Ends months of negotiating
The Greene County Schools board of education at a special meeting Monday accepted the resignation of Intermediate School principal Maranda Van Cleave.
Included in the agreement is a settlement payment of $55,000 to Van Cleave if she has not secured or been offered regular or part-time employment by Aug. 20.
Van Cleave’s annual salary was $82,076. Including benefits her total package was $111,943.
Van Cleave’s resignation marked the end of negotiating involving legal counsel over several months. At issue was whether an administrator can be terminated due to a needed reduction in force (RIF) in the middle of a two-year contract. The board of education decided last fall to reduce one principal position due to budgetary concerns and the closing of a school building.
The board then approved a policy for administrative RIF, using job performance, administrative certification, and the best interest of the district as criteria rather than date of hire only.
Superintendent Tim Christensen in a statement Tuesday said the district is “appreciative of Van Cleave’s efforts in her service to the district.” He confirmed earlier that the decision not to employ Van Cleave in the future was not related to her job performance.
Van Cleave was principal at the Intermediate School in Grand Junction for four years. It was her first position as principal.
The building was closed as an attendance center as of June 2, the last day of school. Next year fourth graders will attend the elementary school and fifth and sixth graders will attend the middle school.
