Walsh Among Final Candidates For Former D135 Job

The former student services secretary, who was forcefully demoted from that job, is now among three last candidates being considered for her old position.

Walsh, a 15-year District 135 employee, is a candidate for the secretary position she held from June until Sept. 21. Walsh was told on that date she could either . The position was then posted publically for applicants and Walsh applied.

The interviewing process has differed from similar positions in the same bargaining unit, said Illinois Federation of Teachers Field Services Director Deneen Pajeau on Thursday. Walsh has gone through a phone interview, two separate interviews with panels and an interview with District 135 Superintendent Paul Howell, she said.

“My concern and the union’s concern is this new hiring process hasn’t been used consistently,” Pajeau said. “Another hire was just approved, though not through the same manner. The person hired as an office assistant interviewed with the building principal, and that’s typical. It is typical to be interviewed by an immediate supervisor.”

The D135 Board of Education approved the office assistant hiring at Monday night’s meeting. Board vice president Ann Gentile was the single member to abstain from that vote.

READ ON for more stories regarding Melanie Walsh’s employment and challenges to the board’s decision.

D135 Director of Special Education Ellen Belotti will serve as supervisor over the student services secretary, though she declined to comment Friday on the hiring process.

District 135 Human Resources Julie Oberwise said the hope is to have a final candidate for student services secretary before the board for a vote in January.

IFT filed a demotion grievance , and filed to start arbitration on Tuesday, Pajeau said. Though selecting an arbitrator is likely to happen quickly, a date for the arbitrator, union and school board to meet for the proceedings could be months away, she said.