A Georgia superintendent has resigned from his post after agreeing to repay his district for repeatedly filling his truck up with gas at the school system’s fuel depot, according to multiple reports.
Lowndes County Schools has confirmed that Friday was Superintendent Shawn Haralson’s last day with the district and that his resignation is effective on July 31. The Valdosta Times has reported that Haralson made personal use of the district’s fuel depot on multiple occasions and that, after an external investigation, he agreed to repay $2,800 for the gas.
Haralson’s departure was announced at a school board meeting attended by 70 residents, The Valdosta Times noted. Haralson was named Lowndes County’s superintendent in May 2022, and was previously the superintendent of Ben Hill County Schools, also in south Georgia.
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In Kentucky, Owensboro Public Schools Superintendent Matthew Constant has been suspended without pay and is facing termination for an alleged relationship with an “adult-aged student” at another district, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. Constant was initially suspended, with pay, in May. The relationship is also being investigated by state police but may not constitute a crime if the student is 18 or older, the Herald-Leader explained.
“The Board of Education takes no stance on the guilt or innocence of Dr. Constant in relation to the ongoing criminal investigation by the Kentucky State Police,” Ownesboro school board Chairman Jeremy Luckett told the Herald-Leader. “However, we have enough information to make the determination that Dr. Constant acted in a manner unbecoming of what we expect for our students and their families and therefore he is no longer capable of leading the district.”
Morris County USD 417 in Kansas has reached a separation agreement with Aron Dody, who had been the district’s superintendent since 2018. Earlier this year, the district was criticized by auditors over purchases that may not have met state bidding requirements, The Emporia Gazette reported. In Michigan, Bronson Community Schools and Superintendent Steve Wilson have also reached a separation agreement, according to the Coldwater Daily Reporter.
Notable new hires
Notable appointees include Darrell Floyd, who was unanimously chosen as the next superintendent of Blue Ridge ISD in Texas. Floyd was the superintendent of Enid Public Schools in Oklahoma for nine years and previously served 14 years as superintendent of Stephenville ISD and also led Linden-Kildare CISD, both in Texas. Annette Zupin has been named superintendent of the Benton Community School Corporation in Indiana after having served as superintendent of the North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation for seven years. Finally, Superintendent Donald “DJ” Shepardson is leaving the West Canada Valley Central School District in New York to take the lead role at Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES.
First-time superintendents include Rhonda Hall, who was named the new leader of Accomack County Public Schools in Virginia. She is currently the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction and served as its interim superintendent for a short time in 2014. Middle school principal Vickie Harden has been chosen as the finalist for superintendent of the Washington County School District in Georgia.
Changes are taking place in a number of other districts:
New superintendent hires:
- Jeff Cochren, South Knox School Corporation (Indiana)
- Willie Foster, Spencer County Schools (Kentucky)
- Tiffany Giannicchi, Hinsdale Central School District (New York)
- Robyn Klim, Lawrence Township Public Schools (New Jersey)
- Thomas P. Larkin, Kent City School District (Ohio)
- Kristine Michael, Northridge Local Schools (Ohio)
- R. Todd Neace, Trimble County Schools (Kentucky)
- Amber Norris, Cooper ISD (Texas)
- Jon Petersen, Escondido Union High School District (California)
- Patricia Royal, Pawtucket School Department (Rhode Island)
Departures:
- Superintendent David Bolton has announced his resignation from the Pennridge School District in Pennsylvania.
- Superintendent Scott Korpak will resign from Northview Public Schools in Michigan this summer, MLive.com reports.
- Superintendent Judith Kuehn will resign from Hull Public Schools in Massachusetts at the end of the 2023-24 school year, the Hull Times reports.
- Superintendent Karen Quanbeck will resign from the Clear Creek School District in Colorado this fall, according to the Clear Creek Courant.
- Mary Ellen Walker has resigned as superintendent of the Middletown Township School District in New Jersey, according to TAPinto.com.
- Veronica Vijil has resigned as superintendent of Fabens ISD to become deputy superintendent at Seguin ISD. Both districts are in Texas.
