In a significant move that has sparked considerable discussion, the Riverside Local Schools board has announced a termination hearing for Superintendent Christopher J. Rateno while simultaneously appointing an interim superintendent. This decision was made during a brief special meeting held on Monday.
The board, led by President Scott Fishel, Vice President Dennis Keeney, and member Denise Brewster, voted unanimously with a 3-0 decision to schedule the hearing for January 4th at the board conference room located at 585 Riverside Drive in Painesville. Notably, this hearing was requested by Rateno himself on December 12 and will take place before a referee appointed by the state, as mandated by state regulations.
It’s important to highlight that two board members, Belinda Grassi and Lori Krenisky, were absent from this pivotal meeting. This gathering occurred just days after a Lake County judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing the board from reallocating $4.6 million from the district's general fund to its permanent improvement fund—a decision linked to the financing of the Buckeye Elementary project, which is at the center of the board's case against Rateno.
As the board navigates through this challenging period, it is also undergoing leadership changes. Fishel and Keeney recently lost their reelection bids in November and are currently serving out the last weeks of their terms before new members assume office on January 1, which will result in a shift in board control.
The outgoing majority, consisting of Fishel, Keeney, and Brewster, is pushing forward with the termination process against Rateno during this lame-duck phase. This approach has drawn criticism from some quarters, who argue that significant decisions should be left for the incoming board to address instead.
On the same day, the board appointed Robert Scott as the interim superintendent. Scott, who currently serves as the director of superintendent support services at the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve, will receive compensation of $115.34 per hour, along with a 6% administrative fee. However, his role will be restricted to overseeing daily educational and operational tasks, explicitly barring him from making any long-term strategic decisions.
Meanwhile, Rateno remains suspended without pay as the process for his termination continues to unfold. This situation raises many questions about governance and decision-making in educational institutions—what do you think? Should major administrative changes be made by outgoing boards, or should they wait for newly elected officials to take office? Your thoughts could add depth to this ongoing conversation.
