School's top 3 leaders ousted

KNIGHTSVILLE -- Dorchester District 2 removed Knightsville Elementary School's three top administrators from their positions last week for failing to report to authorities an alleged incident of abuse or neglect by one of the school's teaching assistants, officials said Tuesday.

Principal Anita Ruff-Putillion and Assistant Principals Mary Rita Wilson and Les Kephart were removed from their posts Friday because of "procedural issues involving mandated reporting," said Pat Raynor, the district's public information officer.

She also said the three administrators would be placed elsewhere in the district. But she would not say where, citing confidentiality requirements of personnel issues.

"The Knightsville Elementary School administrative team received knowledge of an alleged abuse/neglect incident perpetrated by a teaching assistant at that school. After a thorough investigation, it was determined the administrative team failed to report the alleged abuse/neglect to appropriate authorities," Raynor said in a news release Tuesday.

She also stated that "appropriate disciplinary actions were also taken for other persons involved."

Dorchester 2 school board members were briefed on the issue in a closed-door session last week, Raynor said.

The district on Monday put in place a new leadership team at the school, she said.

Parents and students gathered at the school Tuesday evening to meet new administrators. Several parents at the meeting said they were surprised and confused about the abrupt departure of the school's former administrators.

Knightsville's new principal, Wally Baird, was working as an assistant principal at Beech Hill Elementary School when he was tapped for the job. Claire Sieber and Nicole Ramsey, who were assistant principals at Spann Elementary School and Newington Elementary School, respectively, have assumed the assistant principal positions at Knightsville Elementary.

Mindy and Kevin McCormick, parents of a Knightsville Elementary fourth-grader, said the news has been confusing for parents and students.

Mindy McCormick said that although she likes the new school leaders, she was "very happy with the old administration." And, she added, the former school leaders were removed abruptly and "there was no closure."

Kevin McCormick said he's heard rumors about what happened at the school. If those rumors are true, he said, removing the school's leaders "seems excessive to me."

Tim Smith, father of a fifth-grader, said he was "kind of shocked" by the move. And he still doesn't know any details about what happened. He likes the school though, he said, and isn't worried about sending his child there.

Baird told the group gathered Tuesday that he didn't know what had happened at the school.

But, he reassured parents, "your children are safe. They are protected. We are taking care of them as though they are our own."

Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com.