Bret Champion announced his resignation last week; North Medford High School gym demolition set to begin Monday

Medford School Board members unanimously agreed Thursday to name Deputy Superintendent Jeanne Grazioli as Superintendent Bret Champion’s temporary replacement.

The move would buy the district some time, allowing May 20 elections to take place — three board member seats are up for reelection — before beginning the process to permanently fill the role.

Champion announced his resignation last week, effective June 30, after months of turmoil for the embattled district. He said a “loud contingency” had “continued to shift our focus to adult-centered issues.”

Board Chair Cynthia Wright said Grazioli would provide continuity for the district during upcoming months while the district focuses on rebuilding the collapsed North Medford High School gym, navigates the upcoming budget processes and focuses on other important projects.

Postponing the hiring process until after the election, Wright said, is due to the fact “there will be significant changes on the board” and would ensure “that the new superintendent knows that the people who hired him, or her, are actually supporting him or her.”

Wright gave board members time to “express how they’re feeling and express their gratitude for Bret and the things he’s done for our district.”

Board Vice Chair Kendell Ferguson applauded Champion, hired in 2019, for his innovative leadership and guidance during the pandemic.

Board member Jeff Kinsella said he was “angry that we’re losing this man who is a good man and has been a great superintendent.”

Kinsella touted changes that occurred under Champion’s leadership, including the opening of Innovations Academy and Oakdale Middle School, and said he wished Champion “could be here to see the fruition of all the work that he’s done and the people that he’s hired.”

Board member Suzanne Messer thanked Champion for his mentorship, noting, “I appreciated you being here and being open, and also when you corrected me when I was wrong. I appreciated that. I wish you the best at wherever you end up next and know that we’re supporting you.”

Board Member Michael Williams, who has clashed with Champion in recent months and was the subject of a complaint filed by Champion over a heated exchange in October, acknowledged common ground. Williams, too, filed a complaint against Champion and Wright.

“We’re both outsiders, we’re both from the South, and I think we’re both very passionate about providing the best for our kids,” Williams said.

“Just relocating, going somewhere else, going to what I would easily consider to be a different country… is very hard to do. It’s like learning a different language, learning a different culture,” Williams said.

“You did very well. Not only did you come into a foreign land, you gained tremendous amounts of respect. … Bret Champion. I may not always agree with you. That does not mean I do not respect you.”

Williams stood to shake Champion’s hand and the men embraced. Champion thanked the board and community members for an “outpouring of support” and said he was sad to leave. He told the board his role had been to “represent the team of human beings who are doing the strong work in our classrooms and leading our buildings” and that he had confidence in the district’s ability to continue to move forward.

In addition to Champion’s departure, a list of 15 district employee resignations effective at the end of the school year in June was recently released. The list includes District Communications Director Natalie Hurd, school principals at Washington and Howard elementary schools, and an assistant principal at Kennedy Elementary School.

Board members will officially vote to appoint Grazioli during a March 20 board meeting. 

Grazioli, a district employee for 13 years and an educator for more than 30 years, said she was grateful for the chance to bring “consistency and stability during this time of transition.”

Prior to serving as deputy superintendent, Grazioli served in a number of roles for MSD including executive director of teaching and learning, director of elementary education and principal of Oak Grove Elementary.

Following the meeting Grazioli said she was saddened by Champion’s resignation but grateful for his mentorship.

“He’s a tough act to follow. He is a great communicator,” she said.

“He’s taught me a lot and he has a lot of experience. … I’m glad he’s going to be around a little bit to help with this transition.”

Grazioli said if the district could “get back to really focusing on the students and keep the momentum going with the good things that we’re doing, I really feel like we’re gonna be ok.”

She noted, “This is familiar land to me and it’s comfortable. It feels like home since I’ve already been here. This will be a great learning opportunity for me to grow. … I just love the people here and I feel dedicated to the work we’re doing and to help keep things moving forward.”

Gymnasium demolition set to begin Monday

In other news, board members were provided an update on the North Medford High School gym, which collapsed Feb. 11.

Facilities Manager Andy Chasteen detailed a tentative timeline for assessment, demolition and rebuilding. Chasteen said four teams of engineers would be on-site next week to assess the structure and begin whatever level of demolition is deemed necessary.

Chasteen told board members that the gym collapse, and related financial impact, did not meet state and federal emergency declaration guidelines that would have provided $100,000 toward the district’s portion of the rebuild.

Chasteen said district officials were working to ensure temporary facilities for students to use and that a contractor would be selected by May to work with project designers.

“Students will miss one year with a full-size gym,” Chasteen said, noting that the timeline would be updated as things move along.

“It’s hard to make speculation on what the future looks like, but it’s a long road to get there.”

Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 458-488-2029 or bpollock@rv-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.