State intervention, audit of Western Heights school district begins Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoman
Replay Video UP NEXT
A state audit and intervention began Friday at Western Heights Public Schools, as state officials aim for a district turnaround.
Several state officials arrived at the southwest Oklahoma City district to meet with school leaders and staff.
The Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector s Office initiated its investigation of district finances with a visit from State Auditor Cindy Byrd and Brenda Holt, director of Byrd s forensic audit division.
Byrd said she s confident her office will conduct a thorough audit, though 15 trash bags of shredded financial records were found in a district dumpster earlier in the week.
July 16, 2021
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Board members of a southwest Oklahoma City school district have defied the state Board of Education and hired an interim superintendent.
The Western Heights school board voted 3-1 Thursday to name assistant Superintendent Kim Race interim superintendent, replacing Mannix Barnes.
Barnes superintendent certification was suspended by the state board last month after the district was placed on probation by the state board in April for concerns including financial management, heavy staff losses and poor academic performance.
The state board took over the district Monday and on Tuesday deputy state Superintendent Monty Guthrie was named to head the district for the next year.
Oklahoman
A state audit and intervention began Friday at Western Heights Public Schools, as state officials aim for a district turnaround.
Several state officials arrived at the southwest Oklahoma City district to meet with school leaders and staff.
The Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector s Office initiated its investigation of district finances with a visit from State Auditor Cindy Byrd and Brenda Holt, director of Byrd s forensic audit division.
Byrd said she s confident her office will conduct a thorough audit, though 15 trash bags of shredded financial records were found in a district dumpster earlier in the week. We are always concerned whenever we see a large amount of records shredded, especially in the midst of asking for a special investigative audit, Byrd said. But, we also should remember there are real reasons to shred documents. So, at this time until there is a document I’m asking for that they cannot produce, I’m not going to be extremely conc
Western Heights school district rejects Oklahoma authority, appoints own superintendent Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoman
Replay Video UP NEXT
A struggle for control of Western Heights Public Schools has ensued, as both the local school board and the Oklahoma State Department of Education have chosen leaders to run the district.
The Western Heights Board of Education spurned the state s choice for an interim superintendent and appointed its own on Thursday.
This was the school board s first action acknowledging its former superintendent, Mannix Barnes, isn t able to continue as the district s head. The Oklahoma State Board of Education suspended Barnes superintendent certification last month.
OSDH: 750 New COVID-19 Cases Reported, 6 Virus-Related Deaths Added To State s Provisional Death Count newson6.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newson6.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.