Many people who retire receive a gold watch. Not Oxford Superintendent Virginia Brennan- Kyro ? she got the boot.
‘I was totally shocked,? she said. ‘I had no idea. None whatsoever.?
Following a March 27 closed session discussion, the Oxford Board of Education voted 5-2 to place Brennan-Kyro on administrative leave with full compensation until June 30, according to School Board President Colleen Schultz.
‘She will not be performing day-to-day operations as superintendent,? Schultz said.
At an April 2 special meeting, the board appointed retired Assistant Superintendent Ronald Franey as interim superintendent for the remainder of the 2006-07 school year.
Hired as superintendent in July 2000, Brennan-Kyro, who earns an annual salary of $132,654, announced in early February her intention to retire June 30.
When asked why the board put Brennan-Kyro on administrative leave given she was retiring in 90 days, Schultz replied, ‘Because we talked about all this in closed session, I can’t release that information.?
Brennan-Kyro told this reporter she was placed on administrative leave due to a ‘disagreement? over her handling of an administrative personnel issue pertaining to a contracted services employee.
‘They said they disagreed with how they thought I handled it,? she said.
The district has only two administrators who are contracted employees through Professional Contract Management, Inc., a company based in Marine City.
Contracted administrators are Dr. Jerry Oermann, director of special education and principal of the Crossroads for Youth School, and Lydia Engel, principal of Daniel Axford Elementary.
After deliberating for ‘quite some time? while she waited outside in the hall, Brennan-Kyro said the school board gave her two options ? take a personal leave or be placed on administrative leave.
‘I said I would not take a personal leave because I did not want the staff to think that I just walked out of the district,? she said.
As a result, the board voted in open session to place her on administrative leave, but it was not unanimous.
School board trustees Doug Myer and Major Murray were the only ones to vote against the action. Both declined to comment on the reasons behind their votes.
Brennan-Kyro said she knew nothing about the closed session, which was not included on the published agenda, until she was at the meeting.
‘I was told as the board meeting was beginning,? she said. ‘One board member mentioned to me that he was going to request an agenda change for closed session.?
‘I thought it had something to do with the superintendent search,? Brennan-Kyro added.
However, later in the meeting when she asked Schultz a question, Brennan-Kyro said she was told, ‘You’re in the closed session.?
School district attorney Rick Kroopnick said the board went into closed session to review a communication from him regarding the situation.
Despite the board’s decision, Brennan-Kyro said she does not regret how she handled the administrative personnel issue which precipitated her early departure.
‘I could have done the easy thing and just gone through to the end without tackling this issue,? she explained. ‘But that’s not my character, not my leadership style and it’s not how I have conducted myself professionally throughout my entire career. I don’t take the easy road. I was trying to do what I thought was right. And (the school board) didn’t agree with me.?
‘I think, considering I was 90 days away from retirement, that this whole incident is very unfortunate for everyone,? Brennan-Kyro added. ‘I think it’s very unfortunate for my staff, for the district, for the community and for the board.?
Following the board’s decision, she packed up all the personal items from her office without incident on Thursday and bid farewell to Schultz and School Board Vice President Lee Barclay, who were waiting in another room.
‘I went down, shook both of their hands, thanked them for the time I had in Oxford and said good-bye,? she said.
In her place, the board appointed Assistant Superintendent Nancy Kammer as interim superintendent on March 27. This lasted until April 2 when Franey was appointed to the temporary position effective April 4.
‘I want the community to know that I think we have wonderful administrators and a wonderful dedicated staff,? she said. ‘They will continue to provide the quality education that Oxford is accustomed to.?
Schultz said Brennan-Kyro’s early departure should not affect the district’s search for a new superintendent. ‘We’re on a pretty fast time-line anyway.?
The Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB), which the district is paying $7,500 to conduct the search, has already met a ‘few times? with ‘staff, teachers and administration,? Schultz said.
MASB held an open forum March 29 to receive public input regarding the criteria to be used in evaluating candidates. (See story on page 1.) ‘I have confidence that we’ll find a great candidate,? Schultz said.

The strip mall across from the old L/S store site on Lapeer Road was turned to rumble last week as work began on the Atwater Commons site. The property will blend residential units with commercial buildings such as a CVS Pharmacy and an Applebee’s Restaurant.

Clarkston middle schoolers? computer recycling project, Nov. 7, was a success, collecting hundreds of old computers, TVs, and other electronics for recycling.
‘This keeps old computers out of the landfills,? said Sashabaw Middle School Leadership student McKenzie Suarez. ‘They have lots of bad chemicals.?
‘Old computers have high levels of mercury,? explained Ruth Hutchens, Clarkston High School student who helped out at the event.
‘It’s one of the things the students are doing to learn about ecology and service,? said Rodney Pierson, seventh grade teacher at Sashabaw Middle School.
About 25 Sashabaw students in its Leadership and Academic Service Learning classes were joined in the project by about 20 International Baccalaureate students from Clarkston High School.
‘We had a good turnout,? said high school student Anna Gencay.