Warren school officials mum on superintendent search

July 17, 2012 at 8:42p.m.

WARREN

With the start of school only about a month away, Warren City Schools have made no public announcement regarding the search process for a new superintendent.

Regina Patterson, school board president, said at the end of Tuesday’s board of education meeting she has “no update” on the search and that the district has done no advertising for its next superintendent.

“And that’s all I have to say,” Patterson said.

Other board members also did not comment.

The school board installed Loree Richardson, former associate superintendent, as acting superintendent at the June 28 board meeting — the same meeting at which the board accepted the sudden resignation of superintendent Bruce Thomas.

Thomas resigned June 24 in an email to Patterson, saying he had “become increasingly less comfortable with the decisions the board has been making.”

At the time of Thomas’ resignation, the board was finalizing his first-year performance evaluation and was seeking input from Thomas on the document.

Thomas declined, saying “it will not be necessary” because he was resigning.

His resignation came less than a month after the board eliminated the job of coordinator of student counseling and family engagement, citing financial concerns.

Kristen Lewis, who was romantically linked to Thomas in April, was hired as coordinator of student counseling and family engagement in November, at Thomas’ recommendation, to implement an anti-bullying plan in response to several high-profile bullying incidents.

Thomas served as superintendent in Warren less than a year, having come to the district from the Marietta City Schools, where he also served as superintendent for one year.

Thomas also worked just one year in the job before that — as assistant superintendent in the Cleveland school district.

Thomas, who earned $110,000 as Warren superintendent, implemented aggressive policies to improve student performance during his year at Warren.