Eads to be back

Embattled principal Michael Eads will return to General Shanks Elementary briefly to finish out the school year and say farewell to students and staff, but his retirement resignation is expected to be approved by the Jay School Board on Monday.

Eads said this morning he will be at General Shanks at 1 p.m. Friday to present kindergarten diplomas and will be at work at the school on Monday and Tuesday all day.

He has been on administrative leave since April after allegations were made that he had struck two special education students.

The popular teacher and administrator was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing after an investigation by Portland police and the Jay County prosecutor's office.

But he remained on administrative leave while his job status was "under review" by Superintendent Tim Long. As part of that administrative leave, Eads was not allowed to be on school property.

About 20 people spoke on behalf of Eads at May's meeting of the school board, and his situation has been the focus of numerous letters to the editor over the past several weeks.

Eads had offered his retirement resignation if allowed to return for the end of the school year as a way of resolving the dispute. Future litigation has not been ruled out, however.

Monday's retirement resignation will be the second for Eads, who has been with Jay Schools for 32 years. He was among a number of local school administrators who took advantage of a clause in Indiana law that allowed for retirement and rehiring to the same position a few years ago.[[In-content Ad]]