A second member of the administration team at Grand Rapids Public Schools has been placed on leave for the rest of the current school year.

Superintendent Dr. Leadriane Roby announced in a letter to staff that Chief Area Instructional Leader of Southeast Quadrant Bridget Cheney was placed on administrative leave until June. The leave is part of a personnel matter that the district did not detail publicly.

Cheney is the second administrator to be placed on leave that will last through the end of the school year. Dr. Brandy Lovelady Mitchell, the district's deputy superintendent of preschool through 12th grade learning and leadership, was removed from her active duties on March 12.

It is not clear if there is any connection between Cheney and Mitchell's leaves. In both cases, Dr. Roby did not establish a clear date that either woman would return to work.

The situation with Dr. Mitchell has now been made more public. Dr. Roby has recommended that Mitchell's employment contract not be renewed beyond June 30. Mitchell will have an opportunity to meet with the school board later this month to discuss her employment.

According to letters from Roby to the school board and Mitchell, the deputy superintendent is accused of creating a culture that devalued members of her staff. A letter made available by the district revealed the issues date back to a 2024 investigation.

The investigation found Mitchell's leadership style and staff interactions had a detrimental impact. It also determined her supervisory methods and management approach created a culture of devaluing employees.

Rather than terminating Mitchell at the time of the investigation, the district placed her on an improvement plan. The plan included training and regular check-ins with Dr. Roby. Following the completion of the improvement plan, the district received further complaints, and Dr. Roby continued to have concerns regarding Mitchell.

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The district has not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding Cheney's administrative leave.