JAY — Regional School Unit 73 directors named Spruce Mountain Middle School Principal Scott Albert as acting superintendent Thursday night.

The decision followed the acceptance of Superintendent Todd LeRoy’s resignation, effective Thursday.

He was hired in August 2018 and given a two-year contract for $105,000 per year, $1,000 a month in lieu of health insurance and 25 days of paid vacation per year, according to board member Steve Langlin of Livermore.

LeRoy was not at Thursday’s meeting, Langlin said.

According to the board, directors agreed to pay him through Jan. 9, 2020. The arrangement followed closed-door negotiations earlier this week.

Langlin said it’s essentially as though LeRoy is employed for another year.

The unanimous vote to accept the resignation followed actions by LeRoy that led to weeks of confusion for students, staff and community members over the Christmas break.

In late December, RSU staff learned Spruce Mountain High School Principal TJ Plourde was no longer an employee, there was a plan to merge and the middle and high schools, Albert was being transferred to Spruce Mountain Primary School and Primary School Principal Kevin Harrington was taking over the combined middle and high schools.

After an emergency board meeting Jan. 2, LeRoy said there would be no school restructuring and Plourde was on administrative leave.

Five days later, Harrington announced the three principals would return to their prior positions.

Asked Thursday night why the board had not acted sooner on the administrative changes LeRoy made, Chairwoman Denise Rodzen said LeRoy was on holiday break, the facts hadn’t been determined and directors needed to follow the law.

Langlin, who was appointed secretary pro tem for Thursday’s meeting, said Friday night that Albert would serve as acting superintendent while continuing as middle school principal.

pharnden@sunmediagroup.net

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