St. Helens' acting superintendent to step down early: What's next?

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The St. Helens School District has been plagued with scandal since staff members were first removed from its high school on sex abuse allegations in November 2024. 

In the following weeks, several more staff members have joined the list of teachers and administrators under investigation for sexual misconduct or failing to report these crimes. Among those accused of failing to report was Scot Stockwell, the former St. Helens superintendent.

Since then, acting Superintendent Steven Webb has stepped forward to fill the role while the district recovers from the aftershock of these incidents. However, on Tuesday, Webb announced he would be leaving his role early.

In a letter sent to students and parents that discussed next steps for the district, Webb said his time at the district would end Jan. 31, 2025 — more than a month earlier than the 90 days he had signed up for on Nov. 26, 2024.

He also announced that the school board had scheduled a meeting Wednesday night to discuss an expedited search for the next acting superintendent.

The St. Helens School District said the sudden departure is due to Webb having fulfilled his assigned duties, including: launching an internal investigation, hiring an acting high school principal, holding school listening sessions and developing a preliminary corrective action plan.

"It makes sense to have this be a natural transition point to go from Dr. Webb serve, which was always intended to be short term in nature, towards a successor superintendent," explained J.Marie, a SHSD communications consultant with J.Marie and Associates.

Prior to his role at St. Helens, Webb led Vancouver Public Schools from 2008 until 2021. However, that district is also facing controversy as a Hudson's Bay High School teacher, Shadbreon Gatson, faces charges of sexual misconduct with a former student.

The incident in Vancouver prompted two administrators to go on voluntary leave. And as Webb was in charge when the alleged abuse took place, KOIN 6 News asked if he was among those under investigation.

In a statement, a Vancouver Public Schools spokesperson said, "We do not know if then-superintendent Webb was or was not aware of past discipline or concerns involving Mr. Gatson. We have engaged a third-party investigator to review the processes and practices in place at the time..."

KOIN 6 also asked the St. Helens School District whether Webb's departure had anything to do with the investigation happening in Vancouver.

In response, J.Marie said, "There is no external influence on the timing of Dr. Webb's departure."

As of the new year, the St. Helens School District has announced 10 staff members are on paid administrative leave after news first broke that a current and former teacher had been arrested on allegations of sex abuse in mid-November.

The criminal charges were followed by state-led investigations into several teachers and administrative officials, including Principal Katy Wagner, who is accused of failing to report these incidents for several years. 

Sarah Young, a parent of St. Helens High School senior, told KOIN 6 she's left with more questions than answers after the latest personnel change of Webb's early departure.

"When I thought that I couldn't be shocked anymore, I'm shocked," Young said. "He himself owes it to us to tell us why. He has taken over $17,000 a month in funding from the district to leave over 30 days before he's finished his own 90-day plan."

The St. Helens School District previously told KOIN 6 that Webb had an active Washington state education administrative license and that he was in the process of applying for a reciprocal school administrator license with the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. We reached out to the OTSPC to ask what the status of that application was. OTSPC Interim Executive Director Melissa Goff gave the following response:

"Dr. Steven Webb’s application is pending with TSPC. He applied on 11/25/2024 and his background was cleared on 11/26/2024 (eligible to work without the license from 11/26 thru 2/22/2025 under ORS 342.125)."

One of the first teachers accused, Eric Stearns, appeared in court Monday as his attorney attempted to get his Columbia County judge removed from the case. The conflict resulted in the attorney waiving Stearns’ right to be released within the week in order to have the judge disqualified.

Stearns, who has pleaded not guilty to 18 counts of sex abuse, will remain in jail until further notice. The St. Helens Board of Directors will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday night to begin their search to replace Webb.

Once hired, the new acting superintendent will assume their role on Feb. 3, 2025, and stay on until the end of the school year, according to the district.

J.Marie told KOIN 6 News the district is working to make a synopsis of school listening sessions and the preliminary corrective action plan available to the public by Friday.