Dear Families,
We are reaching out with this letter to let you know about a series of disturbing incidents at Parker-Varney School involving two outside-contracted workers who provide special education services for our students. The two workers are contracted through Applied ABC, in a partnership to provide specialized services for students throughout our district since 2019. There are currently 76 contracted Applied ABC workers employed in 17 locations in our district.
Recently, two contracted workers have been criminally charged with assault following alleged incidents involving three Parker-Varney School students. This is not just a violation of the trust we place in all who work with children in our schools; these incidents violate the strict and clear rules for training and safety assurance as contracted between Applied ABC and the Manchester School District. We have taken immediate steps city-wide to ensure the safety and well-being of our students. This is our top priority and we have no tolerance for this behavior.
Immediately upon being notified about the incidents, school officials removed both Applied ABC workers from their jobs. They have not and will not return. We have also added a new, immediate layer of daily oversight in each school, which will be led by an in-school member from the District office. That person will work closely with each school principal to meet daily with contracted special education workers to assess all activity and report back all findings.
The district is assessing its options and immediate next steps with regards to the Applied ABC contract currently in place. The company is undergoing outreach to current Manchester contracted employees to complete required enhanced safety training.
In the meantime, district leaders will continue meeting directly with families connected to Applied ABC to give updates, answer their questions and maintain clear communication regarding how to best meet the ongoing needs of our students. Please note, we are meeting one-on-one with these families to preserve the privacy of the students who utilize these programs as part of enhanced special education throughout our district.
Until these incidents were reported, Applied ABC has been a collaborative partner, providing essential special education services to students in school and outside of the classroom. This company was selected to provide these services because they have an excellent reputation nationally for offering quality care to children. However, these alleged incidents are deeply disturbing and will not be tolerated. We are heartbroken by the violation of trust placed in these workers and will continue to cooperate fully with the MPD investigation into the recent incidents at Parker-Varney School.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at superintendent@mansd.org.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Chmiel Gillis, Ed.D
Superintendent of Schools