Ann Arbor schools will not fill vacant deputy superintendent position

• Previous coverage: Ann Arbor deputy superintendent resigns to join former district leader Todd Roberts in N.C.

Ann Arbor Public Schools Superintendent Patricia Green has decided not to fill the district's top financial position and intends to review how the district is organized, she announced in an email.

The email was sent to staff members Monday after the district returned from mid-winter break. Deputy Superintendent for Operations Robert Allen notified the district Feb. 15 that he had accepted a position with the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

Allen will serve as vice chancellor of the school under former AAPS Superintendent Todd Roberts, who left the district for North Carolina in 2010.

Allen's last day at the Balas Administration Building will be March 8. His last official day of employment will be March 22.

"Robert has served this school district significantly and valiantly for the last six and one-half years," Green wrote in her email. "…His commitment, his dedication and his leadership have been truly appreciated by the board, by myself and by the community for all he has done. His legacy will live on long after he leaves the Ann Arbor Public Schools, and I hope you will all join me in wishing him well in his new endeavors..."

Director of Finance Nancy Hoover will serve as chief financial officer and will lead all of the financial operations for the district, while the organizational structure of the district is examined "as we continue to face serious budget reductions," Green said.

Green added at Wednesday's school board meeting that Trustee Glenn Nelson, who serves as board treasurer, will be meeting with Green and Hoover regularly as Hoover steps into her role as CFO.

Executive Director of Physical Properties Randy Trent also will serve in an additional leadership role, Green said, taking over several other areas that Allen was involved in, such as transportation and the information technology department.

Allen was one of two administrators given a raise last school year. The Board of Education approved increasing Allen's pay by 7.2 percent, from $130,556 to $140,000, in December 2011. At that time, Green made the argument that the raise was necessary to retain good employees and to bring Allen's pay to a level more consistent with other districts.

Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.