Mat-Su Schools Superintendent resigns for ‘personal reasons’

PALMER — After meeting behind closed doors for more than an hour and forty five minutes, the Mat-Su Borough school board (MSBSD) accepted the resignation of Superintendent Gene Stone in a hastily-arranged emergency special board meeting Monday evening. It also offered an interim contract to current assistant superintendent and executive director of education Monica Goyette.

With less than four hours of notice, the board called the meeting because it had "...been informed of the pending immediate resignation of the current superintendent of schools."

Stone was not in attendance at the public meeting. Board president Dr. Donna Dearman included Stone in the list of individuals who would be present in the closed session. In addition to five board members, trustee Sarah Welton chimed in via teleconference. Also present were Goyette, fellow assistant superintendent Luke Fulp and district legal counsel Saul Freidman.

Following the closed session, board members reconvened in open session taking action on two items. Trustees Debby Retherford and Ole Larson motioned to accept Stone's resignation effective April 3, 2017, subject to finalization of the negotiated terms. Those terms were not discussed. A motion by trustees Kelsey Trimmer and Welton "to offer immediate interim superintendent to Dr. Monica Goyette upon terms to be negotiated" followed. Both received unanimous approval.

"Tonight, Superintendent Gene Stone tendered his resignation for personal reasons effective April 3, 2017, and the board has accepted his resignation. The school board asks everyone to honor Mr. Stone('s) and his family's privacy," Dearman said in a prepared statement issued following the meeting.

Goyette has served in the district for 18 years in a variety of positions including teacher, counselor and school administrator. For the past four years, Goyette filled the role of executive director of instruction at the district office. In August of last year, she was hired as assistant superintendent of instruction.

MSBSD faces an approximate $11 million shortfall in balancing the district's ledgers for the 2017-2018 school year. At its regular March 22 meeting, the board took action on a number of items geared at eliminating that deficit. Most noteworthy was a proposed borough-wide education sales tax.

Stone had said at an earlier board meeting that given the state's current economic outlook, the district had to look at an alternative revenue stream if it wished to maintain its current curricula. Last month, he announced he would take a four-percent pay cut to help offset that anticipated deficit.

Stone's predecessor was Dr. Deena Bishop. He was selected in May of 2016 to replace her after Bishop left to lead the helm of the Anchorage School District. Prior to that, he also served as assistant superintendent of instruction. The board had extended his contract through the end of the 2018-2019 school year at a December 7, 2016 regular meeting.

Following the vote, board members shared their thought's concerning the district's new leader.

"Given the circumstances, I believe this is a good choice. I've appreciated working with Doctor Goyette and I believe she's ready, willing and able," Retherford said, adding she was confident in Goyette's leadership abilities, will lead the district well, and was a good decision.

Trustee Ray Michaelson added he was confident about the decision of Goyette's appointment adding she will have the board's complete support moving forward. Colleague Larson said Goyette will lead the district seamlessly as it moves forward adding he had the utmost confidence in her.

"We're blessed to have someone of Dr. Goyette's caliber in the position she's in... to be able to step up in a tight situation where we're going to need someone quick,” said board vice-president Kelsey Trimmer. We're behind you all the way."

Dearman said, as a former teacher and administrator, she felt Goyette was "the real deal" adding, "I think the district is quite blessed in the depth of expertise we have here."

Following the meeting, Dearman met with the media and when asked, stated that Stone's resignation was due to personal reasons only. Turning to Goyette, Dearman described her as a consummate educator with great vision and dedication to the school district.

"She will be an excellent leader," Dearman stated.

Filling the void with a permanent replacement will be another item added to the board's already full plate. In addition to the anticipated deficit, the district is in contract negotiations with its teaching staff and like other districts statewide, awaits a final decision in Juneau concerning base student allocation reimbursement funding.