The resignation of Dennis Johnson as superintendent of the Holland School District last week was “in everyone’s best interests,” the School Board president said Monday.
The resignation comes as the district’s new elementary principal has been on the job less than a week, the middle school principal’s job was eliminated, and the high school principal is set to retire this year.
Board President Steven Marom spoke cautiously about the superintendent’s early departure, which was mapped out through a separation agreement approved by the board Wednesday.
“There was a sentiment on the part of the board of not wanting to wait until January,” Marom said. “We decided not to hang around with this. [Johnson and the board] thought that it was a better way of going at it.”
Asked what triggered Johnson’s departure, the board president said he was uncomfortable discussing the details.
Under the separation agreement, the district will compensate Johnson for 140 unused vacation, sick and personal days, for a total payout of $77,154, which will be made this month.
In addition, the district will allow Johnson’s health insurance coverage to continue through Jan. 31.
The board approved the superintendent’s resignation, 6-0. Larry Krzeminski conditioned his vote with regrets, and Ronda Strauss was absent.
High School Principal James Biryla was named acting superintendent.
Johnson, who could not be reached to comment, found his tenure growing increasingly rocky in the past year.
Some residents started calling for his removal, including Taina Armstrong-Hoffman, who was elected to the board and began serving July 1. In recent months, other board members became more critical of administrative decisions, as well.
Marom said the district is moving quickly to shore up its administrative ranks. Last week, the board hired Michael Dodge from the Letchworth School District as the new Holland Elementary principal.
Final interviews for the post of high school principal are scheduled Wednesday, and the district next week will meet David O’Rourke, superintendent of Erie 2 Board of Cooperative Educational Services.