CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The Albemarle County School Board was not notified of the investigation into allegations of sex crimes against former staffer Michael Swiney until the day before his arrest, multiple officials confirmed to Cville Right Now on Thursday.

During the public comment portion of Thursday night’s School Board meeting, Albemarle County Republican Committee Chair Phil Riese said School Board members had claimed, Wednesday during a retreat, that former Superintendent Dr. Matthew Haas did not inform them of Swiney’s active criminal investigation when it began in January, and the Board did not learn of the investigation until June 3, the day before Swiney was arrested and charged with 11 felony counts of sex crimes against children.

Family Council ACPS Outgoing Officer Heidi Gilman Bennett, who was also present at Wednesday’s meeting, confirmed Riese’s recollection of events to Cville Right Now.

School Board Chair Rebecca Berlin confirmed the accuracy of Riese’s account to Cville Right Now following the meeting.

Thursday’s meeting was the Board’s first business meeting since it asked Haas at its June 11 meeting in the aftermath of Swiney’s arrest.

“Why did Matt Haas withhold that information from you? Should that not be considered gross misconduct by the former Superintendent?” Riese said in his comments. “Instead of firing Matt Haas, you asked for his resignation. By allowing him to resign, you gave him over a quarter of a million dollars in severance pay. Why are you rewarding him for concealing a criminal investigation from you?

“Had Matt Haas told you back in January, you could have started work on this sexual misconduct policy six months ago.”

Riese called on the board to revoke Haas’ resignation, which was confirmed at the start of the meeting, and fire him with cause, which means he would not receive his regular salary of $257,165.67 through the end of his contract on June 30, 2027.

Riese also asked brought up the resignation of Hollymead Principal Joe McCauley, which was announced by ACPS hours before Thursday’s meeting. McCauley had been on administrative leave since June 13 pending an ACPS investigation into allegations against him.

“If he is found guilty of gross misconduct for ignoring parents’ warnings about Swiney, his resignation should also be denied and he should be fired,” Riese said.

Finally, Riese called for a full independent review by a law firm independent to Albemarle County to answer questions like why Swiney was transferred from Woodbrook Elementary to Hollymead, why he wasn’t removed after parents allegedly warned McCauley about his conduct, and if staff fully followed their mandatory reporting obligations.

He concluded his comments by saying he would submit a comprehensive FOIA request on Friday “to get these answers myself.” His remarks were met with support from many in attendance, who stood and shook their hands in support.

The meeting began with the board unanimously accepting the resignation of Haas and unanimously passing a motion to appoint Dr. Chandra Hayes as Acting Superintendent.

Hayes was named to the position on June 17, but following the motion and administration of the Oath of Office by Albemarle County Clerk of the Court Jon Zug, she officially took the position.

She was met with a standing ovation from the board and audience present, which included many of her family and friends. Afterward, Hayes, at times speaking through tears, gave brief remarks, thanking the board for placing their trust in her as well as her loved ones for their support.

“I know from my own personal experience that public education is truly the great equalizer,” she said. “It opens doors, it creates opportunity, and it helps students see the possibilities that may not have been visible before. 
And that is why this work matters so deeply to me.”

Afterward, Berlin thanked Hayes for taking the position, calling it “a difficult one at a difficult time.”

Berlin later shared a statement from the board regarding the situation in Hollymead as a whole. She said the board acted “quickly and responsibly” upon learning about the situation.

She also said there are limits to what can be shared publicly, particularly regarding personnel issues, student privacy or ongoing review purpose. She added the active criminal investigations, which the board will give complete cooperation to, also limits what can be shared.

“But I want to be clear,” Berlin continued. “We understand the seriousness of this moment, and we know the community is looking at us not only for words, but also for actions.
We are committed to earning back your trust through transparency where appropriate, accountability where required, and decisions that reflect the needs of students, family, staff, and our schools.”

Swiney’s arrest once again came up at multiple points during public comment, including in the comments made by Riese.

Following public comment, the board discussed the proposed policy on professional boundaries. Hayes said she was directed by the board to review and recommend policies regarding these topics following her appointment on June 17.

Educational Equity Data Scientist Dr. Russell Carlock further shared details on the policy and its quick timeline, with staff beginning work on June 22.

“I want to highlight that this has been a highly expedient process due to the magnitude and gravity of the situation,” Carlock said. “And in a typical situation, we would have more comprehensive public feedback, as well as staff feedback and review of a policy, especially a brand new policy that is being adopted.

“And for that reason, public feedback is going to be extremely important throughout this process.”

Much of the base language from the policy came from peer school divisions in Virginia, such as Arlington and Harrisonburg. But some of the new policy changes did not, including the new changes regarding one-on-one interactions between students and staff as well as parents and guardians having access to any electronic systems in which staff can communicate with individual students.

The board has planned a public forum on the policy for next Thursday. As such, the discussion on the policy was brief, but board members praised the quick work of staff while also bringing up concerns already brought to them by the public.

These included clarification on the protocol regarding counselors reaching out to families regarding one-on-one meeting with their children, the implementation of reporting mechanisms and whether parents will be notified if their children have interacted with a staff member facing allegations moving forward.