Post updated at 5:54 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9:
The Lawrence school board on Monday will consider approving a contract to hire an outside candidate as the 2024-25 interim superintendent, with a salary of $194,482 for 10 months.
If approved, Jeanice Swift will serve as interim superintendent for Lawrence Public Schools from Aug. 30 through June 30, 2025.
The first day of school is next week, on Wednesday, Aug. 14, so Deputy Superintendent Larry Englebrick would have authority to act as superintendent until Swift’s first day.
Outgoing Superintendent Anthony Lewis’ last day was Friday. He was selected to lead Durham, North Carolina public schools.
Lewis’ last negotiated contract with the district included a salary of $229,295. Swift would be paid the equivalent of a $235,000 annual salary prorated for 10 months, plus benefits, according to her tentative contract. Her 10-month salary would be equivalent to about 4.4 starting annual salaries of first-year teachers with bachelor’s degrees ($43,983).
The contract also includes 33 days of vacation, sick and personal leave.
Board President Kelly Jones on Wednesday announced the board’s selection of Swift, who was one of three finalists who participated in an interview process. Thomas Ahart, of Iowa, and Englebrick were also being considered.
Swift has been working as a consultant since January, according to the district.
“A 36-year veteran educator, Dr. Swift has served as an educational leadership consultant since January, supporting PreK-12 education leaders, leadership teams, and board trustees,” according to a news release from the district last week. “She previously served the Ann Arbor Public Schools as superintendent for over a decade. In Colorado Springs School District 11, she served as assistant superintendent, executive director, principal, assistant principal, resource coach, and secondary English and Spanish teacher for 15 years. She also taught ten years in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford School District in Texas. Dr. Swift earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, her master’s at the University of Colorado, and a doctorate at the University of Denver.”
Swift had some controversy as she exited her previous superintendent job. Her resignation from the Ann Arbor, Michigan school district coming in September 2023 after a school bus aide was convicted of abusing a child who has autism.
Close to 100 parents in the district signed a letter that called for Swift’s resignation and said special education families didn’t feel safe in the district. “The letter also references allegations of ‘a racially hostile environment in our schools’ and concerns about ‘an overall lack of leadership in addressing antisemitic incidents,’” WXYZ 7 Action News Detroit reported.
The child’s mother filed a federal lawsuit last summer against the entire Ann Arbor school district, the principal of the elementary school the second grader attended, and the transportation company that employed the bus aide.
Swift said although she understands concerns around the incident, she looks forward to addressing concerns and continuing conversations with the Lawrence school district community.
“In our schools, we hold the safety and care of our students as our top priority, rising even above the critical mission of teaching and learning, and we take very seriously any report or incident of harm to a child,” she previously said via email. “An incident of this nature is abhorrent and runs counter to everything I have worked for over a career dedicated to serving children in schools, as well as what our teams, schools and communities stand for in the care and education of our children.”
Read more in this article.
Swift plans to be present at the district’s first annual Kids Expo — scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10 at district offices, 110 McDonald Drive — to meet community members. She will also be at district offices starting at 5 p.m. Monday ahead of the board’s meeting.
“The parties recognized Swift may be required to perform work prior to August 30, Swift will be paid her daily rate ($900.38) for each day worked prior to August 30,” the contract states. “If Swift works less than a full day, the daily rate will be prorated appropriately.”
She’s set to visit schools during the first week of school before her employment officially begins, if the contract is approved.
The board plans to continue its search for a permanent superintendent through this year, to begin working in 2025-26.
Here’s Swift’s tentative contract that was attached to the agenda item on BoardDocs:
Dr.-Jeanice-Kerr-Swift-ContractIn other business:
• Summer learning report: The board will hear a report on this summer’s learning programs, which are funded with ESSER (federal COVID-19 relief) dollars.
“USD 497 offered several programs to help students maintain academic progress and learn new skills during their summer break,” according to the agenda item. “Summer learning programs provide numerous benefits for students. They help prevent the ‘summer slide,’ where students lose academic skills and knowledge during the break. They also provide a safe and supportive environment for continued learning, allowing students to maintain and enhance their academic abilities.”
The board is not set to take any action following the report. As of Friday evening, there were no presentation materials were attached to the agenda item.
• New board clerk and substitute teacher pay: The board on Monday will consider appointing Janice Dunn as the acting board clerk. If approved, Dunn will assume the responsibilities of acting board clerk and assistant to the interim superintendent, according to the agenda item.
The board will also consider approving the same rates as last year for substitute teachers, who are contracted by Morgan Hunter Education LLC (MHED). Daily substitute pay is set at $135, and long-term substitute pay is set at $160, according to the agenda item.
Both items are part of the board’s consent agenda — a list of items routinely approved in one motion unless a board member or the superintendent requests to pull an item for further discussion.
• Executive session: Monday’s meeting will conclude with a 30-minute executive session, or closed-door meeting, with Swift. Possible action may follow.
The school board meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 12 at district offices, 110 McDonald Drive.
Meetings are open to the public, livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/@USD497, and broadcast on Midco channel 26. Full meeting agendas are available on BoardDocs, via go.boarddocs.com.
To give public comment during the board meeting, sign up before the meeting starts either in person or by emailing PublicComment@usd497.org. Commenters may request to participate by Webex video/phone conferencing.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
