McGuire Resigns

According to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, "for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."

For the Warsaw Community School Corp. school board and Superintendent Dr. Dave McGuire, Wednesday marked a time for change. By a vote of 6-to-1, the school board accepted the settlement agreement with, and resignation of McGuire, along with the statement concurrent with that. After the board approved the agreement, McGuire left the meeting.

Voting to approve the agreement and resignation were Dan Robinson, Gene England, Tammy Dalton, Deb Wiggins, board president Ron Yeiter and Chuck Sauders. Opposed was Cathy Folk.

The board unanimously tabled naming an interim superintendent. An executive session was scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. to discuss an interim further. Candidates for the temporary position include Ralph Bailey, Columbia City; Richard Kline, former Warsaw Community High School principal; Waarsaw assistant superintendent Dr. Sandra Hess; and current WCHS principal Dr. Jennifer Brumfield.

A statement regarding McGuire's resignation, read by Yeiter, said, "Dr. McGuire has served WCS well and faithfully for 19 years. He has served as a teacher, a principal, an assistant superintendent and for the last three years, as superintendent. During his tenure as superintendent, many difficult decisions had to be made. Perhaps chief among these was the decision to close three schools.

"As a result of the last school board election, the majority of the board has determined it is in the best interests of the school corporation to retain new leadership in line with board priorities. Dr. McGuire accepts that decision and agrees to resign as superintendent and serve the district as a consultant to assist the board and his successor during the transition.

"Much progress was made during Dr. McGuire's service to the children of WCS. It is apparent to the board and Dr. McGuire, however, that it is time for a change in leadership for the school. Dr. McGuire will do all that is necessary to make this transition as smooth as possible. The board thanks Dr. McGuire for his past service and wishes him well in his future employment."

McGuire's superintendent contract was to expire June 30, 2007, and he had an indefinite teacher contract with Warsaw Schools. The agreement allows his contracts to be terminated "effective the close of business July 27, 2005". McGuire will act as a consultant for the school corporation until Jan. 13, or until he finds full-time employment, whichever is first. During the extended employment period, McGuire will receive the same salary, retirement and insurance benefits to which he is entitled under his superintendent contract. No school corporation vehicle, credit cards, cell phone or other school properties will be provided to him during the extended employment.

The agreement states that in any action or threatened action against McGuire by a third person relating to the operation of the school corporation, the school corporation will pay legal defense and indemnify him against liability to the same extent as it would were he still superintendent at the time the action or threatened action is begun.

Neither Board members nor McGuire can make any public statements regarding McGuire's resignation not in accordance with the joint statement released, according to the agreement.

Later during public comments, Al Blakely questioned the part of the statement that said, "As a result of the last school board election, the majority of the board has determined it is in the best interests of the school corporation to retain new leadership in line with board priorities." Blakely said only one school board member, Dan Robinson, ran opposed, but no candidate ran for election with a platform to remove McGuire.

School board attorney Max Reed responded that the language for the statement came from McGuire's own attorney. "We agreed as a board that we would accept that language," Reed said.

Another patron then asked if the board agreed with the contents of the statement.

"The board voted six to one," said Reed. "Evidently, they did."

Sauders then said he wanted to clarify his "yes" vote. He said he's been a supporter of McGuire. The reason he voted to approve the agreement and resignation, he said, was because McGuire asked him to vote for approval. McGuire wants to pursue different avenues and move on with his life. If it was his choice, Sauders said he wouldn't have let any of it happen. The audience applauded Sauders' remarks.

"Mistakes have been made," said Sauders, and things were said which should not have been said. But now McGuire can move on with his life.

Wiggins stated that before Wednesday's meetings, no prior decisions were made.

Christine Foster asked when and if the public would know how much public money was spent on the investigation into McGuire. Yeiter said that will be released by the regular August or September board meeting.

Bill Kelley then questioned the board's assertion that no prior decision was reached before Wednesday's meetings. He challenged the board to be as aggressive in working for the students as they had been on McGuire's contract. Wiggins commented that she feels the board has been working just as hard for the students.