Extreme concern among students, staff members, and parents led to an Ash Wednesday morning walk-out at 8 AM (Feb 22nd) at Schlarman Academy’s north campus. Parent Jessica Perez told Neuhoff Media that the recent dismissal of former principal Mark Janesky, who had come out of retirement to work with current principal Barb Rew, caused a bad situation to boil over.
AUDIO: Mark Janesky has lifted this school up. He has been the one that has been able to get us out of the hole that we were in; get us out of debt; get us money. That man was here for the kids, that man is still here for the kids. The way that he has been treated, has been very, very uncalled for and ridiculous.”
Perez also says, the entire Schlarman Academy environment is extremely poor. She says it goes back to the start of the year when, in her words, leaders allowed their leadership to get into their head.
AUDIO: There’s a lot of divisiveness going on between the north and south campuses; between teachers and students, mostly teachers. I know there’s a lot of questions as to why we’re bringing the kids into this. The kids have already been brought into this. They feel it. They see it.
Another parent, Amanda Boyd, says with all the teachers and students now saying they will not return to Schlarman Academy next year, there is worry that this could be the end of a long history.
AUDIO: I think we’re afraid that we’re not going to have a school. (WHY?) That we won’t have teachers.
Fired Schlarman Academy North Campus Dean of Students Courtney Hemker shares a moment with her son, student Dylan Hemker, during Wednesday morning walk out protest at Schlarman Academy.
Fired Tuesday (Feb 21st) at Schlarman Academy’s north high school campus was Dean of Students Courtney Hemker, who joined the students in the southside parking lot.
AUDIO: I was let go, told my position was eliminated. I was asked to leave the premises and pack up my office for no reason. I’ve been treated very, very poorly. I’ve been yelled at, I’ve been cussed at, I’ve been hung up on. I’m just here for the kids, always. These kids mean everything to me.
We also heard from Hemker’s son, a junior student, Dylan Hemker. And her father, Terry Hill.
AUDIO: (Dylan Hemker) I just don’t think it’s right. She’s done nothing but good things for our school, and has brought so much joy and happiness into the building. And it’s all being stifled now. It’s not welcoming. No one’s happy.
AUDIO: (Terry Hill) No reason, except they say they’re restructuring. I’ve been a school administrator; I’ve never heard of restructuring mid-year. This is nonsense. And Mark Janesky is gone. He resigned. Mark was the backbone of this institution for years.
Shortly after that conversation, Principal Barb Rew handed us the phone number for the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, whom Neuhoff Media had already left a message for on Tuesday; told us to leave the premises, and not to talk to anybody.
Danville City Council Alderwoman and Schlarman Academy Board member Eve Ludwig says parents are simply not getting adequate response when they try to tell the Catholic Diocese of Peoria that something is very wrong.
AUDIO: They have exhausted all of their methods and channels that the Diocese allows, with contact to the Diocese with their concerns. And they feel that a lot of their concerns have fallen on deaf ears; that the Diocese really hasn’t come to ask questions, and to find out what exactly is going on here at Schlarman Academy.
Ludwig says, no doubt, the dismissal of Mark Janesky bothered many people.
AUDIO: Mark had experience, leadership, and wisdom to take Schlarman from the red to the black. He raised the ship, and he made it sail again. The Schlarman leadership team was prosperous; it was peaceful. Schlarman Academy was prosperous and peaceful under his leadership. But under the current leadership now Schlarman is divided. Teachers are divided, the two campuses are divided, and the leadership is divided.
At the end of the Wednesday morning protest, students reportedly were told they could leave the school if they wished, but absences would be unexcused. Neuhoff Media was told, about half of the north campus high school students did, although some stayed for a scheduled afternoon Ash Wednesday Mass.
A second call has been placed by Neuhoff Media to the Peoria Diocese.
STATEMENT FROM MARK JANESKY TO NEUHOFF MEDIA: “I WAS ONLY INTERESTED IN PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH THE BEST EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY POSSIBLE!”
