Administrator Resigns from Southern Door School District

Chris Peterson. File photo by Craig Sterrett.

Superintendent Peterson, board president still not commenting

A press release last week announcing Chris Peterson’s resignation as district administrator for Southern Door County schools effective June 30 included mutually complimentary remarks from both the board and Peterson. However, it specified neither why Peterson had been on leave since mid-March nor what issue(s) had resulted in multiple closed-door meetings throughout the spring.

The Peninsula Pulse has filed an open-records request for text message, email and/or written correspondence between Peterson and any school board member, including school board president Penny Price. The intent is to be able to inform the public about the reasons for the parting of ways.

When the Pulse asked June 2 for the reason for the leave or the issue(s) that led to an inquiry by the school board, Peterson gave the same answer as he provided in March: “No comment.” His answer was the same when asked, “What’s next for you?”

Throughout the spring, Price repeatedly avoided providing any clear answers to the Pulse’s questions about the reason for Peterson’s leave and the reasons for almost-weekly closed-session meetings regarding personnel.

The board’s Thursday, June 1, agenda item regarding whether to continue the employment of the district administrator, Peterson, provided the following reason that the board had to discuss the matter in closed session: “… for the purposes of considering the employment and performance evaluation data, as well as social or personal history or disciplinary data, of the District Administrator which, if discussed in public, would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect upon the reputation of the District Administrator and to confer with legal counsel for the District who will render oral advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the Board with respect to litigation in which it is likely to become involved. [Discuss District Administrator Continuing Employment].”

Hired in 2021 from a field of finalists that included Southern Door High School principal Steve Bousley, Peterson came to Southern Door after serving as superintendent of the Howard Grove School District, northwest of Sheboygan, for 12 years. Prior to that, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater graduate served as an elementary school principal in three districts, including seven years in Manitowoc.

Peterson, who grew up in the Little Chute area, did not come to Southern Door County without contacts or knowledge about the district and community. He received assistance in his transition to the top Southern Door post from his predecessor, Patti Vickman; and he had prior familiarity with the district and Vickman’s work while serving as chair of the Cooperative Educational Service Agency 7 superintendents’ committee.

After the board’s closed-session discussion and its return to open session to accept Peterson’s resignation, the district provided the following information via a press release that stated Peterson’s resignation will be effective June 30.

“It has been a great privilege to serve as superintendent of the Southern Door School District,” Peterson said in the statement. “I am grateful to the amazing staff, administration and board members of this district. I am confident that the great work of this district and the progress that will be made will continue.”

The board took action to accept Peterson’s resignation during its June 1 meeting.

“The board would like to thank Superintendent Peterson for his commitment to the students and families of the Southern Door School District and wish him well for his continued success,” Price said in the statement. “The school board is committed to ensuring a seamless transition to the next superintendent.”

In May, the board officially gave the district’s business manager, Jason Melotte, extra duties as “district administrator of general operations.” He began providing reports and helping to run school board meetings in April.

The board announced it will begin searching for the next superintendent “in the coming weeks.”

In November 2022, Peterson succeeded in helping Southern Door school leaders to persuade voters to pass two referenda valued at $18 million, including one for exceeding funding limits for three years, and another for a two-phase capital-improvement project with a price tag of roughly $14.9 million. The centerpiece of that project is an indoor, artificial-turf practice facility and fitness center that will be used by student-athletes as well as the public.

The capital-improvement project also includes interior remodeling of some of the learning spaces, constructing a greenhouse and a building to shelter bus mechanics, expanding the parking lot to accommodate students and community members who support school activities, and demolishing the district office and relocating its office space from a house at the front of the parking lot to the current fitness facility, which is accessible to district members and occupies the front and center of the main school buildings.