Renae Dreier, lauded for lifting the Greeley-Evans 6 School District out of the academic basement, is leaving her superintendent’s job to head the Orange County, Calif., school district.
Dreier will make $750,000 over a three-year contract with the Orange Unified School District, which is beset by budget woes. Officials there say as much as $39 million needs to be cut over the next three years.
Dreier faced several problems in Greeley when she took over in 2005, including the district’s listing on the state’s academic watch list for poor test scores.
But in 2007, Greeley made it off the list through vastly improved academic performance on the statewide CSAP test.
Many credited Dreier’s policies for the upswing.
“Dr. Dreier came to our district in a time of crisis and she did an admirable job of leading us out of crisis and toward progress,” said District 6 board member Robert Stack.
Dreier — who earned a base salary of $175,000 this past school year — couldn’t be reached for comment. But she told the board last week she will miss the 18,000- student district.
“I appreciate the support I have received from the entire district community,” Dreier said. “Our successes of the past three years would not have been possible without a great team effort.”
Dreier had her critics, including parents who opposed the elimination of recess — except for lunch — at the district’s elementary schools.
She and other administrators were also targeted for receiving pay boosts while contract negotiations between the district and teachers dragged on until an agreement was reached in late 2007.
Andi Lee, president of the Greeley Education Association, wasn’t so quick to credit Dreier for all the improvements in the district.
“I know everybody including teachers, principals, students and parents were working hard and taking things more seriously,” Lee said.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com
