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Trimble Superintendent: Middle School Principal ‘Less Than Honest’
By: WOUB Staff Writer
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The superintendent of Trimble Local Schools said Middle School Principal Danita Kern was removed from her position for financial reasons at Tuesday’s meeting of the Trimble School Board. However, public records requested by WOUB show a written reprimand addressing claims that students spent the night at the principal’s house.
The reprimand, dated April 14, came after an investigative hearing on March 20, in which Superintendent Scott Christman said he found Kern’s responses to “lack honesty.”
“From here forward, I am directing you to answer all questions from me with honesty, and to fully answer any questions I ask,” Christman said. “Any further misconduct of any type by you will result in further disciplinary action up to and including termination.”
Read the document here: Investigative Hearing: TMS Principal Danita Kern
The public records request also included a response to Kern, also dated April 14, in which she said she had answered Christman’s questions “to the best of my knowledge.”
“I resent the fact that Mr. Christman labeled me as a liar,” Kern wrote.
An evaluation signed by Christman in January noted “communication and professionalism” as an area in which Kern had “a great deal of room for growth.” An evaluation in April said the topic had continued to be “an area of weakness.”
Kern was relieved from duty with pay on May 8. At Tuesday’s regular meeting of the school board, her contact was not renewed by the board.
Read Kern’s evaluation here: Evaluation of TMS Principal Danita Kern