CONWAY — Despite a petition signed by more than 150 people in support of him, Richard Henley is no longer president and CEO of Conway Christian School.
Henley, 52, said he couldn’t agree to changes made in his contract.
“The contract that they wanted me to sign to be renewed — the terms were something I couldn’t be
comfortable with,” he said. “They chose to not renew my existing contract after I refused the revised one.” That decision was made at a July 9 school board meeting.
Henley, who has been in the newly created position one year, said it had nothing to do with salary — it was “administrative responsibility.”
“With any organization, with this being a brand-new position for the school, and on top of that me being brand-new working in a school — there was a lot we had to figure out,” Henley said.
“As the first year came to an end, it was pretty clear there was a difference in philosophy of how an organization needs to be run. Their requests were not something I was comfortable with.”
School Board Chairman Arnold Hameister said the board had “additional directives” that were placed in Henley’s contract, “and [Henley] was just not comfortable working under those additional directives.”
Henley said, “It’s just a question of the authority; that’s all it boils down to. The new contract was going to reduce my authority.”
Henley said that in “some instances,” including hiring-and-firing decisions, “two or three people would be involved.”
Hameister praised Henley for what he accomplished as president and CEO of the school.
“I was very happy with Richard, with what Richard had done,” Hameister said. He said the Conway Christian School Board, about a year ago, “saw a need for a new role at our school at the senior level. I would picture that as the mortar in the bricks. That’s the type of position that he was — he kept things together, solid. We had a lot of great successes that year because of Richard Henley. He did a great job; he really did.”
Hameister said he and Henley are friends.
“I think that Richard Henley is a man of character and integrity, and I wish him all the best. I wish we could have worked something out,” Hameister said.
A letter sent to parents did not address what changes were requested in Henley’s contract.
The letter reads, in part, “Last year we saw a need to create a new role in the school that would cast vision internally and externally and be a ‘face’ in the community for CCS. With this new position, we have seen many great successes this year. The CCS board offered Richard Henley a contract for the 2015-2016 school year, but he declined the offer. We appreciate his accomplishments during this past school year and pray God’s best for him and his family as they seek God’s leadership.”
The board will search for a new president and CEO of the school, the letter states.
Rebekah Pratt, head of the Parent-Teacher Fellowship, started a petition asking the board to keep Henley.
The petition states, “The PTF Board, faculty, staff, students, friends, family and alumni of Conway Christian School were never given the opportunity to voice their opinions regarding Mr. Henley, and we hope this petition will allow us to do so. Our desire is that the board will acknowledge the support he has from the persons signing this petition. We ask that they will make every effort to ensure that Conway Christian School’s unprecedented success continues under the leadership of Richard Henley.”
Pratt said the petition, placed online, received more than 150 signatures between midnight July 8 and about 3 p.m. July 9, when the document was printed to take to the school board meeting. She said a group of concerned parents attended the meeting but that she and Josh Sims, another parent, were the only two allowed to privately address the board with their concerns.
The petition now has at least 200 signatures, she said.
Asked about the requested changes in Henley’s administrative role, she said a CEO should not have to rely on “committees” to make decisions. “If the board picks you to lead the school, you need to have the trust and confidence to make decisions daily to make it run smoothly.”
Pratt, who has two children in the school, said Henley impresses her.
“I’m upset that he’s leaving because of all the things he has accomplished and because of the decisions I’ve seen.” She said Henley made “smart decisions, was level-headed and able to read budgets, able to put his face in the community. Donations are up; technology has greatly improved. When we needed a bus for athletics, we got it. Things moved faster with him there,” Pratt said. “I do feel confident that people have come to the school recently due to Richard’s leadership.”
However, Pratt said, she doesn’t think the school will lose students because he is gone.
“The school is a very good school. It still has very good teachers, wonderful principals,” she said. Pratt said there is no other school she would want her children to attend.
Henley said the outpouring of support touched him.
“Oh, my goodness; that has just been amazing, absolutely overwhelming. [I’m] just extremely touched and humbled,” he said.
“A key to all this is most of what I have been doing is at such a high level — I’ve had minimal impact in the classrooms,” he said. “A change at the head will make a minimum difference in academics.”
Henley was responsible for the school’s budget and for hiring.
“They had high ACT scores when I got there; they’ll have high ACT scores after I leave,” he said.
Gloria Massey, head of academics for Conway Christian School, said the average ACT score was 24.5 for the 2015 graduating class.
Henley said he pushed for services for children with dyslexia and autism. Under his leadership, the school is set to open Compass Learning Academy in August, a school for special-needs students, primarily those with autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Henley said his leaving “shouldn’t affect” the special-needs school.
The director of the academy, Courtney Williams of Greenbrier, said 14 students have enrolled, thus far, “so we’re excited.” Williams said there is room for “six or seven more kiddos.” The school will lease a facility in Conway. As of a week ago, the academy lacked $45,000 to meet a $100,000 fundraising goal to open debt-free, she said.
Hameister said he planned to meet with Williams this week. “We’re still going to stand good on anything we can do to help that we’ve made a commitment to them on,” he said.
Henley, who sold his real estate company to become head of the school, said he likely will go back to selling real estate. “That’s what I know,” he said.
He also has a daughter who has three more years at Conway Christian School.
“The mission of the school is bigger than I am,” Henley said. “Conway needs Conway Christian. Our families need Conway Christian.”
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.