The termination of principal Dr. Jessica Keaton at the North County Charter Elementary School has many parents upset.
Keaton grew up in Sebastian and attended schools within the School District of Indian River County. She has been a teacher, assistant principal, and principal and was employed in many other vital positions in education in our county.
Here are the Letters to the Editor for Wednesday, August 3, 2022.
Dr. Jessica Keaton Termination
My children have been attending NCCS since 2017, and over the years, I have very much appreciated Dr. Jessica Keaton and her commitment to the school and the children.
This decision to terminate is absolutely a shock as I think the majority of the parents would agree she is an outstanding principal and was amazing over the last two years with covid! She did a great job, and shame on the board for using her as a scapegoat.
Disgusting because Mr. Ken Miller is a nonpresence at that school. He sculks through the buildings. I’m not sure he looks at the children. I’m pretty sure he goes out of his way to avoid everybody. He looks through parents, not at them.
Also, I have helped this school raise over $20k in a golf tournament fundraiser we put on every March. It’s a large event that “us” parents and dedicated staff, including Dr. Keaton, volunteer tons of time and effort, and they choose bizarre things to spend money on. Why not spend on services the school needs then?
And over the years, helping at the school for almost every volunteer opportunity, I have to say the fact Mr. Miller or any other member of the board has ever said a word, let alone thank others for helping out!?! They know Keaton does her job well, but they don’t really care.
I’m horrified. I think I’m going to pull my kid out of there in the morning though. She would be in 3rd grade. My 12-year-old son is at the Charter Jr high in Sebastian. I was very happy with NCCS, so just heartbroken because they did this right before the school year starts!
Just wanted to let you know how I feel. Thank you,
Jessica Odom
Sebastian
Firing of Dr. Keaton
I am a parent of a student who is going into 5th grade at NCCS. I am appalled at the reasoning behind Mr. Ken Miller and Mr. Shawn Frost persuading the board of directors to vote to terminate Dr. Jessica Keaton.
I agree with Nicole Rodriquez in the fact that Mr. Miller, who by the way is on campus daily and is not very personable to the parents, did not respond to requests for ESE help and yet, isn’t it funny that as of your article someone has been hired for this position, or so he says?
I also feel that the statement from Mr. Frost on hiring new teachers to replace the ones who quit is a blatant lie, and if it is not, I wonder just how qualified the new ones are???
I say this, as it took over three months to hire a 4th-grade teacher that was qualified to replace one that left during the last school year (2021-2022). We’re talking ONE teacher, not several.
I think that the remaining teachers and the parents of the incoming students all need to join together and protest this idiotic decision, that is, if Dr. Keaton still wants to be the principal of NCCS.
It’s about time the BIG voices speak up rather than the 0.001% of the voices shouting!!!
Lori Reilly
Sebastian