Dist. 214: Less gossip, more work
District 214 Superintendent David Schuler hasn't been fired.
And he wasn't given $500,000 to leave, said Northwest Suburban High School District 214 board President Lenore Bragaw.
Rumors like these were so prevalent last week that Bragaw sent out an e-mail to hundreds of District 214 staff members -- including the janitors and cafeteria workers -- saying Schuler was still the district's superintendent and fully supported by the school board.
"Dave is still the superintendent, now get back to work," Bragaw said in an interview, summing up her e-mail. "Everyone needs to stop standing around the water cooler and focus on educating our children."
Last week, Bragaw was seen talking to former Associate Superintendent of Human Resources Darlene Larson. At the same time, Schuler was out of town attending a conference.
The rumors started.
By Friday, talk was everywhere that Schuler left and wasn't coming back.
"None of it is true," Bragaw said. "There's all this smoke and no fire."
Larson attended the Jan. 10 District 214 school board meeting but only talked to board members in closed session. She and Bragaw were also seen at District 214's headquarters at Forest View High School last week.
District 214 recently hired Larson to help with a "personnel matter," Bragaw said. Bragaw declined to comment further on the matter.
"It's a short-term, special project dealing with delicate negotiations," Bragaw said.
Schuler is in Florida for the Midwest Suburban Superintendents conference, which meets twice a year.
He said he has no plans to leave District 214.
"I'm very happy here and at this point have no plans to move," he said. "I assume people think that because I've moved quickly from my other jobs that I would do so here, but that's not the case."
In her e-mail to District 214 staff, Bragaw urged people to stop spreading rumors.
"Rumors can be damaging and painful for the individual and can have a negative impact on the entire district," the e-mail said. "I would encourage all of you to assist me in putting an end to these rumors. Let me assure you that Dr. Schuler is and will remain our superintendent."