Schmidt resigns as superintendent of Red Oak schools

 The Red Oak School District will soon have a new leader. 

Terry Schmidt’s resigned as superintendent at a special meeting April 9, ending an eight-year tenure at Red Oak.

“I have enjoyed the professional relationships forged over the past eight years with many outstanding teachers, support personnel and leadership team members,” Schmidt wrote in his resignation letter. “After careful thought, I have decided to quit.”

The five-sentence letter offered no reason for the resignation, and when interviewed following the meeting, Schmidt declined to further comment. 

Board President Lee Fellers said he was surprised by the resignation, but does believe it was connected to Schmidt’s performance review, which occurred at a separate board meeting a week before his resignation. 

Fellers declined to comment on specifics from that evaluation, adding there was no discussion regarding Schmidt’s contract,  which expires June 30. 

Schmidt will serve out the remainder of that contract, and Fellers said the search for a new superintendent begins immediately. 

“June 30 is going to be upon us quicker than we think, so this is something we are going to need to get on right away,” Fellers said. “We have to have a superintendent.”

While the matter will be discussed in detail at future board meetings, Fellers is confident the board will contract with an outside firm to help locate potential candidates. 

“It seems to me, with everything that is going on, we are probably going to engage a search firm to help us out with that,” he said. “We will express the immediacy of the situation. This is obviously a discussion the board will have going forward, but I can’t imagine doing this without a search firm.”

Fellers is also optimistic a new superintendent will be in place by the start of the upcoming school year. 

“An interim is not my preference, especially with a building project going on,” Fellers said, referencing Tigervision. “We need to hire a permanent person. It will be challenging to have someone in place by June 30, but it’s something that has to be done.”

Fellers said he believes Schmidt is leaving the district on good terms, largely because of some of the successes the District has enjoyed in the last eight years. 

“In some areas we are ahead from where we were when Terry arrived,” Fellers said. “Obviously, five years ago, we had some significant financial problems and through his leadership … we were able to get to the good place we are today.”

Fellers also cited other district achievements such as the implementation of the computer one-to-one program at the high school and middle school, starting the response to intervention program which identifies and provides additional resources to at-risk students, and the formation of a strong administration team. 

As for the next superintendent Fellers said there are traits he personally would like the ideal candidate to have. 

“I want someone who understands how we can change the culture to improve rigor, improve our offering, really challenge our students and have high expectations for everyone in our district,” he said. “He or she should be very personable, very community minded and student-centric. And with a building project going on, if someone has that experience in their background, that would be a plus.”