A demand letter from the attorney representing former Cherry Creek School District Superintendent Chris Smith alleges the board of education promised to pay his salary for 18 months if he agreed to voluntarily resign, which Smith did.

He did so during an executive session held on Jan. 27 to discuss his mid-year review.

The March 19 letter from Anthony L. Leffert, an attorney with Robinson Waters & O’Dorisio, states that the school board promised to pay Smith through June 2027. The Leffert letter also states the district pledged to pay Smith’s life insurance policy until he is 65.

Smith also claimed, through his attorney, that the district owes him a $30,000 stipend.

Leffert did not return a phone call and email seeking comment.

It is unclear how old Smith is. Abbe Smith, a district spokesperson, declined to say.

She did confirm that the district has not paid Smith anything “beyond the separation agreement.”

Smith was paid $165,000 in unused leave and vacation time upon separating from the district.

His contract required him to repay one month’s salary for failing to provide three months’ notice of his resignation. District officials have declined to say whether that repayment was ever made.

Smith’s annual salary was $332,601.

Hired in 2021, Smith abruptly resigned amid allegations that he and his wife, former Chief Human Resource Officer Brenda Smith, had created a “toxic culture,” leaving employees with no recourse.

Brenda Smith was later placed on paid administrative leave before being terminated in May.

The Cherry Creek School District hired an outside law firm to investigate the Smiths, concluding they had likely violated district policies by billing the school system for travel unrelated to official business.

The report also examined contracts and allegations involving district vendors.

District officials have withheld the cost of that report.

The district has been grappling with months of upheaval that has claimed the resignations and terminations of multiple top officials.

Assistant Superintendent Tony Poole — who was under federal investigation in 2022 for allegations of discrimination, retaliation and unequal treatment  — resigned in April after being placed on administrative leave. The civil rights investigations also included claims involving his wife, Rebecca López.

López is the director of neurodiverse student services.

And then in April, Board Director Terry Bates resigned four months into his term in the wake of making “racialized remarks.” 

Last week, the board appointed Keith Frazier to Bates’ position.

Amid public scrutiny following the recent leadership upheaval, the board of education committed to an independent audit of the district’s internal controls. The board also imposed stricter contract approval rules, lowered the dollar threshold for board oversight and now requires additional executive and legal sign-offs on spending.

Additionally, the board placed a six-month freeze on certain travel and intends to review district policies related to nepotism and conflicts of interest.

Cherry Creek is the fourth-largest school district in Colorado with nearly 52,000 students, and consistently ranks among the best in the state, Colorado Department of Education data shows.

Editor’s note: This is a developing story and will be updated.