The superintendent of a northeast Arkansas school district who was placed on paid leave earlier this month resigned during a hearing on Monday, district officials said.
Michael McInnis left his role as Harrisburg School District superintendent ahead of an open-session vote on the status of his employment, board President Fonda Eaton said Tuesday afternoon.
“I think he just felt like it was to his best interest to go ahead and resign,” Eaton said.
During an Aug. 15 meeting, the board voted unanimously to place McInnis on paid leave, according to minutes provided by district officials. Following the decision, McInnis asked for a hearing to decide on the fate of his employment.
A letter from Eaton to McInnis about proceedings for his termination cites several reasons for him being placed on leave, including that the former superintendent was "excessively" absent from work, that he had used all his paid sick days, that he failed to let his supervisor know he would miss work and that he "failed to show up to work on the first day of school." Donn Mixon, the district’s attorney, provided the letter to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Mixon said last week the board could vote during the hearing to terminate the former superintendent, and that if they did so the board would likely make the decision the same day.
According to Eaton, district officials haven’t yet chosen a permanent replacement to fill the superintendent role and will rely on the leadership already in place at the adminisrative level.
Assistant Superintendent Doug Worley will fill the top role in an emergency capacity until district officials choose a permanent superintendent, Mixon said last week.
Eaton said she was optimistic about the upcoming school year despite the decision to place McInnis on leave and his later resignation.
“Except for this little bump in the road I think we’re going to see good things.”