New DHS principal to be decided tonight

By Maddie Yang,
BluedevilHUB.com Staff—

The school board will vote tonight on whether or not to approve Lee Fleming as the new principal of Davis High. DHS has been without a permanent principal since the beginning of the school year.

Teachers and other staff members were informed about the choice of Fleming at a staff meeting Wednesday morning.

According to teacher Doug Wright, most staff members had hoped that Tom McHale would be offered the position.

“We have an extremely strong candidate. I see him as the best leader we can get for the school right now, and it’s really disheartening that the district has chosen to do this,” Wright said.

The previous principal, Will Brown, left during the summer of 2017, leaving previously vice principal Tom McHale to serve as interim principal for the rest of the school year. Due to this absence of a permanent principal, the school board has gone through a hiring process for a new principal.

There were three candidates for the position: two females from out of the district and one male (McHale) from within.

Fleming has three years of teaching experience from a small school of around 300 students in San Diego. She encourages technological and project-based learning.

The vast majority of teachers at DHS are in support of McHale, who has had 20 years of teaching experience and has consistently been a part of the school community.

According to Wright, there are about eight to 10 petition sheets going around, each with 20 spaces for teachers to sign in support of McHale as the best candidate for the position.

Additionally, people have started contacting the school board through emails, phone calls and letters in hopes that the school board will make the best decision for the new principal.