The North Kitsap School District is poised to hire former Evergreen Public Schools superintendent Mike Merlino as its new interim director of business, finance and operations.
Merlino was fired without cause from Evergreen in December 2021 following an investigation that found he had attempted to commit multiple abuses of power and acts of retaliation against employees in the district office. He received a payout of a year’s salary, amounting to $269,038.
According to an article posted Wednesday by the Kitsap Sun, a representative from the North Kitsap School District said they were aware of Merlino’s previous firing and that it was discussed during the hiring process.
“We went with the interim position with Mike because this role is incredibly complex and we want to make sure it’s the right fit for all,” district spokesperson Jenn Markaryan told the Kitsap Sun. “Right for him, right for us.”
The North Kitsap School District serves 5,448 students and is located in the Puget Sound area, just northwest of Seattle.
