The Shepherd School Board unanimously appointed Drea O’Donnell as the interim superintendent for School District #37 Monday evening in the district board room. She was the district’s curriculum director. This follows the placement of Scott Carter on administrative leave with pay last Thursday by the board.
The staff received this news of Carter’s leave in an early morning Friday staff meeting.
In a Friday Facebook post, Carl Openshaw, Chairman of the Shepherd Board of Trustees, revealed the information to the public adding the leave will last “pending a review of allegations that he engaged in conduct that violated School District policy.” He assured the taxpayers there was no safety risk to the students and promised to minimize disruption of the education services to the students by appointing a temporary superintendent.
In his own Facebook post on Monday, Scott Carter told the community what had happened. He said he was drinking Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. After going to bed and getting up at his usual time Thursday morning, he was making his regular rounds of the building. While talking with staff, someone thought they smelled alcohol on his breath. He says, “I did have alcohol on my breath from the night before.”
Carter said, “I came to the realization that I had a problem bigger than myself and immediately sought treatment and counseling.” After four days of intensive treatment, he returned home with on-going treatment from doctors and counselors.
Carter said he violated the trust the Shepherd community placed in him. He wanted the community to know that in his 25-plus year career, he has never drunk at work. He did not blame anyone or anything. He wrote, “I hope the community can find it in its collective heart to forgive me.”
Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019, at 6:30 p.m. the Shepherd School Board will have another meeting in the board room.
