NORTH MANCHESTER - Members of the North Manchester School Board still are not supplying the public with information on the resignation of Manchester Community Schools Superintendent Connie S. Curry.

After 16 years with the school corporation, Curry resigned her position June 19 at a school board meeting.

Her resignation was effective June 30, when she was reassigned as a consultant for MCS for the 2001-2002 school year. She will resign her position as consultant June 30, 2002.

A press release distributed by the school corporation's attorney, Al Schlitt, at the June 19 meeting said this: "The board of school trustees of the Manchester Community Schools has determined to engage new leadership for the district. As a result, Connie Curry has agreed to step down as superintendent and serve Manchester as a consultant for the coming year."

During her 16 years with MCS, Curry has been principal of Thomas Marshall Elementary School, curriculum director, assistant superintendent and superintendent for 10 years.

New school board president Sally Krouse gave an update on the superintendent position Tuesday. She said the board met with Frank Busch, president of the Indiana School Board Association, July 5 in an executive session to discuss hiring a new superintendent for the corporation. An informational packet on the corporation will be mailed to prospective superintendents, Krouse said.

When information was requested by the public on why Curry was asked to resign, Krouse said: "The board felt it was time for new leadership ... and personnel matters are closed to the public."

When asked whether or not it was a unanimous decision by board members to ask Curry to resign, Al Schlitt, the school corporation's attorney, said "Any board member can ask someone to resign." He also said the board does not vote in executive sessions, and Curry's resignation was unanimously approved at a board meeting.

No new information was given to the public regarding Curry's resignation.

In other business, the board:

• Elected new officers for the school board. President is Sally Krouse, vice president is Virginia Gunter and secretary is Brad Perrott. Meeting dates and times were approved to continue as currently scheduled: the first Tuesday and Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Maple Park board meeting room.

Also approved were the following appointments: Kendra Miller as corporation treasurer; Melissa Haecker as corporation assistant treasurer; Al Schlitt as corporation attorney; Tom Frantz as Heatland Career Center board of managers representative; Larry Miller as Parks and Recreation board member; Thom Frantz, Todd Speicher and Virginia Gunter as board member negotiators; and Sally Krouse as legislative liaison.

• Approved board wages as follows: $1,500 for each board member, and $300 additional for the board president.

• Approved the following personnel: Lisa Fawley as physical education teacher at Laketon Elementary School; Noelle Laffoon as grade five (temporary contract) teacher at LES; Martha Bowman as social studies department chair at Manchester Junior High School; Jennifer Boone as technology assistant at LES; Susan Ring as secretary/treasurer at MJHS; Aaron Jones as girls' varsity soccer coach at Manchester High School; Nicole Brown as seventh grade cheerleading sponsor at MJHS; Laura Sloop as eighth grade cheerleading sponsor at MJHS; and Debra Schuh as art club sponsor.

• Recognized the art club as a co-curricular club at MHS on the 2001-2002 school year extra-curricular schedule.

• Approved the resignation of Dave Owens as guidance counselor at MHS, Norma Barker as cook at MHS, Mary Beth Perkins as lunch recess assistant at Manchester Elementary School and Susan Ring as superintendent's secretary effective Aug. 1.

• The next school board meetings are July 17 and 31 at 5:30 p.m. and July 24 at 7 p.m. in the Maple Park board meeting room. The public is invited to attend.

Manchester Community Schools Board of Trustees members are: president Sally Krouse, vice president Virginia Gunter, secretary Brad Perrott, Kent Trickle, Larry Miller, Todd Speicher and Thom Frantz. Assistant superintendent is Kim Thurston. School corporation attorney is Al Schlitt. [[In-content Ad]]