J-E Superintendent Marilyn Dominick, who is set to leave next Friday, unsure what she will do if judge overturns her severance agreement.
Jordan Elbridge School Superintendent Marilyn Dominick asks a question of external auditor Michael Lisson during a school board meeting on Oct. 6. A group of citizens is threatening to file a lawsuit to try to toss out the district's severance agreement with Dominick. On Thursday, she said she was unsure what she would do if that happened.Investigators from the state Attorney General’s Office visited the Jordan-Elbridge school district this week interviewing faculty and asking questions about student records.
Superintendent Marilyn Dominick confirmed that investigators were at the district for one day and talked with several teachers. Dominick said she was not interviewed.
She did not know what information the investigators were seeking, but she said they asked about the Central New York Regional Information Center where student data is kept.
Our past coverage of the Jordan-Elbridge shake-up
The Attorney General’s Office did not respond to requests for information about the investigation.
Dominick said she is uncertain what she will do if a state Supreme Court judge tosses out her severance agreement with the district and reinstates her contract. On Wednesday night, a lawyer for a group of district residents unveiled plans to go to court to try to void her severance plan.
Dominick has 20 months remaining on her five-year agreement, but agreed to leave early because of she and board were not getting along; her severance agreement cited irreconcilable differences between her and the board.
Dominick, the school board and the community first heard of the legal action at Wednesday night’s board meeting.
“It was such a shock last night I really haven’t had a chance to mull over the possibilities,” she said when contacted Thursday at an out-of-town conference. Under her severance agreement her last day is Oct. 29.
The threatened lawsuit is the newest development in the shake-up that has rocked the school district. Two administrators have been suspended with pay, the district treasurer fired and another administrator transferred involuntarily.
The school board proceeded with plans Wednesday night to find an interim superintendent to take over when Dominick departs. The board is interviewing four candidates to serve as interim superintendent for the rest of the current school year.
Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES Superintendent William Speck will serve temporarily as interim superintendent until a full-time interim administrator is chosen. Speck is helping the board pick an interim superintendent as well as the permanent successor.
Sue Gorton, the district’s assistant superintendent for instruction, is not on the list of interim candidates. She had been in line for the job, but her appointment was tossed out in a court challenge filed by suspended high school Principal David Zehner. He contended her appointment was made illegally behind closed doors.
The four candidates under consideration for the interim position are:
• Joseph Coleman, who was Lafayette High School principal and later returned to the district as superintendent. He has also held several other administrative posts.
• Gordon Klumpp, who spent more than 30 years as principal and superintendent in the Groton school district and was interim superintendent in the Moravia school district. He has also served in a number of other administrative posts.
• Fred Thomsen, a former superintendent in the Fabius-Pompey and East Syracuse-Minoa school districts. He was also interim superintendent in Cortland in 2006.
• Larry Zacher, who has been superintendent in the Mayville and Whitesboro school districts. He has served as an interim superintendent in eight school districts.
Speck said the search for a permanent successor to Dominick will continue throughout the year. Speck said a new superintendent should be appointed by June.
Reach John Stith at jstith@syracuse.com or 251-5718.
Jordan-Elbridge School Superintendent Marilyn Dominick's severance agreement
Jordan-Elbridge School Superintendent Marilyn Dominick's letter to the JE community