McKINNEY – The principal and lead assistant principal ensnared in a high-profile dispute over cheerleading will not return to McKinney North High School.

The McKinney school board Thursday night approved a settlement agreement that calls for principal Linda Theret to resign and receive a lump-sum payment equal to her salary through next Oct. 1.

The deal provides Theret roughly $75,000, or nearly three-quarters of her annual $102,000 salary. She also will receive a letter of recommendation from the district.

Board members also voted to give notice to assistant principal Richard Brunner that his $78,000 contract will not be renewed at the end of the school year.

Superintendent Tom Crowe said the district could not reach a settlement with Brunner and his attorney, who were unavailable for comment Thursday night.

Crowe said he would have been willing to support a deal that paid Brunner beyond the end of his contract. District lawyers declined to say what Brunner requested from the district.

Brunner is allowed a hearing before the board to dispute the decision.

Crowe said the district opted to pay Theret because she has a two-year contract that may only be terminated for good cause. He said a termination hearing would have been costly for the district. The deal prevents either side from suing.

"We are pleased to resolve this matter quickly and efficiently so the district may focus on its first responsibility, educating its students," Crowe said.

Theret's attorney, Bob Hinton, said his client still disputes allegations that she used her power to shield her daughter and other cheerleaders from discipline. Still, Theret is satisfied with the agreement, he said.

"In these politically charged things, you're never going to feel like you've gotten all of what you deserved," Hinton said. "But this is a name-clearing thing."

School board President Wade Johnson said he hopes the board's decision will bring an end to the controversy surrounding the district and McKinney North's cheerleading squad.

"It's been a distraction away from the positive things we've done as a district," Johnson said.

After the school's cheerleading sponsor resigned a couple of months ago, the district hired Dallas lawyer Harry Jones to investigate misconduct claims. He wrote a 70-page report that cost about $40,000.

Jones said he found that Theret used her position to influence discipline for her daughter and other cheerleaders. Brunner often handled discipline issues for the girls.

Both administrators have denied the claims through their attorneys.

District lawyers said the board approved a recommendation letter to recognize Theret's work at the school.

The letter notes that McKinney North received a rating of "recognized" from the Texas Education Agency and points to some of Theret's other accomplishments, said Richard Abernathy, the school district's attorney.

Johnson said school districts often include recommendation letters as part of settlements.

"It's not too unusual to do what we've done," he said.

Under the deal, Theret will receive a payment in a week that will cover her salary through Oct. 1. She also will receive the cost of COBRA health benefits through June 30.

Hinton said his client plans to get a job in another district.

"Linda is very marketable, and she will come up on her feet," he said.