WENTZVILLE 鈥 Reactions to outgoing Wentzville Superintendent Danielle Tormala鈥檚 $1 million buyout were mixed Thursday, including at least one board member expressing frustration with the amount.
鈥淲hile I am not happy about the amount of money involved in the separation agreement, I鈥檓 very hopeful, and I feel positive about the new leadership in central office,鈥 said Jen Olson, board member for Wentzville schools.
Tormala will receive more than four times her salary from the 2022-23 school year 鈥 $235,000 鈥 during the next three months as part of her separation agreement with the Wentzville School District.
In all, with the district buying out the last three years of her contract plus sick days, she will receive $1,027,558.
Tormala announced her immediate sabbatical and retirement last Friday with 鈥渕ixed emotions,鈥 saying the decision was made 鈥渃ollaboratively with the board of education.鈥
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鈥淭his role has challenged me and allowed me to grow both personally and professionally,鈥 Tormala wrote in an email announcing her departure. 鈥淚 am grateful for the opportunity to have served alongside such a dedicated staff, and am confident that the administrative team will continue to lead the district well in my absence.鈥
Tormala鈥檚 departure comes after a little less than two years on the job 鈥 a tumultuous tenure mired by political conflicts and culture wars.
Tormala, 47, declined to comment Thursday.
Rumors about the superintendent鈥檚 departure swirled during the past week, including speculation that it was related to the district鈥檚 divided board. Tormala was often at odds with the conservative minority on the board, including Olson and Renee Henke, who were elected last year.
Last fall, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sued the district after Olson, Henke and fellow board member David Lewis alleged school officials held policy conversations about bathroom use for transgender students in defiance of Missouri鈥檚 open records law.
Henke said Thursday that 鈥渁 lot鈥 of the rumors surrounding Tormala鈥檚 departure are untrue. She declined to comment further but said the district鈥檚 co-interim superintendents, Jeri LaBrot and Brian Bishop, 鈥渁re doing a great job.鈥
Olson described the leadership change as 鈥渘ight and day.鈥
鈥淭hey鈥檝e been extremely helpful, accessible,鈥 Olson said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e changed the atmosphere overnight.鈥
But many in the district don鈥檛 view Tormala鈥檚 departure as a positive.
Tormala was Wentzville鈥檚 first woman superintendent and, according to a recommendation letter by former board President Shannon Stolle, boosted the district鈥檚 assessment scores across all content areas, increased staff salaries and provided new programming for the district鈥檚 鈥測oungest and most fragile students.鈥
鈥淚, for one, am very sad,鈥 parent Claudia Jenkins said. 鈥淪he consistently tried to move the district forward, but she was met with so much resistance.鈥
Katie Hubbard, whose children go to Wentzville schools, said Tormala tried to rid the district of negativity even while she faced harassment.
鈥淚t is really unfortunate that our district and society have turned to toxic culture wars,鈥 Hubbard said. 鈥淧eople are constantly trying to one-up each other on fringe, manufactured fear tactics.鈥