By Carey Phillips
and
Lynn Hotaling
A veteran local educator's distinguished career is in limbo as
he awaits the results of a school system investigation.
Kenny Nicholson, principal since 1994 of Smoky Mountain High,
Jackson County's largest school, was suspended last week by Superintendent
Mack McCary, according to Jackson County Board of Education Chairman
James Roper.
"Certain matters were brought to the attention of the superintendent,
and he suspended Nicholson with pay pending further investigation,"
Roper said Tuesday.
Citing personnel laws, Roper said he could not comment on the
reason for the suspension. The board chairman said he did not
know the date of Nicholson's suspension, only that it occurred
last week.
McCary, who left last week for a two-week vacation abroad, was
unavailable for comment. Former Assistant Superintendent Nancy
Sherrill and Assistant Superintendent Sue Nations declined comment,
as did school board attorney Paul Holt. (Sherrill's last day as
assistant superintendent was Monday: former Fairview Principal
Nations became assistant superintendent Tuesday.)
Nicholson said Wednesday morning that he has hired an attorney
but declined to comment about circumstances surrounding his suspension.
School officials will hold a special meeting for 6 p.m. Monday.
Nicholson's situation likely will be discussed and an acting principal
may be named, Roper said. The chairman said he does not expect
the superintendent to be back for the meeting.
A principal in the local school system for a quarter century,
Nicholson has held the reins at SMHS continuously since the fall
of 1994, with the exception of the 1999-2000 school year.
Nicholson retired in June 1999 and was elected without opposition
to the school board the following year.
He resigned from the board before taking office and returned
to SMHS as principal prior to the 2000-01 school year. Nicholson
brought stability to Smoky Mountain when he assumed the principal's
job nine years ago. SMHS had three principals during the first
six years after it was formed by the consolidation of Sylva-Webster
and Cullowhee high schools.
The 1963 Sylva-Webster graduate took over a school badly divided
after the May 1994 firing of Principal Judy Wolfe. Nicholson seemed
to quickly heal the wounds and became a popular figure with students.
During his tenure at SMHS, Nicholson has been an avid supporter
of Mustang athletic teams and has supported all extracurricular
activities at the high school.
Prior to transferring to SMHS, Nicholson served for 10 1/2 years
as principal at Fairview Elementary and seven years as principal
at Scotts Creek Elementary.
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