BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Nardin Academy Board of Trustees Wednesday night announced via the school’s VP of Marketing and Communications that President Dr. Sandra Betters will be stepping down from her role on June 30. Additionally, nine members of the board will be stepping down as well.

“Dr. Betters would like to thank her team and the Daughters (of the Heart of Mary) for their support and ongoing commitment to Nardin Academy and its students,” the announcement said.

Per the Board, Dr. Betters will be stepping down “for the betterment of all within the Nardin community, including students and employees.”

The Board of Trustees will reportedly be working on a transition plan in the coming weeks, including the hiring of an interim president and implementing of a “Plan for Healing and Growth,” which the Board said it believes will strengthen the school for future generations.

The Board thanked its nine members who are stepping down, and said it is “grateful for the dedication and commitment that they have shown to Nardin.” The remaining members said they are “united in their unwavering commitment” to the school, its mission, and its values.

“We firmly believe that these decisions are what is best and right for Nardin Academy and the entire Nardin community, especially its current and future students,” the statement concluded.

The moves follow weeks of demonstrations by the Nardin Together movement against the school’s leadership, which culminated in an ultimatum issued by the group on Tuesday, imploring for the resignation of Dr. Betters by 9 a.m. on Friday.

Nardin Together released a statement shortly after midnight on Thursday in response to the resignations.

“We commend the Board of Trustees for addressing the current crisis and are optimistic that Nardin Academy will quickly move beyond the negative shadow cast as a result of this tumultuous time,” the statement said. “We now turn our focus on rebuilding the trust and confidence of Nardin’s students, faculty, staff, and supporters with the lessons learned from this challenging experience.”

The statement also thanked the nine trustees for their persistence, devotion, and sacrifice to Nardin, as well as the school community for their perseverance and commitment. 

“We look forward to working collaboratively with the future leadership and Board of Trustees to ‘inspire hearts and minds to do amazing things for the world through faith, character, academic excellence and service,’” the statement said.

The Board released a second statement on Thursday night via a PR rep for the school, regarding the school’s immediate future plans and commenting on the third-party assessment report that was recently conducted at Nardin.

“The Nardin Academy Board of Trustees is grateful for the collective passion and love that the Nardin community has shown over these last few weeks,” the statement said. “We are now focused on harnessing that commitment and passion as we begin moving forward as a united community — focused on stability, renewal, healing, and growth — as well as ensuring the education and wellbeing of our students, which remains our primary focus.”

The Board said it is grateful for Dr. Betters’ hard work, professionalism, and unwavering support “for educational excellence, Nardin Academy, and the Daughters of the Heart of Mary.” The Board also said it has begun reviewing the third-party report and that it “shows no actionable wrongdoing” on Dr. Betters’ part.

“We look forward to initiating the school’s ‘Plan for Healing and Growth,’ in addition to scheduling community forums where other findings of the assessment will be shared, the Board can listen to concerns well as opportunities, and we can engage the community in our path forward, which includes the continuing role of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary,” the statement concluded.

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Adam Duke is a digital producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of his work here.