Madison principal reprimanded, told to work from home

Superintendent decides Gray won’t return to Madison Elementary.

MADISON TWP. — Madison Superintendent Tom York has ordered an elementary school principal to work from home the remainder of the school year.

Madison Elementary Principal Matthew Gray is working from home with pay the duration of the school year after several reprimands for his behavior over the past 12 months, most notably a physical altercation with a special education student last year, according to his personnel file.

York said the Madison school board unanimously voted March 5 not to renew Gray’s contract, which expires July 31.

In April 2011 before a classroom of students and a security camera, Gray became violent with a special education student, according to a written reprimand in his personnel file.

“During this incident you escalated the situation, became physically violent, grabbed the child by the shirt, and yanking the child out of the classroom and down the hallway,” reads York’s reprimand.

York said prior to the incident, the student had been resting his head on the desk.

Gray was placed on five weeks paid administrative leave following the incident, which York said could have been avoided if Gray had implemented de-escalation techniques provided during a training session in late 2010.

Working from home Wednesday in Mason, Gray declined to comment on the incidents and non-renewal of his contract.

York said the district reported the incident to state and local authorities including the Butler County Sheriff’s Office and Ohio Department of Education.

Following an investigation, no criminal action was taken by the sheriff’s office, according to AJ Huff, coordinator of community relations for the schools.

The Ohio Board of Education entered into a consent agreement with Gray, dated October 2011, which required he attend non-physical intervention training and submit reports every three months regarding unbecoming behavior.

According to a performance review from November 2011, Gray informally organized a group of elementary students — the children of employees finishing work during after-school hours — he dubbed the “Sneaky Snakes.” York said the students allegedly were led from classroom to classroom to steal candy from teachers’ desks and containers.

After the activity was discovered, Gray was limited access to the school between 8 a.m. and 3:35 p.m. and ordered not to enter classrooms unless for work purposes, according to York.

“It’s like an open wound the building has to endure,” York said. “In an effort to heal, we thought it was a good thing (to work from home).”

Other written evaluations in 2011 stated Gray spent the bulk of the day “in his office, with the door closed, isolated from the operation of the school,” used inappropriate language around staff, and did not effectively manage custodial staff to clean the building.

Gray joined the district in June 2006 as principal of Madison Intermediate School. When the intermediate and primary schools combined into one building, Gray became principal of the elementary school in 2010. Gray’s annual salary is $78,763.

Prior to Madison schools, Gray served 11 years with Dayton Public Schools, seven years with Middletown City Schools, and one year at Sandy Valley Local Schools in Magnolia, Ohio, according to his application for employment at Madison.

David French, school board president, said there has been no formal discussion on how the position will be filled. .

York said until the position is filled, assistant principal Jason Jackson will have increased responsibilities going forward.

Gray is certified through June 2013 with ODE to work as an assistant superintendent, supervisor and elementary principal.

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