The Dubuque School Board has selected the district’s current director of human resources to serve as acting superintendent. Stan Rheingans’appointment comes after superintendent Larie Godinez told the board she will be taking an extended leave of absence.
On Monday, the board voted to begin the process of firing Godinez. The board cited a “lack of confidence by staff and failure to lead” as the reasons for considering her termination. Rheingans says it’s his priority to make sure students and teachers finish out the school year on a positive note despite what’s going on at the administrative level.
“This isn’t a celebration in a sense,” Rheingans said. “Nobody wanted the scenario to roll out the way that it did, but we all need to maintain as much equilibrium as we can to keep our schools filtered from the distraction.”
Rheingans has several years of teaching experience as well as five years as a principal in Wilton, Iowa. He’s certified to be a superintendent and has been the Human Resources Director for the Dubuque Schools since 2004.
Godinez has until Saturday to ask the board for a hearing about her future employment.
By Katie Wiedemann, KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids