(Atlantic, IA) – A large crowd filled a conference room at the Atlantic Middle (this) Wednesday morning, where the Atlantic School Board was set to act on approving the resignation of High School Counselor Jesse McCann. School Board President Josh McLaren read a statement when the meeting got underway at 7:30-a.m. His statement is as follows:

“After careful consideration as the Board President, I decided last night (Tuesday night) that the Board would not hold this meeting this morning. Director (Gini) Jordan and I still wanted to be here to inform everyone of the situation…decision in-person. While we understand that there may be questions concerning the facts and circumstances related to current ongoing employment matters occurring within the District, the Board of the District cannot provide specific information regarding personnel matters, as this information is considered confidential under State law.

“We can assure you that the District takes any concerns for students, families or staff seriously and appropriately addresses concerns consistent with legal requirements and best practices. This includes investigating and working closely with outside legal counsel to evaluate any necessary and appropriate next steps. The Board of the District considers the safety and well-being of our students and staff to be the highest priority, and will continuously act in the best interest of our school community. Thank you for your support and understanding.”

As mentioned Tuesday, a social media post from the Atlantic Police Department said “The Atlantic Police Department has been made aware of an incident involving a school staff member and students. The Atlantic Police Department has been investigating and looking into the information that has been provided.” Their post did not name the employee who is being investigated.