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Staff writer

As a tumultuous budget season ends, Isle of Wight County school superintendent Katrise Perera is seeking a new beginning as a school superintendent in St. Lucie County, Fla.

Perera announced her intentions to leave the division in an email to staff Friday morning and a press release Friday afternoon.

In the email to staff, Perera didn’t say why she wanted to leave, but in a press release, spokesperson Kenita Bowers said it was “in light of recent occurrences that have taken place within the County.”

She didn't specify what she was referring to, but she applied for the Florida job before May 1, well before the most recent controversy over comments in a Board of Supervisors meeting.

Bowers added that it was in Perera's family's best interest.

School Board member Kent Hildebrand said Perera told the Board she planned to leave about one month ago.

Hildebrand said he understands her reasons for leaving, which he said were “personal,” but wasn’t surprised at her pending departure.

“Not with the reasons that she gave me,” he said.

Perera is among six finalists for the superintendent position for St. Lucie, which begins July 1.

St. Lucie started its search for a new superintendent this spring after its current superintendent, Mike Lannon, announced he would retire June 30.

The job opening closed May 1, in-person interviews are scheduled for June 3, 4 and 5, St. Lucie School Board plans to select its superintendent by June 10, according to the school district’s website.

St. Lucie County is located along Florida’s Atlantic coast and includes the city of Port St. Lucie as well as Fort Pierce.

St. Lucie has 43 schools, including one virtual school, five magnet schools and four charter schools and educates about 40,000 students, according to a 2011 county report.

Isle of Wight County schools have nine schools, one alternative school and 5,700 students.

Perera started with the division 22 months ago in July 2011 and at that time earned $130,000 a year.

She now makes $136,500 plus a $20,000 annuity paid out in installments over four years.

Last June, the School Board approved a new four-year contract while she was in the midst of a two-year contract.

According to her contract, if she decides to leave, Perera must provide 30 days written notice....(Subscribe!)

By Diana McFarland and Abby Proch

Two Isle of Wight officials on two different boards are being asked to resign from their posts this week.

Last Monday, Newport District Supervisor Buzz Bailey made comments about the South rising again. The comment touched off a furor over whether it was racially-tinged, but what prompted Chairman Jo Ann Hall to ask for his resignation during a Monday morning work session was a series of racist and off-color emails from School Board member Herb DeGroft that were sent to and forwarded by Bailey.

DeGroft’s Board is also asking for his resignation.

Neither has resigned as of Monday afternoon.

Bailey said he would not resign, and DeGroft has yet to make a decision.

One of the emails sent by both officials included a photo of topless black tribal women with spears, and it was titled, “Michelle Obama’s high school reunion.”

DeGroft’s subject line said, “The devil made me send this.”

Bailey received the email and then sent it on to a number of other recipients.

Bailey told his email list, “this is just too funny.”

Most of the emails were racist or included derogatory photos and items about President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

They were sent from and to personal email accounts.

DeGroft said there was no racist intent when he sent the emails, nor did he think they were racist. He had received it from a former colleague and forwarded it on.

Initially, DeGroft described the emails as “funny and interesting.”

On second thought, he said, “I thought they were interesting.”

Being racist is when someone called someone else a name that is not appropriate, DeGroft said.

“If my forwarding that hurt someone’s feelings, I would humbly apologize.”

In a press release issued Monday, remaining School Board members asked DeGroft to step down immediately because of his “actions,” though it did not say what those actions were.

“Mr. DeGroft’s actions are not supported by the remaining School Board members and we have given him the opportunity to resign on his own,” said School Board Chairman Robert Eley in the release.

According to DeGroft, the Board did not hold a meeting prior to releasing its statement.

DeGroft said he understands the Board members’ attempt to distance themselves from his comments. ...(Subscribe!)

By Diana McFarland and Abby Proch

Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors decided Monday to give the schools another half million dollars between now and June 30, but may demand additional budget cuts for the next fiscal year.

On Monday, the Board voted 4-1 to give the schools an additional $608,771 for the current school year to help make up money spent by the School Board beyond this year’s budget.

Supervisor Al Casteen cast the lone dissenting vote, saying that giving the schools more money would contribute to a nearly 10 percent increase in local funding over the past fiscal year.

Chairman Jo Ann Hall dismissed Casteen’s math, saying that some of the money was rollover funds to begin with.

The $608,771 was needed to overcome a $2.3 million shortfall for fiscal 2013.

Last month, the School Board received $1.4 million beyond its budget to cover expenses.

Isle of Wight Budget and Finance Director Michael Terry said the Board had $385,200 left as unassigned funds it could use before violating its policy of keeping 10 percent of the operating budget in reserves.

Monday’s decision wiped out that remaining balance and assumed the county will have a couple hundred thousand dollars that won’t be spent by other departments and thus can be given to the School Board. ...(Subscribe!)

The Smithfield Summer Concert Series kicks off this Friday at 8 p.m. with the Williamsburg Swing Orchestra, a 16-piece band that plays all the best swing music from the height of the era that spanned the1930s and 1940s, plus many hits from today.

This summer’s concerts will be among the most varied in the 27 years of the summer series.

Performances will range from this week’s swing band to a “Pirate” theme concert designed for families. (Sponsors of the series decided not to schedule a performance for Friday, May 31 in deference to the annual Relay for Life event at Smithfield High School.)

The next concert June 7 features the Smithfield High School Band, which starts a bit earlier than usual at 7 p.m. because outdoor lighting for the large band is difficult to provide.

Other musicians include Forte, Bob Zentz, The Rhondells and more. The season winds down Aug. 30 with the Fort Lee Army Band.

The concerts are free and begin at 8 p.m. at The Smithfield Times gazebo stage on Main Street in downtown Smithfield. Bring a blanket or chair.

Following is the schedule for this year:

May 24: Williamsburg Swing Band

May 31: No concert due to Relay for Life

June 7: Smithfield High School Band

June 14: Forte June 21: Bob Zentz

June 28: The Rhondells

July 5: Peninsula Concert Band

July 21: Bobby Blackhat Band

July 19: Sisters Tellado

July 26: Higher Ground

Aug. 2: Histerically Correct Pirate Show

Aug. 9: Smithfield Little Theatre

Aug. 16: Navy Four Star Edition

Aug. 23: Hard Knox

Aug. 30: Fort Lee Army Band