FALL RIVER — The Diman school committee Thursday offered Superintendent-Director Thomas Aubin a “separation agreement” and appointed Principal Elvio Ferreira as interim superintendent, effective on Friday.
The move brings to an apparent end the public four-month struggle between Aubin and the school committee. Citing concerns with Aubin's temperament and ability to work with the school committee, the committee asked Aubin to voluntarily leave the district in early December. Aubin declined.
One day later, the six-member Greater Fall River Vocational School District Committee voted 5-1 against renewing Aubin’s three-year contract, setting off a wave of opposition from supporters.
The sole member who voted in favor of renewing Aubin’s contract in December, the Rev. Jay Mello, was the sole member present at Thursday’s meeting who voted against the separation agreement. Fall River representative Joan Menard was absent.
Immediately after, members voted unanimously to offer the interim superintendency to Ferreira, to whom the committee at a February meeting that was attended by about 130 Aubin supporters offered the superintendent job, pending contract negotiations.
Several days later, Aubin and 11 registered voters sued the school committee, alleging the school committee violated both open meeting law and the terms of Aubin’s contract. As redress, the lawsuit asked Aubin’s tenure as top district administrator be extended for one year.
A status hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for April 22 in Bristol County Civil Superior Court, said attorney John Davis, who is representing the school committee in the matter.
Davis said the terms of the “separation agreement” are not yet public. The agreement must first be signed by Aubin, and a period of time during Aubin could “revoke” the agreement must elapse, he said.
“There is a period when he could potentially revoke it so after that it becomes binding and it’s a public document,” said Davis.
Aubin, who did not attend the meeting, was reached by phone. He said he expected to sign the agreement on Friday, and said the terms of the agreement will be released by his attorney Philip Beauregard.
Aubin, who is a Diman graduate and took his first job as a substitute there in 1984, thanked supporters and students.
“To the thousands of people and businesses that have come to my support I’m eternally grateful to them, to the former and current students, I really hope they feel I did right by them,” he said.
Following the meeting, which drew about 10 people to the school’s auditorium, Ferreira said he will follow through on important district projects in the works, including the new or renovated school project with the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
“Starting three years ago, I was part of a great duo that had a big plan, and it didn’t quite come out the way we were hoping. But we started many different initiatives and there were many plans in place for the rest of the year, and we’re going to continue down that path and finish strong,” he said.
Email Amanda Burke at aburke@heraldnews.com.