The Valley Home Joint School District Board of Trustees met last night, Tuesday, Aug. 16, for their regular meeting where it was reported that they unanimously decided in closed session to put Superintendent/Principal Thomas Kevin Hart on compulsory leave, effective today, Wednesday, Aug. 17 pursuant to California education code 44010, which has to do with a sex offense, and code 44940, which is being charged with a mandatory leave of absence offense.

The board also reported from closed session that they unanimously approved the contract for retired Oakdale Joint Unified School District Superintendent Fred Rich to serve as the Valley Home district superintendent for the “foreseeable future.” Another retired Oakdale Joint Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Wendell Chun served in the post short term to get school started and helped the Valley Home school board through the process.

Hart was charged by the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office with felony child molestation on Aug. 5.

For more information, see the Aug. 24 issue of The Oakdale Leader.