Superintendent Dance Ousts Senior Staff

Two top officials under former Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Joe Hairston are on their way out.

Chief Communications Officer Phyllis Reese and Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Donald Peccia opted out of their reassignments, which were determined by current Superintendent S. Dallas Dance last month, after negotiating settlements with the school system. Reese is receiving $71,274.50 and Peccia will get $79,714.50, according to the settlement agreements. 

The two will continue to receive health insurance and other benefits until June 30, 2013, and Peccia will remain a member of Baltimore County Employees' Retirement System, the agreements read.

The settlements are the culmination of a dispute between the officials and the current school system administration regarding the validity of their contracts, which were signed by Hairston but not approved by the school board. The board must approve contracts valued at more than $25,000; but the contracts of Peccia and Reese did not list their salary figures of $158,652 and $142,549 respectively, which were paid using public funds.

"[Peccia and Reese] asserted [the contracts] were valid, [the school system] asserted they were not," Board of Education President Larry Schmidt said.

Under their settlements, Peccia and Reese must keep the negotiations leading up to their respective agreements "strictly confidential."

The Board of Education approved Peccia's retirement and Reese's resignation during a Tuesday night Board of Education meeting.

Had the two accepted the transfers, they would have been the highest paid school system employees in their positions. Peccia would have continued to make his same salary as a social studies teacher at Woodlawn High School until his three-year contract expired on June 30, 2014, and Reese was slated to earn her six-figure salary as a copy and print specialist before her two-year contract ended on June 13, 2013.

After initially declining to comment on the departures stating that he cannot comment on "personnel matters," school system spokesman Charles Herndon provided the following statement in an email:

"The superintendent reassigned Dr. Peccia and Ms. Reese pursuant to his statutory right to select individuals of his choice to serve in his cabinet. Their reassignment and ultimate separation from the school system were not the result of any performance-related considerations and are in no way a reflection on their capabilities or prior record of service. BCPS appreciates the many years of service Dr. Peccia and Ms. Reese have provided."

Both agreements also read that the superintendent, school board and both officials have agreed not to "disparage the other party."