Perry County school superintendent resigns, cites board discord

Scott Ireland, superintendent of the Perry County School District in Perryville, Missouri, has submitted his resignation and will no longer work at the district, effective June 30.

The board accepted Ireland's resignation during a special meeting last week and voted to have the Missouri School Boards' Association conduct the superintendent search.

The decision to resign was difficult to make, Ireland said Wednesday, but he thinks district leaders have lost focus of what's important.

Ireland said he's dedicated to the students and staff at the district, and gains have been made in finance, academics and accountability during his time there.

The district's Annual Performance Report from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has increased by 20 percent since he began in 2013. The report provides a snapshot of a school district's performance. For Perry County, it has increased from a score of 70.7 percent in 2013 to 90 percent this year.

Although positive changes have been made at the district, the school board is divided, he said.

"They've been split before I came, and they're probably going to be split afterward," he said. "We've had comments made from board members toward others that are inappropriate. Just seems like right now, in my mind, we aren't focused where our focus needs to be. We need to be focused on children, and we just don't seem to be able to get out of our own way right now."

Ireland said he is earning his doctorate and wants to work for a district where he can affect children in a positive way.

"I think we've done that over the past two years I've been here," he said. "But right now, our focus is off track, I believe."

Ireland's resignation announcement comes during a time of controversy at the district.

In mid-August, the school board voted to censure board member Mark Gremaud for inappropriate conduct.

Gremaud was alleged to have addressed fellow board member Kathy Carron during a closed session, saying, "Kathy, you are just a woman. The only thing you know is laying on your back with your legs in the air splayed."

Gremaud has denied that was the exact comment made and denied addressing Carron by name.

Nancy Voelker, president of the school board, released a statement soon after the censure, saying Gremaud's allegedly derogatory comment was "unprovoked."

The board that night voted 4-3 twice by roll call, first to censure Gremaud, then to request his resignation.

The board initially said Gremaud could not speak during meetings but instead was to vote by raising his hand. That error was corrected by the board at a later meeting, Ireland said.

"A censure is a public reprimand. As long as he's on the board, he'll always have that," Ireland said, adding it doesn't mean Gremaud can't participate in meetings. "It's letting the public know he did something in the board's mind that is wrong and letting everybody know about it. He can speak, he can vote and do everything he's always done."

Gremaud declined to comment on Ireland's resignation, and attempts to contact Voelker were unsuccessful Wednesday.

Looking forward, Ireland said he hopes to find another superintendent position.

"I think the successes we've had will help me get a position that I want," he said. "I'm not interested in taking just any job that comes open. There's specific things I'm looking for, and one of those things being the board and the district are all on the same page, wanting to improve student performance."

klamb@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3639

Pertinent address:

326 College St., Perryville, Mo.