UPDATE 2:05 p.m. October 8, 2021: The Marysville School District notified the Lynnwood Times of a link to an external portal located on the website that links to the Special Meeting agenda. The district also clarified with the The Times that not all meeting announcements are placed in the News Section of the district’s website. The district also provided a copy of an email that was sent at 8:00 a.m. September 21, exactly 24 hours prior to the September 22 Special Meeting with a link for attendees invited to the Special Meeting. With this new information, the Lynnwood Times has updated the article to reflect this update. The district also rescinded its offer of an official press release on the settlement agreement with Superintendent Thompson. The Times is still awaiting responses from the district on the handling of the settlement agreement.

MARYSVILLE, Wash., September 23, 2021 — Following a 6-month medical leave, Marysville School District Superintendent Jason Thompson will be resigning after the district’s board of directors approved his resignation terms in an 8-minute special meeting.

The meeting, which requires 24-hour public notice, was posted just minutes before the 24-hour deadline, required by Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act, to the the district’s board meeting agendas and minutes repository called EduPortal hosted by eConvene. The meeting was not posted to the News Section of the district’s website. The district clarified with the The Times that not all meeting announcements are posted in the News Section of the district’s website – specifically Special Board Meetings; however, past Special Board Meetings have been posted.

Since March of 2020, the district has been posting board meeting announcements of all types – Regular, Special, Executive, and Work Study – to its News Section of the district’s website. Of the 68 meetings posted to the eConvene portal from 2019 to current school year, 30 of those meetings were not announced to the News Section of the district’s website.

The district clarified that the official public location for all board meeting announcements is EduPortal and not the News Section of its website.

According to the meeting minutes, the board approved Thompson’s settlement, which permits the absent superintendent to collect his $21,629.85 monthly pay until his official resignation takes effect in June 2022, according to the 10-page separation agreement. 

Thompson has been collecting his pay since his leave of absence began. He will continue collecting pay and additional benefits, including full medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as a mileage stipend. 

The agreement also stipulates that Thompson “will not be eligible for rehire with the District, and  . . . will not seek any future employment with the District.” He is, however, permitted to apply for employment with other districts following the expiration of his 2022 contract. 

At the onset of his leave back in March, Thompson’s position was filled by interim Superintendent Lori Knudson. Less than four months later, Knudson stepped down to take an executive director position and was replaced by current interim Chris Pearson in July.

Pearson is Marysville’s third superintendent of 2021. He is slated to fill the position until Thompson’s contract expires in June 2022. 

The Lynnwood Times has reached out to the Marysville School District regarding the resignation of Superintendent Thompson but is still waiting a response. The district plans to release an official statement later this week.