Concord Elementary School Teacher Suspended Due To Conduct Violation
CONCORD, NH — An elementary school educator in Concord, with more than 23 years working for the district, was suspended earlier in the 2023-2024 school year due to a code of conduct violation.Melissa “Missy” Noyes, a teacher at the McAuliffe Elementary School, was suspended earlier this school year after an investigation by the New Hampshire Department of Education. She held an experienced educator license and an elementary education (K-8) endorsement before agreeing to a voluntary suspension. The education department confirmed the suspension via its running list of revoked educator credentials, but investigator and attorney Diana Fenton did not return a request for comment about the case. School Superintendent Kathleen Murphy confirmed the suspension, saying Noyes violated the code of conduct criteria, stating “appropriate administration action” was taken relative to the reason she was suspended. New Hampshire has both a code of ethics and a code of conduct for educators. SAU 8, the Concord School District, also has a professional expectations policy.Patch was informed about the suspension via an anonymous email claiming the incident was being swept under the rug as well as other statements that could not be substantiated.Murphy denied sweeping the incident under the rug and stated she could not say much about it because it was a personnel issue. “People can say I brush things under the rug,” she said. “I can’t control what other people say.”The state’s right-to-know law, RSA 91-A, allows governmental agencies to be exempt from being required to release information exemptions under the “personnel practices” provision of 91-A:5 IV, which states: Records pertaining to internal personnel practices; confidential, commercial, or financial information; test questions, scoring keys, and other examination data used to administer a licensing examination, examination for employment, or academic examinations; and personnel, medical, welfare, library user, videotape sale or rental, and other files whose disclosure would constitute invasion of privacy. Without otherwise compromising the confidentiality of the files, nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit a public body or agency from releasing information relative to health or safety from investigative files on a limited basis to persons whose health or safety may be affected.Some governmental agencies, however, can or do release information about suspended or fired employees or former employees, or employees or former employees who committed crimes or other issues.Murphy confirmed Noyes was suspended by the district due to her lack of an active state education certification. She said teachers in the district must have certification or a statement of eligibility showing they are working toward accreditation, adding, “That goes without saying … I have a requirement to do that.” Murphy said Noyes was a teacher in the district for about 23 and a half years. According to school yearbooks, she taught at the McAuliffe Elementary School for about half of those years. In 2017, she was named to the Concord Trust for the Enhancement of Public Education “Thank-A-Teacher” Honor Roll. Murphy would not confirm whether Noyes would be allowed back in the classroom after settling or resolving the conduct issues. It is also unknown if Noyes is working toward reinstatement or will be reinstated by the state like other educators listed on some of the most recent suspensions in New Hampshire. Murphy said the district had no set policy about educator improvement or reinstatement, saying each case was examined individually. In those cases, Murphy will explore all the circumstances, what the district has done in the past, how severe the violation was, and whether it was remedied. “Every single case is different,” she said. “We look at the evidence and situation and respond to it. Sometimes, the person is no longer employed. Sometimes, criteria have to be met for anyone to be employed.” Concord Deputy Police Chief John Thomas said the department had no investigation of the former teacher.Do you have a news tip? Please email it to [email protected]. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube.com channel or Rumble.com channel. Follow the NH politics Twitter account @NHPatchPolitics for all our campaign coverage.The article Concord Elementary School Teacher Suspended Due To Conduct Violation appeared first on Concord, NH Patch.
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