January 28, 2008

Unified: Principal reassigned 'to ensure best leadership'

In the last few weeks, readers have been asking about the reassignment of Richard Larson from directing principal at Gilmore Middle School to assistant principal at McKinley Middle School.

Here's the brief memo interim Superintendent Jackson Parker sent out to all Unified staff on December 6:
Dr. Gary Jackson will be the directing principal for Gilmore Middle School. Dr. Richard Larson will be the assistant principal at McKinley Middle School, and Rebecca Zahn will be the assistant principal of Wadewitz Elementary School.

We followed up with district Spokesperson Stephanie Kratochvil-Hayden to ask why the changes were made. Here is her response today:
Staff in the district's academic division evaluated the leadership in each building and to ensure the best leadership was in place to serve the needs of students.
Larson, previously from Streamwood, Ill., is in his first year with the district. He was hired to replaced to Dan Thielen, who took over as the principal at Park High School.

As to what specifically led to Larson's reassignment, we don't know.

6 comments:

  1. Seems strange no one seems to care about such an extreme change in leadership. Demotion is not something that happens very often in this district. We deserve to hear the truth.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Why did Larson come to Unified in the first place? Why did he leave his previous school district? Why all the secrets? BOTH he, as principal, and his assist principal are reassigned to different schools at the same time. Larson is demoted from being a principal to being 1 of 2 assist principals and she is promoted to be a principal. Something isn't right with this picture. We pay taxes and therefore have a right to hear the truth.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Its not surprising! If only you knew the whole story! Someone in Racine should have done a better job with regards to job applicant screening!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. History often repeats itself!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. If history often repeats itself then Unified top administrators better keep an eye on Larson.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What's the verdict on Larson? Will he be returning back to McKinley or has he been asked to resign?

    ReplyDelete