Academy School District 20 has announced the finalist to succeed Tracie Cormaney at Pine Creek High School following Cormaney’s sudden dismissal nearly two months ago.

Current Timberview Middle School principal Korina Bierman was selected as the recommended finalist for the position, D-20 announced in an email late last week to families. She will be presented to the district’s board of education for approval next month.

Bierman previously served as an assistant principal at Discovery Canyon High School and a teacher and coach at Air Academy High School. She also worked as a science teacher in New Mexico and Hawaii.

Cormaney’s firing followed an investigative report into Pine Creek High School by the district after it discovered that “questionable” personal items had been purchased by the school. The investigation determined that Cormaney had misused district funds through a teacher incentive program.

A refrigerator, an Apple TV, a PlayStation 5 and a $399 e-bike were among the items mentioned in the report that were purchased and gifted to various staff throughout the current school year. Total gift purchases amounted to nearly $18,500 during Cormaney’s tenure as principal starting in 2021.

The report didn’t detail what “appropriate” items for school or district spending included or excluded, but stated that Cormaney received training on what constituted as such through a purchasing card handbook. The report also didn’t explain why similar purchases from previous years didn’t prompt an investigation sooner.

The report concluded that the unauthorized spending of district funds went to a degree that warranted her removal from the school.

“In light of the compelling evidence of Mrs. Cormaney’s neglect of duty, breaches of policy, and other justified and significant reasons, it is both reasonable and necessary to propose her dismissal from Academy District 20,” the report stated.

The investigation began Jan. 23 after the district became aware of personal items purchased by the school and delivered to the school’s warehouse, and concluded with a report from an independent auditor Feb. 23.

The auditor was not named but was described as having “42+ years of Government, as a local government auditor, a Finance Director for a Municipality and a Deputy Superintendent/CFO for a large school district” who “had never seen a program that violated so many rules and regulations” prior to this investigation.

D-20 provided the following statement to the Gazette when asked to comment on the investigation:

In Academy District 20, we are committed to accountability as it relates to the expectation of all staff members to follow policy and law.

The report outlined the training that Cormaney received on budget and finance policies that detailed parameters for incentive programs and gifts before elaborating on what was purchased and when through the school’s “Fabulous Prizes” and “All In” incentive programs.

As the name suggests, “Fabulous Prizes” would distribute various gifts as prizes for staff at biannual luncheons. “All In” rewarded staff members who attended extracurricular activities with “points” at the end of the semester that were redeemed for an Amazon shopping spree for up to $500 per staff member. All prizes were purchased using district funds.

The investigation reported that Cormaney defended her actions, saying the incentive programs were “inspired by the District’s initiative to retain staff, aiming to encourage staff participation in extra-curricular activities and support for students,” that she had, in fact, consulted with the finance department, bookkeepers and administrators and “there was no intent to be secretive.”

Cormaney added that other D-20 schools had similar programs in place and that hers were, in part, to continue the history and culture of Pine Creek prior to her arrival.

The report didn’t specify any questionable purchases, incentive programs or prizes at Pine Creek prior to Cormaney’s tenure.

Other school employees echoed sentiments that incentive programs had existed both prior to Cormany and in other district schools and that their goal was to ultimately to build community and celebrate staff.

The report ultimately concluded that Cormaney specifically violated district policies on staff conduct and responsibilities, site-based management, and decision making, communication and procurement and contracting procedure.

“This pattern of mistakes highlights a grave lack of fiscal responsibility, and undermines the integrity of her position and the financial stewardship of the District,” the report stated.

During the span of the investigation, Cormaney was put on administrative leave with little communication from the district to Pine Creek staff, which led to frustration and morale loss throughout the school culminating in a walkout in early February.

Before officially becoming Pine Creek’s next principal, Bierman must first gain approval by the board with a majority vote. She will be recommended at their next regular meeting on May 9, 2024.