senior survey. The report repeatedly noted that school officials have broad discretion how to use the funds. School board member Alva Striplin recused herself from the vote as soon as chair Darryl Jones called the meeting to order. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) Independent investigators hired by Leon County Schools recently recommended disciplinary action for Chiles High School principal Joe Burgess after finding evidence they say proves he paid employees in a way that was, quote, "grossly improper. Chiles principal confirms coronavirus cases prior to school start Chiles High School principal fighting back after being given 2-week The written final order reflecting the Boards actions today will be added to the consent agenda of the April 12 meeting. Rocky put Billy in a position of elementary director over the last number of years Billy was a high school principal. Download the free Leon County District Schools FOCUS app.-How to Update YOUR Parent Contact Information-School Choice Status in your Parent Portal Account-FOCUS for Student and Parent Navigation-Having problems with CLASSLINK? are due byFriday, May 5th. Your email address will not be published. AP funds are awarded to high schools for each student in each advanced placement course who receives a score of 3 or higher on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination. Our thanks to @scottandwallace for sponsoring this award. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. The decision to suspend Chiles Principal Joe Burgess for two weeks without pay was upheld Tuesday night by the Leon County School Board. Did this jog your memory? Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. He went above and beyond in every way. A state administrative law judge this weekagreed with the Leon County SchoolDistrict's decision to briefly suspend Chiles High School Principal Joe Burgess. Members argued many of Burgess' objections were outside the scope of the district's power. Perhaps if our local Public Indoctrination System and their Screwperincompetent focused more on Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic instead of reading, writing, and race bating we might avoid such errors in the future. The Birds: A Modern Adaptation by Don Zolidis | Playscripts Inc. Please answer all the questions that apply and be honest. The LCS Board voted to send the issue to a state level mediator, and the district later released the findings of a third-party investigation into Burgess managing of AP funds. WolfCenter is currently working on the Senior Video and ALL submissions. 2022 Glenn-Howell Distinguished Educator Of The Year, "Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. Principal Burgess has my support in his efforts to clear his good name. Chiles Principal Addresses Confederate Flag Incident - WTXL by Joe Landry. Chiles High School principal appealing suspension over misusing funds, his lawyer says, How football lifted Chiles' Josef Marlow beyond living with autism. The hours submitted often likely had no relationto the hours actually workedin the claimed pay period. In a statement provided to Tallahassee Reports, his attorney wrote that Burgess was shocked to recentlylearn that he was under investigation for allegedly misdirecting Advanced Placement (AP) funds, but he was satisfied the investigation was closed when proof was provided that the payments were proper.. Rocky Hanna purposely falsified information to the FBI. But Joe is done with him and I expect will have some damaging testimony for DOAH. School board members were instructed that they needed to havesubstantive jurisdiction to alter DOAH's recommendations. Bowen, who said she has known Burgess since he was 17, said "difficult" was an understatement. Chiles principal loses challenge of his two-week suspension by Leon County schools, School district continues to pay down debt but Chiles payroll issue raises red flag, School choice expansion leaves Leon County Schools in $11.5M budget deficit, Florida school board advocates react to new term limit law signed by Gov. Chisenhall, the DOAH judge, said the case "is an example of how the ends do not always justify the means Burgess had a system enabling him to dole out unauthorized supplements without any oversight. Whatever shakes out I hate the thought of losing Joe Burgess from the school district, he will be snapped up quick. Ron DeSantis, Hanna has denied he violated district payroll policy, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Updated: Leon Schools, Law Enforcement Investigating - WFSU News This is a first in Chiles High School history, principal Joe Burgess said. There was in most cases no expectationthat employees wouldtrackor submittheir hourlytime. Lawton Chiles High School Tallahassee, FL United States. JudgeG.W. Chiles High / Homepage - Leon County Schools Im searching for Rockys motives, does he have a buddy with a personal grievance over football issues or maybe one who wants to the principal at Chiles? Thank you voters for giving us a vendetta driven Rocky for 8 years. To start with Id like someone (TR) to ask School