BHAS Board announces superintendent's resignation
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board announces the resignation of BHAS Superintendent Dr. Shelly Walker.
#BREAKING: The Board just voted to accept the resignation of BHAS Superintendent Dr. Shelly Walker. @ABC57News
— Jess Arnold ABC57 (@JessArnoldTV) April 6, 2018
In March, the district gave Dr. Walker an ineffective rating in her second annual evaluation.
At a special session Thursday night, the board announced that they would be accepting Dr. Walker's resignation effective April 10, 2018.
"The Board also approves a separation agreement and release with Dr. Shelly Walker, contingent upon the approval of the modification in paragraph 11 of the separation and release," said BHAS Board Vice President, Lisa Gulley.
The President of the Board, Marletta Seats, shared the following statement from the Board:
"Dr. Walker has served as the district superintendent for two years. Because the Board of Education wishes to search for a different school leader, and Dr. Walker wants to pursue different professional opportunities, in order to resolve all pending disputes with Dr. Walker and avoid potentially costly and lengthy litigation, which would distract from the district's current progress, the district has agreed to accept Dr. Walker's resignation. The district is committed to continually developing leadership that will continue to improve the organization that will work collaboratively with existing staff and external stakeholders that will strengthen student learning and growth and that will reduce key employee turnover and that will focus on long range fiscal responsibility and innovative educational programming."
ABC 57 reached out to Dr. Walker, and she said she is not ready to comment at this time.
An important note here---
When the district signed on to the partnership with the state in 2017, one of the state's stipulations was that the Board sign a multi-year contract with Dr. Walker so the district could have stability leadership-wise.
Now, they're on the hunt for a new leader again.