ST. CHARLES COUNTY — Francis Howell School District officials were investigating former Superintendent Mike Dominguez's use of pandemic relief funds and asking colleagues about his performance at his previous employer in the weeks leading up to his sudden departure last month, according to interviews and records obtained by the Post-Dispatch.

Dominguez's abrupt resignation a month after he was supposed to start work at Francis Howell and the school board's decision to pay him nearly a year's salary to leave have drawn the attention of the state auditor and sparked speculation and questions from area parents and staff.

None of the Francis Howell board members will say what caused the district to dig anew into Dominguez's work history or eventually decide to oust him from the $250,000

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