Former Columbia City High School Principal Steve Doepker will serve as interim principal at Huntington North during HNHS Principal Jeremy Gulley's year-long deployment to Afghanistan.
Former Columbia City Principal Steve Doepker will serve as interim principal of Huntington North High School during the 2010-2011 school year.
Huntington County Community School Board trustees voted 5-2 at Monday evening’s meeting to hire Doepker to fill HNHS Principal Jeremy Gulley’s position during his year-long deployment in Afghanistan.
School Board President Kevin Patrick and Board Member Scott Hoffman voted against hiring Doepker, but both emphasized their votes did not reflect their opinions of Doepker’s ability to do the job. Rather, they thought seeking to fill the position internally would save the corporation the $90,000 HCCSC will pay for Doepker’s salary next year.
“I think he’s a fine individual and I’ve had fine reports from people who know him. But $90,000 buys us computers or two classroom teachers,” Patrick said. “Whatever decision is made, I will support it 100 percent, but there is a better way to spend $90,000. I don’t think we’ve explored the talent we have in our building at this point.”
Hoffman said that $90,000 could be funneled directly into the HCCSC classrooms instead of paying an administrator’s salary.
“It’s all about the kids for me,” he said.
HCCSC Superintendent Tracey Shafer said he believes Doepker is the “best fit” for the position. Shafer said he selected three candidates, including Doepker, through an application screening process and Doepker was chosen by a nine-member interview committee comprised of a student, a parent, a teacher, a school board member and various administrators.
“He is very student-centered as described by his former superintendent. He is very knowledgeable in continued school improvement initiatives and that’s what we need,” Shafer said. “We just need someone to help move forward the pieces we already have in place at Huntington North and work very well with people.”
Doepker, who spent 13 years as principal of Columbia City High School and also served as principal for St. Vincent De Paul Elementary School and Churubusco High School, said his goal is to help facilitate solid communication between faculty, staff, students and parents.
“The goal for next year is … that we have as normal a situation in the high school as we can and the year without Mr. Gulley will be as smooth as possible,” Doepker said. “I really want to connect the best that I can with the senior class. I really do like focusing on the seniors to see how their goals for the future align with the reality of life.”
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