The Richmond School Board on Monday approved a severance package totaling nearly $300,000 for outgoing superintendent Dana Bedden, and began to lay out the next steps for choosing his replacement.
The board voted 7-1-1 to finalize Bedden’s departure on June 30 and pay him $294,571 in severance benefits or about $57,000 more than his annual salary. Scott Barlow, who represents the Fan-anchored 2nd District, cast the lone "no" vote. Linda Owen, who represents the South Richmond 9th District, abstained.
Chairwoman Dawn Page, who represents the South Richmond 8th District, reiterated that the board came to a “mutual agreement” with Bedden, who was not present at the meeting. She offered no further explanation about his departure or what caused the board to act so swiftly.
“We are committed, this board is committed, to make a difference in Richmond Public Schools,” Page said. “We will maintain transparency, accountability and trust, and this board will make the right decision that’s in the best interest of all of our children in the city of Richmond.”
The board wanted to make the division’s transition to its new leadership “as smooth and seamless as possible,” Page added. It began that process Monday night by discussing the steps it must take to secure a search firm. The last time the board hired a firm for a superintendent search, it cost about $56,000, says Charlie Ward, the school division’s director of purchasing.
Of more concern than the cost to board members was the potential for the request for proposals process to drag into late summer because of procurement guidelines the board must follow. A tentative timeline presented to the board showed a target date of Aug. 1 to award a contract to a search firm.
“That seems like too much time,” said Cindy Menz-Erb, the North Side 3rd District representative.
Liz Doerr, who represents the West End 1st District, agreed. “I’d like to have a firm chosen by June 30.”
The board must select an interim superintendent to fill the post between when Bedden leaves and a full-time replacement is chosen. It is legally obligated to hire a replacement by the end of 2017. If it fails to, the Virginia Board of Education can appoint someone to the post.
The board scheduled four public meetings in the next several weeks to gather community input about the superintendent search process. Tuesday, May 16, at Huguenot High; Thursday, May 18, at Oak Grove/Bellmeade Elementary; Tuesday, May 23, at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle; and Thursday, May 25, at John Marshall High School. They’re also planning to launch an online survey this month.
Monday’s meeting was the board’s first since it announced Bedden would leave the school division. In an hourlong public hearing prior to the vote, parents, teachers and community leaders voiced both approval and frustration with the decision and how the board made it – after a series of closed-door meetings with no public input.
Chris Lombardi, an RPS teacher of 14 years and co-founder of the Support Our Schools organization, questioned whether “philosophical differences” really played a role in the decision, as Page has stated. He asked the board whether it took steps to iron out the differences with the administration in the 109 days since it was sworn into office, and if it didn’t, why not? “As it stands, it could be inferred that the School Board wasn’t willing to work with the administration,” Lombardi said.
Others praised the board for being decisive.
“I just want to take this time today to come down and say thank you, thank you so very much for taking action on a very difficult decision,” said Johnny Walker, a 4th District resident who recently ran for City Council. “You’ve only been in office for about four months now, but you took an action that was tough, may not have been very popular, but in my humble opinion … I felt it was a needed decision.”
