Petaluma school district paid departing superintendent $200,000 after ‘dispute’

The Old Adobe Union School District’s Board of Education agreed to pay former Superintendent Sonjhia Lowery more than $200,000 as part of a separation agreement obtained in a public records request.

The agreement, signed Dec. 30, 2021, but publicly acknowledged days later, came in the wake of a “dispute” between the two sides, according to the settlement. Neither side has commented publicly on the nature of the dispute.

As part of the agreement, the district agreed to pay Lowery a lump sum of $174,170.90, representing 10 months of Lowery’s regular salary, as well as $14,807.60 in health benefits and $14,407.94 in vacation pay.

The $203,386.44 total reflects the districts obligations under the July 2020 contract it signed with Lowery when she was first hired, according to that contract, which was also obtained via a California Public Records Act request.

The board officially parted ways with Lowery during a Jan. 4 emergency meeting. It also tapped former Old Adobe Superintendent Craig Conte as interim superintendent.

Conte will be paid $906 per day, up to a maximum of $48,428 – a number that represents the retiree earnings cap - through March 15.

Neither Lowery, nor Old Adobe school board President Patsy Knight were immediately available for comment.

Tyler Silvy is editor of the Petaluma Argus-Courier. Reach him at tyler.silvy@arguscourier.com, 707-776-8458, or @tylersilvy on Twitter.