Susan Hayward, superintendent of Washington Local Schools, has resigned from the position, three years before her contract was to be up. The resignation was made public during Wednesday's board of education meeting.
The resignation announcement came after an executive session. The board voted 4-1 to release Hayward from her contract. She requested the release to pursue an opportunity with another organization. Hayward’s contract was set to run through July, 2022.
Hayward’s resignation will take effect on Aug. 15. As part of the Agreement and Release with the district, she will receive a payout for her unused vacation and personal days. Hayward will act as a paid consultant until Oct. 24 to ease the transition for the soon-to-be-named interim superintendent, WLS officials said Thursday. The stipend for consulting will be $20,000.
An announcement of an interim superintendent is slated for next week. The Board of Education, with guidance from the Ohio School Board Association (OSBA), will then begin the search process for a new permanent superintendent.
Hayward took over for former Superintendent Patrick Hickey, who was forced out after alleged inappropriate behavior.
The board of education meeting closed with heartfelt goodbyes between Dr. Hayward and the board members.
“I have known since you have been here your dedication to this district, six or seven days a week you have been there for all these different events for the kids, and the children are going to be missing your presence,” said Board Member David Hunter. “Thank you for all you have done for us, good luck for your future choices and may god bless you.”
You can read Dr. Hayward’s statement from the board meeting in full below:
"I would like to thank the Board of Education for their wisdom, kindness, and guidance. I would like to thank the previous board as well, those members that were a part of hiring me. I think this district is so special because you are a family. I look forward to hearing about all of the wonderful, wonderful things that you do for our students and for our community. I have never seen such a special place as Washington Local Schools. You work harder than I have ever seen anyone work as a staff. Just the giving and the outpouring of support from staff to our students is unbelievable. I loved being here and I wish you guys the best as a school district."
President of the Board Mark Hughes provided the following statement:
Dr. Hayward came into our district in a very troubling time. Her dedication and commitment to Washington Local was well appreciated and her efforts in moving the district forward has given us a strong foundation for the future. We wish her the utmost best in her career moving forward. The entire Washington Local administrative team will work with the interim superintendent to ensure a seamless transition as we continue to move Washington Local Schools into the future. We are optimistic about the direction of the district and continuing to provide the best educational experience possible for our students.
During her time in Washington Local, Dr. Hayward focused on K-3 literacy, Math textbook adoption for K-12, supports for English Language Learners, and additional supports and instructional materials for Special Education. The district moved to Guided Reading, switched to a standards-based report card, and implemented the Leveled Literacy Intervention. Under her guidance the district adopted McGraw-Hill Math Curriculum for K-8 and National Geographic Learning/Cengage for grades 9-12. Additionally, under her direction the district moved to a 1-to-1 technology model using Chromebooks and the Google platform.
Washington Local also has a levy and a bond measure coming up on the November ballot. The district is seeking a 3.9-mill levy for $3.2 million in operating funds and a 3 mill, 37-year bond measure for $50 million in capital improvement money.