Workers file grievances in closing of Market Street Elementary School

By Jessica Hardin

jhardin@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Multiple classified employees of Boardman School District filed grievances in the spring after being transferred in connection with the closure of Market Street Elementary at the end of this school year.

Two employees made their cases to the board of education during an executive session at Tuesday night’s meeting.

“They disagreed with the process and thought they were improperly placed,” said Bill Padisak, a field representative with the Ohio Association of Public School Employees.

“When you close a building and you have to shift employees, you want to make sure you have a good set of rules to apply,” said Superintendent Tim Saxton.

In this kind of situation, “some people are going to be upset,” Saxton explained. “And we need to hear them out and see if we made a mistake or not.”

The board has seven business days to make decisions regarding the cases heard Tuesday. If the board rejects the employees’ grievances, they can direct them to OAPSE for potential arbitration.

“They just want to be treated fairly,” Padisak said. “They both love Boardman schools.”