Whitehall School Board extends superintendent's contract until 2028 at Thursday meeting
Supporters of the Whitehall City Schools superintendent filled the seats at the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, where the school board voted to extend her contract until 2028.
After board members voted 3-1 with one abstention to approve the resolution to extend Whitehall Superintendent Sharee Wells' contract, applause erupted from her supporters who filled the Yearling-Whitehall High School library.
The decision ended months of controversy that began last year after the board vote not to extend Wells' contract, with lawsuits against the district alleging the vote was taken improperly, The Dispatch previously reported.
According to the resolution adopted Thursday, Wells "is fully qualified for and is willing and able to perform the duties of superintendent," and her contract is extended through 2028.
Wells told The Dispatch after the vote that she was ready to be "focused on the work again and moving the district forward.
"This has been a distraction for many, I'm glad to be beyond the distraction and focus on what's most important, that is our students and staff," Wells said.
Board President Darryl Hammock and members Jayne Shannon and Lorena Lacey approved extening the contrat at Thursday's meeting. Lacy was voted onto the board in November to replace Jeff Lees, who in December was part of the three-member majority that voted against renewing the contract.
Board Member Zack Wright again voted against renewing the contract on Thursday, but member Michael Adkins, who previously voted against, abstained from the latest vote.
Wright read from a prepared statement before the vote, suggesting the board would never give Wells an interview if they were searching for a candidate today. Adkins had also initially voted not to renew the contr
"A great number of current employees are unhappy and do not approve of our current administration," Wright said. "If this contract is approved, be ready for more top-end personnel as well as others, to go out and find opportunities elsewhere."
Wells said she hoped to mend fences.
"I look forward to being able to work with (Wright) and being able to work through some of his concerns so we can move forward together," Wells said.
Eric Terford, a parent of a junior at Whitehall-Yearling, said he was in attendance in support of Wells because she is the first superintendent he remembers to actually reach out to him, engage with him and actually be known by his daughter.
He said he plans to get reengaged with the district after watching what has happened since December.
"Shame on me for not making this a bigger priority," Terford said. "For not holding them as accountable as I want them to be held accountable."
Vote on new superintendent contract comes after dispute over first vote
On Dec. 14, the board voted 3-2 not to extend the contract with Wells, who was hired in 2021 and entered into contract to be superintendent beginning Jan. 1, 2022, with the contract expiring July 31, 2024. The superintendent's contract was not on the original December agenda and the vote was taken after an executive session.
It was Lacey who cast the deciding vote in January to rescind the December vote to terminate Wells' contract.
In December, an Ohio group called Open Government Advocates sued the Whitehall school board in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, claiming the school board did not post notices for 19 special meetings in 2022 and 2023. The suit did not list the Dec. 14 meeting where the vote to not renew Wells' contract occurred.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Whitehall School Board votes to extend superintendent's contract
