Siren School District board accepts Principal Carrie Herman’s resignation amid staff morale concerns

The Siren School District board accepted the resignation of Principal Carrie Herman at a regularly scheduled meeting, and later approved the retirement of an administrator identified as Denise.

A board member said the resignation appeared to be driven by actions at a recent board meeting and expressed alarm at staff departures, saying, “I feel that she is pushed out of her position.” The speaker said staff and administrators have told board members they do not feel supported, and warned that the district has lost "how many students in the last two years" and multiple staff members who cited a lack of backing from the board.

The board opened the discussion after the chair introduced new business on resignations and retirements and called for motions. Corey moved to accept Carrie Herman’s resignation; Polly seconded. After discussion, the motion was approved by voice vote. The transcript records multiple “aye” responses during the vote; the motion carried.

Members used the discussion to raise procedural questions about contract and handbook language governing employee departures. Board members noted that certified staff typically are asked to give notice by Feb. 15 and that administrators have an April 15 notification date in practice; several said those dates do not always align with contract language. One board member clarified that administrators commonly have individual contracts that can supersede handbook provisions.

“There's a difference,” a board member said, describing how administrator contracts — rather than the district handbook — often govern resignation and retirement terms. Members discussed how some handbook language had been carried over from earlier union-negotiated agreements and that some provisions may have grandfathered status.

The board then moved and seconded a motion to accept the retirement of an administrator identified as Denise. Members debated whether the filing was labeled as an "early retirement" or a resignation and again discussed the lack of a clear, district-wide policy for certified versus non-certified staff. The motion to accept Denise’s retirement passed on a voice vote.

After approving the personnel items, the board voted to convene into closed session, citing Wisconsin state statute 19.85(1)(c), (e), (f) and (g), to consider employment, promotion, compensation or performance data of public employees and to confer with legal counsel. A roll-call-style confirmation began before the public portion of the transcript ends.

The board did not, in the public record provided, state detailed vote tallies tied to individual board member names beyond the spoken voice votes. Several members urged a return to policy-committee review and regular handbook review to clarify procedures for resignations, retirements and contract language. The board also noted plans to post openings and move forward with staffing decisions.

Next steps: the board entered closed session to continue personnel and legal discussions; the public record provided here ends as the roll-call confirmation is recorded.