A Rockwood School District administrator is leaving his position after what he called a “challenging” three years.
Terry Harris, the district’s executive director of student services, sent an email to colleagues on Dec. 16 announcing his decision to resign from the district as of Jan. 13, 2023.
“It goes without saying that the last three years have been quite challenging in our district and profession as a whole,” Harris wrote. “Thus, I’m leaving so that I can take care of myself and my family. I am resigning so that I can feel safe in my body and in my workplace – mentally and emotionally. I am resigning in order to return to feeling valued as one of the region’s most innovative, student-centered educators.”
Harris did not respond to the Leader’s request for comments about his decision.
He has worked at Rockwood since 2006. He graduated from Lafayette High School in 2000, attending the Wildwood school through the Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corporation (VICC) program that allowed students from St. Louis to ride buses to attend Rockwood schools.
Harris served as a student service resource teacher from 2006 to 2008 and became the VICC area supervisor for the 2008-2009 school year, according to the district.
He was the coordinator of VICC during the 2009-2010 school year and then served as the coordinator of educational equity and diversity from 2010 to 2015.
Harris became the executive director of student services at the start of the 2015-2016 school year. He was being paid $168,845.53 this school year, Rockwood officials said.
“Dr. Harris has been a valued member of the district leadership team for many years,” the district said in a statement. “He is a proud Rockwood graduate and he was instrumental in establishing a number of programs that have supported countless students over the years. His leadership and his heart for the well-being of all students will be missed. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Harris’ departure comes on the heels of Rockwood’s Board of Education voting 4-3 in October against renewing three student services. Board members Jessica Clark, Izzy Imig, Randy Miller and Tamara Jo Rhomberg voted against renewing the contracts while Keith Kinder, Lynne Midyett and Jaime Bayes voted to renew them.
The three contracts that were not renewed were with Sisters Helping Each Other Reach a Higher Height, SistaKeeper Empowerment Center and Tony Thompson Inc. The district was to pay a maximum of $86,100 for the services, according to board documents.
Sisters Helping Each Other Reach a Higher Height offers a program called the LOVE (Learning Oneself Very Extensively) Project, which was created for girls of color between the ages of 9 and 17 to explore their experiences and goals, according to the foundation’s website. Rockwood Chief Communications Officer Mary LaPak said the district had offered the program since June 2016.
The SistaKeeper Empowerment Center offered sessions with female students to increase self-esteem and literacy, while decreasing relational aggression and bullying, the nonprofit’s website said. LaPak said Rockwood had contracted with SistaKeeper Empowerment Center since May 2009.
Thompson is a motivational speaker, award-winning author and entrepreneur who has developed programs aimed to help middle and high school students. LaPak said Rockwood had booked Thompson for assemblies since August 2017.
Harris said he was shocked by the decision after the contracts were not renewed.
“I think these three (programs) in particular serve minority students, and are there data points that say we brought these specific people in to fix a certain need or gap?” Clark said in October. “They have been working with the district for a few years. Are their programs effective? So those questions have been asked, and it didn’t sound like there were any answers to those.”
Rhomberg made a statement about her vote at the Oct. 20 meeting.
“I hear and understand the frustration that some students, parents and teachers may have experienced after (the Oct. 6) meeting,” she said. “My decision to not approve the three contracts stems from my concern on how to reach more students of color in a more comprehensive program in an ongoing basis while still remaining fiscally responsible to the district.”
Harris is the third administrator to leave Rockwood in the last two years as the district has been at odds with some parents with how the COVID-19 pandemic was handled and what is being taught in schools. Brittany Hogan, the district’s director of educational equity and diversity, and former Superintendent Mark Miles resigned in June 2021.
As issues snowballed during the 2020-2021 school year, Rockwood hired extra security for its board meetings, and even assigned security guards for some employees who have been targeted in online messages and emails.
In his email announcing his resignation, Harris hinted that these tensions led to his decision to leave Rockwood.
“As a district and community, this is a time for deep reflection on who we are and how we value people,” he wrote. “This is an opportunity to decide if we will continue to allow a few individuals to create chaos for the larger majority, or if we will come together and truly be a community for all. This is our time to answer with great confidence that ‘all the children are well.’”