Bloomington charter school fires executive director

Two employees of a Bloomington charter school, including the executive director, were fired last month for misconduct and not meeting performance expectations, the school's board said.

Margaret Glasch helped start Bloomington's first charter school, Seven Hills Classical Academy, and had been its executive director since it opened in 2006.

In a Dec. 29 letter to Glasch made public Friday, the school board said allegations were made against her that included "inappropriate and unprofessional behavior" toward staff and students. Her firing is effective Jan. 12, the letter said.

The other fired staffer is Suzi Splinter, an assessment specialist at Seven Hills. Her firing was effective immediately, said a Dec. 29 letter to Splinter.

"I'm saddened ... devastated by what's been happening," Glasch said last week. "I've enjoyed my job from the start. It's my life."

Glasch, 48, said she is pursing legal action. Seven Hills is a K-5 school with about 425 students. She also is director of Beacon Preparatory School, a grade 6-8 charter school with about 130 students that is housed in the same building but with its own school board.

"It's unfortunate," said Graham Benson, who has three children at the two schools. "The kids loved her. She really did get that school going. She created it out of thin air."

Beacon board chair Meghan Butler said Glasch, who received a merit raise in September, has been "a good leader." Butler called Glasch "a multi-tasking queen."

Allegations were made against Glasch and Splinter in November. Both were put on paid leave pending an independent investigation.

In a letter to Glasch, the board said her "deficiencies as the Executive Director ... have had an adverse impact on the working environment." It cited allegations of inappropriately discussing personnel matters during staff meetings and not addressing two employees' behavior that was perceived as demeaning and offensive.

In the letter to Splinter, the board said her tone and demeanor to staff and students were "perceived by many as harsh, demeaning, inappropriate and unprofessional."

Splinter's attorney, Susan Minsberg, said Splinter is trying to reach a separation agreement with the school, but "if we cannot resolve the issue, we will begin legal procedures."

Glasch previously worked as an attorney in Illinois for 13 years. She started teaching in 1999 and was one of the directors of a 5,000-student charter school.