HAVERHILL — Whittier Regional High Superintendent William DeRosa is defending the settlement that allows Principal Deborah DePaolo to continue collecting her pay while not working.
DeRosa has refused to say why the settlement was reached for DePaolo to leave the school, but yesterday — a day after he released a copy of the settlement to The Eagle-Tribune — he said he stands by it.
"It was in the best interests of the school district, students and staff," DeRosa said, adding that Whittier's lawyer, Stephen Finnegan, advised him on putting together the agreement.
DeRosa also said he made the agreement without involving the Whittier School Committee, which has representatives from each of the vocational school's 11 member communities, including Haverhill and Newburyport. He said it is within his authority as superintendent to make such a decision.
Several Haverhill officials have been critical of the decision to pay DePaolo her $120,869 salary from December, when she left the school, to the end of this school year.
The Eagle-Tribune and Mayor James Fiorentini sought information from the school about the terms of DePaolo's departure from Whittier. DeRosa said the terms of the settlement called for it to remain secret, but that he decided to release it on Thursday "so the public would know nothing underhanded was done."
DeRosa said state Supervisor of Public Records Alan Cote did not order the release. Instead, the Whittier lawyer determined that Cote would likely eventually order the release, so the school made the document public, DeRosa said.
The settlement not only allows DePaolo to draw her pay without working; it also says the public would be told she was on leave to pursue a master's degree. Just in case the state supervisor of public records ordered the release of the agreement, the Whittier district promised in the settlement to hold on to the document if DePaolo challenged the supervisor's ruling in court.
Asked if DePaolo gave him permission to release the settlement, DeRosa said, "We notified her attorney."
The separation agreement states that DePaolo and Whittier wished "to sever the relationship amicably without legal dispute."
The settlement mentions civil and criminal liabilities, but there are no civil or criminal complaints against Whittier involving DePaolo, DeRosa said.
He refused to provide details on DePaolo's departure, including whether he fired her, because her leaving is a personnel matter and therefore not public information.
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