Garletts resigns as assistant superintendent

Donovan Garletts

When Greencastle Community Schools hires a new superintendent on May 11, he or she will be coming to a school with no assistant superintendent in place.

On Monday, the Greencastle School Board accepted the resignation of Assistant Superintendent Donovan Garletts, who last month was granted a leave of absence through the end of his contract on June 30.

The resignation ends a three-year tenure as assistant superintendent for Garletts. Prior to coming to Greencastle, he had served as an administrator, teacher and coach for Marquette Catholic High School and Notre Dame Elementary in Michigan City.

The board unanimously voted to accept Garletts’ resignation without further discussion.

It is not clear if the board will fill the assistant superintendent position in the near future. When Garletts was hired in 2017, it was as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. However, that title was later changed to assistant superintendent of finance and operations.

GCSC then moved on to adding a curriculum director, a position now filled by Jennifer French.

Garletts’ official departure further highlights the changing face of the GCSC administration. Superintendent Jeff Hubble will step down at year’s end.

Longtime operations director Dan Green will also retire June 30, though no plans have been announced to fill that position either.

However, the timetable has been set for selecting Hubble’s replacement.

At 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 4, the board will host a public hearing to accept public comments on the proposed superintendent’s contract, which may be viewed online at http://www.greencastle.k12.in.us/g_c_s_c/school_board/notifications.

During the public hearing at GCSC Central Office, 1002 Mill Pond Lane, the board will take as many measures as possible to maintain social distancing standards. This will include having only three board members in attendance as well as asking commenters from the public to only enter the boardroom one at a time.

Additionally, President Mike White announced Monday the board will accept public comments via email. However, they should be emailed to all five school board members prior to the meeting’s 6:30 p.m. start. Those addresses are available at http://www.greencastle.k12.in.us/g_c_s_c/school_board.

Those not wishing to attend in person may also view the public hearing by requesting the link from Toni Smith of GCSC at tsmith@greencastle.k12.in.us by noon on Monday.

White also emphasized that the public hearing is to receive comments, not a time for questions and answers.

He added that the board has reached a tentative agreement with a candidate, who will be formally announced and approved during another special meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 11.

Central Office isn’t the only place that will see change, as the board accepted several other personnel items, most of them retirements or resignations.

The board accepted the retirement of GHS English teacher Lori Hile as well as the resignations of GHS choir teacher Osvaldo Gil, GMS special education teacher Elizabeth Lucas, Helen Dunn as GMS guidance director and Larry Mason as GHS technology assistant for assessment and online learning.

The board also approved maternity leave for Deer Meadow preschool teacher Lindsey Siegert from Aug. 3 through Oct. 9.

During public comments, Greencastle High School teacher Amanda Standers -- joining the meeting remotely like the rest of the audience and three board members -- asked how the corporation is handling the positions of retiring and resigning teachers.

“We’re making a position-by-position decision as vacancies come up,” Hubble said, indicating that not all positions are being refilled at this time.

For now, the administration continues to express its appreciation for the ongoing efforts of teachers, students and parents to finish out the year with e-learning.

“I want to say I’m very proud of the job the teachers and principals are doing and their efforts to stay connected with students whose parents do not have internet access,” Hubble said.

Hubble also outlined what is going on in some other departments while school buildings are closed.

Maintenance is ongoing, with the water heaters at the middle school and high school in the process of being replaced, as well as the pool heater at McAnally Center.

Additionally, the food service department continues to meet the needs of children in the community by handing out a week’s worth of lunches each Wednesday.

The final day of school for students will be May 13, fulfilling the state requirement of 160 days for 2019-20.

Teachers will continue to work to fill out their contracts, with Hubble noting he knows the good job teachers are doing, working every day and sometimes well into the evening to assist parents and students.