Head of the Evergreen School on leave

A file photo of the sign in front of the Evergreen Public Schools. The school district in Vancouver, Washington, has put its principal on leave.

Troy Brynelson / OPB

The Evergreen Public Schools board had just a few items on its agenda on Tuesday night. It started with the oath of allegiance before the agenda was passed.

The board then went to the board meeting, which was not open to the public, to “check the performance of an employee”.

When the board members returned to the public meeting, they unanimously voted to take Superintendent Mike Merlino on administrative leave pending the results of an investigation. The entire public session lasted less than four minutes.

In a statement shared on Wednesday morning, the district said the board would “maintain oversight of the district.”

The board did not share details of the third party investigations with Merlino, but said they are expected to close in the next few weeks.

Merlino has been in the district for over 20 years but has only served as superintendent for two years. He first became an interim superintendent after John Steach stepped down from office in the spring of 2019.

A review of Evergreen Public Schools found distrust and division among staff, including top executives like Merlino, according to The Columbian. The Colombian reported that the district made several changes following the report, including adding Merlino to a superintendent certification program and hiring a chief financial officer.

Merlino had served as both superintendent and CFO. He left that role while working with new CFO Jennifer Jacobson, said the Colombian.

In July, the board extended Merlino’s contract for an additional three years through 2024 for an annual salary of $ 269,038 plus $ 36,846 for serving the chief financial officer.

An Evergreen High School principal resigned earlier this year after allegations of racist language and favoritism came to light.

This story can be updated.