Superintendent Shaps Resigns!

Shaps Resignation announcement

Superintendent Shaps has resigned, effective June 30, 2026, in two and half weeks, two years into a three year contract. Back on April 10, 2026, Superintendent Shaps announced he would retire at the end of his contract in June, 2027.

The recent NEA-administered survey showed that the teachers and professional staff really hated him. Only 11% agreed with the statement: 'I believe I can disagree with my Superintendent without fear of retribution.'  Sounds like a bad boss.

I've heard plenty of criticism of the previous superintendent over the years, but nothing like this. The criticism has extended to the board for seemingly failing to address the problem and the accompanying public outcry.

I must admit I do not really understand the public's fervor on the issue.  Sure, the massive loss of teacher support seems reason enough to consider removal. But the online anger seemed beyond what was justified, and seemed brewing even before the teacher survey result were released.

I suppose much of the anger stems from the recent tax increase associated with the district, which seems to have fallen disproportionally on Lee.  The board and superintendent proposed a $10M elementary school renovation and expansion project on top of the increase, which seemed a bit tone deaf. 

The community itself seemed to want contradictory things. The board tried to demonstrate that it was being careful stewards of the taxpayer dollars by a $519K reduction, laying off three interventionists, two teachers and a nurse, part of the staffing increase for COVID.  At Deliberate Session in February, the voters undid this, adding the money back to the budget.  On election day in March, the budget passed but the elementary school project failed.

Some of the anger at the superintendent and board stemmed from a lack of any action that showed respect for the vote at DS to restore the funds. Will the interventionists keep their jobs? I haven't been paying that close attention, but as far as I know, nothing has been announced since the Deliberative Session and budget passage that modifies or even comments upon the original plan to make the cuts. 

Reaction online to the announcement seems almost universally gleeful, marred only by the concern as to how much the taxpayers are going to have to shell out to pay Dr. Shaps not to work next year.

Staff Survey Results -- they hate him!