Jefferson Twp. is a tiny district with roughly 250 students. It was the lowest-performing district in Ohio in the 2022-2023 report card out of more than 600 schools.
The letter to Gates informing him he was placed on leave did not state a reason, but his 2024 evaluation in February was critical of his performance, even though the previous year’s performance review, in November 2023, rated him as “superior.”
The 2024 review said Gates was not effective in communicating with board members and needed to copy all board members on emails. It said staff had mentioned he was unapproachable, and parents wanted him to be more engaged — that he was not open at community events and was unavailable for media comment.
Gates will continue with his current salary of $140,000 and his current benefits to Dec. 31, according to the contract.
Clifford will be paid $110,000 for this year. His contract ends at the end of July 2025. Jefferson Twp. is paying his share of state retirement system contributions, which is standard for superintendents in the area.
Jefferson Twp.’s school board is newer, with just one member, Cuttino Dargan, who served before 2024.
About the Author