Geneva D-304 principal’s separation pact waived $14K in USC tuition repayment: records

GENEVA – The full cost to Geneva District 304 taxpayers for its separation agreement with a middle school principal is nearly $100,000, a figure that’s more than $14,000 than previously disclosed, according to documents.

District officials last month approved a separation agreement with former Geneva Middle School North principal Brenna Westerhoff, who on March 2 announced her resignation but remains on paid leave through June 30, 2022, when her contract ends.

As part of Westerhoff’s separation agreement, district officials agreed to pay the remaining $70,958 of salary left on her contract, as well as make payments on her behalf to the Teachers Retirement System totaling $12,956.03. They also agreed to waive an undisclosed amount of tuition money she otherwise would have been required to pay.

Newly released documents show the district agreed not to make Westerhoff repay $14,078.32 in tuition reimbursement for her doctorate degree, bringing the total cost of her separation agreement to $97,992.35, according to records the Kane County Chronicle obtained in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. According to Westerhoff’s administrator contract, she would have been required to repay 100% of the tuition if she left within three years of earning a doctorate.

Westerhoff previously said she had just completed a doctorate in education leadership and complex change at the University of Southern California shortly before she announced her resignation on March 2.

The district reimbursed Westerhoff for tuition at the University of Southern California in three lump sums of $5,784, $4,190 and $4,104 that were paid out in 2020 and 2021, records show.

The reason for Westerhoff’s resignation in just her second year leading the middle school is unclear. Neither Westerhoff nor school officials would not comment on the reason for her separation from the district.

Westerhoff and the school board “mutually agreed to terminate their employment relationship and the contract on June 30, 2022,” the agreement stated. The school board voted to approve the separation agreement at the Feb. 28 meeting, records show, but the agreement does not specify exactly how many days of paid leave Westerhoff had available.

The separation agreement started Westerhoff’s paid leave on Dec. 14 through the end of her contract, using accrued vacation and sick leave days during.

Westerhoff previously confirmed that she is being paid the remainder of her salary, which is $131,000.01.