19-02-2025
South Bend superintendent, Western grad out after decision to not delay school
The superintendent of South Bend Community School Corporation is no longer with the district following his decision to not delay or cancel school last week.
Superintendent Todd Cummings, a Western High School graduate, faced criticism from both parents and school board members for not delaying or cancelling school Thursday.
Conditions were icy Thursday morning in the South Bend area, and many other schools in the region either delayed or canceled for the day.
The South Bend Tribune reported Tuesday morning the school district and Cummings had reached a tentative separation agreement.
Cummings was in his sixth year as South Bend superintendent. He was the longest-serving superintendent at South Bend in 25 years.
He graduated from Western after his family moved to Kokomo from southern Indiana, according to Cummings got his start in education at Western Middle School as an English teacher. He taught at Western for seven years.
School board Vice President Bill Sniadecki told local news outlets two dozen buses slid off the roads and a student fell and broke their wrist walking to school last week.
However, those claims appear to have been exaggerated.
WSBT, a South Bend TV station, investigated, checking with both city and county police.
There was one report of a South Bend bus hitting a mailbox Thursday morning.
An incident report from the school's transportation supervisor had 13 bus incidents, however there were no slide offs or buses stuck in ditches. Most incidents were for minor slipping on roads.
Sniadecki said he got his information from a bus driver who got it from a bus mechanic. He was also the one who told the South Bend newspaper about Cummings' departure Tuesday.
Other board members said there was a report of a student falling while walking to the bus and multiple employees slipping or falling.
An emergency school board meeting was called Friday evening. The main agenda item was a vote to put Cummings on administrative leave while his decision to have school Thursday was investigated.
However, that meeting was rescheduled almost immediately after it began, according to WNDU, another local TV station.
No comments were made by board members or the school corporation as to why the meeting was moved to Wednesday, according to multiple reports.
Wednesday's agenda includes selecting an acting superintendent.
Candidates include a deputy superintendent and principal of South Bend's virtual program.
Board member Stuart Greene said new members had disagreements with Cummings and the district's master facilities plan, saying they wanted the superintendent to consider what the public wanted.
