Former Lincoln County School District superintendent Karen Gray must have grown tired of a quiet retirement.
Gray, who retired from the Lincoln County district in 2023 after five years, has been appointed to serve as the acting superintendent of the troubled St. Helens School District at least through the end of June.
Gray, 67, replaces the previous acting superintendent, Steve Webb, who was at St. Helens for about two months before leaving because, he said, he had completed work on a “corrective action plan” aimed at helping the school district rebuild trust with community members after several months of scandal and upheaval.
The Columbia County district imploded last December when news broke about multiple investigations into allegations of sexual abuse of students and other misconduct by staff, including a failure by senior leaders to report complaints to child welfare officials and law enforcement.
Ten employees, including Superintendent Scot Stockwell, were placed on leave while the investigation is underway. Stockwell remains on paid leave, pending the outcome of criminal and other administrative investigations.
Meanwhile, the conclusions of an independent, internal investigation into the culture of the St. Helens district, its mandatory reporting policies and staff ethics have yet to be released.
