Cumberland County board approves mutual separation of Director Stepp and selects Rebecca Farley as interim director

The Cumberland County Board of Education voted to approve a mutual separation agreement with Director Stepp and then selected Rebecca Farley as interim director by closed ballot during its regular meeting.

Board counsel described the proposed mutual separation as “a very simple agreement” that would preserve Mr. Stepp’s employee benefits while removing day‑to‑day responsibilities. The board approved the mutual agreement on a roll call vote with the following recorded positions: Miss Hough — yes; Mr. Van Wegel — yes; Miss Nichols — no; Miss Hale — yes; Mr. Matthews — yes; Mr. Cole — yes; Miss Stout — abstain; Mr. King — yes. The motion passed.

After approving the agreement, the board placed the process to name an interim director on the agenda and temporarily allowed three in‑district candidates to be considered despite an existing policy restriction. The board voted on the suspension/exception to the policy (to permit the three candidates to be considered) by roll call; the exception carried as recorded in the meeting.

Ballots were cast by board members to name an interim director. The transcript records several board members’ votes by name: Mr. Cole — Rebecca Farley; Mr. Matthews — Rebecca Farley; Miss Hale — Dr. Maddox; Miss Stout — Rebecca Farley; Mr. Van Winkle — Dr. Maddox. The meeting record shows the board congratulated Doctor Farley after the count and announced her selection as interim director; a final, complete ballot tally was not read aloud in full in the transcript excerpts provided.

The board also voted to engage the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) for recruitment and to include a superintendent evaluation in the first year for the incoming director. A board member described the selected TSBA package as a roughly $7,500 plan that would provide a survey, advertising and community communication to support the search. The roll call on hiring TSBA for the recruitment/evaluation package carried by recorded vote.

Board members discussed the Director of Schools job description and qualifications; one board member noted that state statute requires at least a college degree for the director role. The board later approved the job description revisions by roll call.

What this means: Under the terms described during the meeting, Stepp will remain an employee with access to benefits while relieved of daily operational duties under a mutual separation agreement; the board has installed Rebecca Farley as interim director and hired an outside firm to assist with recruitment and first‑year evaluation. The meeting transcript does not include a verbatim, final financial or severance figure tied to the separation agreement.

Sources: statements by board counsel during the meeting; roll‑call votes recorded during the meeting; ballot statements read aloud during the selection process.