Parents and residents in Hazel Park still do not know why Superintendent Amy Kruppe was put on administrative leave, but she will have a chance to hand diplomas to graduating students at the district’s ceremonies next week.

It was announced at Monday’s school board meeting that the district had sent a letter to Kruppe giving her permission to attend the May 30 graduation ceremonies even though she was not given a date to return to work. When she was approved to be taken off administrative leave at a May 15 special meeting, the board said she was to be reinstated on or before June 30.

“She received a letter stating she can ‘attend graduation’,” Heidi Sharp, attorney for Kruppe, said in a statement after the meeting. “She has requested, in writing, to not only be allowed to attend, but to actively participate in the ceremonies and hand out diplomas.”

Kruppe verified the offer and said she needed to send a note to board President Beverly Hinton asking for permission to give out diplomas.

Hinton extended the offer to Kruppe after reading two statements regarding an investigation into violations of board policies that led in late January to Kruppe being placed on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave.

One of the Monday statements, written by the Allen Law Group, legal counsel for the district, addressed a letter sent by Sharp to board members on Sunday. The letter spelled out what would happen if the board did not immediately reinstate Kruppe.

“If it (the board) fails to do so, she (Kruppe) will have to pursue litigation for the board’s violation of the Open Meetings Act and her due process rights,” Sharp wrote in the letter. “Unfortunately, this will subject the district to further unnecessary attorney fees and expenses and after wasting so many funds these past four months, Dr. Kruppe wants nothing more than to avoid this for the district.”

The letter also accused the board of not setting a return to work date and possibly miss the graduation ceremony as punishment.

Sharp also revealed her perspective on what occurred during a closed session at a May 15 special meeting during which the board voted to reinstate Kruppe as superintendent.

“During this more than two-hour session the board met with its attorney and discussed the recent lengthy investigation conducted regarding Dr. Kruppe, her performance as Superintendent, and how they could get her to quit,” Sharp wrote. “During the session it even sent its attorney hired specifically to try to end Dr. Kruppe’s contract out to speak with Dr. Kruppe’s attorney to ask if she would be willing to resign in lieu of a partial payout of her contract.”

She added, “After Dr. Kruppe refused to resign at the repeated requests of the board’s attorney, the board finally came to the decision it should have months ago — to reinstate her.”

“It is unclear how (Sharp) arrived at this conclusion without factual support,” Hinton said in the district’s response statement. “The board categorically denies this assertion.”

On Monday, Trustee April Beaton asked that Kruppe’s specific return date be added to the agenda and be voted on.

“I would like to add an item to the agenda that solidifies a formal return to work date for superintendent Kruppe,” said Beaton. “I want to discuss it today as a board so that we can make that determination on our own.”

“I am not comfortable doing that without our attorney present,” said Fortress.

A vote to change the agenda failed 4-3. Hinton, Fortress, Vice President Deborah LaFramboise and Trustee Darrin Fox voted in favor of going forward with the original agenda. Beaton and Trustees Nathon Becker and Monica Ratte voted against.

A second statement read by Hinton during the meeting generalized why Kruppe was placed on administrative leave, but did not give specific instances of what policies she violated.

Hinton said “performance deficiencies” were found during the investigation, but did not elaborate.

She said the investigation has been completed and results have been submitted to the board and to Kruppe.

“While the process has been challenging, the board has received answers concerning longstanding concerns and is now prepared to move forward with Dr. Kruppe as the superintendent for the 2025-26 school year,” said Hinton.

Former Wyandotte superintendent Catherine Cost has been interim superintendent since Feb. 2 and has been paid $800 per day in the position.