Rochester Community Schools Superintendent Resigns

ROCHESTER, MI — Rochester Community Schools Superintendent Robert Shaner resigned from his post Wednesday, according to Board of Education President Michelle Bueltel.

Bueltel said the resignation was "effective immediately" and comes months after Shaner took an unexplained leave of absence. Deputy Superintendent Debi Fragomeni has served as acting superintendent in his absence, and will continue to do so until the district decides its next steps, Bueltel said in an email.

"I understand that this transition may evoke questions and concerns within our community," Bueltel said. "We have a wonderful team of administrators that will ensure continuity and stability. As the Board of Education begins to discuss the next steps in this transition, we will keep the community informed."

Shaner served as the district's superintendent for a little more than ten years and "oversaw numerous activities that enhanced the quality of education in our district," Bueltel said.

"He promoted a culture of inclusivity, diversity and belonging within our schools," Bueltel said. "Dr. Shaner also led bond and sinking fund initiatives that allowed us to update our buildings and the district's technology infrastructure and to implement important safety and security measures."

Shaner's resignation also comes more than 16 months after parents asked him to step down following a lawsuit with a Rochester parent. The district paid Elena Dinverno nearly $190,000 to settle the lawsuit she filed against the district, claiming school officials got her fired from her job for criticizing the district's COVID-19 policies.

Dinverno said a district official contacted her employer and said she was participating in a Facebook group "engaged in launching threats against the school district."

Dinverno said she never made any threats against the school district, but rather sought opinions from parents and students in supporting the idea of reopening schools to in-person learning, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The district acknowledged the phone call was placed by a board member, but denied any wrongdoing through their attorneys, according to court documents.

Rochester Spokeswoman Lori Grein described in a deposition obtained by The Detroit News how superintendent Robert Shaner guided officials to monitor community discussions on social media.