Ellington Teacher believed her leave from school was for the entire year

May 27—ELLINGTON — For the second day in a row, Windermere School kindergarten teacher Maura Klesczewski — who's fighting an effort by the school administration to fire her — testified Wednesday before the Board of Education that she believed the extended leave granted her last fall during the COVID-19 pandemic was approved for the entire school year.

Klesczewski, 51, of Suffield suffers from severe asthma and sought extended leave from her teaching duties under the Family and Medical Leave Act last September as recommended by her doctor because of the pandemic and the severity of her illness.

Superintendent Scott Nicol approved that leave, but is now trying to terminate Klesczewski after she refused to return to work in March after her paid sick time ran out.

On Wednesday, Klesczewski testified under questioning from her lawyer, Andrew Houlding, before the school board in the cafeteria at Ellington High School, that she was surprised to receive a letter from Nicol on March 8 in which he said she had to return to work that month.

TERMINATION HEARING

WHO: Maura Klesczewski, a kindergarten teacher at Windermere School in Ellington who suffers from severe asthma.

THE ISSUE: Ellington Superintendent Scott Nicol is trying to fire Klesczewski after the teacher was on leave a majority of the current school year for fear of contracting COVID-19, and refused to return when required and her leave ran out.

NEXT HEARING: Tuesday, June 1, at 4 p.m. before the Board of Education in the cafeteria at Ellington High School, 37 Maple St.

Klesczewski said she was surprised because she believed that in September her FMLA request was approved — although she later acknowledged she never received formal notice of that approval. She believed she had been approved for unpaid leave once her paid sick time was exhausted.

In an email she sent to school staff in January asking about a return date, she was referring to September 2021, Klesczewski said.

Klesczewski also testified that she was willing to return to work in April when faced with termination after receiving her second dose of the vaccine and with her doctor's approval. If the school board denies her termination, she will return to work, Klesczewski said.

During cross-examination, Frederick Dorsey, the school administration's lawyer, also asked about Klesczewski's understanding of her leave.

She further testified that she was never notified that her leave was approved. The only way she knew was by checking her pay stubs, Klesczewski said. She continued to get paid while not working, so assumed the leave was approved, she said.

As she never heard otherwise about the unpaid leave, she assumed that was approved also, Klesczewski said.

Dorsey didn't get far into his questioning before asking Klesczewski if she had spoken about her testimony with anyone outside of the hearing. She admitted she had, with her lawyer, family, and a close friend.

Dorsey objected, saying she should not have done so while still under oath, and asked that Klesczewski's testimony so far be stricken from the record.

The school board and its lawyer, Christine Chinni, conferred on the matter outside of the high school's cafeteria where the hearing was being held. Afterward, Chinni ruled that Klesczewski's testimony wouldn't be stricken, but said the "weight" or believability of what she said was affected.

Dorsey then asked Klesczewski about a number of statements she made Tuesday during her first day of testimony.

Dorsey asked her about staff members who came into her classroom last September to help with technical issues during the first few days of school when students were learning remotely due to the pandemic.

Klesczewski had testified that she was uncomfortable with how close the staff members got to her.

Dorsey asked if she ever complained about their proximity, or made an effort to move away from them while they worked, instead of staying seated at her desk. Klesczewski said she hadn't.

Dorsey also asked Klesczewski about the strictness of the quarantine her family obeyed last summer.

Klesczewski had testified that she and her family were likely stricter than most people when it came to self-quarantining, including not having visitors.

Under questioning from Dorsey, Klesczewski revealed that she had a construction project completed at her home last July that involved workers coming into her home. She acknowledged that there was an occasion when the workers were there while she was working virtually, and she likely wasn't wearing a mask.

The hearing will continue on Tuesday, June 1, in the Ellington High School cafeteria at 4 p.m.

For breaking news and happenings in North Central Connecticut, follow Matthew Knox on Twitter: @MatthewPKnoxJI, and Facebook: Matthew P. Knox JI.