City schools administrator resigns
The chief academic officer for Columbus City Schools resigned after being placed on administrative leave when district officials learned she was also working a similar position for the Philadelphia school district.
Tracy Ocasio resigned from her administrative position on Thursday, according to the district.
Ocasio, who started working for Columbus schools a year ago, had been placed on paid leave Tuesday from her $152,369-per-year job with the Columbus district. Her contract was supposed to go through July 31, 2021.
Reached by phone Monday afternoon, Ocasio said she resigned in April due to health concerns and moved back to Pennsylvania, but the district didn’t effectuate her resignation until August.
“Between that time frame, that three months of overlap, I worked diligently to make sure the district was able to be prepared to reopen,” she said. “I hope that the school district has a very successful year.”
Ocasio, however, submitted a notice of resignation to Columbus City Schools on May 21, stating that her last day of work would be June 30, according to a copy of her resignation letter for the district.
She later rescinded her resignation June 8, according to an email Ocasio sent to Mike De Fabbo, executive director of human resources at Columbus City Schools.
“I would like to rescind the resignation I submitted previously. I have spoken with (Superintendent) Dr. (Talisa) Dixon and discussed this action,” Ocasio wrote in the email.
Ocasio was hired as deputy director of curriculum and instruction for the
School District of Philadelphia in May at a salary of $140,000, according to a school board document.
A spokeswoman for the School District of Philadelphia said last week that Ocasio was no longer employed with that district as of last Tuesday.
Ocasio previously worked at the School District of Philadelphia as the director of instructional resources, according to her Columbus City Schools personnel file.
Monica Lewis, spokeswoman for the School District of Philadelphia, said Ocasio left the district in 2019. mhenry@dispatch.com @megankhenry