The search is on for a new principal to head Welches Elementary and Middle Schools – the fourth since the retirement of Mike Sutton in 2009 – as the Mountain community tries to comprehend the sudden departure of Alex Leaver.

The Oregon Trail School District announced Leaver’s resignation in a letter to Welches parents from Superintendent Aaron Bayer dated May 16, noting Leaver’s final day as principal was May 15.

“I have the utmost confidence that we will find the right leader for Welches
Schools,” wrote Bayer in the letter. “In the meantime, we have strong staff
and administrators stepping up to the plate to ensure that Welches students
and staff are successful as this school year draws to a close.”

Despite submitting the letter of resignation, Leaver told The Mountain Times
he wanted to stay on as the principal for another year and he was asked for
the resignation by the district.

“Leaving Welches was not my desire,” Leaver said. “I did submit a letter of
resignation, simply because the superintendent needed more time to evaluate
my staff relations.”

Timeline
Leaver told the Times that in January he learned Bayer had received
complaints from some staff at the Welches schools during the Christmas break
about how Leaver related to his staff (the district was unable to comment on
this due to it being a personnel matter). Leaver says he was given two
options: submit a letter of resignation to be held by the district; or the district
would move toward non-renewal of his contract. The district, however,
maintains Leaver resigned on his own.

“Insofar as the district is concerned, the non-renewal process for
administrators on probationary status is a simple one,” explained Ken Bucchi,
Human Resources Director for the district, in an email. “A resignation letter in
lieu of non-renewal, however, helps the employee maintain some semblance
of an unblemished record while doing very little for the district. Therefore, any
mention of such a resignation under this condition would typically be proffered
by the employee, not the district, as the district has little to gain from it.”

“People resign for myriad reasons and I don’t pretend to always know or
understand what those reasons or motivations are,” Bucchi continued. “Alex
resigned of his own volition and was interviewing for administrative positions
and requesting letters of recommendation as early as the summer prior to his
resignation.”

In a letter dated Feb. 21, 2012 and obtained by The Mountain Times in a
Freedom of Information Act request, Leaver offered his resignation, effective
June 30 of this year, while offering thanks for the opportunities in the district.
During March and April, Leaver noted he met with Bayer to discuss his
progress regarding staff relations.

On Sunday, May 13, Leaver received an email from Bayer notifying him that
the principal position would be posted that week. In two voluntary meetings
on Monday, May 14, Leaver addressed his staff and told them he would not be
returning.

But his comments to staff prompted the district to expedite his departure.
“What he said to staff is neither consistent with his resignation letter or the
email sent by the superintendent, both of which reference an impending
recruitment not conditions of employment,” Bucchi wrote.

The district notified Leaver on Tuesday, May 15 that day would be his last and
he would be on paid administrative leave for the remainder of the school year.
“The district felt that these inconsistencies were disruptive to the learning
environment and that it would be best for all parties involved if Mr. Leaver
was afforded time away from the office to pursue other employment
opportunities, a process that he had begun almost a full year prior to this
event,” added Bucchi.

Leaver admitted he applied for a job in Bend during the summer of 2011 at a
school three miles from his home there, but added that it was only because of
that location and that he did not pursue any other job opportunities. And
Leaver maintains that there was a verbal agreement that Bayer would
evaluate his progress in staff relations while holding the letter of resignation
and supporting Leaver’s pursuit of employment in another district.

“As far as I was concerned, we were on track,” said Leaver, noting that the
district has been supportive in his current job search. “My anticipation, based
on our conversations, was that my contract would be extended for one more
year.”

Reaction to Leaver’s resignation
Reflecting back on his nearly two years at the schools, Leaver noted that it
took approximately one year for everyone to “get used to each other,” and
that if he could do it over again, he would do that faster. He added that the
loss of an administrator before his second year resulted in a greater workload
for himself, but thought his outreach to the community was a strong positive
from his tenure.

“The reason why I accepted the job two years ago was wanting to be a part of
the community; I wasn’t looking for work, it wasn’t that I was looking to work
for Oregon Trail School District,” said Leaver, who added he’s received letters
of support from the community and from school staff members. “But I did
want to work in Welches, so that’s been my commitment.”

And while Bucchi noted the district office has not heard any concerns from
anyone in the Welches community regarding Leaver, there are those on the
Mountain who do not understand his departure.

“I have a really hard time with the letter that went out,” said Paula Siverly,
whose child is a student at the Welches schools. “I know that the Leavers
bought a home in our community at the beginning of the school year. Why on
earth would he choose to sign a resignation letter in January?”

Leaver confirmed that he purchased a house in Welches last fall after renting
one during his first year on the job. He noted a deal to purchase a house in
the fall of his first year as principal fell through at the last minute, prompting
the need to rent.

“Alex was an amazing leader who really fought for our students in a number
of ways,” Siverly added. “I am really sad to see him go.”

Travis Brewster, president of the Welches Parent/Teacher Community
Organization, thought Leaver did a “fine job” and wondered why Leaver
couldn’t remain the principal through the end of the school year.

“The way they went about everything, it didn’t seem exactly right,” Brewster
said.

Sara King, a teacher at the middle school, noted the resignation was not
something she saw coming.

“From my perspective it was really sudden and it’s really surprising to be
ending the year this way,” said King.

Moving forward
Molly Knudsen, who was the principal at Cedar Ridge Middle School and
retired in 2011, will serve as the principal at the Welches schools through
June 13. In Bayer’s letter to Welches parents, he notes a new principal could
be hired by mid-June, adding the district has a “new, more comprehensive
process for recruiting and hiring principals.”

Brewster hopes that the next principal can be a strong voice for the students
and the community.

“I would obviously like to see somebody who is committed to the community
and the kids,” Brewster said. “You want somebody who’s not only going to do
a good job, you want somebody to fight for what Welches needs.”

School board member Kurt McKnight, Zone 3 (Welches), declined comment
for this story.