The York City School Board accepted the resignations of District Supt. Deborah Wortham and two school board members during its meeting Wednesday, the same night the board was presented with a financial recovery plan based on reforming the district from within.
See the full recovery plan.Or see the plan at a glance.
Before Wednesday's meeting began, Wortham, who joined the district in 2011, said that she had accepted a superintendent's position in the Roosevelt Union Free School District in Long Island, N.Y. She said she turned in her resignation letter earlier Wednesday evening.
Wortham had been seated at the board table at William Penn Senior High School, but left the building before the meeting began.
As soon as the meeting started, about an hour late, board member James Morgan announced that he would be resigning for personal and health reasons. Asked when his resignation would be effective, he answered "five minutes ago."
Moments later, board member Aaron Willford announced he was resigning, too, effective immediately.
Both resignations required the approval of the board and David Meckley, the state-appointed chief recovery officer. The state law that placed the district in financial recovery status included that board members may not resign without the chief recovery officer's approval.
Then, the board voted 7-0 to accept Wortham's resignation, effective immediately. Margie Orr, board president, read Wortham's letter of resignation.
The letter read included an effective date of May 15, though Wortham said before the meeting that she included an effective date of June 30. See Wortham's contract below.
Willford said outside the meeting that he resigned because of "vindictiveness" of the board's leadership and the handling of the superintendent's resignation, which he felt was "somewhat forced."
He said he lost confidence in Orr's leadership, and he felt he was wasting his time on the board.
"Under her leadership," he said, "the board is going to hell." He said the only thing that will save the district is Meckley.
Morgan left the board meeting immediately after resigning and could not be reached later.
Orr said later that the board "had absolutely nothing to do with forcing Dr. Wortham out," and that Wortham had the support of the majority of the board. She said Wortham had done some great things in the district and she wished her well.
Orr declined to comment on whether Wortham had another job, saying it wasn't in her resignation letter.
Wortham and Orr offered different statements of how long the resignation has been in the works.
Wortham said her offer letter from the New York district was dated April 30. She said board members had been after her for weeks to reconsider.
Orr said the board hadn't known for weeks. She said the board had heard that Wortham applied for a job, but that Wortham didn't give any indication she'd accepted.
But, Orr said, she wasn't surprised by the resignation.
As the board meeting closed, Orr told those in attendance that the district has challenges ahead but she's confident that the district has great administrators who can "step to the plate and move the district forward."
"This is not going to deter us from what we have to do for our children," she said. "People come and go, we have no control over that."
Orr expressed confidence in the remaining board members and said no single person can keep the district from moving forward.
"Now is when we do need to come together," she said. She thanked those who attended and asked them to "keep this district in your prayers."
Before the meeting, Wortham said she came to York City to do a job. She's known as a turnaround specialist, she said.
"That job was to put the district in the right direction," she said.
She cited work such as closing the two middle schools, increasing student achievement, establishing the Success for All program in schools, and seeing McKinley Elementary School meet state test standards and exit school improvement status.
She said she was approached about interviewing for the other position and "fell in love with another challenge."
Wortham said she was grateful to have served in York. She said the internal reform plan was the guarantee the district would move forward.
Meckley presented his proposed financial recovery plan to the board Wednesday night.
As he presented, he said the district is blessed to have a "very strong cabinet and administration" referring to remaining administrators as "really outstanding individuals."
He said after the meeting that he wishes Wortham well and that the depth of the district's staff will allow the recovery plan to succeed.
"The plan's a good plan," he said. "These are good people."
Reaction to Wortham's resignation
"Obviously we're saddened by the sudden departure of Dr. Wortham and the two board members," Mayor Kim Bracey said.
She said her administration will continue to assist the district as it can.
"We'll get through this," she said.
York City Councilman David Satterlee said he felt very positive about Wortham. She was receptive and open to input about solving problems in the school district.
"I'm disappointed by the news, but that the same time, I wish her all the best," he said.
To think that someone could come in and solve the problems in a year is "absurd," Satterlee said. The problems of the school district are not easily solved by one person, he said.
York County President Commissioner Steve Chronister said he's not surprised at all by Wortham's resignation.
"I will just say I believe the school district will be better off," he said.
Chronister said he was a believer of hers for a few weeks when she first came. But when the cheerleading wore off, she wasn't somebody with the conviction needed to turn around the city school district, he said.
It's not personal, he said. It's just his feelings about the needs for the school district.
"I don't know that we needed somebody coming in from out of town, telling us what we wanted to hear," he said. "I think she did a great job with that."
-Teresa Ann Boeckel, Daily Record/Sunday News
Wortham's bio
Education:
Ed.D, Nova Southeastern University; M.S., Morgan State University; B.S., University of Wisconsin
Professional certifications:
Superintendent's letter of eligibility, certified assessor with the National Association of Secondary School Principals
Experience:
President/CEO of Wortham Educational Associates, 2010-present
Superintendent, Steelton-Highspire School District, 2008-2010
Baltimore City Public Schools, 1972 to 2007, positions held include teacher; principal for elementary, middle and high schools; director of professional development, area academic officer
Source: Pennsylvania School Board Association
