Windham administrator gets $40,000 severance

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September 3, 2010

By Terry Date tdate@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Fri Sep 03, 2010, 12:34 AM EDT

WINDHAM — A former administrator received $40,000 in severance pay in a separation agreement with the Windham School District.

Cherrie Fulton also received $13,320 in unused vacation pay as part of the agreement.

Fulton, who last year was the assistant principal at Center School, was hired to be principal as of July 1. Before that happened, she was placed on paid administrative leave due to an unspecified personnel matter.

Under the agreement, signed by Fulton and Superintendent Frank Bass, Fulton resigned her position as principal.

The parties agreed to settle all their disputes. In addition, Bass gave Fulton a letter of reference. As part of the agreement, Fulton and school officials agreed not to speak ill of one another.

Fulton was unavailable for comment and Bass declined comment.

School Board Chairman Bruce Anderson said it would be inappropriate for him to comment because he had recused himself from the personnel matter when it was being discussed by the School Board.

The Eagle-Tribune gained access to details of the settlement agreement through a Freedom of Information request.

Also according to the agreement, several documents have been removed from Fulton's personnel file. Those documents include a letter dated June 25 from Bass to Fulton; a letter dated June 28 from Bass to Fulton; and all documents concerning matters addressed in the letters.

The agreement also puts to an end legal proceedings involving the parties.

Fulton was scheduled to appear before the Windham School Board for a personnel hearing earlier this summer. Her lawyer, James Bianco, sought and received an injunction in Rockingham County Superior Court to prevent the hearing.

Bianco said he petitioned for the hearing because he wanted to ensure Fulton's due process rights were not violated.

The Windham School District was scheduled to respond to the injunction in court July 29, but the hearing was canceled because the two sides were close to reaching a settlement.

Fulton signed the settlement July 30. Bass signed it Aug. 16. School Board members approved the agreement.

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