Board Members to produce the properly and publicly advertised, voted on, and codified documentation and/or policy that authorizes the Superintendent to utilize taxpayer funds to contract with private investigators to spy on and otherwise investigate employees of the publicly-funded Leon County School System and under what circumstances this authorization can be utilized. The article is a series of sentences stating facts of the situation, including quotes from the accused and his legal counsel. In the conclusion of the document, it states that the school board adopts the recommended order for a two-week suspension without pay. Tallahassee, FL 32312. Lets not name some of these crooked principals. FL - Palm Bay - Rachel R. Love, Palm Bay High School FL - Royal Palm Beach - Jay T. Pantone, Suncoast Community High School FL - Tallahassee - Catherine M. Cottle, Lawton Chiles High School FL - Tampa - Victoria E. Alden, Hillsborough Senior High School FL - Tampa - Helen M. Johnson, Saint Mary's School 19532022 Killearn Elementary School. "After atwo day hearing, Judge Chisenhall upheld the two week suspension without pay and ruled (that the)evidence showed both misconduct in office and a willful neglect of duty. $10,000 being paid to Kevin from AP funds, in addition to his already large salary for coaching football and sitting in his office while kids lift weights, is a crime. For the superintendent to have worked in his position for so long and to not have a good quality assurance system with regular district wide audits, showcases that the district headquarters office are truly the ones at fault for these circumstances. What did Rocky Hanna do to make Tallahassse Reports write a negative article? Important Information Hanna has denied he violated district payroll policywhen he was a principal at Leon High School. Honor Flight receives warm welcome to D.C. publicfile@live5news.com - (843) 402-5555. Click HERE for the 2022-2023 Junior & Senior Parking Pass Application. If not, please subscribe using the link at the top of the pageand help keep the news you care about coming. All rights reserved. Lawton Chiles High School: Tallahassee, FL United States: NOV 15, 2015 - NOV 15, 2015 Mac Players Saint Paul, MN United States. I would like to see some new board policies that really put these things in writing, incement, so that theres no ambiguity," Wood said. "I am grateful just. Chris Burgess (born 23 April 1979) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Utah Utes men's basketball team. None of this work is, but we're going to get the job done.". Read the judge's entire recommended orderhere. VOTE OUT HANNA! Before deliberation, board member Dee Dee Rasmussen saidthe case had1,132 pages of transcript and 1,762 pages of exhibits. The lawfirm foundthat "Burgessfalsified district records by approving, signing and submitting payroll documents he knew or should have knownwere inaccurate.". It is a shame to see his reputation called into question with little to no facts to back them up. ABC 27 first reported on the incident leading up to the suspension in July 2021. Verrone. I forgot my password.-Scan from inside the One Drive app on iOS and Android- Unofficial Transcripts: click on "Grades" in your FOCUS account and print the "Grades" page. Comments (-1) Tammaela Carter. Leon County Schools on Instagram: "Congratulations to Chiles High School @chilestwolves principal Joe Burgess for being awarded the November LCS Principal of the Month! Bourgade Catholic High School - Wikipedia Your email address will not be published. The FBI found that Pons or the School Board did nothing wrong. Chiles High School. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail regarding official business to the District or any of its employees. Rasmussen apologized to Burgess, who sat in the last row of chairs, holding the hand of his wife. For those with a memory, when Rocky was promoted out of Leon high School he cried foul, now he promoted Billy Eptene from principal to a director. Originally, according to the LCS agenda from the meeting, Burgess filed exceptions to a recommended order in February 2022 which Superintendent Rocky Hanna responded to later that month. Chiles High School recently appointed new head coaches for both the boys and girls varsity basketball teams. At issue was. Office Hours - Monday thru Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.Visitation Information-Click HERE for important information regarding the visitation procedures.CDC Guidelines - Please click HERE for more information.InClass 2021 -Please clickHERE for more information. Having known Joe Burgess for over 10 years I cant imagine anyone questioning this mans integrity. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. Instead, the hours Burgess approved and submitted for payment resulted from mathematical calculations that merely divided a pre-determined dollar amountbytheemployees hourly rateand then divided the result again over eight to ten months. Principal Burgess is extremely disappointed to learn that his request for a name-clearing hearing with the District has been denied.