Middle School Principal Vacancy Filled

The open Middle School principal position which has caused much turmoil over the last month and a half as how best to fill it has been debated by the school board and community members, has been filled! Superintendent Cherie Vannatter brought a recommendation to the school board meeting last Monday which was unanimously approved by the school board. Klager Principal Jennifer Mayes, who was present at the meeting and much congratulated afterwards, will be made full-time Manchester Middle School principal. This appointment is not interim but permanent.

Vannatter explained that Mayes has experience working with students through 8th grade, knows most of the current Middle School students and their parents, and is familiar with many of the Middle school staff members, some of which have worked at Klager in the past. She stated that she has no doubt that Mayes will be able to make all the preparations at the Middle School for a smooth start on September 8th.

This move leaves a vacancy to be filled at the elementary school. The open position is being posted internally for teachers with administrative certification and externally for five days. The position will also be full-time and permanent. Vanatter reported that she was able to meet with the president of the teachers union, Cheryl Call, and that the union has agreed that because of the possibility of the reconfiguration of the district in the next year if a teacher from inside the district is hired, he or she will keep their teaching position for one year, which will be filled by a long-term sub for this coming year but he or she will be exempt from the union for this year, thus able to serve fully as an administrator and complete teacher evaluations.

The announcement of Mrs. Mayes’s replacement should come in the next couple of weeks.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.