MARYSVILLE — A day after the Marysville School Board decided to cut loose Superintendent Linda Whitehead, the community remained divided.
Some said Whitehead’s removal was worth any cost.
Others said buying out her contract is a bad financial move.
And some believe she’s taking the fall for larger problems within the district.
"The kids are the ones in jeopardy," said Bill Kelly, 50, who lives on the Tulalip Indian Reservation. "I’m not the type of person who’s real supportive of management, but there are two sides to every story."
Whitehead, who had 2 1/2years left on her $130,876-a-year contract, was at the district office Thursday but was not available for comment.
The school board voted 3-1 Wednesday night to accept a settlement with Whitehead after weeks of closed-door negotiations.
Whitehead, her administrators and the former school board have taken heat for the state record 49-day Marysville teachers strike last fall. Three members of the former school board were not re-elected in November.
School district officials say they won’t reveal details of the buyout until the document is signed by Whitehead and approved by the board.
They said the board could set a special meeting for as early as Monday night to vote on the final settlement and discuss an interim replacement for Whitehead.
District officials would not discuss specifics of the settlement Thursday, saying attorneys were drawing up the final document.
"Until it’s signed by both parties, our attorney says it is not a public record," said Judy Parker, district spokeswoman. "We have to go by his opinion. That’s the person who defends us."
A note on the district’s Web site Thursday said the document will be made public once it’s signed. On Wednesday, the board said the document would only be made available to those filing written public records requests. The Herald filed a request on Wednesday.
Board member Michael Kundu said Whitehead’s removal is worth the cost. "This figure is definitely not unmanageable," Kundu said. "The district can absorb this figure."
Facing declining enrollment, the district is looking for ways to cut $1.5 million from its budget for next year and up to $4.7 million by 2006-07.
Kundu said other cuts in district administration, which could include some positions, could help pay for the buyout. Not including Whitehead, the top eight administrators together make more than $800,000 a year.
The school board could name Paul Sjunnesen, a retired superintendent who has been hired as an adviser to the board, as the interim superintendent.
Sjunnesen, 69, retired from the Everett School District in 1992. He said board members asked him in January, when he was being recruited for the consultant’s role, if he would be willing to serve in a temporary capacity. Sjunnesen said he was willing to work until July 1.
Within a month of taking office, the three new board members were discussing Whitehead’s performance evaluation.
"It was definitely in the process right away," Kundu said. "It was my intention to make sure … that we had an honest look at how she had been doing."
Kundu said he and the others exchanged e-mails raising the possibility of a January evaluation, but the board never began the process.
The previous board gave Whitehead high marks when it did its evaluation last year.
Chris McCormick, 31, of Marysville was among those who supported the move.
"I’m glad she’s gone," said McCormick, who has one child in the school district. "I think she was doing a horrible job, and now we can move forward."
McCormick said the cost is "probably worth it if that’s the only way to get her out of there."
"It was more harmful to keep her," she added.
Karen White, 34, of Marysville took her child out of the district to attend school in the Lakewood School District. She said the decision wasn’t only because of the strike, but was "the last straw." White agreed with ousting Whitehead, but said that won’t bring her child back to Marysville.
The school district "has to get on track," she said. "I just feel like it’s lagging behind other districts in every area. Maybe with (Whitehead) gone, they can get on track."
Teri Tyo, a Marysville parent and member of AIMS, a Marysville parent group formed during the strike that has been critical of the district administration, said the board made the right decision.
She blamed the previous board for making the buyout more expensive than it had to be because it extended her contract in its last move before three incumbents were replaced.
"I want to see someone who is interested in making this community a destination again," she said. "When I moved here 14 years ago, this was the place to bring your kids."
Cheryl Bakko, 27, of Marysville has three children in the district. She wasn’t sure whether Whitehead deserved to get the boot, but she was certain there is better use for the money she’ll be paid to leave.
"I know a lot of schools need improvements, and they’re talking about needing a new high school. Where are they going to get the money for that?" Bakko said. "It’s probably a bad decision just because of the amount of money."
Greg Aff, president of Marysville Parents for Higher Student Achievement, said Whitehead wasn’t given a fair chance upon her arrival in the top spot three years ago. He said she inherited a school district that "had its priorities focused on appeasement of the union."
But beyond the financial ramifications of the buyout, Aff said the board took the wrong course.
"This community is divided," he said. "This didn’t help."
Brenda Patrykus, 54, of Marysville was an active parent when her children were in Marysville schools. She said she is disappointed by the problems the district is having.
"I just question all the finger-pointing and blaming," she said. "It’s hard to keep the emphasis on education when there’s such turmoil."
Patrykus said she’s reserving judgment on Whitehead’s dismissal.
"I don’t know who’s going to be in her place," she said. "And I don’t know about the new school board, either. I just hope they make good decisions."
Reporter Victor Balta: 425-339-3455 or vbalta@heraldnet.com.
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