School District Continues Search for New Principal

The Franklin County Schools are continuing their search for a new principal to supervise grades kindergarten through 12.

Also this week, current principal Dr. Isaac Neal, who has been told his contract will not be renewed for the 2008-09 school year, wrote a letter to Superintendent Jo Ann Gander, asking for permission to leave his job before his contract expires June 30.

"I'm hoping the board honors my request and releases me with two weeks' notice," said Neal. "We have philosophical differences on leadership, organizational structure on how best to raise academic achievement, and other things.

"I don't want to be the center of division," he said. "This is a good community here, the parents here want the most for their children. This is got to be the main thing, the kids come first, and I don't think they see it that way."

Gander had hoped to recommend a new principal at a special meeting the last week of April, but as it turned out the board did not hold a vote.

Gander had decided to recommend Nina Marks, dean of the middle school, for the job overseeing the kindergarten through 12^th grade program at the new consolidated school, when it opens this fall.

The superintendent said Marks had accepted the offer in principle at an earlier meeting, although the two women did not discuss whether that would call for Marks to not run for superintendent in the upcoming election. On April 11, Marks had filed her letter of intent to seek the Democratic nomination for superintendent.

"I didn't ask her to drop out of the superintendent's race," said Gander. "We have a need for continuity, and I felt confident that she was going to accept it."

As it turned out, the school board appeared to support Gander's recommendation, and was in the process of approving Marks, when discussion arose whether Marks might be willing to step down from the race.

In a written memo to Gander, Marks indicated she no longer wished to be considered for the job.

In a later interview, Marks said she might have thought differently had a multi-year contract been considered, but that was not discussed. She said she plans to actively campaign for the superintendent's post.

"I can do more for the children of this county as the superintendent than I can as a principal," she said.

Neal, clearly disappointed in his experience here as principal, said he had tried "to do the best I can and to pull kids up.

"I hope we can get the best for these kids," he said, noting that Franklin has among the highest dropout rates in the state.

"I just think you need to put people in place who can fix it," he said. "The business community has been outstanding. We have good teachers out here. All they need is some support."