Dr. Jackielyn Manning-Campbell is officially back at the helm of the Newburgh Enlarged City School District after months on suspension and a surprise board vote this week to reinstate her.

The superintendent, who began leading Newburgh schools in 2022, returned to work Thursday with hugs and applause from staff. She said being welcomed back was emotional and reaffirmed her commitment to the district.

“I had a great welcome this morning — the room lit up when I walked in. I probably gave about 65 hugs this morning, so it was really nice to be back,” Manning-Campbell told News 12. “I missed it. I missed my staff. I missed my team. The students — and I’m looking forward to getting back in and getting the work done.”

Manning-Campbell was suspended in January without explanation from the previous board majority. She said the removal came without warning.

“In January the tides shifted. I had no warning,” she said. “I was stunned and I didn’t understand why.”

The superintendent described the disciplinary charges as overblown and vague.

“The charges were probably organizational questions that could’ve been answered and responded to...personnel matters,” she explained. “When I received the charges a few days later, I just couldn’t believe it. Not only did it impact me, but it impacted my family — my children. I had to sit them down and explain what was happening at work, and that was really tough for me.”

Manning-Campbell maintained confidence she would be cleared. “I knew I would be back. I had no doubt in my mind that the truth would prevail. This is my job. This is my district and I know that we have work to do,” she said.

Her reinstatement came during a contentious meeting Wednesday night, where the new board voted 6–3 to rescind all charges against her. The resolution stated the disciplinary actions taken in January and June of 2025 were nullified and dismissed “with prejudice against being refiled.”

Board President John Doerre defended the decision, pointing to audits ordered under the previous board.

“The previous board voted to require two audits — one about the budget proceedings of the district and another so generic that it led to a bill of over $185,000. The end result was that there was no finding of fraud, waste or abuse on the part of the superintendent, the board or others,” Doerre said. “Following the review of the audits, it became clear there was no reason to continue the suspension of the superintendent and that it was time to reestablish forward progress for our district.”

But not all members agreed. Trustee Christine Bello said the move undermined policy.

“What’s the purpose of policies if we are going to avoid them? If you are sidestepping law or sidestepping policy for the sake of expedience, that sets a real poor example for our students,” Bello argued.

Some community members praised the decision to bring the superintendent back and others raised concerns about how the decision was handled.

Parent David Rein told News 12 he believes Manning-Campbell is qualified but that the reinstatement process lacked transparency.

“Dr. Campbell is a fine person who is highly qualified, but the process was whacked,” Rein said. “The issue here is that the process in which she was reinstated was staged and unlawful. The board president systematically silenced the minority members. It was done by people who had animus — they were not serving the public, they were serving themselves — and they took the rights away from their own colleagues.”

Manning-Campbell said she wants to move beyond the controversy and focus on supporting students and teachers.

“We had a bump in the road, and we are back to finish the work. It’s too important,” she said. “We are not going to think about what happened in the past — we will leave that in the rearview mirror and keep moving forward.”

She highlighted literacy, numeracy, safety, and major capital projects, including a new career and technical education center slated to open in 2026, as priorities for the year ahead.

“I understand what it’s like to be without resources. I understand the struggle, and I know it takes a village,” she said. “Looking toward the future means ensuring everyone is doing their very best every single day.”