Lancaster ISD superintendent Lewis receives second notice of termination

by Bill Conrad of of Lancaster TODAY

Not sure how the message isn't getting through to Superintendent Lewis.

Lancaster School District Superintendent Larry Lewis was delivered a second amended notice of proposed termination Jan. 13. Lewis received the initial notice of termination Dec. 3 and has appealed. The appeal hearing is Feb. 9 at the Lancaster ISD Administration Building.

The new notice lists four areas as reasons Lewis' contract is being terminated. They are: I. Issues related to district budget management; II. Issues related to management; III. Issues related to required communications to the board; IV. Issues related to breach of ethical responsibilities.

The first three areas were all included in the original notice and include alleged infractions such as “failing to supervise the preparation and presentation of the annual budget for fiscal year 2008,” “participated in and approved a program by which district funds were loaned to employees for no interest,” and “failing to provide each trustee with a copy of the Texas Education Agency Preliminary Investigative Report.”

The fourth area included new charges dealing with Lewis allegedly making false statements or misrepresentations to the Texas Education Agency, Anderson Jones law firm and district financial conservator James Damm. It also accused Lewis of falsifying district attendance records and counting senior students who had already graduated, as present.

Lewis has denied any wrong doing.

Lewis was placed on administrative leave in Oct. 14. He received a contract extension on March 11, 2008 that was set to run through June 30, 2011. His 2008-09 salary was $197,600.