A Scottsdale school district administrator is appealing a decision to eliminate her position.
Following a closed-door meeting involving the case, the Scottsdale Unified School District governing board voted this week to appoint a hearing officer to investigate the dismissal of former English Immersion Studies director Barbara Valencia-Ortega.
Valencia-Ortega had been in the position, which coordinated the district’s English Immersion program, for about two years, said human resources director Jeff Thomas.
The board voted in April not to renew her contract, which ended June 30, Thomas said.
Valencia-Ortega declined to comment on the appeal before Tuesday’s executive session.
It’s the district’s policy not to comment on personnel issues.
However, human capital director Jeff Thomas did say Valencia-Ortega’s position was one of six administrator jobs eliminated as the district trimmed its budget in the spring.
Two of those jobs were already vacant.
