CAPE SCHOOL DECISION TO BE ANNOUNCED TODAY

Cape Girardeau's Board of Education made a unanimous decision about the district's top leadership Monday night then postponed announcing the decision until a 12:30 p.m. press conference today.

The announcement will be made at the Board of Education office, 41 N. Clark.

Following the closed session Monday night, Board President Bob Fox said the board's decision was unanimous. Announcement of the decision was delayed "in deference to the people involved," he said.

The board met behind closed doors for four hours. For at least one hour, they talked with Superintendent Neyland Clark.

Clark seemed jovial during parts of the closed session. Fox said discussion came from board members and the superintendent. "I think it was an amicable discussion," Fox said.

As Clark left the meeting, he seemed in a good mood but said only that an announcement would be made at today's press conference.

After Clark left, The board called Dr. Richard Bollwerk, the assistant superintendent, into the closed meeting.

Fox said the meeting lasted longer than he expected. "We had a lot to discuss," he said.

Fox said he had planned to make an announcement following the closed session, but the board decided to wait.

In addition to the personnel issues, the board discussed three student discipline cases.

Other administrators -- including personnel director Tim Niggle, high school principal Dan Tallent and vocational school director Harold Tilley -- also attended parts of the closed meeting.

Last week, Clark announced that he plans to remain as superintendent until his contract expires on June 30, 1998.