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Parents Concerned About Leadership Changes In Fayetteville Schools

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) — Several parents of students in the Fayetteville School District are voicing their concerns about the upcoming changes in some of the...

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) -- Several parents of students in the Fayetteville School District are voicing their concerns about the upcoming changes in some of the schools next school year in an online petition.

The Fayetteville School District reassigned several of its middle and elementary school vice principals to different schools. Outgoing Superintendent Paul Hewitt said the district is preparing for the future, but some parents said there have been too many changes.

The parents argue the reassignment of school leadership should have waited until incoming Superintendent Matthew Wendt had a chance to assess what the school district needs. Hewitt is retiring at the end of June and Wendt will take over July 1.

"We strongly feel that Dr. Wendt, the incoming superintendent, should be the person to come in and evaluate these schools first-hand," parent Miriam Smith said Thursday (May 19). "[Wendt should] get to know the principals and assistants and talk to them and understand the dynamic of each school."

But Hewitt said he wants to train the district's vice principals to become principals as the area continues to grow.

"They can see different cultures, they can take a different view of problems and issues" he said. "They can deal with and learn from different leadership styles, so when they become principals they`ll have a broad background of understanding that would make them more successful."

Hewitt said he and his assistant superintendents have been discussing the reassignments for the past six months.

The parents who oppose it said they are hoping the new superintendent will reevaluate the administration shift.

"If it is a good choice, then as a parent, I need to support it and get behind it," Beth Allison said. "However, I do just question if it has been as carefully thought out as our own choices that we as parents make for our children."

The petition was started on Monday (May 16) and has more than 400 supporters, which include teachers and school administrators.

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