Ann Arbor Learning Community teacher returns to classroom
A primary teacher at Ann Arbor Learning Community was cleared to rejoin her pupils after being placed on a leave of absence for allegedly dropping a book on a child’s head.

Wendy Nagle
Jones resigned during the school’s holiday break for personal reasons and an interim dean, Bill Morgan, took over Jan. 11.
“We take each issue very seriously and do an investigation into each issue that comes up,” said Carlie Lockwood, vice president of human resources for Michigan Educational Personnel (MEP) Services. “It was determined this particular teacher was able to return to her responsibilities in the classroom.”
Lockwood said details of personnel investigations are confidential.
AALC is a self-managed charter school but contracts with MEP out of Brighton for its teachers and staff. MEP does the hiring and firing with the help of the school’s dean, who also is an MEP employee, Lockwood said.
About 35 parents attended the January Board of Directors meeting to protest Nagle’s departure and the school’s handling of it.
Parents said Nagle’s forced absence was the third instance of this nature that the school has experienced in less than a year under Jones’ leadership. The previous two instances resulted in favorite teachers being permanently removed from their classrooms.
Nagle has been with AALC for 11 years. The school, authorized by Eastern Michigan University, opened in 1998.
Staff members at AALC did not return phone calls seeking comment for the story.
Staff reporter Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
Hmm
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 3:25 p.m.
She looks like a nice lady, I'm glad this was resolved so she can get back to doing what she loves. I'm sure her students are happy to have her back too, so it's a win win. About time The Bureaucracy worked in favor of the little person
craigjjs
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 2:19 p.m.
"Lockwood said details of personnel investigations are confidential." This is what happens when public funds are used to finance schools operated (or staffed) by corporations. The community has no voice. The parents have no voice. All decisions are made by overpaid executives.
AMOC
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 8:45 p.m.
Ah, but craigjjs, if this incident had happened in a regular public school, not only would the details of any personnel investigation been confidential, but the public and the parents of kids in that classroom would be very unlikely to ever know what the teacher was accused of, or that an investigation had occurred. Unless the parents filed a lawsuit, of course. Have you seen the story about the sexual assaults on an 8 year old girl at Eberwhite? AALC deserves praise for the balance of openness and confidentiality they are maintaining.
Richard
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 7:47 a.m.
No wonder teachers get paid so much for 9 months of work. They have to put up with stuff like this.
Paul Childs
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 : 1:41 a.m.
I am glad to hear Wendy is back in the classroom. She is a wonderful teacher and she belongs in a classroom.