As one school superintendent steps down, and the search for a new one begins.
It’s the headline that has an entire school district talking- the retirement of its superintendent.
After serving as superintendent of Lee County School District for five years, Dr. Greg Adkins will be stepping away June 30th.
Adkins is currently under three different investigations it’s no wander he is exiting his job.
Board members Mary Fischer, Chris Patricca, Debbie Jordan and Cathleen Morgan shared positive evaluations and widely praised Adkins for his response to COVID-19 and his work to improve the mental and social health of students.
Betsy Vaughan, Gwyn Gittens and Melisa Giovannelli were more critical in their evaluations.
Giovannelli’s review was the longest, most detailed and most critical. She wrote in part, “You encouraged false investigations/complaints to be made by your staff against board members without board members’ knowledge.” She also wrote, “You failed to protect whistle-blower employees that came forward for protection.”
Gittens noted “missed opportunities” during the pandemic to help students who fell behind as the achievement gap worsened.
Gittens told us Adkins’ retirement brings an opportunity for the District to move forward and reflect on how they all can do better.
“When someone leaves, it is an opportunity to sit down, take the puzzle pieces all off the table and start putting them back,” Gittens said. “Some may not go back on the table, and some might take a different configuration.”