Marv Marino, Leesburg Elementary School principal, resigned Tuesday effective immediately.
In a telephone interview this morning, Warsaw Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Haworth said, "(Marv Marino) turned in a letter of resignation yesterday. In doing so, he resigned from his administrative position and cancelled his teacher's contract. He stated no reason as to why he chose to resign."
Haworth said at this time, a team is being put together to look at candidates for Marino's replacement. He said the search will be done in a timely manner without sacrificing finding a quality replacement. Until Marino's replacement is found, Eisenhower Elementary Principal Chris Gensinger will fulfill his obligations at Eisenhower as well as at Leesburg.
Letter writers Rory Kiphart and Bonnie Phillips both wrote letters to the editor during the past week supporting Marino and said they would attend Monday's 7 p.m. school board meeting to offer their support for Marino. Though Marino has since resigned, there are two times during the school board agenda for public comments.
"That's what the time is for, for the board to listen to the community," said Haworth, regardless of the issue.
Marino was hired as Leesburg's principal in July 2004. He had served previously as principal of Frank H. Hammond Elementary School, Munster, and South Whitley Elementary School. Marino replaced Lynn Simmers, who resigned as Leesburg principal effective July 29, 2004.
Marino was selected by a committee made up of administrators, teachers and parents. The committee reviewed all applicants for the position and recommended Marino.
In October 2006, Leesburg was one of only two Indiana schools to win the Indiana Title I Distinguished School Award.
In February, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Suellen Reed recommended Leesburg for the Eighth Annual National School Change Awards. In her letter of recommendation for the award, Reed wrote that Leesburg "has made significant progress in the last three years on the Indiana Statewide Test of Academic Progress.
"Teachers, students, parents, administrators and community members have all worked hard to bring about improvement in the school. This kind of improvement must be continued in order for our students to be well-prepared for success in the future."
After being recommended for the award, Leesburg School then had to apply for the award.
On May 2, Marino received notice from Lew Smith, National School Change Award director, that Leesburg was selected as one of 26 finalists in the award process. This year, the competition for the award was especially stiff, Smith wrote, since a "record-breaking 127 strong nominations" were received from all across the United States. Each of those 127 schools first had to be nominated.
Though Leesburg was not one of the six 2007 winners, Smith wrote that becoming a finalist is a great honor. Leesburg's tremendous improvement and status as an award finalist was recognized at the national awards ceremony on July 16 in New York City.
