Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
High school principal rescinds resignation
SOUTH COVENTRY » The popular Owen J. Roberts High School principal who resigned rather than take a demotion has rescinded his resignation.
The latest development was revealed during Monday night’s Owen J. Roberts School Board meeting.
Ken Napaver’s resignation had been on the agenda for the school board to accept, but it was pulled after Napaver changed his mind about resigning, according to school board solicitor Brian Su
bers.
But that didn’t keep many of the more than 600 people who participated in the online meeting from offering their thoughts on the subject.
Many praised his efforts to provide a special graduation after traditional ceremonies were canceled to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
“After everything he did for those students, he had all the plans laid out,” said West Vincent resident Susan Smith. “I think he should remain as principal at this school and that we are owed an explanation.”
“If it wasn’t for him, the class of 2020 would have had no kind of graduation at all,” said East Coventry resident Sherri Laskey.
North Coventry resident and high school senior Eric Shanahan said Napaver had helped him grapple with the emotional impact of his mother dying.
“He is a great asset to the high school and has strong leadership skills,” Shanahan said.
An online petition to “Save OJR High School Principal Ken Napaver” on Change.org had attracted more than 1,200 signatures by Tuesday afternoon.
East Coventry resident Joan Corson referred to the petition Monday as she spoke in favor of keeping Napaver.
“If the high school principal has no prior history, he is not on an improvement plan, is generally
well-liked and respected and if he did not act inappropriately, what’s the problem? Corson asked.
High school student Dante Denardo also referenced the petition when he told the most that “overwhelmingly, most people and students want answers” about the situation in which he was placed.
“His level of engagement and enthusiasm are remarkable. He knows every student’s name,” said West Vincent parent Jill Chamberlin. “I know wholeheartedly he does not want to leave the district.”
She urged the board to “do what’s right. It’s obvious the entire OJR community loves him and have gone to lengths to support him that I have never seen in this district,” Chamberlin said.
“This superintendent has now brought more embarrassment by trying to force out our high school principal,” said East Vincent resident Denise Wilson. She said the school board “should remove Susan Lloyd as the community no longer trusts her.”
“He is the only one of my principals I ever connected with,” said rising junior Ashlee Mitchell. “The way the school board is handling things is very shady and causing people to not trust you.”
School Board President Leslie Proffitt said “there are some things we can’t speak about as board members, particularly personnel matters.”
Subers further explained that “that matter, in all likelihood, will be subject to a hearing before the school board, which will have to act as impartial fact-finders” and making public comments could be seen as undermining their impartiality.
Lloyd ended the meeting saying “I was hired by the previous board to make the tough decisions and the hardest part is we can’t always disclose the details and that can be hard for people to accept, to not know the whole story.”
The next scheduled school board meeting is online, Monday, June 29, at 6 p.m.