EDUCATION WOODLAND HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL REASSIGNED

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Woodland High School Principal Debby Poindexter has been reassigned to undefined administrative duties, but the Woodland superintendent and School Board attorney are keeping mum on the reasons.

They confirmed the Woodland Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to "reconsider the appointment" of Poindexter, who held the position just over one year before being reassigned to "other duties and responsibilities as secondary principal."

Woodland schools Superintendent William Biggerstaff said Thursday the board acted on his recommendation. The action was effective immediately.

Biggerstaff said Poindexter's new administrative duties were not high school principal duties "at the building level." He would not elaborate further on her job description or the reasons behind the reassignment based upon the advice of district attorney Ken McManaman.

"I'm not trying to be disagreeable. However, in dealing with a personnel issue there are only certain things you can discuss," said Biggerstaff.

Calls to Poindexter at her home were not returned Thursday. Staff answering the high school's telephone Thursday said Poindexter would not be in.

Personnel files closed

The Missouri open records law permits governmental bodies to close individually identifiable personnel records, performance ratings or records pertaining to employees or applicants.

However, information regarding the names, positions, salaries and lengths of service of employees are open to the public.

In a letter to the Southeast Missourian, McManaman said there was no "hiring, firing, promoting, disciplining or other punitive action of any kind" taken against Poindexter. McManaman, who did not attend the school board meeting Monday, said the district was not obligated to release additional information about the incident.

In an official statement read by Biggerstaff, the Board of Education stated: "Necessary and immediate adjustments will be made by all concerned so that the educational mission of the school district is not compromised and to assure that our students are not prevented nor interceded with in obtaining an excellent education."

No position of assistant principal exists at Woodland High School. The School Board is in the process of seeking an interim principal.

Board of Education President JoAnn Shrum and other members of the school board could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.