Norwich ― With an investigation into the conduct of the suspended school superintendent and assistant superintendent still pending, the Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to extend the interim contracts of Acting Superintendent Susan Lessard and Acting Assistant Superintendent Jamie Bender.

The board held a special online meeting Wednesday, first meeting for 40 minutes in a closed-door session to discuss the contracts, before voting in open session 8-0 with one member absent to extend each contract to March 29, 2024. The interim contracts for Lessard, the principal at John B. Stanton School, and for Bender, retired former director of student services, were set to expire Jan. 8, 2024.

Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow and Assistant Superintendent Tamara Gloster were placed on paid administrative leave in September following a controversy in which teachers and the Connecticut Education Association alleged that Stringfellow and Gloster fostered a work atmosphere of fear, intimidation and retaliation.

The board hired Hartford attorney Kyle McClain to interview current and former staff and conduct the investigation into the two leaders’ conduct. Initially, the previous board had hoped to receive a report before last month’s municipal election. But the investigation is continuing, with no date set for the board to receive McClain’s report.

Contract details were not available late Wednesday. In November, school Business Administrator Robert Sirpenski reported that the cost of the interim superintendent and assistant superintendent was expected to cost $60,000 through December.

Board Chairman Mark Kulos said Wednesday the investigation is “winding up,” and the board is mindful of its status and will try to minimize the cost to taxpayers as the board is also paying Stringfellow and Gloster while they are on leave.

c.bessette@theday.com