AMHERST — An anonymous letter critical of new Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman and her administration, a communication that also publicly released confidential and personal information about a school district employee, will be discussed at the Amherst Regional School Committee meeting Tuesday.

In marking her 100th day on the job, Herman released a statement that the letter, which the Gazette received through the mail in early November, was a breach of privacy that she strongly condemns, because it goes against the district’s values of respect and trust, and providing a supportive environment for all staff.

“It’s disheartening that an anonymous letter would misuse confidential information to target an individual and distract from our collective goals,” Herman said. “This behavior is not acceptable, and it will not be tolerated.”

Seth Keevaenthal, who serves as the media and climate specialist for the district, said the letter has been turned over to Amherst police for investigation. More details about the letter will be shared at the public meeting, Keevaenthal said.

The typewritten letter, with an attached two-page public official bond application and indemnity agreement from a municipal employee, came in an envelope with a return address of APEA, the Amherst Pelham Education Association union. The letter features the phrase “people want to know” written in red ink at the top, and throughout asks many questions about Herman’s leadership and appeals to the School Committee to “rescue us.”

Herman has called the letter one of the challenges she has encountered as she has emphasized transparency and trust since assuming the role on July 1, placing students at the center of decisions and taking steps to build a strong foundation for the district’s future. She has also held numerous one-on-one meetings, listening sessions and collaborated with groups, including the Special Education Parent Advisory Council, the LGBTQIA+ Caucus, the Latinx Caucus, the Amherst Pelham Education Association and the Jewish Community of Amherst.

“These first 100 days have shown me both the challenges and the strengths within our district,” Herman said. “Listening to our students, families, staff, and community partners has reinforced my commitment to leading with transparency and accountability.”

The union representing teachers, paraprofessionals and clerical staff also put out a statement, released by communications chair Claire Cocco, condemning the critiques against Herman and her administration contained in the anonymous letter and the “harmful actions taken against one of the district employees by exposing confidential, personal information to the press, some Amherst residents and the School Committee.”

Aside from the Gazette, it’s unknown who else received the letter.

The letter was not only inappropriate, according to the union, but goes against the values of respect, humanity and professionalism espoused by educators. While disagreements with school administrations have occurred in the past, the union notes it has strived to work through these constructively for the best possible outcomes for its members and students.

“We are educators. We teach students to resolve conflicts through understanding, dialogue, and cooperation. We do not teach them to respond with hate or harm,” the union statement reads. “As adults and professionals, we must strive to be examples for our students, showing them that disagreement does not need to escalate into personal attacks or division. It is appalling that someone within our own community has resorted to these low tactics.”

Herman said her transparency, directness and a focus on best practices represents a cultural shift that some may find unfamiliar, but is essential for growth. “The role of data in informing our actions cannot be overstated. It’s through this lens that we can make impactful changes that directly benefit our students and staff,” Herman said.

She acknowledged that change may feel unsettling to some, yet reaffirmed her belief in transparency and accountability as critical to strengthening the district’s foundation.

Already, there has been data-driven assessments and direct engagement with staff and families to confront rising chronic absenteeism, a decline in parental trust, and a drop in achievement for marginalized minority and high-needs students. This has been done through restructuring of family support systems to build stronger school-family connections, with a new centralized family support team operating at the district level to provide family training and services, while embedded support staff are stationed within schools.

“This new model allows our Family Center to bring training and resources directly to families while positioning staff within each school fosters stronger, more personal relationships between families and educators,” Herman said.

As part of a strategy to address budget constraints and maximize efficiency, district positions are being consolidated through a combination of retirements, departures and reassignments. The consolidations include the creation of a procurement and compliance specialist, a curriculum, equity and instructional leadership director, and the executive assistant also serving as a labor relations specialist.

“These restructuring decisions allow us to use our resources effectively, ensuring we are equipped to meet the diverse needs of the district while remaining fiscally responsible,” Herman said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.