Rochester Superintendent Lesli Myers-Small on leave, won't return to district

Outgoing Rochester Schools Superintendent Lesli Myers-Small, who for the last month has been working while negotiating a separation agreement, is now on leave, according to an email sent to staff Wednesday night.

Replacing her atop the organization for the moment will be Deputy Superintendent Carmine Peluso, a longtime district administrator who since late July has replaced Myers-Small for some presentations to the school board.

The board initially opted to begin separation negotiations with Myers-Small on July 20 after giving her a poor performance review. She has two years and $500,000 left on her contract. The board can either negotiate a figure lower than that or attempt to fire her for cause, a prospect for which neither side hopes.

More:RCSD Superintendent Lesli Myers-Small sexually harassed CFO, complaint alleges

State law dictates a school district can only employ one superintendent at a time, so Peluso will technically serve as acting superintendent. Once Myers-Small finalizes her separation agreement, Peluso will be re-designated as interim superintendent, according to several sources with knowledge of the situation.

More: Who is Carmine Peluso, the new Rochester City School District leader?

Myers-Small declined to comment.

Peluso was elevated from school chief to deputy superintendent in July after a previous deputy superintendent, Genelle Morris, was hired as superintendent in Olean. He earlier was principal at Louis Cerulli School 34 and the junior/senior high school in East Rochester.

A longtime educator in the RCSD, Dr. Peluso has also served as a Chief of Schools, Principal, and Teacher," Board President Cynthia Elliott wrote to staff. "He knows our students, families, staff, city, and community well."

The board initially had expected to hire Linda Cimusz as interim superintendent, but she declined and instead may serve as a consultant to Peluso, according to several sources.

The public process to find a permanent replacement will begin with a board work session Sept. 1, Elliott wrote.

More: With about a month before school starts, RCSD has hundreds of job openings

More:RCSD superintendent job has seen lots of changes in recent years

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: RCSD superintendent Lesli Myers-Small on leave, won't return to district