BEVERLY — Catherine Gannon has withdrawn her arbitration request against the Local School Council at Sutherland Elementary School.
Gannon served as principal at the school at 10015 S. Leavitt St. in Beverly from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2014.
On Jan. 21, 2014, the LSC voted against renewing Gannon's contract for a third, four-year term. The following day, Gannon vowed to fight the decision and requested arbitration.
That request has been withdrawn, according to a joint statement read aloud at a special meeting of the LSC on Tuesday evening. All but one of the council members appeared at the hearing. Gannon was not present.
"We recognize that the arbitration has been divisive, dividing neighbor from neighbor, generating turmoil, uncertainty and mistrust at Sutherland, and creating a climate of conflict that harms the children of our community," LSC chairwoman Julie O'Connor read.
None of the LSC members would comment beyond the joint statement that was signed by both O'Connor and Gannon.
Gannon announced plans to request an arbitrator at an LSC meeting on Jan. 22, 2013. A packed school auditorium erupted in applause at the news, as many of Gannon's supporters attended the meeting.
However, the LSC continued to move forward with plans to hire a new principal. On May 1, 2014 the council voted to extend an offer to Eric Steinmiller, then the resident principal at North Lawndale College Preparatory High School.
Steinmiller accepted the offer and has been serving as principal at Sutherland ever since.
Gannon also moved on. She was hired on July 1, 2014 to serve as the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in District 130. Her annual salary is $114,000, according to meeting minutes posted online.
The suburban school district serves 4,000 students at 12 school sites. Students in District 130 live in portions of Alsip, Blue Island, Crestwood and Robbins.
In the joint statement, both parties agreed that arbitration would likely have stretched another six months before the case could be finalized. Then, both sides would have to wait for the arbitrator to render a decision.
The statement goes on to thank Gannon for her "years of dedication and service" and urges students, parents, teachers and faculty come together in the wake of the tumultuous change in leadership.
"All agree that along the way, there have been mistakes, deep misunderstandings and missed connections," the statement reads.
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