Heather Boone abruptly resigns from Monroe Public Schools board
Heather Boone, a trustee with the Monroe Public Schools Board of Education, abruptly resigned Thursday night during a meeting involving the search for a superintendent.
Boone, whose publicly elected term ends 2024, said she resigned after the board passed a motion to try to convince Superintendent Julie Everly to remain in her position rather than continue the process and choose selected finalists to replace her.
Four candidates, none from within the district, have been identified as finalists for the district leadership position. All four, who are from Michigan and Ohio, have been interviewed by the board. At tonight’s meeting, the board was expected to choose two finalists. Instead, the board voted 5-2 to apparently offer more money to Everly to convince her to stay.
Boone said once the board moved in that direction, she resigned. She said it had nothing to do with Everly personally or with the job she had been doing. Boone said she quit because the board abruptly changed the course of direction instead of focusing on the candidates that were developed.
“It felt like I was blindsided,” Boone told The Monroe News tonight. “Let’s do what we said we were going to do. I felt like we wasted a lot of time.”
In May, Everly announced she was leaving the district where she has worked for almost 30 years to become the City of Monroe's Director of Human Resources. The Monroe City Council unanimously approved Everly's hiring at a special meeting and she is scheduled to begin in her new position Aug. 15.
Earlier report: Monroe Schools' Everly now city's human resources director
In the meantime, the district hired a search firm to help find her replacement. On July 14 the board interviewed Tracy Reed, Chief Academic Officer, Sandusky (Ohio) City Schools and Shawn Shackelford, Executive Director of Student Services & Diversity, Port Huron Area School District. On Monday the board interviewed two more candidates: Michael Hugan, Superintendent, Deckerville (Mich.) Community Schools, and Keith Smith, Superintendent, Kingsley (Mich) Area Schools.
Thursday night, the board was expected to narrow the candidate list to two finalists. Instead, the board voted 5-2 to entice Everly to stay. When the motion was made, Boone voted no as did Trustee Susan Marlin-Zeisler. Those who voted yes were acting Board President Larry Zimmerman, Robert Nichols, Rosalie Pasko, Matthew Bunkelman and Larry VanWasshenova.
Boone said once the board made that decision, she quit.
“We were supposed to pick two finalists; that’s what we were prepared to do,” she said. “I thought we had every intention of voting for two finalists.”
Boone, who is pastor of Oaks of Righteousness ministry, posted her thoughts on Facebook following her resignation, which she said is final.
“I love the staff and students at MPS and I feel like I have let them as well as the rest of the community down, but I can’t be controlled by puppet strings and back door deals. I hate politics!!!”
Zimmerman works early in the morning and said he will make a statement Friday. The board’s move does not mean Everly has accepted the offer. The status of the four candidates remains unclear.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Heather Boone abruptly resigns from Monroe school board
