Search is on for next EACS superintendent

NEW HAVEN, Ind. (WANE) - East Allen County Schools is searching for a new superintendent after Dr. Karyle Green and the district parted ways in January. 

Green announced that she would leave when her contract expired on June 30, 2014.  However in February it was announced that Green and the district would part ways on March 1, 2013.

It cost EACS $196,125.87 to sign Green's resignation and severance agreement. The money will be paid through the remainder of her contract, which is June of 2014.

Now, the school district is asking for input from parents and members of the community as the board searches for a new district superintendent.

This week, EACS will hold several meetings to discuss what people want to see in the next superintendent.

"We feel there's a possibility the community might feel alienated or staff might feel alienated.  We don't want to disenfranchise anybody.  We want as much input and as much buy-in from community and staff that we can possibly get," Neil Reynolds, the EACS board president, said.

Parents in the district said some of the things they were looking for in the new superintendent included someone who can work well with the public and give proper feedback.

"We had an issue with the iPads. As a parent, seeing it through East Allen County Schools, they use the money to buy the iPads for the kids and then they didn't have the money to get the schools fixed up," an EACS parent told NewsChannel 15.

Reynolds said he wants to make sure the next superintendent gets renovation projects underway in New Haven, the district's largest town.

"New Haven High School hasn't had any work done to it in their heating and air conditioning for quite some time.  The same goes for Paul Harding High School. Clearly, we have a lot of buildings that our going to need infrastructure upgrade and the next superintendent is going to be involved in that," Reynolds said.

Reynolds also pointed out that the EACS district has five diverse communities.

"You have New Haven, classic small town mid-America. You have Leo which is upscale suburban type area. You have rural, with Amish. You have inner-city. East Allen is going to be, because of our diversity, perhaps a little more of a challenge but yet we all need to work together. We can't slight anyone, we all need to pitch in and make this a better corporation," Reynolds said.

Reynolds estimated that the school board would begin interviewing candidates some time in May.

Forum information: 

Wednesday, March 20 at 6:00 p.m. - All New Haven/Harding attendance area schools will meet at New Haven High School

Thursday, March 21 at 6:00 p.m. (at each respective attendance area’s High School):
All Heritage attendance area schools will meet at Heritage Jr./Sr. High School
All Leo attendance area schools will meet at Leo Jr./Sr. High School
All Woodlan attendance area schools will meet at Woodlan Jr./Sr. High School