A file photo of the sign outside Evergreen Public Schools. The Vancouver, Washington-based school district has put its superintendent on administrative leave.
Troy Brynelson / OPB
The Evergreen Public Schools board had only a couple of items on its agenda Tuesday night. It started with the Pledge of Allegiance before adopting the agenda.
Then the board went into executive session, which is not viewable by the public, to “review the performance of an employee.”
When board members returned to the public meeting, they voted unanimously to place Superintendent Mike Merlino on administrative leave pending the results of an investigation. The whole public meeting lasted less than four minutes.
In a statement shared Wednesday morning, the district said the board will “retain oversight of the district.”
The board did not share any details about the third-party investigation involving Merlino, but said it is expected it to conclude in the next few weeks.
Merlino has been with the district for over 20 years, but has only been in the superintendent role for the last two years. He first became interim superintendent after John Steach resigned from the job in spring 2019.
According to The Columbian, a review of Evergreen Public Schools found distrust and division among staff, including top leaders like Merlino. The Columbian reported that the district implemented several changes after the report, including enrolling Merlino in a superintendent certification program and hiring a chief financial officer.
Merlino had been serving as both superintendent and CFO. He has been transitioning out of that role while working with new CFO Jennifer Jacobson, according to the Columbian.
In July, the board extended Merlino’s contract for another three years, until 2024, with an annual salary of $269,038, plus an additional $36,846 for mentoring the chief financial officer.
An Evergreen high school principal resigned earlier this year after allegations of racist language and favoritism came to light.
This story may be updated.