West Muskingum middle school principal placed on leave

ZANESVILLE - Greg Stickel, the West Muskingum Middle School principal, was placed on administrative leave Wednesday following conversations, according to Stickel, with the superintendent concerning who should be in charge of student discipline.

Stickel told the Times Recorder he believes he should be involved with discipline of his students, but Superintendent Bill Harbron thought discipline responsibilities should fall solely with the associate principal. The Times Recorder left messages late Wednesday afternoon for Harbron seeking comment, but those calls were not returned.

"It's such a shame that all of this happened," Stickel said. "The teachers and kids (at West Muskingum) are amazing."

On Friday, the school district released a statement addressing rumors about Stickel's potential resignation saying that Stickel had not been asked to resign by the district, and Harbron said he had no idea where or why the rumors had originated. The Times Recorder spoke to Harbron after the statement was released, and he repeatedly said he and the board were happy with Stickel's performance. When asked whether something happened to start the rumors, Harbron said he was looking into it.

Stickel told the Times Recorder the disagreement over the disciplining of students between himself and Harbron started a few weeks ago. During the disagreement, which primarily took place through emails, Stickel said he brought up resigning at the end of the school year, and Harbron told him if he was going to resign, he needed to do it by Dec. 18 or Harbron may not give Stickel a letter of reference. Stickel then said he received a letter of reference on Wednesday. The letter was dated Nov. 18, he added.

On Wednesday, the Times Recorder filed a Freedom of Information request for copies of Stickel's employment contract, Associate Principal Michael Edwards's employment contract and any email correspondence between Harbron and Stickel. The district has not responded so far.

Stickel will be on paid leave until he passes a fitness for duty exam as set by a doctor chosen by West Muskingum School District, according to a letter sent from Harbron to Stickel on Wednesday.

In the letter, Harbron stated he had clearly outlined Stickel's responsibilities in a Nov. 11 document, which the board had reviewed and agreed with. The letter also states that while Stickel had repeatedly asked for meetings with Harbron and the board members, both Harbron and the board declined his request to meet.

On Wednesday evening, Dan Ankrum, vice president of the board, said he had no idea that Stickel had been placed on leave a few hours earlier.

"I can't really say what's happened," he said. "(I have) no messages on my phone, nothing on my cellphone."

Typically, Ankrum said, when the superintendent makes a decision like that, he tells Valerie Gutridge, president of the board, and she calls the rest of the board members. Ankrum said the board hired and trusts the superintendent and supports the decisions he makes.

He also said he did not know that Stickel had requested meetings with the board, and when asked about a Nov. 11 document the board apparently reviewed concerning Stickel's responsibilities, he could not recall a specific such document.

Ankrum did say Harbron outlined what he believed to be Stickel's responsibilities, and the board was in agreement.

Gutridge did not returned calls seeking comment.

Board member Chet Coleman too was unaware Stickel had been placed on leave when contracted by the Times Recorder on Wednesday evening, and he believed the board would have to vote on such an action.

"At this point, I haven't seen a reason for him to be (placed on administrative leave)," Coleman said.

Coleman also said he did not know Stickel requested a meeting with the board. He did recall seeing the Nov. 11 document reference in Harbron's letter on Wednesday. He said it outlined Stickel and Edwards' responsibilities and discipline would be Edwards' responsibility. He also said the board is still gathering information regarding the rumors addressed in Harbron's news release on Friday.

The Times Recorder also tried to reach board members Ty Dierkes and Don Jeffers, but messages could not be left on their phones.

A petition on Change.org to keep Stickel as principal had garnered 364 supporters as of 7 p.m. Friday. The petition was started last week by West Muskingum parents.

This is Stickel's first year as principal of the middle school. He previously filled the principal's position at Hilton Head Island High School in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and he said he has 21 years of experience as a school administrator.

ksnyder2@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

740-450-6752

Twitter: @KL_Snyder