Lee’s Summit starts search for another superintendent this week
The Lee’s Summit school district will officially start searching for a new superintendent this week.
The school board announced Tuesday that it will move forward in hiring a search firm. It will also appoint an interim superintendent until a permanent replacement is named. Applications for the interim post will be taken from Wednesday, Aug. 7, through Aug. 12.
Until an interim leader is named, Emily Miller, who had been the district’s assistant superintendent of operations, is serving as acting superintendent.
The district did not release a timeline for how long the search for a permanent replacement might take.
Dennis Carpenter, the district’s first African American superintendent, resigned last month with a $750,000 buyout. Carpenter and the district parted ways after nearly a year of controversy over his proposal to hire a firm that would implement racial equity training for teachers and staff.
In June the board voted to hire a training firm and entered into mediation over Carpenter’s contract and future with the district.
Carpenter was the second consecutive superintendent to resign from Lee’s Summit before serving out his contract. In 2016, David McGehee, who at the time was the state’s highest paid superintendent, resigned over a conflict of interest dispute with members of the board. The district paid McGehee $450,000 as he left.
The board has said it is committed to keeping the community informed during its search. Students return to school after the summer recess on Aug. 14.
