THS principal's contract not renewed

By GWEN ALBERS Western News Reporter

Troy School Board on Tuesday - before a standing-room only crowd - voted 4-2 not to keep its junior-senior high school principal.

Principal Rod Smith, who was hired three years ago, will leave the district in mid-June.

"I'm disappointed with the board," Smith told The Western News after the meeting. "I did what the board asked me to do. Unfortunately you can't please everyone."

School board members Steve Garrett, Steve Straley, Lori Damon and Warren Fahner voted not to offer Smith the one-year contract, which would have granted him tenure. Tenure is awarded after a trial period, making it more difficult to dismiss an employee.

School board president Sylvia Maffit and board member Ed Hanson supported keeping Smith.

The board did not discuss problems with Smith during the meeting, although five of the 60 people at the meeting had signed up to speak. A petition also was presented to the board.

Maffit would not let anyone say anything about Smith after a motion was made to award him a new contract. She would only let them give a "yea" or "nay."

"This isn't a job performance time as to whether the job has been done correctly," Maffit told the public. "It's time to say 'yes' I approve or don't approve."

The response from the audience was split.

"I would urge the board not to pursue the contract with him. It will split the community," said resident Gene Rogers.

"I support giving him the contract," said high school librarian Kay Randall.

Superintendent Brady Selle recommended the board keep Smith.

"I based my recommendation on the job description and goals and whether most of those had been accomplished," Selle said. "I felt they were accomplished."

None of the four voting against keeping Smith commented during the meeting. Garrett, however, did talk about the difficulty in making the decision.

"If we approve it, he gets tenure," Garrett said prior to the vote. "The board has members in a very difficult (position). To vote to support the contract should not be a vote supporting one's friends."

Hanson made the motion to offer Smith a new contract.

"Over the past three to four weeks, I've heard a lot from the community, staff and students, more so than what I've heard over the last 10 years on every subject combined," he said. "As I went through the opinions and comments, which exceeded 100 individuals, there was overwhelming support for what Mr. Smith has done over the last three years. It was more than I thought it would be."

Maffit said she also heard more positive than negative concerning Smith.

"He has turned that place around," she said.

Smith, who moved to Troy from his native Alabama "for a simpler way of life," said he understood from a board member that two-thirds of the people in town supported keeping him as principal.

"I feel I've done what I was asked to do in a manner that was appropriate and well within policy," Smith said. "I had three above-average evaluations. I think the decision should be based on evaluations and job performance, and the position of principal should not be politically motivated."