CLARK PLANS TO RESIGN IN 1998

Cape Girardeau public schools Superintendent Neyland Clark plans to stay on the job for another 2 1/2 years. He made the announcement Monday by submitting his resignation, effective June 30, 1998, at the end of his current contract with the school district.

"I've made a commitment to working through this period, not as a lame duck but really working hard," Clark said.

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education is in the middle of strategic planning for the next five years. By officially notifying the board of his intentions, Clark said he hopes to give the members as much flexibility as possible in the decisions they make.

Clark was clear that he hopes to stay on the job until the end of his current contract.

Since coming to Cape Girardeau in 1991, Clark has faced opposition to a number of his positions and decisions as superintendent. Among those was a decision to change the commencement procedure a week before the ceremony, prompting a petition drive calling for his ouster. Earlier he took heat over budget cuts.

Most recently, he was involved in a controversy over his use of a school district credit card. After a pattern of sloppy record keeping, the school board closed the district's credit card account.

A series of community meetings was held in October to gather public input on the direction the school district should head. One of the conclusions of the Vision Planning Committee was that the community lacks trust in the school leadership.

Board president Dr. Bob Fox said Clark had said informally that he didn't plan to stay past the end of his current contract. His resignation makes that official. But Clark could leave sooner, Fox said. "He may not be here until the end of 1998."

Clark's contract can be terminated by mutual agreement of the parties at any time. The school board could fire the superintendent if he didn't live up to the provisions of the contract. The board could also fire him without cause by giving him a minimum of 90 days notice. The school board would pay one year's salary and benefits as severance pay, approximately $112,000.

Board member Harry Rediger said Clark's resignation gives the board plenty of time to make a decision about his replacement. "The question is, is it too much time?" Rediger said.

Rumors have circulated for months that Clark is job hunting, but Clark said Monday he doesn't have any applications out. He said he has received several calls of inquiry from the St. Louis area and Indiana, but doesn't have another job.

Last week, Central High School Principal Dan Tallent announced his resignation at the end of this school year.

Clark said Tallent's resignation played a role in his own resignation letter. Clark said he hoped that Tallent would take his position as superintendent in 1998. Clark said perhaps Tallent now will reconsider leaving the school district.

Tallent said his decision to leave wasn't based on whether Clark stays or goes. "My decision was based on my own opinions, and I hope it didn't influence him and his decisions."

He said Clark has been supportive of decisions made at the high school.

The resignations of Clark and Tallent are to be discussed at the school board meeting Monday.

Clark's contract with the school district specifies that the school board evaluate his performance annually. The evaluation is supposed to be held before or during February, but the board has never done Clark's evaluation by the end of February.

Last year the board evaluated Clark on March 31, four days before the annual school board election. At that time, the board voted to extend his contract by one year to the 1998 date. Only two of the seven members on the board when Clark's contract was extended are still on the board.

Two didn't seek re-election and three resigned. Most were members who backed Clark during the controversies.

Fox said Clark's evaluation will be done in January.

Central High School social studies teacher Joe Bradshaw, who is also vice president of the Cape Girardeau National Education Association, a teacher's union, said: "This is so far off in the future, it's hard to have a reaction. I wonder if the board will allow this to happen or if the board will go ahead and buy him out."

Bradshaw said that despite what Clark may think, many people in the district will consider him a lame duck. The NEA and Clark have been at odds in the past, but Bradshaw said Clark has been agreeable to work with over the past several months.

However, Bradshaw said, the community hasn't developed any degree of trust in Clark. "Not that it's right, but he has become sort of a rallying point for people in the community who oppose further finances for the school," he said.

"That's too bad. Really, you don't hurt Neyland Clark if you don't vote a bond issue; you hurt the children."

Based on the lack of community trust in Clark, Bradshaw said, the board might be wise to buy him out.

"It's $112,000 invested now, but in the future it may pay off in new buildings and improved finances," he said. "Really it's in the board's hands now."

Board member Terry Taylor was surprised by the news of Clark's resignation. "It's highly unusual for someone to give 2 1/2 years notice," he said. "I've never heard anything like it."

Dr. R. Ferrell Ervin agreed. "It's somewhat unusual for an individual to give a resignation effective the date of the conclusion of this contract."

Charlene Peyton, president of the Community Teachers Association, took Clark's announcement in stride. "We have 2 1/2 years to work together," she said.

Peyton said her relationship with Clark has been positive this year. "He is truly interested in making changes," Peyton said. "He has been very open and honest and forthcoming."

Social studies teacher Brenda Woemmel, who is president of the local NEA, said: "I don't have any inside clue as to what's going on. I guess the decision assures us of two more years of limbo."