Vancouver Public Schools announces resignation of staffer; third‑party investigation, OSPI notification to continue

The Vancouver Public Schools Board of Directors announced at its regular meeting that it received a written resignation from an employee identified in the district materials as Shad Brianna Gatson, effective Feb. 3, 2025, and said the district will continue a separate third‑party investigation into allegations involving the employee.

Board member Director Decker read the personnel notice into the record and said, “We do not wish to continue paying public funds for administrative leave any longer than legally necessary,” adding that adding the employee’s name to the employee report “allows us to take action now rather than waiting for the outcome of an investigation.” Decker said the board and district leadership consider the alleged misconduct “appalling and unacceptable.”

The district told the board it will share findings of the third‑party investigation with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and will continue to share information with law enforcement. Decker said the district will review and revise procedures and practices related to reports of this nature and “will share the results of that investigation and our next steps when it concludes.”

Several parents and community members used the public‑comment period to press for additional accountability and transparency. Sabrina Sheehy, who identified herself as a parent, a social worker and a mandated reporter, said she had reviewed personnel files and alleged the district had multiple prior admonishment letters for the employee dating to 2013, 2014 and 2017. Sheehy told the board those earlier actions were insufficient and called for removal of administrators she named in her remarks from positions of authority: “Any adult employed in positions of power in Vancouver Public Schools who knew of the actions of this man and did nothing to stop him should be ashamed of themselves and step down immediately,” Sheehy said.

Another commenter, Daniel Jockel, called for transparency from the district as the investigation proceeds, saying the district’s handling of prior complaints had broken community trust and that the board’s forthcoming communications will determine whether trust can be rebuilt.

The board did not record a formal vote on the personnel matter during the portion of the meeting captured in the transcript; members said the resignation had been received and that the district would continue cooperating with investigators. The board statement and public comments emphasized the district’s pledge to strengthen policies and procedures governing reports of alleged misconduct.

The board and administration did not provide additional details in the meeting about the allegations, any criminal charges, or the personnel‑process timeline beyond the resignation date and the commitment to share investigation results with OSPI and law enforcement when available.

Ending: The district said it will release next steps after the third‑party review concludes and asked the public to await the investigation’s findings.