Adams County School District 50 Superintendent Dr. Roberta Selleck will retire at the end of the school year after a controversial tenure that has flared up in recent weeks.
Selleck, who has been on family medical leave since April 4, sent a letter to Board of Education President Vicky Marshall stating that “With a heavy heart, I must inform the Board of Education that I will be retiring from my position on June 30, 2011.” The board unanimously accepted Selleck’s resignation with a 5-0 vote at a special board meeting April 14.
According to the separation agreement release and waiver she signed with the district, Selleck will receive 13 months salary at the rate in effect at the time of her resignation and retirement, and payment for accrued but unused vacation and cumulative leave in the amount of $16,935.53,” which will be paid on July 1, 2011. Selleck’s current annual base salary is $195,700, and she will receive a check for $239,000, minus state and federal withholding taxes.
The district will no longer pay for Selleck’s health care or provide a car allowance after her retirement.
Selleck, superintendent since July 2006, will remain on leave through June, with Pamela Swanson acting as superintendent in her place, Marshall said.
In her letter, Selleck noted her accomplishments as superintendent, including: passing a $98 million bond referendum, allowing for “building two state-of-the-art schools which our students so richly deserve,” (with most of the money going toward the new $92 million Westminster High School that opened in the fall of 2010); increasing the district’s reserves by 80 percent; closing under-utilized schools; setting a benchmark for professional salaries in Colorado; and “the accomplishment that I am most proud: implemented a nationally recognized reform model that greatly enhances the education of our students,” wrote Selleck, who also thanked the staff and those who believed in her system.
“I think that she’s done everything that we hired her to do, and personally, it is hard for me to see her go,” Marshall said. “But sometimes life happens and you can’t control those kinds of situations so we’re going to honor her request.”
Selleck spearheaded the district’s switch in 2009 to a standards-based education system, which groups students by performance instead of age, a controversial move that sparked some criticism from the community.
Dino Valente, who called himself one of Selleck’s “most vociferous critics” at the April 12 board meeting, wished Selleck the best and said it was time to move on.
“I stand ready to work with Dr. Swanson to heal the community,” Valente said. “Hopefully, we are moving forward, finally.”
During the special board meeting, before the announcement of Selleck’s resignation, Westminster resident John Hurtado was the only person to speak during the public comment period. Hurtado questioned the board’s leadership and direction, and said the public deserved a concrete answer to who was in charge.
A moment later, Marshall read aloud Selleck’s resignation letter. Afterward, Hurtado said he appreciated the quick response.
“It’s time for the district to move forward,” said Hurtado, who described himself as a community activist. “I have confidence that our children will succeed with the proper guidance.”
Swanson will serve as superintendent through June 30 in Selleck’s absence, and possibly beyond, until the board is finished having conversations, Marshall said.
“So questions and decisions need to go that direction,” Marshall said. “Between now and the end of the year, the board still has a lot of work to do.”
The board still must approve the district’s budget for next year, which faces an estimated $6.5 million cut, according to the district’s website. The board did approve the calendar for 2011-12 at the special meeting, with school scheduled to start a week earlier this year, opening on Monday, Aug. 22.
The board will next meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10 in the lecture hall at Westminster High School.