Longtime NMS principal Tim Wilson moving on; NWCS hires Anna Murphy as assistant superintendent, a new position
By GLEN WERLING
A familiar face in Northern Wells Schools will be leaving and another will be returning.
Members of the Northern Wells Community Schools Board Tuesday night accepted the resignation of Norwell Middle School Principal Tim Wilson and hired Anna Murphy, a longtime math teacher at Norwell High School, to serve as the assistant superintendent for secondary education.
In a letter to the members of the Northern Wells Community School Board Tuesday evening Wilson explained, “I have been offered and accepted the principal position at Westview High School (Topeka in LaGrange County). I am looking to a new opportunity to make a difference in as many lives as I can with new students in a new community.”
Wilson has served as principal at Norwell Middle School since July of 2010. Prior to that, he taught first grade at Lancaster Elementary School between Aug. 2005 and June of 2009.
Wilson’s resignation is effective June 30.
“I cannot thank all of the current and past students enough,” Wilson wrote. They made me feel part of their family and allowed me to love them. I will never forget how they loved me back. Thank you parents for trusting me with your children every day. I took the responsibility very seriously.”
Wilson added that he believes everyone can make a positive difference in the lives of those around them. He hoped that he had done just that in the lives of the students at Norwell Middle School.
“It’s always sad to see us lose employees, but I’m really sad about our middle school principal,” a tearful board member Angie Topp said. “I want to thank you for everything you’ve done,” she struggled to say. “All three of my kids were in your middle school and all three of them will say those were their best years in school.”
“We’ll miss you on the basketball court, leading the youth in cheers. You were so much of the kids’ lives. Such an important part,” added board member Gene Donaghy.
“I just want to thank you Tim for being a great principal. It was so evident to me how much you loved them and it was your desire to see each one of them to succeed,” added board member Karen Harris.
Board member Chad Kline said that he had worked with Wilson often in Kline’s role as Wells County Economic Development Executive Director. “I’ve really appreciated your willingness to connect your kids with the community and for them to understand the opportunities and potential they had.”
“Your love for the students and watching you do the rumble I really hope your new school has rumble cheers, because you’ll be leading it for sure,” said board president Corey Krug.
“We appreciate the things that you’ve done. Tim’s commitment to keeping the kids at the middle school connected is so important,” said Superintendent Mike Springer, who added that whoever the board hires to replace Wilson will have to maintain that connectedness that Wilson created.
Wilson, who attended the meeting (he attends nearly all of the school board meetings), said he had already informed the students and staff of his decision. He was appreciative of the board members’ praise.
“I want to thank all of you for your trust. I’m leaving here happy with everything I’ve done. I did the best I could,” he said. “I have nothing but great things to say about Northern Wells Schools,” he added.
Later in the meeting, the school board approved of a severance package for Wilson.
Regarding the hiring of Murphy, Springer observed that during the search for a principal for Norwell High School he started engaging in conversations with Murphy in her role as New Haven’s principal.
“This was not something that was on my radar,” Springer said. But he started to consider what the needs were and where the school district was heading. Springer observed his background was in elementary education and not K-12, although he said he could do K-12. The administration, he admitted, needed some secondary education balance.
“How that was going to play out, we weren’t sure,” Springer said, but it became more and more apparent a person who could make a high impact at the secondary level was needed.
“This is a high impact position making sure that we have the best programming at the secondary level and the best achievement at the secondary level,” Springer said.
Krug said he spoke with Murphy and was very impressed at what she could bring to Northern Wells. “School corporations our size normally have this position,” he added.
Murphy has been principal at New Haven High School since 2016. Prior to that, she was a master teacher at Marion High School. At Marion she was able to guide the high school from a probationary status from the state board of education to an A-status. She did it as a teacher, master teacher and as a principal.
Springer said one of the reasons he was excited about bringing in Murphy was because of her past connection to Norwell and her commitment to the Northern Wells Community Schools district.
“I have yet to hear anyone say anything bad about her,” Springer said. “All I’ve heard was about how great she was as a teacher and how people are excited about seeing her come back.”
He added that he and Murphy really connect in terms of philosophy for the school district. “I think it will be great for the district. I’m thrilled to make the recommendation that you hire Anna Murphy as assistant superintendent.”
Donaghy added, “The worst thing was that she left Norwell.” But he observed that Murphy followed then Norwell High School Principal Ken Folks to Marion. “She made a lot of academic improvements at Marion,” he added.
When Folks moved to being the superintendent at East Allen County, she followed him from Marion to East Allen.
“She brings a lot of experience and thought to the position,” Donaghy said. “I’m just excited to get her back to Norwell.”
“I truly appreciate the opportunity to work here again. I feel like I’m home,” Murphy said in addressing the board after the members voted 5-0 to hire her. “I’m excited to start.”
Murphy’s duties will be:
• Serve as primary evaluator for middle school and high school administrators.
• Provide middle school and high school staffing recommendations to the superintendent.
• Provide middle school and high school program recommendations to the Superintendent.
• Regularly meet with middle school and high school administrators to support the alignment of instructional programming and to support professional development needs.
• Collaborate with the superintendent and administrative team to coordinate K-12 instructional programming and vertical alignment.
• Attend Area 18 meetings and lead efforts to increase career and technical programming.
• Lead efforts to increase dual credit programming.
• Serve as the school corporation’s expulsion hearing officer.
• Participate in professional development to help build capacity as a resource for schools and to model professional behavior.
• Perform any additional duties as assigned by the superintendent.
In other business, the board members discussed adopting math textbooks for Ossian and Lancaster Central elementary schools.
Eureka Math is the first math textbook adoption for the schools since 2014. The update in text books will cost a little extra and will raise the book fees for grades K-5 to $150 a year compared to the current $125 per year fee for grades K-2 and the $145 per year fee for grades 3-5.
Ossian Elementary School Principal Andrea Larkey described the vetting process for a new math curriculum, who all was involved in that process, the new books, the accompanying curriculum, and how teachers will use it to the school board members via a PowerPoint presentation.
The new curriculum is featured on the Northern Wells Schools website for review and school board members would like to hear input from the public regarding it. The school board will vote on adopting the new textbooks at a future meeting of the board.
The board members also approved on first reading changes from Neola policies to Indiana School Board Association policies for the following policies: 5030 curriculum materials adoption; 5050 challenges to curriculum materials; 5100 Indiana Course Access Program; 5120 postsecondary enrollment opportunity; 5200 Tile I parent involvement; 5210 education surrogate program, 5220 Hatch Ammendment (No Child Left Behind Act), 5221, right to inspect certain non-academic materials, 5310 teaching of controversial materials/issues, 5320 education of minors on internet interaction, 5370 display of falg and the Pledge of Allegiance, 5371 moment of silence, 5372 animals in the classroom, 5380 homework, 5400 test security assessment, 5510 field trips, 5520 promotion, replacement and retention, 5530 school withdrawal requests and student exit interviews. 5541 credit for religious instruction/release time and 5610 psychological services and counseling.
All of the policies are posted on the school corporation website for review by the public.
In a related matter, the board members adopted policies 4011, dealing with the appeals process for early entrance students; 4211, dealing with the administering of life-saving medications such as the anti-opiate Narcan and the allergic reaction counteractive medication epinephrine; and 4320, addressing the importance of school attendance and defining what are and are not excusable student absences.
Kline expressed concern that the policy regarding life-saving medications did not contain a section defining what school personnel are to do once the medication is administered. However, after considerable discussion on the matter, the board members agreed it was important to adopt the policy now and make an amendment soon.
glenw@news-banner.com
