Lark resigns for $152,500 settlement

Douglas County Superintendent Carol Lark resigned this afternoon after school board trustees agreed to pay her $135,000, plus $17,500 in accrued vacation.

The board voted 7-0 to accept an agreement in which she would promise not to sue for wrongful termination.

The district will issue the check in January.

School board trustees are to discuss hiring an interim superintendent this afternoon.

R-C Reporter Scott Neuffer is at the meeting.

LARK TIMELINE

February 2006

Carol Lark, an assistant superintendent from Clark County, is named new superintendent with high praise from board members.

July 2006

Lark begins her new job.

Late 2007

Lark addresses elevated radon levels at Zephyr Cove Elementary and oversees consolidation process, which involves closing Kingsbury Middle School.

Early 2008

Lark grapples with first wave of budget cut proposals coming down from the state.

August 2008

School board members cut $1.16 million from their budget. Radon issues resolved at Zephyr Cove Elementary.

November 2008

The school district's continuation bond for capital improvement projects is passed by voters at the polls. Lark begins hosting town hall meetings anticipating more budget cuts coming down from the state.

February 2009

Lark makes final recommendations to board regarding Gov. Jim Gibbons' proposed cuts to state funding. School board members cut more than $2.5 million from their budget.

June 2009

Lark's evaluation sparks controversy between her and her district office staff. Her performance is deemed satisfactory, and her contract extension is continued.

August 2009

Lark's contract is extended until 2011 by a 4-3 vote of the school board. The extension is later amended to include an improvement plan geared at mending relations between her and some of her staff.

Nov. 10, 2009

Lark resigns.