Cherry Creek School District taxpayers will pay Assistant Superintendent Anthony Poole more than $190,000 to retire at the end of the school year, according to the school district’s separation agreement.

Obtained under the Colorado Open Records Act, the agreement stipulates that the Cherry Creek School District will pay him a lump sum of $187,925 under an administrative policy related to internal investigations and discipline. He will also receive an unspecified $4,038 payment.

“In light of his retirement, Poole understands that if he reapplies for employment with CCSD, CCSD will be under no obligation to consider his application for employment,” the agreement said.

Poole was on paid administrative leave in February.

He signed the agreement on April 3.

His departure follows a leadership shakeup tied to past allegations of workplace misconduct and limited public transparency.

Chief Human Resources Officer Brenda Smith, too,was placed on paid leave in February two weeks after Superintendent Chris Smith resigned amid allegations the couple had created a toxic workplace.

The district is contractually obligated to pay Chris Smith more than $160,000 in unused sick leave and vacation leave. Because the former superintendent resigned abruptly, without providing the three-months’ notice required by his contract, he must repay a month’s salary to the district. The board has not waived this fee and district officials have declined to discuss it.

Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Perry was named interim superintendent in the wake of Chris Smith’s departure.

Poole started as a teacher with the Cherry Creek School District in 1989, working his way up to assistant superintendent in 2019, according to his LinkedIn account.

Before being placed on administrative leave, Poole submitted paperwork for a 110-day calendar work year, which is often a signal for post-retirement employment.

Under PERA rules, retirees may work up to 110 days in a calendar year.

The district also has a nepotism policy.

While quiet rumblings bubbled to the surface earlier this year, the board of education was warned four years ago that nepotism among senior leadership had created conflicts of interest and blurred lines of accountability.

The Denver Gazette in 2022 reported on multiple federal civil rights investigations into allegations of discrimination, retaliation and unequal treatment — including claims involving Poole and his wife, Rebecca López. She is the director of Neurodiverse Student Services.

The district has since implemented a number of reforms to strengthen oversight, including tighter procurement and spending rules, mandatory legal review of contracts, new travel guidelines and a temporary freeze on certain travel and contracts.

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