Sarasota School Board finalizes Asplen's departure, appoints interim superintendent

Steven Walker, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·2 min read
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Brennan Asplen, who served as the superintendent for Sarasota County Schools since 2020, leaves the board chambers following a 4-1 vote to accept his resignation Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022.
Brennan Asplen, who served as the superintendent for Sarasota County Schools since 2020, leaves the board chambers following a 4-1 vote to accept his resignation Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022.

Departing Sarasota Schools Superintendent Brennan Asplen ended his tenure with a letter. He thanked the community for its support and again warned of the dangers of politics affecting the School Board before walking out of the building hand-in-hand with his wife.

"I did not plan on saying anything" on Nov. 29 when the board moved to dismiss him, "but when you sit here and you listen to all the information coming from the four people who didn't hesitate — not once but twice — to terminate you, I had to respond," Asplen said.

At a School Board meeting Tuesday evening filled with about 100 community members and nearly two hours of public comment, the board voted 4-1 to approve a negotiated separation agreement with Asplen, with Bridget Ziegler, Karen Rose, Robyn Marinelli and Tim Enos in favor and Tom Edwards dissenting. The separation came two weeks after a newly constituted 4-1 conservative majority was formed with the swearing-in of two board members on Nov. 22 and immediately moved to consider terminating the superintendent.

Chris Renouf, an assistant superintendent for Sarasota County Schools, has been appointed the district's interim superintendent following the ousting of Brennan Asplen.
Chris Renouf, an assistant superintendent for Sarasota County Schools, has been appointed the district's interim superintendent following the ousting of Brennan Asplen.

The board also voted unanimously to appoint Chris Renouf, the district's assistant superintendent and chief academic officer, as the interim administrator until the next board meeting on Jan. 17, when members plan to consider a longer-term option.

Details:School Board finalizes terms for resignation of Superintendent Brennan Asplen

More:Sarasota School Board set to approve teacher pay increase, $25/hr for bus drivers

Board Chair Ziegler, during her time for discussion on the pending vote, pointed to a breakdown in communication with Asplen following the Aug. 23 election as a reason for her voting in favor. Marinelli, who is a new member of the board, said she came into office leaning toward retaining Asplen, but after seeing the public discourse and how heated the last two meetings were she felt it was too far gone.

A crowd gathers outside of the Sarasota School District building ahead of the meeting where the board voted to approve Brennan Asplen's resignation Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022.
A crowd gathers outside of the Sarasota School District building ahead of the meeting where the board voted to approve Brennan Asplen's resignation Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022.

Outside of business with the superintendent, the board also approved a new bargaining agreement with the teacher's union that would increase the base pay for the district's teachers and set bus driver pay to $25 per hour.

The starting salary for teachers is now set at $53,000, with other incentives for a master's degree, working at a Title I school, or teaching exceptional student education.

This story will be updated.

Follow Herald-Tribune Education Reporter Steven Walker on Twitter at @swalker_7. He can be reached at sbwalker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota School Board approves Superintendent Asplen's resignation