KENNEBUNK, Maine — Following an executive session Thursday, the Regional School Unit 21 Board of Directors voted unanimously to allow Kennebunk High School Principal Sue Cressey to withdraw her resignation, after residents spoke out at recent board meetings saying they felt Cressey was forced into early retirement by the district’s superintendent.
Cressey submitted her intent to retire on Aug. 16, which was approved by the RSU 21 Board of Directors on Aug. 20, to take effect at the end of the 2018-19 school year. Cressey has been at KHS for 32 years, the last eight as principal.
At a meeting of the RSU 21 Board of Directors last month, Kennebunk resident and former board member Norm Archer spoke during public comment saying, “It’s been brought to my attention that Principal Cressey is being forced into early retirement and, to my knowledge, having reviewed previous meeting minutes, it appears that this has not been fully examined by this board but rather been executed exclusively by Dr. (Katie) Hawes.”
According to board Chair Emily Kahn, Thursday’s executive session was scheduled at Cressey’s request.
[District finishing $56.5 million in school renovations]
In a phone interview Friday, Cressey said she’s grateful to the board, and she “continues to be very proud of the KHS staff, faculty and students as always.” Cressey said she would be rescinding her intent to retire.
Kahn said in a statement issued after the meeting Thursday that after hearing from Cressey she made the motion to permit her to rescind her resignation letter “out of respect for her and her years of service.”
“Having heard from Ms. Cressey, I feel that it is important to ensure that the renewal and due process procedures provided under Maine law are available to her,” Kahn said.
Cressey is in the final year of her three-year contract. Superintendent Katie Hawes said it is her job to either recommend or not recommend renewal of her contract. In an earlier interview she said Cressey’s intent to retire came before that process began.
Kahn said the board will schedule a meeting as soon as possible “to determine whether or not to renew Cressey’s employment contract.”
[Ex-Kennebunk teacher found not guilty of sexual assault]
“I believe that the school board should make this decision as soon as possible to resolve Ms. Cressey’s employment status and avoid continuing uncertainty,” Kahn said.
The school board vote to renew or non-renew Cressey’s contract will be made in open session and the reasons for the school board’s decision will be available to the public, according to Kahn.
“I also wish to inform members of the school board and public that should Ms. Cressey disagree to the reasons provided by the school board, she can request a hearing before the school board,” Kahn said.
Archer on Friday said the outcome was a good one for a number of reasons.
“Understand, Principal Cressey may or not prevail. But the district, students, and taxpayers should honor the contribution of the educator who has been successfully running KHS for many years, and calmly assess our future needs. This is not a decision to be made exclusively by the superintendent,” he said.
[Kennebunkport voters approve $10 million offer to buy property before subdivision is built]
Thursday’s board vote clears the way for the contract renewal process to begin, which will have to be completed by March 1. The process will include recommendations from Hawes on whether the board should renew or not renew Cressey’s contract.
Archer said that while he understands that under Maine law a school board governs rather than represents, the board members campaigned to serve.
“Sometimes you have to back up and simply ask ‘what are we doing and why?,’” he said. “Each of these board members campaigned to serve; they got signatures, planted signs, got coffee with community members. Ask any voter and they’ll tell you this board was elected to listen and to ask intelligent questions. To make sure that each of the 73 pennies in our tax dollars allocated to local education is spent wisely.”
A date for the board meeting to decide on Cressey’s contract has not been set yet.