The Plymouth Board of Education has voted unanimously to accept the resignation of a supertinendent accused of stealing $15,000 from her former school system.
Board members voted unanimously to approve the motion Thursday night as part of a settlement with superintendent Eleanor Cruz, whose resignation is effective Aug. 31.
The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, but the decision was met with applause.
Cruz was arrested in August after allegedly stealing $15,000 from the town of Hebron while she was serving as the superintendent there. She was asked not to report to work in Plymouth while the school board investigates.
According to the warrant for her arrest, Cruz charged personal expenses to school district credit cards, including clothing, groceries, gardening supplies and pharmacy purchases.
She’s also accused of using taxpayer dollars to pay a private consultant for analyzing Plymouth Board of Education data shortly before she left Hebron for Plymouth, according to an audit conducted by the Hebron school board.
The Plymouth school board moved to terminate Cruz at a meeting Aug. 13 and appointed Raymond Engle to lead an investigation into her conduct.
Tonight the board appointed Mark Winzler interim superintendent while they search for a permanent replacement.
Winzler, who will assume the role Sept. 15, has served as interim superintendent in several school districts, including Columbia, East Hampton, Rocky Hill, Watertown, Berlin and Granby.
Plymouth business manager Michael Santogotta has been leading the school district since Cruz's suspension.
Cruz will face a judge Sept. 12.
