Grand Canyon School Board terminates Superintendent Sharyl Allen's contract

Mike Aylstock to step in as interim superintendent through end of school year

The Grand Canyon School (GCS) Governing Board voted unanimously to immediately terminate Superintendent Sharyl Allen's contract at a 7 a.m. meeting March 27.

School board president Katie Morris made the motion during the special meeting and board member Kevin Hartigan seconded it.

Mike Aylstock, a retired superintendent for Blue Ridge School District and Northern Arizona University professor, will replace Allen as interim superintendent until the end of the school year. Aylstock will work at GCS two days a week for $500 a day.

During the call to the public, GCS teacher Deb Taylor urged board members to consider all sides, adding Allen was the only administrator who encouraged her to be a better educator during her career.

"You're like the judge and the jury of making decisions here," Taylor said to board members. "You have to make well-rounded decisions on how we teach our kids... I don't think you've done that here. I think you have some people that you're listening to and that's all you hear. Maybe that's all you want to hear."

Brad Houston, also a GCS teacher, said that Allen possessed an expert ability to lead.

"One does not make many friends leading an organization this size," he said. "Until you walk a mile in her shoes, be very cautious in your judgments."

Board members did not explain their decision during the meeting.

GCS parents Jackie Holm and Andy Pearce notified school board members of a statement of no confidence petition with more than 70 signatures during the board's meeting on March 12.

The petition lists high turnover and low staff retention, poor student performance, poor communication, incomplete curriculum, lack of accountability for payroll and tax errors, poor management of facilities and resources and disregard for separation of church and state as key concerns among parents.

A full story will be available in next week's edition of the Grand Canyon News.