FORT WORTH -- Outgoing Fort Worth school district Superintendent Melody Johnson will be on administrative leave through Dec. 12 as part of her separation package approved by trustees Tuesday night.
Last month, Johnson told the school board of her intent to resign Sept. 19 after nearly six years at the helm.But under the separation agreement, she will be on paid administrative leave through that date and will be allowed to use her remaining vacation and personal leave after that, which will keep her on the district payroll until December. Johnson will have 84 unused vacation, personal and sick days accrued by the end of June, valued at $115,269.98.The superintendent's annual salary is $328,950 with a daily rate of $1,370.625. The district will also pay for a year of service credit for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. Johnson receives the credit -- worth $45,185.40 -- each year as a performance bonus as part of her contract.Some trustees had hoped to find a replacement before she was set to leave in September. But the last superintendent search lasted more than a year, and trustees acknowledged that it could take longer this time. They named longtime administrator Walter Dansby interim superintendent Tuesday night.Trustees praised Johnson for her time in Fort Worth. Many said she restored the public's trust in the district, brought technology to classrooms, built up savings and focused curriculum."Most importantly, you always had grace under fire, and there was plenty of fire. I can promise you that," Trustee Tobi Jackson said.Even her harshest critics on the board offered her praise.Carlos Vasquez, who was often outspoken against the superintendent, said he never doubted that she cared about kids."She could have stayed here and continued to have a divided board, and instead she did the classy thing and decided that it was affecting instruction, so she decided to leave and I thank her for that," Vasquez said.Johnson has said she is resigning partly because she needs to spend time with her mother, who has had health problems and was taken to the emergency room Tuesday night.She acknowledged Tuesday that it was time to move on."The worst thing is to stay when that window is closing and you're no longer the best fit for that organization," Johnson said. "I think that's a normal evolution of leaders, especially in complex systems."Eva-Marie Ayala, 817-390-7700Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
