THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
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by Michael Monks
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| Denise Varney |
Denise Varney has resigned her seat on the Covington School Board effective immediately as she and her family prepare to move from their Wallace Woods home to Fort Mitchell. "For personal reasons, I'm moving out of the district," Varney said in an interview Wednesday. She notified the district and her fellow board members of her intentions Thursday morning. Elected in 2010, Varney was midway through her four-year term on a board that will see three other seats up for election in November. The school board consists of five members with elections every two years alternating between three seats and two seats.
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"Being a parent first and a school board member second, I had run for school board to make a difference in student achievement," Varney said. The difference in achievement did not come quickly enough for the longtime schools volunteer and former instructor assistant once employed by the district before running for office. "I feel it is in the best interest of my children to be somewhere else and in the best interest of my family regarding recent events." Varney and her husband were arrested on March 15 following a domestic dispute.
"Being a parent first and a school board member second, I had run for school board to make a difference in student achievement," Varney said. The difference in achievement did not come quickly enough for the longtime schools volunteer and former instructor assistant once employed by the district before running for office. "I feel it is in the best interest of my children to be somewhere else and in the best interest of my family regarding recent events." Varney and her husband were arrested on March 15 following a domestic dispute.
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The couple has three children, the youngest of whom had been attending an elementary school outside of Covington Independent Public Schools for the past two years. "She was not having her needs met academically. My husband did not want her attending (Holmes) middle school because of issues there." Their daughter will instead attend Turkeyfoot Middle School and their middle son will be a freshman next year at Dixie Heights High School. The Varneys' oldest son will be a senior at Holmes next year where he is ranked at the top of the class. Varney expects him to graduate from Holmes as she did in 1989.
The couple has three children, the youngest of whom had been attending an elementary school outside of Covington Independent Public Schools for the past two years. "She was not having her needs met academically. My husband did not want her attending (Holmes) middle school because of issues there." Their daughter will instead attend Turkeyfoot Middle School and their middle son will be a freshman next year at Dixie Heights High School. The Varneys' oldest son will be a senior at Holmes next year where he is ranked at the top of the class. Varney expects him to graduate from Holmes as she did in 1989.
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"I still want to support student achievement and growth in CIPS and I'm pleased with the AP/IB (international baccalaureate) program that my oldest son is in and hope to see positive results from that," she said.
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A representative in the legal office of the Kentucky Department of Education explained to The River City News that the Commissioner of Education will appoint the new board member. Once Varney's resignation is accepted by Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday the seat is officially vacant. Then, the school board must twice advertise the vacancy in an effort to solicit applications from members of the public that wish to be appointed. According to the Department of Education the deadline for applications to be postmarked to the Commissioner is established to be at least three days after the second run of the advertisement.
"I still want to support student achievement and growth in CIPS and I'm pleased with the AP/IB (international baccalaureate) program that my oldest son is in and hope to see positive results from that," she said.
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A representative in the legal office of the Kentucky Department of Education explained to The River City News that the Commissioner of Education will appoint the new board member. Once Varney's resignation is accepted by Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday the seat is officially vacant. Then, the school board must twice advertise the vacancy in an effort to solicit applications from members of the public that wish to be appointed. According to the Department of Education the deadline for applications to be postmarked to the Commissioner is established to be at least three days after the second run of the advertisement.
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The Covington School Board last dealt with this process in 2007 following the forced removal of member Paul Mullins who was elected in 2006 but later deemed to be ineligible to hold the office since he was employed as a bus driver by the district at the time of the election. He was replaced by Jerry Avery who was later elected to a full term in 2010 with Varney when both candidates finished ahead of Mullins.
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The seats of three incumbents are up for grabs in November for which the filing deadline is two weeks away. Member Mike Fitzgerald has confirmed that he intends to run for reelection while members Glenda Huff and Krista Powers have not yet decided. Avery will serve through 2014. Other announced candidates include Christi Blair, Kerry Holleran, Tom Miller, Rebecca Pettigrew, and Jo Rogers.
The seats of three incumbents are up for grabs in November for which the filing deadline is two weeks away. Member Mike Fitzgerald has confirmed that he intends to run for reelection while members Glenda Huff and Krista Powers have not yet decided. Avery will serve through 2014. Other announced candidates include Christi Blair, Kerry Holleran, Tom Miller, Rebecca Pettigrew, and Jo Rogers.
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Varney was the lone vote against the district's approved tax increase for 2011 and was also the only one to oppose a pay increase for Superintendent Lynda Jackson but was absent when that issue was approved unanimously. She says she learned a lot from her time on the board. "It hasn't always been pleasant, I haven't always felt supported but I feel that I try to listen to constituents and release that back in the proper fashion," she said. Another possible tax increase is on the agenda for a vote in August or September and Varney would have voted against that, too.
Varney was the lone vote against the district's approved tax increase for 2011 and was also the only one to oppose a pay increase for Superintendent Lynda Jackson but was absent when that issue was approved unanimously. She says she learned a lot from her time on the board. "It hasn't always been pleasant, I haven't always felt supported but I feel that I try to listen to constituents and release that back in the proper fashion," she said. Another possible tax increase is on the agenda for a vote in August or September and Varney would have voted against that, too.
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Though Covington Independent Public Schools have struggled academically with some gains being made recently, Varney says the situation is not hopeless. "We are making gains but slowly," she said. "Hopefully the younger children will be able to benefit from these changes. Parents need to know their children and be involved and decide what's best for their children."
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The school district declined to comment for this story.
Though Covington Independent Public Schools have struggled academically with some gains being made recently, Varney says the situation is not hopeless. "We are making gains but slowly," she said. "Hopefully the younger children will be able to benefit from these changes. Parents need to know their children and be involved and decide what's best for their children."
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The school district declined to comment for this story.
This is a loss for CIS. Dennise was one member who actually questioned things. That is something that the current administration does not take kindly to.
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