School City of Hammond has narrowed the list of candidates for Scott Middle School principal. The school had experienced a number of challenges since the start of the school year, with parents and guardians complaining about multiple schedule changes, and more than 30 teachers calling off work on the same day last month.
Superintendent Scott Miller says the two finalists for the principal position will be interviewed publicly Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. in the school library. "You'll have to commit your question down to writing, but we will ask the candidates your questions," Miller said during last week's school board meeting.
In the meantime, Miller said Dr. Amy Rauch, the district's executive director of secondary education, has been overseeing Scott Middle School. "Dr. Rauch has been there every day and doing a good job," Miller said.
But one parent continued to complain about conditions at the school.
The school board accepted the resignation of former Principal Andrew Merritt, which officially takes effect November 2.
Miller also told board members that administrators have been reducing the number of teaching positions to better match current enrollment levels. "We made the staffing decisions based upon the number of students," Miller explained. "No licensed people were [let go]. This was emergency permit people that we didn't need to hire back."
The school district has been looking at ways to cut spending, to help balance the budget.
