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Burlington Schools: Hiring Not Nepotism

Jason Parrott
/
TSPR

The Burlington School District has filled a pair of administrative vacancies.  And it's confident one hiring does not violate its own nepotism policy.

The school board approved Laci Johnson and Jennifer Krieger-Coen as Associate Principals at Burlington High School, starting July 1.  They are part of a restructuring plan that will eventually lead to the addition of one more Associate Principal at BHS.

The hiring of Krieger-Coen did lead to some additional discussion during this week's school board meeting since her husband is Burlington Superintendent Pat Coen.

Burlington Superintendent Pat Coen

Pat Coen said he made sure to recuse himself from the hiring process when his wife became a candidate.

"I wasn't involved," Coen said.  "[Curriculum Director] Sharon Dentlinger and [BHS] Principal Tom Messinger ran the process.  They came back and said, 'here are the best candidates, we believe.'"

Coen said the district's nepotism policy was reviewed to make sure that hiring his wife didn't violate it.

The policy (406.5)includes the following:

"More than one family member may be employed by the district.  However, an attempt shall be made so that an employee does not immediately supervise a member of the employee's family.  If necessary, arrangements shall be made so that another supervisor evaluates and disciplines the employee working in a position normally supervised by a family member."

Coen said there will be several degrees of separation between himself and his wife, namely Messinger and Dentlinger.

The starting salaries for Krieger-Coen and Johnson will be $87,500.  The district received more than 24 applications for the positions.

Jason Parrott is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.