Whitnall superintendent abruptly retiring after closed-door school board meeting, alludes to 'external factors'
Whitnall School District Superintendent Lisa Olson told staff Tuesday that she will end her contract early and retire in January, according to a letter shared with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Her decision came the day after a Monday school board meeting that included a closed-door discussion about an administrator's contract. An earlier version of the agenda specified that the board would discuss the superintendent's contract, according to documentation shared with the Journal Sentinel.
Olson's letter announcing her decision does not mention the meeting. She didn't immediately respond to a request for an interview.
In her letter, Olson said her contract was supposed to last until June 2025, but she plans to retire Jan. 19, at the end of this semester.
Olson didn't share specific reasons for leaving but wrote that the "moment has come to embark on a new path." She also alluded to "external factors" affecting the careers of educators.
"Despite being as enthusiastic as ever about teaching and learning, the current conditions extend much beyond this realm and have shifted focus away from students and collaboration," she wrote.
Olson said she had been an educator for 35 years, including 14 as a superintendent.
"As I look forward to some simplicity and distancing from the stress, my next steps will become clearer," she wrote. "You can be sure these next steps will include my passion for learning and service, but more importantly, increased time with family."
School board members who replied to interview requests from the Journal Sentinel referred the Journal Sentinel to school board president Jason Craig as the board's spokesman. Craig didn't immediately reply to an interview request but issued a statement thanking Olson for her years of service.
Craig said the board would be "moving in the coming weeks" to appoint an interim superintendent and begin searching for a new superintendent.
Olson is fifth area superintendent to leave job in the last year
Olson's retirement comes after at least four other southeastern Wisconsin superintendents have left their positions in the last year.
In December last year, Arrowhead High School Superintendent Laura Myrah flatly said she was leaving because of political pressures on the district.
"Lately, teachers and administrators are encountering mistrust, disrespect, and a forced shift in our prioritized areas of focus," she wrote in a letter to staff. "It is disheartening to observe and experience this."
Hartland-Lakeside School District Superintendent Nancy Nikolay announced her resignation in January, declining to comment on the reason for her departure.
In February, Swallow School District Superintendent Melissa Thompson also announced her resignation. She mentioned family transitions and other professional opportunities. The next month, Stone Bank School District Superintendent Ryan Krohn said he was leaving for a different position.
School board members have questioned administrators, district policies
At Monday's board meeting, residents echoed Olson's frustration about the focus moving away from students.
"Over the past several months, it seems like there have been more contentious topics at school board meetings than productive ones," Jason Graham said.
In September, board members considered implementing a model policy from a conservative law firm, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, that would forbid school staff from using students’ chosen names and pronouns without written permission from their guardians.
In August, the board received the results of an independent investigation commissioned by Craig to look into the tampering of Craig's election as school board president, which had resulted initially in him losing that election. The district has paid almost $22,000 for the investigation by Attolles Law.
The investigation was meant to determine whether any other district administrators or staff, including Olson, were involved in the tampering, which a former staffer had admitted to. The investigation did not find such evidence.
Board members tried to limit comments from residents supporting Olson’s administration
Before school board members closed the doors for their private discussion on the administrative contract Monday, there was a regular public school board meeting.
Five residents, having seen the closed-door discussion on the board's agenda, spoke in support of the current administration. Graham called on board members not to terminate an administrator, and asked that an administrator not resign.
"If a member of the administration is considering resigning, I would ask them to reconsider," Graham said. "This administration has done so many great things for the district, and has the support of so many of the staff, the students and the community."
Some board members tried to curtail residents' comments about administration. Board members Karen Mikolainis and Cassie Rainer told speakers they shouldn't talk about personnel.
Craig interjected before the third speaker, Sarah Blonsky, to warn her that there was a board protocol that each agenda item could only be discussed twice. He said two agenda items, including the discussion of the administrative contract, had “already been covered” by previous speakers, and asked if there was something else she wanted to discuss.
Blonsky asked Craig where that protocol was written in policy. Craig said it had been directed at a previous meeting and was “handed down.” Other board members corrected Craig, saying there was no such protocol. Blonsky was allowed to continue, and said she was concerned about the discussion about the administrative contract.
“Any action you take will have lasting impact that ripples through our community for years to come,” she said. “I’m concerned that the ongoing teacher, staff and superintendent shortages will have a detrimental effect on our school district if any positions are vacated.”
The residents who spoke Monday night have formed an organization, the Whitnall Resident Engagement Network (WREN).
Contact Rory Linnane at rory.linnane@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @RoryLinnane.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Whitnall superintendent abruptly retiring after closed board meeting
