Assistant Superintendent Tony Poole — who has been suspended from work since February — is planning to leave the district, and will receive a $191,000 payout as well as his monthly salary until his retirement in June under an agreement reached between Poole and the K-12 system.
Poole’s departure from the district comes after Cherry Creek Schools officials placed him on paid administrative leave for alleged insubordination — a move that came a week after district administrators also suspended human resources director Brenda Smith for separate allegations.
Poole told district officials before he was placed on leave that he planned to semi-retire later this year. But now he will remain on leave and fully retire at the end of June, according to an agreement struck April 3.
An attorney for Poole could not immediately be reached Tuesday, and a Cherry Creek Schools spokesperson declined to comment for this story.
Poole will receive his monthly salary of $19,345 until his retirement goes into effect June 30, according to the agreement.
He will also receive a payment of $187,925.29 for accumulated leave, as well as another total lump sum of $4,039.11 from the district, the document showed.
Poole has worked with the district since August 1989, most recently as assistant superintendent of special populations.
Brenda Smith remains on leave. Her husband, former Cherry Creek Superintendent Christopher Smith, resigned in January.
District officials are investigating the couple’s ties — including paid international travel — to a company called Education Accelerated, which the Smiths awarded nearly $3 million in contracts.
