NHPS Chief Of Staff Steps Down

New Haven Public Schools is down a chief of staff as of last week. Now, the district is hoping to fill the critical cabinet position as the 2024 – 25 school year draws near.

The news of former Chief of Staff Michael Finley’s July 15 resignation was announced at Monday’s Board of Education meeting at John S. Martinez School, in an information-only personnel report.

The board does not vote on information-only items like resignations, retirements, and transfers.

Finley was nearing his third year on the job with NHPS after being hired by then-Supt. Iline Tracey. An educator from Georgia, Finley stepped into the role in 2021 to lead the district’s executive team and over the past year has worked closely with current Supt. Madeline Negrón.

“I’m very happy for Dr. Finley and the opportunities that he’s going to be afforded now that he’s going back home,” she said. ​“I’m very grateful for how instrumental he was with all the learning I did in my first year. He was my right-hand person.”

Negrón described the vacancy as a ​“void” she plans to fill as soon as possible. ​“I cannot be without it,” she told the Independent after Monday’s board meeting.

As of Wednesday, the position has not yet been filled for the interim. Negrón and the remaining executive cabinet team of assistant superintendents have been dividing what used to be Finley’s workload among themselves.

Finley did not respond to the Independent’s request for comment by the publishing of this story. According to employment site LinkedIn, Finley began working as chief of staff for Dougherty County School System in Georgia this month.

A posting for the job of NHPS’ new chief of staff went up on Tuesday. The responsibilities for the role are listed as ​“overseeing general staff administration under the direction of the Superintendent. … monitoring and ensuring that all work and initiatives are aligned with the school system’s strategic plan and direction … plan[ning], organiz[ing], control[ling], and direct[ing] the work of the executive staff, except those specific areas reserved by the Superintendent.”

In 2021, Finley’s starting salary was $165,000 based on his experience as an assistant principal, elementary teacher, and principal in Georgia.

The NHPS chief of staff vacancy comes as the district’s chief operating officer, Thomas Lamb, has been on paid administrative leave for nearly two months pending an investigation the school district has yet to share information about.

Former city Chief Administrative Officer Michael Carter has been filling in for Lamb, to the tune of $16,000 a month. Negrón told the Independent earlier this month that Finley had also been taking on some of the chief operating officer’s duties.