Briggs High Audit: Just Bad Bookkeeping

An internal audit by the school administration has revealed sloppy bookkeeping practices at Richard C. Briggs High School in Norwalk, however no improprieties have been found.

According to a report in the Norwalk Hour, the audit — conducted in July and August by Craig Drezek, the former chief operating officer, and Anthony Daddona, the assistant superintendent of schools — revealed "issues on accountability, management and documentation" of school funds, including "questionable purchases of reimbursement."

In response to the situation school officials are recommending numerous changes to how school funds are tracked, including increased oversight from the central office.

Of particular concern, the report states, “was the mingling of grant money with activity funds, lumped into the same account.” The account was reportedly created before the school’s previous principal, Alaine Lane, retired earlier this year.

It has been recommended that the school’s new principal, Marie Allen, oversee all school accounts, with statements reconciled every month by the school finance office.

Aside from sloppy bookkeeping, the audit also revealed that, in terms of academics, most students who graduated from Briggs High School last year had failed to meet requirements from the Board of Education.

According to the Hour report, 22 out of the 26 members of the Class of 2011 received unauthorized credits for a graduation prep course.

Responsibility for this falls on the Principal, school officials reportedly said — and students will no longer be getting credit for the prep course. However it is unclear what course of action will be taken to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future.

In their report, Drezek and Daddona recommend hiring an independent firm to conduct third party audits, not only at Briggs but at Norwalk and Brien McMahon High Schools as well.

originally reported on the audit and alleged misuse of funds in August.