Evergreen appoints an interim principal

7/17/2003

METAMORA - Evergreen's Fulton Elementary Principal Lisa Exner will be replaced by a one-year interim principal, Michael Sullivan of Archbold, the school board decided this week.

“I felt there wasn't enough time to do a search and be sure we had the right person,” Superintendent Kenneth Jones said.

The school has almost 300 preschoolers through fifth graders.

Ms. Exner this week resigned the position she had held 10 years, which paid her $63,650 a year, to become director of curriculum and assessment for Sylvania schools at a salary of $80,800.

She had enjoyed working with Sylvania's new superintendent, Brad Rieger, when they were both employed by Springfield Township schools, she said.

Mr. Sullivan was Archbold Elementary School principal from 1973 to 1994 and previously was Liberty Center elementary principal. He has been an interim leader at several schools in Fulton County.

“He really came across as a real professional, down-to-earth guy,” Mr. Jones said.

Also this week, the school board:

w Discussed creating a building committee to advise the school board on possibilities for Fulton and Lyons elementary schools and Evergreen Middle School in Metamora after they are vacated by the district.

Superintendent Jones said he hoped the board would select one of its own members as a chairman for the committee on Aug. 11 and five to seven more community members would be chosen by September.

The school is expected to move into a new elementary over the December break in 2004 and to be finished with the middle school by next spring or summer.

Some area residents have lobbied to keep the buildings standing for community uses.

w Heard that administrators will present a revised plan to the board on Aug. 11 for honoring top seniors.

This year the senior with the highest grade point average at the end of the first semester - whose name was released as valedictorian - did not have the highest grades at the end of the year and another student was named valedictorian.

The problem is that the school receives requests for the name of the valedictorian from groups honoring top seniors before grades are final.

The high school would not have to name a valedictorian then, but the district would not be included in recognition from such community groups and media.

Superintendent Jones proposed honoring three to five students with top grades and using college testing scores or another means to select one top student for honors made before graduation.

w Voted 3-2 to offer Aaron Delauter a three-year contract as maintenance coordinator with a salary of $38,250 next school year.

Julie Carter and Suzanne Salsbury voted no.