Calls for deeper investigations into the finances of Newport Independent Public Schools continued at the board of education’s meeting at the high school Wednesday evening.
One parent, Brandi Raleigh, who was the first to speak during the meeting’s public comment section, called for a deeper investigation into the district’s finances.
“You all know the reason the citizens are demanding a forensic audit,” Raleigh said.
In January, former district finance director Jennifer Hoover said the school district was facing a $3.9 million budget deficit for the 2026 school year, a state of affairs that would likely lead to the loss of jobs in the district.
The Newport Teachers Association, the district’s teachers union, called for a “no confidence” vote in Superintendent Tony Watts at the board meeting on Feb. 26, which failed to garner support among the board members.
On May 2, according to information from the superintendent’s office, the district sent out 30 non-renewal letters to teachers at several schools throughout the district. About two weeks later, the board voted to slash seven administrative positions, and then only a day later, the board of education and Watts agreed to part ways after over two hours of deliberation in closed session.
“You need to get it together, or we’re not going to have anybody in Newport that is interested in education,” said former teacher Jan Knepshield.
Raleigh and Knepshield were two of seven speakers who’d signed up to talk about the state of the district. As critical as they were, their comments paled in comparison to others on the docket.
One speaker, Andrea Janovic, who formerly served on the board of education, made several allegations against the district, which she said she’d ascertained through public records requests: fraudulent credit card use, moving money between district accounts to create the illusion of solvency, paying vendors for which there was no record with the Secretary of State’s office and, finally, that a former superintendent (not Watts) had used taxpayer money to fund his honeymoon. LINK nky could not verify whether there is any truth to these accusations.
Janovic claimed that the board members weren’t doing their due diligence in keeping these problems under control and challenged them to be more thorough in their examination of the district’s finances.
“My motto has always been the devil is in the details,” Janovic said, “and, unfortunately, it’s my belief that the current and recent board membership over the last 13 years have not been paying attention to detail. If I can stand here today and tell you aspects of your finances that I bet none of the board members really know – but really you should know before any member of the public – that’s a problem.”
At the end of the meeting, some board members took a moment to respond to the comments.
“We do support our teachers,” said Board Member Bobbie Stubbeman. “I know that it doesn’t look like that right now… It’s not that we took for granted any of the teachers that we had. We lost so many really talented people.”
Board Chair Ramona Malone had one message for teachers: We hear you.
“You may not always think we’re listening, but we are,” Malone said.
As for the question of a forensic audit, Malone told attendees that it was “a conversation we’re having” and that the board was still considering whether or not to undertake one.