The Shawano School Board reluctantly accepted Superintendent Todd Carlson’s resignation Tuesday night following a 2½-hour, closed-door session.
The board voted 5-4 to accept Carlson’s resignation. President Julie Van Dyck and members Al Heins, Marcia Yeager, Diane Hoffman and Derek Johnson supported the request.
Bruce Milavitz, Jay Jones, Jim Heinz and Tyler Schmidt voted against releasing Carlson from his contract.
The board unanimously supported having Assistant Superintendent Gary Cumberland fill in as interim superintendent as it considers its next move.
The board tabled, by unanimous vote, an agenda item to hire a firm to search for a new superintendent.
Carlson submitted his resignation Aug. 27, saying he was offered the superintendent position with the Gillett School District. The Gillett School Board hired Carlson two days later, contingent on the Shawano board’s approval of his resignation.
Emotions were high among the Shawano board members Tuesday, with no one really wanting to see Carlson go.
“I knew Todd, and I got along with him well. I don’t think we have any choice but to accept,” Schmidt said, although he voted no.
Johnson said he was in favor of accepting the resignation because the board gave Carlson an opportunity to change his mind after a closed session on Aug. 27.
“He took 24 hours and he gave us his resignation,” Johnson said.
Some board members were perturbed about Carlson’s lack of professionalism in how he submitted his resignation.
By contract, Carlson was required to give the district 90 days notice, Jones said. Instead, he gave his official notice on Aug. 27, although he communicated his intent with Van Dyck two days prior.
Jones also expressed displeasure at how the resignation was submitted, with school district employees getting word before board members did.
Milavitz also criticized Carlson for not fulfilling his contract. He cited Carlson’s written statement to local media that the district was on good financial ground and that the superintendent was leaving good friends behind.
“If this district is so wonderful, he shouldn’t have done it the way that he did,” Milavitz said.
Carlson was hired as Shawano’s superintendent in August 2007 after being in the Suring School District for 20 years.
Carlson was receiving $135,294.16 in salary and $37,955.58 in benefits annually at the time of his resignation.
The Gillett School Board said last week it would not finalize its contract with Carlson until his resignation had been accepted.
Kyle Ransom, the previous Gillett superintendent, who resigned in June, was paid $96,530 annually, with an additional $21,630 in benefits.
Carlson received his superintendent certification from Winona State University. He received his master’s degree from Marian College in Fond du Lac, and his bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Carlson was employed by the Suring School District for 19 years, working up to high school principal and then school superintendent. After five years as administrator in Suring, he accepted the position in Shawano.
Miles Winkler, president of the Gillett School Board, said the board was looking for someone with experience to lead the district.
“To have him come in here with his experience, knowledge, demeanor — he has the whole package,” Winkler said.
Carlson, who met Thursday with the Gillett School Board, said his initial goal is “bringing back pride to Gillett.” He said he looks forward to working with the staff at Gillett.
“They’re on a good track,” he said.
In a related item, the Shawano School Board on Tuesday unanimously accepted the resignation of Steve Linssen, associate principal at Shawano Community High School, who is also going to the Gillett School District to become principal of its secondary school.
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