Cherry Creek Schools will pay former Superintendent Christopher Smith nearly $164,000 in “contractually obligated compensation” for vacation and sick leave following his abrupt resignation from the school district at the end of January.
The districtap Board of Education on Friday announced Smith will be paid $163,927, including $119,857 in accrued sick leave and $44,070 in vacation leave, in accordance with “contractual formulas” and in line with his job contract.
The sum does not include any additional severance “beyond contractual obligations,” district officials said in a statement.
“While personnel matters remain confidential under state law, the final compensation issued was not discretionary or negotiated beyond the terms already in place,” district officials said.
Smith submitted his resignation in a closed-door meeting with the school board on Jan. 27, weeks after a detailed employee concerns about the school districtap “toxic culture.”
District leaders put chief human resources officer Brenda Smith, who is Christopher Smith’s wife, on leave the following week, and soon after announced they would freeze employee travel and district contracts for “serious review.”
Assistant Superintendent Tony Poole was also put on administrative leave, though district officials said that investigation is for allegations of insubordination and is unrelated to investigations into the Smiths.
Board of Education members appointed Deputy Superintendent Jennifer Perry as the districtap interim superintendent and have said they will not begin searching for a new superintendent until after an external audit of the K-12 system, which will likely take until the summer.
