Alamance-Burlington school board members have voted to appoint Donna King as interim assistant principal at Southern Middle School during a special-called meeting Wednesday afternoon.
King is a retired longtime ABSS educator who also had been appointed in May of this year to serve as the interim principal at Southern Middle, following the unpaid suspension and subsequent departure of then-principal Matt Ritter.
King temporarily replaces Southern Middle School assistant principal Tyler Kelly, 39, white male of Graham, who was charged last week for an alleged felony sex act with a student. Kelly had been transferred in June from his position as an assistant principal at Southern High School to the same position Southern Middle School.
ABSS superintendent Dr. Dain Butler confirmed for The Alamance News after the meeting Wednesday afternoon that Kelly remains suspended without pay and still has time within the two-week window in which to appeal the disciplinary action.
Kelly’s name had been removed from the Southern Middle School website by press time.
Meanwhile, school board chairman Sandy Ellington-Graves told the newspaper later Wednesday that, to her knowledge, no additional charges have been filed against Kelly, though she said the sheriff’s investigation remains ongoing.
School board members voted 4-0 to approve King’s appointment at the end of a special-called meeting held Wednesday afternoon to approve a contract with Sasser Companies to remove mold contamination at Newlin Elementary School (see related story, this edition).
School board chairman Sandy Ellington-Graves; vice chairman Ryan Bowden; and school board members Dan Ingle and Dr. Charles Parker voted to approve King’s appointment, as well as several other personnel recommendations. Board members Chuck Marsh and Donna Westbrooks were absent from the meeting.
The unanimous vote came after the board returned to open session following brief closed session in which they discussed customary personnel recommendations as ABSS works to fill open positions in time for the new school year that begins August 28.
