A series of misfortunate events led to Park City High School Principal Hilary Hays learning that her contract would not be renewed at the end of this school year. Hays’ career as PCHS principal lasted for six years. During a Park City Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, Board member Anne Bransford publicly confirmed that she had inadvertently broken the confidentiality agreement as a member of the School Board and disclosed the information about Hays to a few teachers and community members.
“I was truly disheartened to hear that Miss Hays’ contract would not be renewed,” Bransford told the audience at the board meeting on May 15. “I am now before you publicly to apologize about a sensitive public matter, and I will accept any disciplinary action that the Board advises.”
Although School Board member said they appreciated Bransford’s public apology on her own behalf, Park City School Board President Moe Hickey said the trust factor is important. After taking a short break and moving to closed session, the school board voted to censure Bransford.
“We have an expectation of confidentially on personnel matters and matters that are discussed in closed sessions. It was the feeling of the board that that confidentiality was not honored.” Hickey said. “It’s really just saying that we take it seriously and we believe that confidentially and trust is important to allow us to do what we do.”
According to PCSD Board member Michael Boyle, a censure is like receiving a verbal reprimand.
“We reprimanded one of our members for breaking confidentiality. We are restrained from doing more because she’s an elected official and she works for the constituents,” Boyle said, adding that to his knowledge, this hasn’t happened before.
Park City School Board member Lisa Kirchenheiter asked that the board members each review the confidentiality agreement and go through training as a reminder of the standards each board member is held.
“It’s uncomfortable and difficult and something we don’t want to have to go through but the trust we have in the Board and schools is something we take very seriously,” Kirchenheiter said. The School Board plans to schedule a self-evaluation training with the Utah School Board Association for later this year.
Board member Charles Cunningham is the only one who voted against the censure.
“I just thought a public apology was a sufficient consequence for what happened,” Cunningham said.
Kirchenheiter said each board member will answer questions about performance, how the board members interact with each other and the decision making process. She said they will also go over strength and weaknesses individually and as a school board.
“I hope that the community and the board will move forward. That’s really basically it,” Bransford told The Park Record during an interview. “We have some challenging items that need to be addressed and not to rehash this thing more.”