North Kitsap superintendent placed on administrative leave amid sign investigation

North Kitsap's school board on Thursday evening voted to place Superintendent Laurynn Evans on paid administrative leave, a week after she was named as the suspect in a Jan. 26 theft of signs opposing the district's upcoming $242 bond measure.

Board members Rick Eckert, Breane Martinez, Stacy Mills and Beverly Godfrey voted to place Evans on leave during the regular meeting, which drew roughly 200 attendees to the district office in Poulsbo and approximately 300 more watching on Zoom at one point. Board president Mike Desmond abstained from voting, which drew boos from the crowd.

Evans was not in attendance at Thursday's meeting.

Rachel Davenport will serve as the district's acting superintendent in Evans' absence for the foreseeable future, according to a district statement provided by spokesperson Jenn Markaryan. Davenport is the district's executive director of human resources.

Kitsap County Prosecuting Attorney Chad Enright told the Kitsap Sun on Tuesday that his office received the investigation and is in the process of reviewing it. Evans denied being involved with the theft when questioned by Kitsap County sheriff's deputies and claimed that those who filed the report, bond opponents Scott Henden and Kim Gerlach, were trying to frame her.

Ballots for the bond election are due by Tuesday.

Henden was among the dozen community members to address the board during Thursday's public comment period. A former school board member for the district, Henden told the Kitsap Sun at the time of the theft that should the investigation prove Evans' wrongdoing, she should be removed from her position. The board approved a three-year contract for Evans in February of 2023.

"We can't have a leader at North Kitsap that is willing to demonstrate that sort of ethics," Henden said.

North Kitsap Education Association president Ted Jez informed the audience that the North Kitsap Transportation Employees Association recently passed a resolution issuing a vote of no confidence in Evans and the school board, as well as transportation department leadership. During the summer of 2023, it was the NKEA that issued a vote of no confidence in Evans and the board while bargaining with district leaders for a new contract.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: North Kitsap superintendent placed on administrative leave