For Selah students, it's a matter of principal

SELAH -- Emotions continued to run high Friday as more than 200 high school students marched in support of their principal, who turned in his resignation earlier in the week.

The student march started about 2:15 p.m. at the high school when classes ended for the day. It proceeded to the Selah School District's administrative headquarters a few blocks away, where students were joined by about two dozen parents and community members.

Students have been upset since they learned that Principal Joe Jones tendered his resignation Tuesday, effective in June.

They said they don't want to lose Jones.

"He's our principal, and he belongs with us," senior Brooke Piper said at the rally. "We're not going to stop until we get what we want."

Hoping to plead their case with Superintendent Debra Howard, students were disappointed to discover she was out town. Instead, five rally leaders met with school administrators Chris Scacco, Pam Ansingh and Don Szolomayer to say they hoped their collective voice would be heard.

The administrators assured them that people were listening to them.

The students' message was unmistakable -- they want the school board to refuse Jones' resignation and make sure he continues as principal at the high school as long as he wishes.

About 760 students attend the high school, which covers grades 10-12. Overall, the district has 3,500 students.

Jones, who did not attend the rally, told the Herald-Republic that during a mid-year evaluation two weeks ago, Howard informed him his position would be different next year.

"She said she did not see me for what the vision of the high school position was for the principal," Jones said. "But, there would be some administrative role for me, just not as the high school principal."

After mulling that possibility, Jones, who is 37, said he decided he would tender his resignation instead.

"Very simply, once I accepted the fact that Dr. Howard had made her decision -- I told her that I disagreed, but it was her decision and her job to make those decisions for the district. That's when I decided to resign."

He said that Howard didn't give him a reason for removing him as high school principal.

Several townspeople have suggested that Howard and Jones have repeatedly clashed over management issues. Howard is in her first year as Selah superintendent, and Jones has been principal for three years.

A phone call seeking comment from Howard wasn't returned Friday.

Clearly, high school students participating in the rally don't want Jones to resign.

Many sacrificed their after-school sports practice to attend the rally, and one Selah senior, Rebecca Lunning, even missed school to attend. She hasn't been absent from classes at Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center in several years but skipped Friday so she could attend the rally.

"Usually Selah is very calm, but this is a different thing," said Yesenia Rosales, 15. "We usually don't protest, but we don't want him to go."

Students passed out a petition during the rally, asking that Jones be reinstated at the high school next year.

Within about an hour, they had gathered more than 500 signatures and were expecting more people to sign in the next few days as they circulate the petition around town.

Todd Trepanier, president of the school board, talked with the group of students outside district headquarters, indicating that he was speaking only for himself and not the board. While he said he couldn't discuss personnel matters, he did underscore his support for Howard.

"I want to make it clear that the superintendent has done exactly what I have been expecting in leading us to excellence," he said.

Sophomore Josh Munson asked, "How does Mr. Jones not lead us to excellence? If you take Mr. Jones out of the high school, you take the excellence out."

Earlier in the day, Trepanier explained that the superintendent is mandated to follow the directions from the board. He also said that the board considers all input from the community.

Sophomore Brandon Riddle wanted to know if Jones rescinded his resignation, would the board ensure that he remains at the high school into the future.

Trepanier said he couldn't answer.

In fact, Jones left open the possibility of working for the district in some capacity next year.

"At this moment in time, I think it's definitely a possibility.

"It's my desire to stay as a member of our community. My hope is to serve our community in some form as an educator -- specifically as an administrator."

Jones met with students early Friday morning to dissuade them from holding a protest/sit-in during school hours. Teachers also attended the meeting.

Students followed his advice and rescheduled the rally for after school instead. Jones praised them for the positive way in which they handled the situation.

He also told the group how much he appreciated their support, as well as the outpouring from the community. He said that he and his wife, Dana Jones, who directs special programs for the district, were asked not to attend the Selah School Board meeting Thursday evening, where about 200 people showed up to demonstrate they wanted him to remain at the high school.

Howard, who was not in the office Friday, did attend Thursday night's board meeting.

Teachers, parents and students exhorted the board for nearly two hours to prevent the resignation of a man people said had made great progress at the helm of the high school.

After listening to the crowd, the board voted essentially to table the resignation, upon Howard's recommendation. The panel decided to take up the matter as a special agenda item at its next meeting April 9, which will be held at the Selah Civic Center because of the crowd expected.

Senior Miranda Gunvaldson said at Friday's rally that the next step for students is to try to meet with Howard sometime before the school board meeting.

"We're willing to do this all over again," she said, referring to the show of support at the rally. "Kids won't be motivated anymore at the high school if Mr. Jones isn't there."

Senior William Hayes, ASB president, agreed. Emphasizing Jones's leadership skills and moral character, he said, "You never really know what you have until it's taken away."

Assistant City Editor Scott Mayes contributed to this report.